About

Gather for an evening of true stories told live and without notes as the internationally renowned storytelling phenomenon The Moth returns to Toronto. The Toronto International Festival of Authors is proud to present The Moth Mainstage to celebrate the opening night of the annual 11-day festival (September 19–29). The Mainstage is the quintessential Moth experience, a two-act show where the storytellers and a notable host share true personal stories, without notes. The Moth brings the power of personal storytelling to millions of people each year, creating community and building empathy around the world with unique, intimate, and often enlightening experiences.

Don’t miss “New York’s hottest and hippest literary ticket” (The Wall Street Journal) in town for one night only.

Generously supported by TIFA’s Global Authors Club: Gail and Mark Appel, The Marilyn and Charles Baillie Family Foundation, The Lynn and Brent Belzberg Foundation, The Bennett Family Foundation, The Honourable Nicole Eaton, Harriet Lewis and Eldon Bennett, The L’Heureux Family Foundation, Beth Nowers and Jack Curtin, Nalini and Tim Stewart.

Water on Fire: A Memoir of War

Read more about Water on Fire: A Memoir of War

Buy from

How to Live Free in a Dangerous World: A Decolonial Memoir

Read more about How to Live Free in a Dangerous World: A Decolonial Memoir

Buy from

How Far to the Promised Land: One Black Family’s Story of Hope and Survival in the American South

Read more about How Far to the Promised Land: One Black Family’s Story of Hope and Survival in the American South

Buy from

Jon Goode

Jon Goode is an Emmy nominated writer raised in Richmond, VA and currently residing in Atlanta, GA. Jon's work has been featured on CNN, HBO, VH1, MTV, TVOne and BET.

Read more about Jon Goode

Tarek El-Ariss

Tarek El-Ariss is an author, scholar and the James Wright Professor and Chair of Middle Eastern Studies at Dartmouth College. In 2021, he received a Guggenheim Fellowship to complete his war memoir, Water on Fire (Other Press, 2024).

Read more about Tarek El-Ariss

Shayla Lawson

Shayla Lawson is an award-winning poet, journalist and disability advocate from Lexington, Kentucky. They are the author of four books including How To Live Free in a Dangerous World: A Decolonial Memoir.

Read more about Shayla Lawson

Ivy Le

Ivy Le is a Vietnamese American comedian, actress and writer based in Austin, Texas. She is the creator of the critically-acclaimed podcast FOGO: Fear of Going Outside, a nature show by the most reluctant host ever. FOGO is featured on Delta flights and recommended by The Guardian, CBC, Oprah and, inexplicably, Outside.

Read more about Ivy Le

Esau McCaulley

Esau McCaulley, PhD is an author and The Jonathan Blanchard Associate Professor of New Testament and Public Theology at Wheaton College. His writing and speaking focus on New Testament Exegesis, African American Biblical Interpretation and Public Theology.

Read more about Esau McCaulley

Carolyn Meyer

Carolyn Meyer, For more than 50 years, Carolyn Meyer built a career as a writer for children and young adults, traveling the world to do research for historical novels about people like Marie Antoinette and Charles Darwin. Then, with more than 60 books to her credit, Carolyn took her storytelling in a different direction.

Read more about Carolyn Meyer