Ask a group that includes writers, photographers, artists and zoologists (!) about a moment in their lives that changed everything, and you’re sure to get quite a range of hilarious, haunting, and/or heartbreaking answers back.

On Monday night, The Moment’s editor Larry Smith (he’s also editor of Smith Magazine and Six-Word Memoirs) hosted a night of readings at McNally Jackson. There were quite a few, but they were all so touching and poignant that I wanted to record a bit about each. And instead of “ruining” the moments, I thought I’d offer teasers instead...

A.J. Jacobs (Author: My Life as an Experiment)
“Chalkface”: How a shocking grade school incident forever changed the way A.J. viewed adults.

Mira Ptacin (Author and Founder of Freerange Nonfiction)
“Running”: How running helped Mira overcome what sounds like one of the worst experiences ever.

Vivian Chum (Executive Director of 4th and 1, Editor at Smith Magazine)
“Assembly”: Shockingly racist shizz goes down in Vivian’s high school cafeteria.

Michael Forster Rothbart (Photographer)
A funny and touching Powerpoint presentation (yeah!) about the moment he fell in love with his son. [Note: Michael and I briefly worked together in Madison, WI! Random!]

Alan Rabinowitz (Zoologist and world expert on big cats)
“I’m Caged”: How visits to the Bronx Zoo helped Alan overcome his paralyzing childhood stutter.

Piper Kerman (Author: Orange is the New Black)
“Take the Wheel”: How a chill uncle allowed Piper to take to the open road.

Matt Dojny (Author: The Festival of Earthly Delights)
How an eerie coincidence on the subway helped Matt finish his sprawling novel.

Karol Nielsen (Author: Black Elephants)
“Vietnam Revisited”: A poem about her experiences with and reactions to two different wars (Vietnam and Afghanistan).

Gillian Laub (Photographer)
A multimedia presentation (including photos, voiceover and taped phone messages) about Gillian’s close ties to her family.

Mary Elizabeth Williams (Author: Gimme Shelter)
About the time between getting a doctor’s call that you have cancer, and telling someone about it.

Jerry Ma (Art Director and Cartoonist)
Several panels detailing how Jerry’s art dreams included a stint at Morgan Stanley.

Cheryl Della Pietra (Journalist)
“Gonzo Girl”: About getting a late-night phone call from Hunter S. Thompson in which he asks you to be his personal assistant.