BookSwell

The New York Times bestselling author of Reading Lolita in Tehran returns with a guide for our times, arming readers with a resistance...Tuesday, March 8th, 7:00PM PSTRead Dangerously: The Subversive Power of Literature in Troubled TimesAzar NafisiIn conversationALOUD on WORDSThe New York Times bestselling author of Reading Lolita in Tehran returns with a guide for our times, arming readers with a resistance reading list, including selections from James Baldwin to Zora Neale Hurston to Margaret Atwood. FAQsAbout ALOUDALOUD is the Library Foundation of Los Angeles' series of bold, powerful programs and has been a key player in fostering the literary and cultural community of Los Angeles. ALOUD programs are Member-supported. Join the Library Foundation of Los Angeles for first access and discounts on ticketed events here.Where is the Zoom link?We will send a reservation reminder before the event with the Zoom link. Please note: the Library Foundation of Los Angeles makes every effort to ensure high quality digital programming, but is not responsible for technical difficulties caused by Zoom or from program participants.What is your refund policy?All books are non-refundable. Thank you for supporting the Los Angeles Public Library.When will books be shipped?Copies of "Read Dangerously: The Subversive Power of Read More ...

Bob Odenkirk discusses his memoir, "Comedy, Comedy, Comedy, Drama."*** All tickets include a signed copy of the book.Join us for an in-person* Live Talks Los Angeles event:Wednesday, March 9, 2022, 8pm*Limited capacity event An Evening with Bob Odenkirkdiscussing his memoir, "Comedy, Comedy, Comedy, Drama."*interviewer to be announcedTICKETS:$50 includes a signed copy of the bookAdditional books available for purchase at eventTix also include opportunity to watch the virtual event on Mar. 13 at 4pm PDTMasks required for entry, limited capacity eventFull vaccination proof required for entryThe virtual version of this event airs on March 13 , at 4pm PDT/9PM EDT. Tickets for the virtual event can be purchased here (includes the book)ASL interpreter provided upon request.*** PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A LIMITED CAPACITY EVENT AND MASKS ARE REQUIRED FOR ENTRY INTO THE VENUE. PROOF OF FULL VACCINATION REQUIRED.In this “essential” (Entertainment Weekly), “hilarious” (AV Club) memoir, the star of Mr. Show, Breaking Bad, and Better Call Saul opens up about the highs and lows of showbiz, his cult status as a comedy writer, and what it’s like to reinvent himself as an action film ass-kicker at fifty.Bob Odenkirk is an actor, comedian, writer, director, and producer. Odenkirk got his start in improv comedy in the motley Chicago comedy scene of the Read More ...

A poetry performance and discussion with poets Mahogany L. Browne and Tonya IngramUrban Word and Beyond Baroque are proud to present the third installment of the California Youth Poet Laureate Series. Join us on March 10th for a performance and discussion with award-winning poets Mahogany L. Browne and Tonya Ingram. This virtual event is open to the public and all California youth poets (13 - 19 years old) who have participated in a local Youth Poet Laureate program. California organizational leaders are also welcome to attend. Zoom link will be shared 24 hours before and on the day of the event About the authorsMahogany L. Browne: Mahogany L. Browne was born in Oakland, California. She received an MFA in writing and activism from the Pratt Institute and is the author of several poetry collections and chapbooks, including I Remember Death By Its Proximity to What I Love (Haymarket Books, 2021); Kissing Caskets (YesYes Books, 2017); Smudge (Button Poetry, 2016), Redbone (Aquarius Press, 2015); and #Dear Twitter: Love Letters Hashed Out Online (Penmanship Books, 2010). She is also the author of several young adult and children’s books, including Vinyl Moon (Crown, 2022); and Black Girl Magic (Roaring Brook Press, 2018). In Read More ...

J. Kenji López-Alt with Molly Baz (plus cooking demonstration) discussing his new cookbook, "The Wok: Recipes and Technique."Join us for an in-person* Live Talks Los Angeles event:Thursday, March 10, 2022, 8pm*Limited capacity event J. Kenji López-Alt with Molly Bazin conversation and cooking demonstration for his new cookbook, "The Wok: Recipes and Techniques"TICKETS:$65 GA seating, includes a signed copy of the book$25 GA seatingAdditional signed books available for purchase at eventTix also include opportunity to watch the virtual event on Mar. 13 at 4pm PDTMasks required for entry, limited capacity eventFull vaccination proof required for entryThe virtual version of this event airs on March 14 , at 6pm PDT/9PM EDT. ASL interpreter provided upon request.*** PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A LIMITED CAPACITY EVENT AND MASKS ARE REQUIRED FOR ENTRY INTO THE VENUE. PROOF OF FULL VACCINATION REQUIRED.One of Time's 10 Most Anticipated Cookbooks of 2022.The obsessive mastermind behind one of the decade’s best-selling cookbooks returns with the definitive English-language guide to the science and technique of cooking in a wok.J. Kenji López-Alt is a chef, parent, and New York Times best-selling author of The Food Lab and Every Night Is Pizza Night. He is a wildly popular New York Times food columnist; the chief culinary advisor for Serious Eats; and the host of Kenji’s Cooking Read More ...

A poetry reading with Íker Arranz Otaegui, Mónica Comas Rodríguez, Santiago Rozas Iglesias, Adriano López García, and Jennifer Holmes.In collaboration with the Education Office, Consulate of Spain in Los Angeles, join us online for an afternoon of poetry in four regional languages of Spain; including Basque, Catalan, Galician, and Spanish. All poems will also be read in English with an introduction by the celebrated author and professor, Mariano Zaro.Zoom link will be shared 24 hours prior to and on the day of the reading. About the authors Adriano López García was born in Granada, Spain. He is and has been an English as a World Language High School teacher for 23 years. However, 5 of those teaching years were as an International Visiting Techer in Round Rock (TX) and Chicago (IL). He is currently living and working in Los Angeles for the Spain Education Office whose headquarters is in the Embassy of Spain in Washington D.C.Mónica Comas Rodríguez is currently an education advisor at the Education Office of the Embassy of Spain in Los Angeles. Previously, she worked as a teacher of English and Catalan at several Official Language Schools in Catalonia and in the Balearic Islands, besides working at Read More ...

We celebrate Women Who Submit’s new anthology GATHERING with editors and contributors.In response to Safer at Home in March 2020, Women Who Submit (WWS) began weekly, virtual Saturday check-ins where members shared space for creativity and self-care. Over the months members wrote together, cried together, and danced together. While WWS exists to empower its members’ efforts to share their writing with the world, this time brought in new needs beyond staying accountable and productive. And from this shared space came the theme for their 2nd anthology, Gathering, recently published by Jamii Press, which captures the essence of this collaborative online space from the creation of the editorial team to the stories, poems, essays, and plays published in its pages. This event will feature a performance of “Ahoy, Women Who Submit,” a collaborative poem created during Saturday check-ins and published in Gathering; a collaborative writing prompt facilitated by Hazel Kight Witham; as well as a panel talk with the Gathering editorial team and contributors to the anthology. Joining the event will be Xochitl-Julisa Bermejo, Tisha Marie Reichle-Aguilera, Noriko Nakada, Flint, and more. A moment of healing at the start of the event will be led by Thea Pueschel.WeHo Reads is a Read More ...

Influx Collective’s Queer Poetry Night is a celebration of the work of marginalized writers.LOS ANGELES—March 18th 2022. LA’s freshest queer poetry reading series, Influx Collective, welcomes all to our first in-person event after two years of a pandemic-based closure. Influx Collective’s Queer Poetry Night is a celebration of the work of marginalized writers (mostly QTPOC) and will feature the poets: KB Brookins, Thabile Makue, Lupita Limón Corrales, Steven Van Dyke, and Sonia Guiñansaca. The doors will open at 7:00 pm and entry is a suggested donation of $10—no one will be turned away for lack of funds. There will be no alcohol served at this event. This event will be pandemic-conscious and will require masks and also require proof of vaccination for entry, plus it will be held outside (weather permitting) Influx Collective is run by its co-founder Cori Bratby-Rudd and collaborator Diana Gutierrez. Influx is a queer poetry reading series that connects LA-based poets, promotes queer events, and provides a space and platform for queer creators and queer content. Influx is for audience members to hear stories that reflect their own, and for performers to find an audience who understands. We host events monthly and each reading features new Read More ...

A celebration of Anna Journey's forthcoming poetry collection, "The Judas Ear."Join us for our reopening weekend! We're hosting an in-person reading with poets Anna Journey and David St. John in celebration of Journey’s new collection of poems, The Judas Ear, out this March from LSU Press. Journey's collection has been described as "lush and visceral, her humor warm and sly, and her sensibility metes out tenderness and grotesquerie in equal parts. Like the ear-shaped mushroom named for a biblical betrayer, the poems in The Judas Ear can shift suddenly from wit to pathos, from seductiveness to danger, with a generosity of vision that is at once wise and revelatory." Journey will read from ˆThe Judas Ear, while St. John will read from his in-progress poetry collection, The Sketchbook. In-person at Beyond Baroque. All attendees must show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination and an ID. Masks are required. About the authorsAnna Journey is the author of the poetry collections The Judas Ear, The Atheist Wore Goat Silk, Vulgar Remedies, and If Birds Gather Your Hair for Nesting, which was selected by Thomas Lux for the National Poetry Series, and the essay collection An Arrangement of Skin. She is an associate professor Read More ...

Join authors Zeyn Joukhadar, Torrey Peters, Neon Yang, and P. Carl for a discussion of trans issues in literature.Join three acclaimed writers—Zeyn Joukhadar, Torrey Peters, and Neon Yang—in a conversation moderated by activist and author P. Carl about their books and trans representation in contemporary literature. This Literary Conversation will include readings by our featured authors and will be followed by a live Q&A with the audience. Live captioning will also be available for this event.We honor that every individual is their own expert and every individual has the right to make their own choices including how they explain, understand, address, and describe their lived experience and identities.We are proud to partner with Politics & Prose as our exclusive bookseller for this event. You can find our featured authors' books on the Politics & Prose website!The Thirty Names of Night by Zeyn JoukhadarDetransition, Baby by Torrey PetersThe Tensorate Series by Neon YangBecoming a Man: The Story of a Transition by P. CarlZeyn Joukhadar is the author of The Thirty Names of Night, which won the Lambda Literary Award and the Stonewall Book Award, and The Map of Salt and Stars, which won the Middle East Book Award and was a Read More ...

Hear from Irv Gellman as he discusses his latest book, Campaign of the Century: Kennedy, Nixon, and the Election of 1960.Hear from Irv Gellman as he discusses his latest book, Campaign of the Century: Kennedy, Nixon, and the Election of 1960. The 1960 presidential election between Vice President Richard Nixon and Senator John F. Kennedy is one of the most frequently described political events of the twentieth century. In an “updated” account of Theodore White’s The Making of the President 1960, historian Irwin Gellman puts his skills as a researcher to the test by coming to new conclusions based on extensive documentary evidence including previously unused sources such as the FBI's surveillance of Senator Kennedy and the papers of Leon Jaworski, vice-presidential candidate Henry Cabot Lodge, and many others. This book presents a fresh, engaging chronicle that shatters long-held myths and reveals the strengths and weaknesses of both candidates.Dr. Luke Nichter, the James H. Cavanaugh Endowed Chair in Presidential Studies at Chapman University, will join Gellman stage for an authoritative discussion of the 1960 presidential election.

An in-person reading celebrating Jerry Garcia's newest poetry collection "Trumpets in the Sky."Join us in person for a night of readings with L.A. poets Jerry Garcia and Beth Ruscio. Jerry Garcia is celebrating the release of his newest poetry collection, Trumpets in the Sky, published by Moon Tide Press. The collection is a series of poems that point to the universe while proclaiming the complexities of living on planet earth. These poems are full of astonishment, absurdity, reverence, and social science. He will be joined by poet and actress Beth Ruscio, to read from her latest work, Speaking Parts–a collection which poet Gail Wronsky described as luminous poems that fearlessly buoys the reader "through theatrical make-up sessions, costume changes, death, love, and itchy wigs...Speaking Parts speaks to us in a language that’s inviting, insightful, and alive.” Beth Ruscio's first full-length poetry collection won the 2020 Brick Road Poetry Prize. Free & in-person at Beyond Baroque. All attendees must show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination and an ID. Masks are required.Reservation Policy: Please RSVP if you are planning to attend this event. We accept walk-ins, but priority will be given to people that have registered. Since this event is free of Read More ...

Our journey ascends to where poetry meets science fiction meets activism“Poetry is a weapon loaded with future” — Gabriel CelayaFor National Poetry Month, this event will bring together two established and two emerging trans poets in a reading and dialogue about the future and the intersections of science fiction and poetry, activism and language. Curated and hosted by West Hollywood City Poet Laureate Brian Sonia-Wallace, readers include Ryka Aoki, LA-based poet and author of the new sci-fi novel Light from Uncommon Stars, Harry Josephine Giles, Scottish poet and author of Deep Wheel Orcadia, in conversation with young poets and organizers Simba the Poet (Nashville) and Ava Dadvand (from Los Angeles, currently writing and studying at Yale).WeHo Reads is a literary series presented by the City of West Hollywood. More information and events at www.weho.org/wehoreads. BookSwell, a literary events and media company dedicated to lifting up writers from historically excluded communities, is producing the WeHo Reads 2022 season with additional support from Beyond Baroque, Bookshop.org, Book Soup, and Los Angeles Review of Books.

Arthur Brooks with Simon Sinek, "From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life"Join us for an in-person* Live Talks Los Angeles event:Tuesday, April 6, 2022, 8pm*Limited capacity event Arthur Brooks with Simon Sinekdiscussing his book, "From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life"TICKETS:$48 General Admission + a signed copy of the book$20 General AdmissionAdditional books available for purchase at eventTix also include opportunity to watch the virtual event on April 10Masks required for entry, limited capacity eventFull vaccination proof required for entryThe virtual version of this event airs on April 10, at 4pm PT/7PM ET. Tickets for the virtual event can be purchased here (includes the book)ASL interpreter provided upon request.*** PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A LIMITED CAPACITY EVENT AND MASKS ARE REQUIRED FOR ENTRY INTO THE VENUE. PROOF OF FULL VACCINATION REQUIREDPresented in association with Wilshire Boulevard TempleThe roadmap for finding purpose, meaning, and success as we age, from bestselling author, Harvard professor, and the Atlantic's happiness columnist Arthur Brooks.Arthur C. Brooks is a social scientist who studies human happiness. He is the William Henry Bloomberg Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy Read More ...

A poetry reading with Andrea Carter Brown (September 12), Chloe Martinez (Ten Thousand Selves), and Cynthia Hogue (In June the Labyrinth).Vaccination or recent (within 3 days) Negative Covid-19 test checked at the door. ABOUT THE POETSAndrea Carter Brown is the author of September 12 (The Word Works, 2021), The Disheveled Bed (CavanKerry Press, 2006) and two chapbooks, Domestic Karma (Finishing Line Press, 2018) and Brook & Rainbow (Winner of the 2000 Sow's Ear Press Chapbook Award). Her poems have won the Five Points James Dickey Prize, the River Styx International Poetry Prize, and the PSA Gustav Davidson Memorial Prize, among many others. Since 2017, she has been Series Editor of The Word Works Washington Prize.Chloe Martinez is a poet and a scholar of South Asian religions. She is the author of the collection Ten Thousand Selves (The Word Works, 2021) and the chapbook Corner Shrine (Backbone Press, 2020). Her poems have appeared in Ploughshares, Prairie Schooner, TriQuarterly, Shenandoah and elsewhere. She works at Claremont McKenna College. See more at www.chloeAVmartinez.comCynthia Hogue’s most recent collections are Revenance and In June the Labyrinth (2017). Her tenth collection, instead, it is dark, will be out from Red Hen Press in 2023. Her translation Read More ...

An in-person poetry reading and conversation with Latinx poets, publishers, and curators.Join us for a reading and panel discussion with six poets and literary organizers of the literary community in Southern California. The panelists include Latinx leaders in arts organizations, independent bookstore owners, readings & open mic curators, and publishers who are actively creating spaces for artists and writers of color. Along with readings of their own work, the panelists will engage in a conversation that explores the challenges of building a local literary community in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and offer insights into how their personal work intersects to serve a diversity of audiences and build a sustainable future for literary spaces. "Anfitrionas" will be hosted by Venezuelan author Lisbeth Coiman. Free & in-person at Beyond Baroque. All attendees must show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination and an ID. Masks are required.Reservation Policy: Please RSVP if you are planning to attend this event. We accept walk-ins, but priority will be given to people that have registered. Since this event is free of charge it is our policy to overbook. In the case of a full program, your free ticket may not guarantee admission. We recommend arriving early. Read More ...

Poet Yesika Salgado and singer San Cha perform on Gary Simmons’ sculptural installation ‘Recapturing Memories of the Black Ark.’Join us in the open-air courtyard at Hauser & Wirth for a collaborative performance by poet Yesika Salgado and singer San Cha on Gary Simmons’ sculptural installation ‘Recapturing Memories of the Black Ark’ (2014 – ongoing).Melancholia and longing are universal languages that Yesika and San Cha explore in a gripping medley of song and poetry.‘Recapturing Memories of the Black Ark’ (2014 – ongoing) will be on view in the gallery’s outdoor courtyard through 22 May. Both a literal and metaphorical platform for conversations, music, and performance, this work is inspired by Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry’s studio and is comprised of amalgamated materials sourced from the Tremé neighborhood of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Originally shown as part of the 2014 Prospect.3 biennial in New Orleans, ‘Black Ark’ has been presented at Art Basel Unlimited, Miami, art space Southern Exposure in San Francisco, and Desert X in Coachella Valley, California. Reservations and proof of vaccination upon arrival are required.After the performance, dine at Manuela, the gallery's onsite restaurant. Reservations are highly encouraged. Click here to make your reservation.For more information about Read More ...

An evening of live queer poetryCuties Los Angeles Presents Readings at Sunset: A Queer Poetry Night. A monthly poetry night happening every 2nd Sunday. Each month will have a different theme. April's theme is REBIRTH!Join us for a lovely evening showcasing 20 local poets in the LGBTQIA+ community in the cozy back yard space of Switterbeat Collective. Space is limited. Doors open at 4:30 pm with a live DJ set, and poetry will begin promptly at 5:15 pm! Please arrive early to grab a space to sit.We will also be live streaming the performances via Zoom if you would like to join us virtually! If you are a poet and would like to read, please sign up here *and don't purchase a ticket!***Masks required if distancing is not possible! Please stay home if you are feeling unwell in any way. Please be mindful of everyone's space & remember to ask for consent before hugging & getting close. Parking: There is street parking and metered parking, and there are also two public parking lots nearby at: 1146 Logan St. and 1152 Lemoyne St.As always, we encourage carpooling! Accessibility: the location requires a walk up 1 flight of stairsAbout Cuties Los Angeles:Cuties Read More ...

Susan Cain with Angela Duckworth discussing her book, ""Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole"**** US ORDERS ONLY****Join us for a virtual Live Talks Los Angeles event:Tuesday, April 12, 2022 at 6pm PT/9pm ET  Susan Cain with Angela Duckworthdiscussing her book, "Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole""TICKETS:-- $40 Virtual Admission ticket + a signed copy of the book (* we only ship to US addresses). Books ship week of April 18-- $10 ticket includes virtual admission to the event-- All tickets include opportunity to watch the event on Video on Demand for 72 hrs after the event (thru April 15)The author of the bestselling phenomenon Quiet reveals the power of a bittersweet outlook on life, and why we’ve been so blind to its value.Susan Cain, named one of the top ten influencers in the world by LinkedIn, is a renowned speaker and author of the award-winning books Quiet Power, Quiet Journal, and Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking. Translated into more than forty languages, Quiet has appeared on many best-of lists, spent more than seven years on the New York Times bestseller list, and was named the #1 best book of the year by Fast Company, which also named Cain one of its Most Creative People Read More ...

Carl Bernstein in conversation with Josh Singer discussing his memoir, "Chasing History: A Kid in the Newsroom."Join us for an in-person* Live Talks Los Angeles event:Wednesday, April 13, 2022, 8pm*Limited capacity event Cal Bernstein with Josh Singerdiscussing his memoir, "Chasing History: A Kid in the Newsroom""TICKETS:$48 General Admission + a signed copy of the book$20 General AdmissionAdditional books available for purchase at eventTickets also include opportunity to watch the virtual event on April 18Masks required for entry, limited capacity eventFull vaccination proof required for entryThe virtual version of this event airs on April 18, at 6pm PT/9PM ET. Tickets for the virtual event can be purchased here (includes the book)ASL interpreter provided upon request.*** PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A LIMITED CAPACITY EVENT AND MASKS ARE REQUIRED FOR ENTRY INTO THE VENUE. PROOF OF FULL VACCINATION REQUIREDPresented in association with Wilshire Boulevard TempleThe Pulitzer Prize-winning coauthor of All the President’s Men and pioneer of investigative journalism, recalls his beginnings as an audacious teenage newspaper reporter in the nation’s capital―a winning tale of scrapes, gumshoeing, and American bedlam.Carl Bernstein is the author or coauthor of five bestselling books, most notably All the President’s Men, written with Bob Woodward. He, Woodward, and the Washington Post were awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service Read More ...

The Pushcart Prize winning author and rising star in the American poetry scene reads from his work.Richie Hofmann, the author of A Hundred Lovers (2022) and Second Empire (2015), reads from his work. He is winner of the Beatrice Hawley Award and a recipient of the Pushcart Prize and the Ruth Lilly Fellowship from the Poetry Foundation, among other honors. Hofmann's poems have appeared in The New Yorker, Poetry, The Yale Review, and the New York Review of Books. A 2017-19 Wallace Stegner Fellow, he is currently Jones Lecturer in Poetry at Stanford University. Organized and hosted by poet, literary critic, and UCLA distinguished service professor Stephen Yenser. Cosponsored by the UCLA Department of English and UCLA Recreation.

Emmanuel Acho in conversation with Justin Baldoni discussing his book, “Illogical: Saying Yes to a Life Without Limits.”Join us for an in-person* Live Talks Los Angeles event:Thursday, April 14, 2022, 8pm*Limited capacity event Emmanuel Acho with Justin Baldoni“Illogical: Saying Yes to a Life Without Limits”TICKETS:$48 General Admission + a signed copy of the book$20 General AdmissionAdditional books available for purchase at eventTix also include opportunity to watch the virtual event on April 18Masks required for entry, limited capacity eventFull vaccination proof required for entryThe virtual version of this event airs on April 18, at 6pm PT/9PM ET. Tickets for the virtual event only can be purchased here (includes the book)ASL interpreter provided upon request.*** PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A LIMITED CAPACITY EVENT AND MASKS ARE REQUIRED FOR ENTRY INTO THE VENUE. PROOF OF FULL VACCINATION REQUIREDPresented in association with Wilshire Boulevard TempleFrom the New York Times bestselling author of Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man, a call to break through our limits and say yes to a life of infinite possibility...Emmanuel Acho picked up a football and made it to the NFL. He picked up a pen and became a New York Times bestselling author for Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man, followed by the #1 bestseller Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy. Read More ...

Join The Poetry Brothel LA for a delicious bite into a juicy night filled with intimacy and assonance.It is time, Darlings, to shed the shroud of winter, and welcome the warm red light of our next Poetry Brothel! Get ready to sink your teeth into Forbidden Fruit…it’s poetry you dirty minxes! Let the seeds of inspiration burst forth in flowery prose because our garden is ready to bloom. Embrace the Divine Feminine, regenerate your energies while we poetically perform our Fertility Rituals, and redefine your understanding of good and evil with salacious Entertainments on our historic 104-year-old stage, including the Aerialist styling of Frankie Tan, movement by Miss Orchid Mei, and Kapua!Hosted by your favorite Mistress of Ceremonies: Linda Ravenswood as Dr. Ach, Suzette!Live Music by Blue Wagon Trio.Featuring Poetry by Raphella the Swan, Kiri Callaghan as Echo, Vesta Vaingloria as Herself, Brian Sonia Wallace as Vallachinsk, Rachel Appelbaum as Duberry, Tiffany Hudgins as Honey Locale, Ian Anderson as Von Hohenheim, Christian Perfas as Kid Rexx, Terence LeClere as Jacques Used, and more to be announced.Mystics: Zachariah the Witch and ChanelleMadam Tallula presents a rotating cast of poets who impart their work as purveyors of private poetry readings in secret, Read More ...

Wil Wheaton with John Ross Bowie discussing his book, “Still Just a Geek: An Annotated Memoir ”Join us for an in-person* Live Talks Los Angeles event:Tuesday, April 19, 2022, 8pm*Limited capacity event Wil Wheaton with John Ross Bowiediscussing his book, “Still Just a Geek: An Annotated Memoir ”TICKETS:$48 General Admission + a signed copy of the book$20 General AdmissionAdditional books available for purchase at eventTix also include opportunity to watch the virtual event on April 24Masks required for entry, limited capacity eventFull vaccination proof required for entryThe virtual version of this event airs on April 24, at 4pm PT/7PM ET. Tickets for the virtual event can be purchased here (includes the book)ASL interpreter provided upon request.*** PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A LIMITED CAPACITY EVENT AND MASKS ARE REQUIRED FOR ENTRY INTO THE VENUE. PROOF OF FULL VACCINATION REQUIREDPresented in association with Wilshire Boulevard TempleCelebrated actor, personality, and all-around nerd, Wil Wheaton updates his memoir of collected blog posts with all new material and annotations as he reexamines one of the most interesting lives in Hollywood and fandom--and now for the first time in audio, narrated by Wil himself!Will Wheaton is a highly acclaimed producer, narrator, and actor who has appeared in dozens of films Read More ...

Alexandra Billings in conversation with Joey Soloway discussing her memoir,  "This Time for Me."Join us for an in-person* Live Talks Los Angeles event:Wednesday, April 20, 2022, 8pm*Limited capacity event Alexandra Billings with Joey Solowaydiscussing her memoir, "This Time for Me"TICKETS:$48 General Admission + a signed copy of the book$20 General AdmissionAdditional books available for purchase at eventTix also include opportunity to watch the virtual event on April 24Masks required for entry, limited capacity eventFull vaccination proof required for entryThe virtual version of this event airs on April 24, at 5pm PT/9PM ET. Tickets for the virtual event can be purchased here (includes the book)ASL interpreter provided upon request.*** PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A LIMITED CAPACITY EVENT AND MASKS ARE REQUIRED FOR ENTRY INTO THE VENUE. PROOF OF FULL VACCINATION REQUIREDPresented in association with Wilshire Boulevard TempleAn emotional, funny, and fabulous memoir by trailblazing and award-winning Trans actor and activist Alexandra Billings.Alexandra Billings is an actor, singer, author, teacher, and activist who has appeared on numerous television shows, including Amazon’s Emmy and Golden Globe Award–winning Transparent. Billings, who has been acting since 1968, has also performed across the United States in hundreds of plays and musicals. She made her Broadway debut in The Nap in 2018 and joined Read More ...

Join us virtually during National Poetry Month to hear local and national poets share poems about their diverse and rich cultural heritagesJoin us virtually during National Poetry Month to hear local and national poets share poems about their diverse and rich cultural heritages representing everyday people who live, work, and build America from its past to its present and future. Alixen Pham, poet/writer/artist, hosts this four-week Virtual Public Poetry Reading Series along with poets: Robbi Nester, .chisaraokwu., Chris Tonelli, Linda Ravenswood, Lisa Nanette Allender, Aruni Wijesinghe, Fred Joiner, Nikolai Garcia, Ash Tré Phillips, and hector son of hector. Register in advance for this program. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining.For ADA accommodations, call (213) 228-7430 at least 72 hours prior to the event.Para ajustes razonables según la ley de ADA, llama al (213) 228-7430 al menos 72 horas antes del evento.

Reading by Danielle Evans, author of award-winning story collections The Office of Historical Corrections and Before You Suffocate Your OwnDanielle Evans is the author of the story collections The Office of Historical Corrections and Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self, winner of the 2021 Joyce Carol Oates Prize, the PEN America PEN/Robert W. Bingham prize, the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, and the Paterson Prize, and a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 honoree. Her stories have appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies, including Best American Short Stories. Evans teaches at Johns Hopkins University. Readings are followed by discussion with the author and UCLA professor Mona Simpson, who organizes this series. Supported in part by the UCLA Department of English and the Friends of English.

Readings from prize winner Danielle Blau alongside the judge of this year’s contest, poet Vijay Seshadri.The Hammer’'s long-standing poetry series celebrates Poetry Month with the Anthony Hecht Poetry Prize Reading. This year’s judge is the distinguished poet Vijay Seshadri, who presents the 2022 winner, Danielle Blau. Both poets read from their work. The Hecht Prize is sponsored by Waywiser Press, whose founder and editor in chief, Philip Hoy, and senior American editor, Joseph Harrison, will share the history of this prestigious award.

Join us for the West Coast launch of Mieko Kawakami's novel ALL THE LOVERS IN THE NIGHT, in partnership with Europa Editions & other stores.A limited number of bookplates are available, while supplies last. *Signed books will ship/be ready for pickup after the event. All The Lovers in the Night (Europa Editions)Bestselling author of Breasts and Eggs Mieko Kawakami invites readers back into her immediately recognizable fictional world with this new, extraordinary novel and demonstrates yet again why she is one of today’s most uncategorizable, insightful, and talented novelists.Fuyuko Irie is a freelance copy editor in her mid-thirties. Working and living alone in a city where it is not easy to form new relationships, she has little regular contact with anyone other than her editor, Hijiri, a woman of the same age but with a very different disposition. When Fuyuko stops one day on a Tokyo street and notices her reflection in a storefront window, what she sees is a drab, awkward, and spiritless woman who has lacked the strength to change her life and decides to do something about it.As the long overdue change occurs, however, painful episodes from Fuyuko’s past surface and her behavior slips further and further Read More ...

This UCI Illuminations event is an opportunity to learn from the historical writing of distinguished scholar and educator, Vicki L. Ruiz.This UCI Illuminations event is an opportunity to learn from the historical writing of distinguished scholar and educator, Vicki L. Ruiz. Event audiences are invited to learn more about the edited collection of Vicki L. Ruiz’s influential essays, Latina Lives, Latina Narratives (Routledge, 2021). It will feature Miroslava Chavez-Garcia’s presentation and discussion of the inspiration underpinning her editing of this collection of historical essays, and Vicki L. Ruiz’s presentation and discussion of her approach to researching, teaching, and writing about Latina women’s histories. Event audience members who RSVP for this event will be provided with select essays from Latina Lives, Latina Narratives in advance. This way, they can read essays grounding this event in preparation for their event participation and the event discussion. Event Speaker Bios: Vicki L. Ruiz is Distinguished Professor Emerita of History and Chicano/Latino Studies at the University of California, Irvine. A first generation college-bound student, she received her PhD in History from Stanford University in 1982. An award-winning scholar and educator, she is the author of Cannery Women, Cannery Lives and From Out of the Shadows: Read More ...

Gary Janetti in conversation with Casey Wilson discussing his collection of stories, "Start Without Me:(I'll Be There in a Minute) "Join us for an in-person* Live Talks Los Angeles event:Tuesday, May 3 , 2022, 8pm*Limited capacity event Gary Janetti with Casey Wilsondiscussing his his collection of stories, "Start Without Me:(I'll Be There in a Minute) "TICKETS:$48 General Admission + a signed copy of the book$20 General AdmissionAdditional books available for purchase at eventTix also include opportunity to watch the virtual event on May 5th at 6pmMasks required for entry, limited capacity eventFull vaccination proof required for entryThe virtual version of this event airs on May 5, at 6pm PT/9PM ET. Tickets for the virtual event can be purchased here (includes the book)ASL interpreter provided upon request.*** PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A LIMITED CAPACITY EVENT AND MASKS ARE REQUIRED FOR ENTRY INTO THE VENUE. PROOF OF FULL VACCINATION REQUIREDPresented in association with Wilshire Boulevard TempleFrom New York Times bestselling author, Family Guy writer, and HBO star Gary Janetti comes Start Without Me, a collection of hilarious, laugh out loud, true life stories about the small moments that add up to a big life.Gary Janetti is a four-time Emmy nominated writer and producer who is the showrunner and creator of HBOMax's The Prince.  He got his Read More ...

The road to joy takes us across boundaries with Lisbeth Coiman, Myriam J. A. Chancy, Teresa Mei Chuc, and Sehba Sarwar.Even before the pandemic, writers and artists worked across borders to share their lives, passions, and sorrows. This event brings together poets and authors with an international perspective on joy, justice, resilience, and healing. Sehba Sarwar, author of Black Wings (Veliz Books 2019), is a transnational writer, workshop leader, artist, and community activist tackling gender, displacement, and border issues. Teresa Mei Chuc is a poet, editor, and teacher whose heritage, history, and writing transcend decolonization. She served as 2018-2020 Altadena Poet Laureate and is the author of Invisible Light (Many Voices Press 2018) and Keeper of the Winds (FootHills Publishing 2014). Lisbeth Coiman is a bilingual writer, educator, cultural commentator, and rezandera from Venezuela whose collection Uprising / Alzamiento was released in 2021 (Finishing Line Press). Myriam J. A. Chancy is a Haitian-Canadian/American writer born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and subsequently raised there and in Canada and whose novel What Storm, What Thunder was released in 2021 in Canada (HarperCollins Canada) and the United States (Tin House).WeHo Reads is a literary series presented by the City of West Hollywood. More information Read More ...

JOHN WATERS in conversation about his novel LIARMOUTH, presented by Skylight Books and ALOUD at the Aratani Theatre at 7:00 PM!Ticket price includes a copy of Liarmouth and access to the in-person event at the Aratani Theatre, located at 244 SAN PEDRO ST. LOS ANGELES, CA 90012.ALOUD is the Library Foundation of Los Angeles' series of bold, powerful programs and has been a key player in fostering the literary and cultural community of Los Angeles. ALOUD programs are Member-supported. Join the Library Foundation of Los Angeles for first access and discounts on ticketed events here.In conversation with TBD!Liarmouth (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)A hilariously filthy tale of sex, crime, and family dysfunction from the brilliantly twisted mind of John Waters, the legendary filmmaker and bestselling author of Mr. Know-It-All.Marsha Sprinkle: Suitcase thief. Scammer. Master of disguise. Dogs and children hate her. Her own family wants her dead. She’s smart, she’s desperate, she’s disturbed, and she’s on the run with a big chip on her shoulder. They call her "Liarmouth"—until one insane man makes her tell the truth.John Waters's first novel, Liarmouth, is a perfectly perverted “feel-bad romance,” and the reader will thrill to hop aboard this delirious road trip of riotous Read More ...

Join New York Times bestselling author Kim Michele Richardson, in-conversation with Ashley Blooms, with special guest Ruby Friedman!Sourcebooks presents a virtual author event with Kim Michele Richardson to celebrate the release of The Book Woman's Daughter (on sale May 3). Kim Michele will be in-conversation with author Ashley Blooms. We'll also have a special appearance by Ruby Friedman!BEFORE REGISTERING:Before registering for this event, please read the Sourcebooks Virtual Events Code of Conduct at https://www.sourcebooks.com/virtual-events-code-of-conduct.html.ATTEND THE EVENT:After you register via Eventbrite, you will receive a confirmation email.**The Zoom Webinar attendee link will be available on the Eventbrite attendee event page. Look for an email from Eventbrite (and check your spam folder!) ***ABOUT KIM MICHELE RICHARDSON:Kim Michele Richardson is a native-born Kentuckian who resides in Kentucky. Her works include The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, Liar’s Bench, GodPretty in the Tobacco Field, and The Sisters of Glass Ferry. The Book Woman’s Daughter is her fifth novel.About The Book Woman's Daughter:From the author of New York Times bestseller The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek (530,000 copies sold) comes a delightful return to the librarians and blue people of Kentucky, telling the story of Honey Lovett, the daughter of Cussy Mary and Jackson, who Read More ...

Join us for the Los Angeles launch of Book of Night by Holly Black, with Leigh Bardugo!Ticket price includes a signed copy of Book of Night and access to the in-person event at the Philosophical Research Society, 3910 Los Feliz Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027. Holly will be pre-personalizing books. If you would NOT like your book personalized, please write "no personalization" in the personalization box upon checkout. *Book of Night (Tor Books)#1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black makes her stunning adult debut with Book of Night, a modern dark fantasy of betrayals, cabals, and a dissolute thief of shadows, in the vein of Neil Gaiman and Erin Morgenstern.Charlie Hall has never found a lock she couldn’t pick, a book she couldn’t steal, or a bad decision she wouldn’t make.She's spent half her life working for gloamists, magicians who manipulate shadows to peer into locked rooms, strangle people in their beds, or worse. Gloamists guard their secrets greedily, creating an underground economy of grimoires. And to rob their fellow magicians, they need Charlie Hall.Now, she’s trying to distance herself from past mistakes, but getting out isn’t easy. Bartending at a dive, she’s still entirely too close to the Read More ...

Join this online conversation with Claudia Gray and Amanda Quain to celebrate the release of THE MURDER OF MR. WICKHAM!Claudia Gray is the pseudonym of Amy Vincent. She is the writer of multiple young adult novels, including the Evernight series, the Firebird trilogy, and the Constellation trilogy. In addition, she’s written several Star Wars novels, such as Lost Stars and Bloodline. She makes her home in New Orleans with her husband Paul and assorted small dogs. Amanda Quain is a writer, indie bookseller, and general life enthusiast. When she’s not shouting about her favorite new books, she loves theatre, baking, rock climbing, marching band, and the overall pursuit of adventure. If forced to choose, Amanda’s favorite Austen hero is Edward Ferrars, though she’ll always have a soft spot for Mr. Bingley. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with her husband and their cat. ACCOMPLISHED is her first novel.The event will stream live on our Facebook and YouTube pages. We will also send a direct link in your reminder email.Tickets are free. Order your copy of THE MURDER OF MR. WICKHAM from One More Page Books.

Join the author of Station Eleven for the SoCal launch of her new novel!The award-winning, best-selling author of Station Eleven and The Glass Hotel returns with a novel of art, time, love, and plague that takes the reader from Vancouver Island in 1912 to a dark colony on the moon five hundred years later, unfurling a story of humanity across centuries and space. Join novelist Emily St. John Mandel and Seija Rankin, senior editor at the Hollywood Reporter, for a reading and conversation.This program is presented in partnership with Skylight Books.

Join us for a live poetry reading, signing, and official book release party of Poetry, Witchcraft.Books will be available for purchase at the event. The venue will be providing drinks and snacks for sale.For more information on the Author go to www.aiderios.com

An Online Event Honoring Bold Women WritersJoin us for a glam evening to celebrate bold women writers and raise vital funds to support WriteGirl programs for underserved teen girls! Help WriteGirl maintain its 20-year record of sending 100% of participating teens to college!Featuring words of inspiration from WriteGirl Alum and Inaugural Poet Amanda Gorman!Honorees of the 2022 WriteGirl Bold Ink Awards will be announced soon!WriteGirl Bold Ink AwardsDate: Saturday, June 4, 2022Time: 5 PM - 6:30 PM (Pacific Time)Online Event: (We will send the link prior to the event)Event will feature:Words of inspiration from WriteGirl Alum and Inaugural Poet Amanda GormanSurprise celebrity guestsInspiring voicesAuction of unique and indulgent delights! Live DJ Set: OHLA & Toneé MacaraNote: WriteGirl is a project of Community Partners, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Your ticket purchase is a charitable contribution. Your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.About WriteGirlTeen girls, in the best of times, need the support, community and guidance that WriteGirl offers. But the pandemic continues to present immense additional challenges for teens. Teens have been isolated and ignored. They have been expected to show up to do online school work where no teacher is present. They have been unable to Read More ...

David Koepp in conversation with Lawrence Kasdan discussing the writing life and his novel, "Aurora."Join us for an in-person* Live Talks Los Angeles event:Monday, June 6, 2022, 8pmDavid Koepp with Lawrence Kasdandiscussing the writing life and his new novel, "Aurora."TICKETS:$45 General Admission + a signed copy of the book$20 General AdmissionAdditional books available for purchase at eventMasks required for entryFull vaccination proof required for entryTix also include opportunity to watch the virtual event The virtual version of this event airs on June 9, at 6pm PT/9PM ET. Tickets for the virtual event can be purchased here (includes the book)ASL interpreter provided upon request.*** PLEASE NOTE MASKS ARE REQUIRED FOR ENTRY INTO THE VENUE. PROOF OF FULL VACCINATION REQUIREDPresented in association with the Gloria Kaufman Performing Arts CenterSoon to be a major motion picture from Netflix and Academy Award-winning director Kathryn Bigelow.From the author of Cold Storage comes a riveting, eerily plausible thriller, told with the menace and flair of Under the Dome or Project Hail Mary, in which a worldwide cataclysm plays out in the lives of one complicated Midwestern family. David Koepp has written more than two dozen feature films in a wide variety of genres, including the first two Jurassic Park films, Death Becomes Her, Carlito’s Way, The Paper, Mission: Read More ...

We look for joy in online spaces with Isle McElroy, Patrick Nathan, and Reuben “Tihi” Hayslett and guided writing with Amy Spies. LGBTQ+ authors are taking a hard look at society IRL and virtually, pinpointing the ways we come up short in connecting with and loving each other. Patrick Nathan examines the culture of fascistic images that pervade the online media landscape in his book Image Control (Counterpoint Press 2021). Reuben “Tihi” Hayslett uses short fiction, including his volume of short stories Dark Corners (Running Wild Press 2019), to illuminate the ways we can be marginalized as well as how we can fight back and lose some virtue in the process. Isle McElroy writes about diet culture, masculinity, nonbinary identity, basketball, scammers, books, and body dysmorphia. Their debut novel, The Atmospherians, was published in 2021 (Atria Books). Together, they’ll discuss online spaces, the challenges of creating joy online—is it even possible?—and the role of critique and creativity in shifting culture. A moment of guided meditation and mindful writing will be led by Amy Spies, a writer and teacher in the film, television, and new media industries. WeHo Reads is a literary series presented by the City of West Hollywood. More Read More ...

On June 11, 11am-2pm (& afterhours 11pm-2am the next day!) call our hotline at 202-998-3510 get a free custom poem from an LGBTQ+ poet!ABOUT PRIDE POETSSince 2019, RENT Poet has worked with the City of West Hollywood to recruit, train, and employ dozens of LGBTQ+ poets in pop-ups for Pride month, writing custom poems celebrating love and the LGBTQ+ community for over 1000 individuals.HOW TO GET A POEMThis year, you can speak to one of 25 LGBTQ+ poets, share your story, and receive a custom, one-of-a-kind poem, written just for you on a manual typewriter, in-person at Pride on June 4-5 and via our poetry hotline on June 11 (call 202-998-3510 between 11am-2pm and afterhours 11pm-2am).This year's theme is Pledge: come share your allegiances with us!Our poets interview you, so don't worry if you don't know what you want a poem about -- we'll find the perfect subject for your poem. Poems will be written live on the hotline(!) with poetry as hold music, and will be read to you by the writer. Afterward, you may choose to have a copy of the poem emailed to you. The whole process takes 10 minutes and will change your day. You can also listen Read More ...

An exclusive event of Images and Stories with Annie Leibovitz, presenting her new book, "Wonderland," from Phaidon.Join us for an in-person event (with virtual option)Tuesday, June 14, 2022, 8pmAn Evening with Annie Leibovitzan exclusive event of Images and Stories presenting her new book, "Wonderland," from PhaidonTICKETS:$90 General Admission + a signed copy of the book$25 General Admission$225 VIP Reception, signed deluxe edition of the book and reserved seating.Tix also include opportunity to watch the virtual event The virtual version of this event airs on June 21, at 6pm PT/9PM ETTickets for the virtual event can be purchased here (includes the book) Masks required for entryFull vaccination proof required for entry MASKS ARE REQUIRED FOR ENTRY INTO THE VENUE. PROOF OF FULL VACCINATION REQUIRED“ gorgeous anthology of fashion images … Leibovitz is nothing less than America’s greatest living photographic portraitist … she has changed fashion photography forever.”  – Anna WintourLegendary photographer Annie Leibovitz’s surprising account of her encounters with fashion over five decadesAnnie Leibovitz is one of the most influential photographers of our time. In 1970, she began creating what became her legendary work for Rolling Stone. Since the early 1980s, she has expanded her repertoire at Vanity Fair and Vogue and in independent projects. She is the recipient Read More ...

An in-person poetry workshop and open mic with Mike Sonksen, aka Mike the PoeTMap your past, present and future poetically by celebrating your family history and rendering your personal geographies in a dynamic, collaborative setting. The workshop will culminate with an open mic after you write.About Mike the PoeT Mike Sonksen aka Mike the PoeT is a 3rd-generation Southern Californian. Poet, professor, journalist, historian and tour-guide, his latest book Letters to My City was published by Writ Large Press. He’s written for KCET, Poets & Writers, Wax Poetics, PBS, LA Taco, LA Review of Books, LAist, Boom and the Academy of American Poets. His poetry’s been featured on Public Radio Stations KCRW, KPCC & KPFK & Spectrum News. Sonksen is the Coordinator of the First Year Experience Program at Woodbury University and taught high school before that. He’s been awarded by the Los Angeles Press Club. Follow him on Twitter & IG @mikethepoetLA

Kristin Marguerite Doidge's discusses & signs Nora Ephron: A Biography w/ Michele RaphaelMasks Required. ABOUT THE BOOKNora Ephron was one of the most popular, accomplished, and beloved writers in American journalism and film.Nora Ephron: A Biography is the first comprehensive portrait of the Manhattan-born girl who forged a path of her own, earning accolades and adoration from critics and fans alike. Author Kristin Marguerite Doidge explores the tremendous successes and disappointing failures Ephron sustained in her career as a popular essayist turned screenwriter turned film director. She redefined the modern rom-com genre with bestselling books such as Heartburn and hit movies including When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, and Julie & Julia. Doidge also examines the private life Ephron tried to keep in balance with her insatiable ambition.Based on rare archival research and numerous interviews with some of Ephron's closest friends, collaborators, and award-winning colleagues including actors Tom Hanks and Caroline Aaron, comedian Martin Short, composer George Fenton, and lifelong friends from Wellesley to New York to Hollywood--as well as interviews Ephron herself gave throughout her career--award-winning journalist and cultural critic Doidge has written a captivating story of the life of a creative writer whose passion for the perfect Read More ...