Sitting down with Susan Hwang to discuss the Bushwick Book Club was an absolute delight. Her dedication to the organization she founded radiates through every word—her passion for merging literature and music into transformative community experiences is both infectious and deeply inspiring.
The Bushwick Book Club is significant as a bridge between contemporary literature and original music-making, turning reading into an active, collaborative performance practice rather than a solitary or purely literary experience. It has also become a replicable model, with multiple chapters and a nonprofit arm that commissions large volumes of new book-inspired songs, influencing both local music scenes and how authors present their work to audiences.
What it is
The original Bushwick Book Club began in Brooklyn in 2009 when songwriter Susan Hwang organized a night of new songs based on a single book, and it evolved into recurring “literature-themed” shows where musicians, writers, and other artists create new work in response to a chosen text. Events have drawn on a wide range of authors—from Vonnegut and Raymond Carver to Maya Angelou and Dr. Seuss—making the series a cross-genre meeting point for literary and performing arts communities.
Musical role
Bushwick Book Club’s core practice is commissioning and presenting original songs based on books, which has generated well over a thousand new compositions across its different chapters. By framing each gig around a specific book, it functions like an ongoing compositional laboratory for songwriters, encouraging close reading, narrative adaptation, and character or theme-driven songwriting rather than standard pop tropes.
Mark Your Calendars: December 20th Event
The next Bushwick Book Club reading and performance is scheduled for Saturday, December 20th at 5:00 PM. This marathon event promises an exciting showcase of original music inspired by literature, followed immediately by the Annual Howl Holiday Party—a perfect celebration to close out the year.
Whether you’re a longtime supporter or new to the Bushwick Book Club experience, this is your chance to witness extraordinary community talent, discover how books become songs, and connect with fellow arts enthusiasts. The combination of live performance, literary celebration, and holiday festivities makes this a can’t-miss event.
Join us for an evening of creativity, connection, and celebration. We hope to see you there!
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