Anand Giridharadas — Man in the Mirror: Hope, Struggle, and Belonging in an American City - with Terry Moran
Anand Giridharadas presents *Man in the Mirror: Hope, Struggle, and Belonging in an American City*, his deeply reported account of the fatal 2023 New York subway encounter involving Jordan Neely, a homeless man known for his Michael Jackson impersonations, and Daniel Penny, a former Marine who had come to New York seeking a different life. The event examines how the incident and its aftermath illuminate questions of belonging, estrangement, justice, public safety, and the divisions shaping American life.
Giridharadas places the story in settings ranging from New York City Hall and subway benches to a Marine Corps base, a Harlem church, and the courtroom where the case became a national flashpoint. By following the perspectives of the people involved, he presents a complex human story beyond the headlines and political shorthand. He will discuss the book with Terry Moran, an award-winning journalist and broadcaster who spent nearly 30 years at ABC News and now reports independently on American politics, culture, and civic life.
When: Thursday, October 1, 2026
Showtime: 7:00 p.m.
Venue: Politics and Prose at 5015 Connecticut Avenue NW, 5015 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
Format: In-person event with a livestream option listed on the event page.
Tickets: Free admission with first-come, first-served seating.
Conversation: Anand Giridharadas in conversation with Terry Moran.
Featured book: *Man in the Mirror: Hope, Struggle, and Belonging in an American City* by Anand Giridharadas is available for preorder. The hardcover is listed at $35, with a September 29, 2026 publication date; ISBN 9780593802014.
Speaker: Anand Giridharadas is the New York Times bestselling author of *The Persuaders*, *Winners Take All*, *The True American*, and *India Calling*. A former *New York Times* foreign correspondent and columnist, he has also contributed to *The New Yorker*, *The Atlantic*, and *Time*, and publishes the newsletter The.Ink. He is an on-air political analyst for MS NOW and has received the Radcliffe Fellowship, the Porchlight Business Book of the Year Award, Harvard University’s Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award for Humanism in Culture, and the New York Public Library’s Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism. He lives in Brooklyn.
Conversation partner: Terry Moran is an award-winning journalist, writer, and broadcaster who reported from around the world and throughout the United States during his nearly three decades with ABC News. He is now an independent journalist and the founder of *Real Patriotism*, a project focused on conversations and reporting about American politics, culture, and civic life.
Accessibility: Attendees seeking accommodations or information about accessibility should email events@politics-prose.com, ideally at least one week before the event. The venue will try to accommodate requests made up to the event.
Ages: Not specified.
Run time: Not specified.