Speaking Gigs & Readings

Jean speaks at bookstores, universities, libraries, conferences, and community events on topics including prison reform, juvenile justice, women’s incarceration, and the power of literature to transform lives.

To book Jean for an event, contact [email protected] or Tanya Farrell [email protected]

Events

2026

May 13, 2026
Porter Square Books — Launch Event
1815 Massachusetts Ave, Suite 118-119, Cambridge, MA — 7:00 PM
“Be the Change” — Jean Trounstine in conversation with Angelia Jefferson and Stacey Borden. Author reading, Q&A, and book signing.
May 16, 2026
Book Party
Somerville Armory Cafe, Somerville, MA — 7:00 PM
Celebration of Sounds Like Trouble to Me.
May 20, 2026
More Than Words
242 East Berkeley St, Boston, MA — 4:00 PM
Joint event with Roca. Reading and discussion of Sounds Like Trouble to Me.
July 7, 2026
Mercantile Library
Cincinnati, OH — 6:00 PM
“Sounds Like Trouble to Me — An Evening with Jean Trounstine.” Reading and discussion.
July 29, 2026
Pen A Theme Book Club 📚
Virtual
Book club discussion of Sounds Like Trouble to Me.
August 1, 2026
Big Comfy Couch Book Club 📚
Virtual
Book club discussion of Sounds Like Trouble to Me.
August 15, 2026
New Beginnings 5th Annual Community Resource Fair
Corner of Warren and Crawford Street, Grove Hall, Dorchester, MA — 11:00 AM–4:00 PM
Hosted by New Beginnings Reentry Services. A community celebration supporting formerly incarcerated individuals and families, with housing and employment support, legal aid, health and wellness services, food, live music, and family activities. Register here.
August 17, 2026
Edgewood Lifecare Community
North Andover, MA
Reading and discussion of Sounds Like Trouble to Me.
August 29, 2026
Harlem Book Fair
Harlem State Office Building, 163 West 125th Street, Harlem, NY — 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
Jean Trounstine at the Harlem Book Fair.
October 18, 2026
Community Church of Boston
Boston, MA
Reading and discussion of Sounds Like Trouble to Me.
November 12–14, 2026
Midwest Modern Language Association
Chicago, IL
Conference presentation.

2025

Events coming soon.

2024

March 28, 2024
Porter Square Books
Somerville, MA
April 9, 2024
Middlesex Community College
Lowell, MA — 11am
May 28, 2024
Edgewood Senior Living
North Andover, MA
June 13, 2024
Changing Lives Through Literature Conference
Massachusetts
September 12, 2024
Maynard Library
Maynard, MA

2021

March 10, 2021
Andover Library — Courageous Conversations Series
Andover, MA — Virtual
We Need to Talk About An Injustice: The Work of Bryan Stevenson
May 12, 2021
Andover Library — Courageous Conversations Series
Andover, MA — Virtual
Parole 101: The Massachusetts Parole System and Why it Needs to Change
May 13, 2021
Temple Emanuel — Book Discussion: Boy With A Knife
Andover, MA — Virtual

2019

March 31, 2019
Community Church of Boston
Boston, MA
“Parole in Massachusetts: Why We Need More Second Chances”
September 21, 2019
Tewksbury Library — Local Author Fair
Tewksbury, MA
October 10, 2019
Salem Athenaeum
Salem, MA
Changing Lives Through Literature
November 1–3, 2019
Conference — Theater, Sport and Literature in Prison
Urbino, Italy
November 24, 2019
Community Church of Boston
Boston, MA
“Murder, Remorse, Prison, and Fighting for Justice” — with Karter Reed

2018

March 20, 2018
National Council on Juvenile Justice
San Diego, CA
“What’s Age Got to Do With It: The Implications of Sentencing Juveniles as Adults” — with Judge Jay Blitzman and Dr. Robert Kinscherff
September 25, 2018
Public Affairs Conference — Missouri State University
Springfield, MO
November 8–11, 2018
National Conference on Higher Education in Prison
Indianapolis, IN
Presentation with community engagement activist Lillie A. Estes

2016

April 19, 2016
Porter Square Books
Cambridge, MA
Reading and signing Boy With A Knife
May 10, 2016
Harvard Law School
Cambridge, MA
“Should We Ever Sentence Juveniles To Adult Prisons?” — with Karter Kane Reed, sponsored by the Charles Hamilton Institute of Race and Justice
May 31, 2016
Politics & Prose at Busboys and Poets
Washington, DC
In conversation with Joshua Rovner of the Sentencing Project
June 2, 2016
57th Street Books
Chicago, IL
With Bernardine Dohrn and Xavier McElrath-Bey
August 23, 2016
Santa Cruz Bookshop
Santa Cruz, CA
In conversation with Fred Keeley