Beyond Trauma: How Creativity Can Heal with Novelist Alle C. Hall
Nov 19, 2026 at 7:00pm ~ Nov 19, 2026 at 8:30pm
American author Alle C. Hall returns to Tokyo—where she taught English from 1988 to 1991—for an evening of readings and conversation at Impact Hub Tokyo in Meguro on Thursday, November 19.
Her novel “As Far as You Can Go Before You Have to Come Back” draws loosely on those years. It follows a young American survivor of sexual assault who runs away to Japan. In Tokyo, she falls in with a kind group of foreigners who practice tai chi together. With their support, she begins to reclaim the self-respect taken from her as a child.
What to Expect
Rather than simply reading aloud, Hall performs selections from several chapters, giving a sense of how the story unfolds. Adapting literature for the stage is her specialty—she majored in the analysis and performance of literature at Northwestern University.
Afterward, she talks about how the body, mind and soul respond to trauma, particularly in childhood. Hall has explained post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in clear, everyday language in interviews with outlets such as OprahDaily.com.
The evening wraps up with a look at creativity as a path to healing. For Hall, that means writing and a tai chi practice spanning 30 years, but she sees any form of self-expression as a way for survivors to feel grounded.
Information
Start: Nov 19th 2026 at 7:00pm
End: Nov 19th 2026 at 8:30pm
Free
