Professor of Russian, English, and Jewish Studies at Boston College Maxim D. Shrayer will read from and discuss his new book of interconnected poems, Of Politics and Pandemics: Songs of a Russian Immigrant, at a virtual book event organized by Belmont Books on February 11 at 7 p.m. Songs of a Russian Immigrant, which explores the impact of election-year politics and COVID-19 on American society, touches upon themes of despair, hope, love, and loss. An award-winning translingual author, scholar, and translator, Shrayer has more than 15 books to his name, including Leaving Russia: A Jewish Story, Yom Kippur in Amsterdam, and Voices of Jewish-Russian Literature. He will be joined at the book event by his daughter Tatiana Rebecca Shrayer, a 7th-grader at the Driscoll School in Brookline, who will present her award-winning debut poetry collection Searching for Bow and Arrows, which explores the weight of one’s own personal, familial history as well as the history of politics and identity. Details and registration via Belmont Books.