Emily St. John Mandel — Exit Party - with Ron Charles — at St. Paul's

Emily St. John Mandel presents *Exit Party*, a speculative novel set in Los Angeles in 2031, during the first spring after the United States has collapsed. As peacekeeping forces leave the city and curfew ends, Ari Waker and her roommate cross a dangerous Silver Lake landscape to attend a party. The celebration takes an uncanny turn when a mysterious double appears and the host, Kareem, disappears.

The novel follows Ari’s attempt to understand that baffling night while moving through a fractured future America, a weapons-dealer resort on the Greek coast, a domed Paris, and a lunar colony. Mandel’s story explores surveillance, the cost of security, resilience, and the consequences of catastrophic political change. She will discuss the book with Ron Charles.

When: Wednesday, October 28, 2026

Showtime: 7:00pm

Venue: St. Paul’s, 4900 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008

Tickets: Price not available

Format: In conversation with Ron Charles

Featured author: Emily St. John Mandel is the author of six novels, including *Station Eleven*, *The Glass Hotel*, and *Sea of Tranquility*. Her work has received major literary recognition and has been translated into numerous languages; *Station Eleven* was also adapted into an HBO Max limited series. She lives in New York City and Los Angeles.

Conversation partner: Ron Charles was a book critic for *The Christian Science Monitor* and *The Washington Post* for 30 years. He now writes about books on Substack.

Book: *Exit Party: A Novel*, Mandel’s latest novel, was published by Knopf in September 2026. The hardcover is listed at $32.00 and has ISBN 9780593321461.

Signing: All books will be pre-signed. A signing line will be available after the event for personalization.

Event status: The page identifies the program as ticketed, partnered, and offsite.