Come hear Lawrence Burney discuss this year's OMOB selection, No Sense in Wishing.
(Baltimore, MD) – Maryland Humanities is thrilled to announce our upcoming fall events with 2026 One Maryland One Book (OMOB) author, Lawrence Burney, where we’ll convene with readers from across Maryland to discuss this year’s OMOB selection, No Sense in Wishing: Essays on Black Music, Belonging, and Baltimore.
Released in 2025 by Simon and Schuster, the book is a personal and analytical essay collection taking cue from Burney’s career as a culture writer and critic through which he looks at his home city of Baltimore, music from throughout the global Black diaspora, and the traditions that raised him, offering perspective on the people, places, music, and art that transformed him.
This fall, readers can find Burney at the following events:
Carroll Book Festival
Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Carroll County Farm Museum (500 S Center St, Westminster, MD 21157)
Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Carroll County Farm Museum (500 S Center St, Westminster, MD 21157)
Baltimore Book Festival
Date: September 19-20, 2026
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Location: Waverly Main Street (3100 Greenmount Ave, Baltimore, MD 21218)
Date: September 19-20, 2026
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Location: Waverly Main Street (3100 Greenmount Ave, Baltimore, MD 21218)
Building African American Minds x Shore Lit
Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026
Time: 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Location: BAAM Athletic Center (21 Jowite Street, Easton MD, 21601)
Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026
Time: 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Location: BAAM Athletic Center (21 Jowite Street, Easton MD, 21601)
Baltimore Museum of Art
Date: Saturday, October 29, 2026
Time: 6:30 to 7:45 p.m.
Location: Meyerhoff Theater @ BMA (10 Art Museum Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218)
Date: Saturday, October 29, 2026
Time: 6:30 to 7:45 p.m.
Location: Meyerhoff Theater @ BMA (10 Art Museum Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218)
Maryland Humanities invites readers to delve into the 2026 One Maryland One Book and hopes Marylanders across the state will join us in another year of celebrating the joy of reading and the shared learning experiences through it. More information about Lawrence’s OMOB author events can be found on Maryland Humanities’ website, and a full calendar of OMOB-related events is available online.
To keep up with this year’s One Maryland One Book, you can follow Maryland Humanities @mdhumanities on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn; sign up for our Literature Newsletter; or with a monthly donation, you can become a Humanities Hero and receive special OMOB perks.
“This fall, One Maryland One Book will come to life, as readers across the state have the opportunity to come together, share their perspectives, and connect with an author whose work speaks so deeply to Maryland,” says Aditya Desai, Program Officer for Literature at Maryland Humanities.
“We’re especially excited to welcome Lawrence Burney to communities throughout the state—from Baltimore City to the Eastern Shore. These events will offer readers a chance to engage with No Sense in Wishing in new ways, while exploring the music, history, identity, and experiences that shape our understanding of Baltimore and Maryland. We hope readers will join us this fall and be part of these conversations.”
About One Maryland One Book
One Maryland One Book is a program of Maryland Center for the Book at Maryland Humanities, presented in partnership with The National Endowment for the Humanities. One Maryland One Book 2026 is sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services via the Maryland State Library Agency and other funders that may be announced later.
One Maryland One Book is a program of Maryland Center for the Book at Maryland Humanities, presented in partnership with The National Endowment for the Humanities. One Maryland One Book 2026 is sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services via the Maryland State Library Agency and other funders that may be announced later.
About Maryland Center for the Book
Through our Maryland Center for the Book program, Maryland Humanities created One Maryland One Book to bring together diverse people in communities across the state through the shared experience of reading the same book. We invite readers to participate in book-centered discussions and related programs at public libraries, high schools, colleges, museums, bookstores, and community and senior centers throughout the state. Connect with Maryland Center for the Book on Facebook.
Through our Maryland Center for the Book program, Maryland Humanities created One Maryland One Book to bring together diverse people in communities across the state through the shared experience of reading the same book. We invite readers to participate in book-centered discussions and related programs at public libraries, high schools, colleges, museums, bookstores, and community and senior centers throughout the state. Connect with Maryland Center for the Book on Facebook.
About Maryland Humanities
Maryland Humanities creates and supports bold experiences that explore and elevate our shared stories to connect people, enhance lives, and enrich communities. Maryland Humanities is generously supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the State of Maryland, the Citizens of Baltimore County, private foundations, corporations, small businesses, and individual donors. Connect with Maryland Humanities on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
Maryland Humanities creates and supports bold experiences that explore and elevate our shared stories to connect people, enhance lives, and enrich communities. Maryland Humanities is generously supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the State of Maryland, the Citizens of Baltimore County, private foundations, corporations, small businesses, and individual donors. Connect with Maryland Humanities on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, and YouTube.