New Book Club: Spiritual Classics with Nick Shindo Street at the Last Bookstore
At some point, everyone has to wrestle with personal belief and one’s orientation to the universe. Whether addressing origins or destiny, what lies inside or what’s “out there”—it’s a good bet that those who’ve come before have something to offer. In this club we dive into the best wisdom we can find, guided by author and journalist Nick Shindo Street. Nick is the senior writer at the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture, and his biggest turn-ons are wonder, awe, and curiosity.
The choice for our first Book Club selection is The Undiscovered Self, by Carl Jung, and we will take stock of the individual in church and state.
NOTE: All of the bookstore’s book clubs and programs are ticketed events, so see website for details.
Where: The Last Bookstore
Date: Monday the 27th
Time: 7:30 pm
Address: 453 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013
Website: http://lastbookstorela.com/#events
Kwan Kew Lai & Lest We Forget at the Last Bookstore
The Last Bookstore is pleased to present Dr. Kwan Kew Lai, who will discuss her book debut, Lest We Forget: A Doctor’s Experience with Life & Death During the Ebola Outbreak. Join us to learn about her time volunteering during the greatest Ebola outbreak in history when she spent three months caring for Ebola patients in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Dr. Kwan Kew Lai is an infectious disease specialist. More than a decade ago, after first volunteering in the aftermath of the South Asian tsunami, she left her position as a full-time professor of medicine, and now divides her time between practicing clinical medicine and aiding with disaster relief in various parts of the world.
NOTE: All of the bookstore’s book clubs and programs are ticketed events, so see website for details.
Where: The Last Bookstore
Date: Monday the 27th
Time: 7:30 pm
Address: 453 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013
Website: http://lastbookstorela.com/#events
Powell Zine Fest 2019 at UCLA Powell Library (Day 1 of 4)
To celebrate this year’s L.A. Zine Fest (May 25th), we’re hosting a week-long zine fest of our own! Come by to create your own zines, learn more about their significance, and browse our special collection of student-made zines available for check-out at Powell.
There will be a ZINE WORKSHOP led by our Zine Librarian, Sylvia, on Wednesday, May 29 from 4pm- 6pm in the Powell Rotunda. Stop by to learn more about zines and how to make your own!
Post pictures of your zines to social media using #PowellZineFest and #PowellLibrary.
We love art!
Where: UCLA Powell Library
Date: Tuesday the 28th through Friday the 31st ; Workshop on Wednesday, May 29, 4pm- 6pm.
Time: 9 pm – 5 pm daily
Address: 220 Powell Library Building, Los Angeles, CA 90095
Website: http://www.facebook.com/events/1081578038696171/
Storytime at Hastings Ranch at Vroman’s Bookstore – Kids Event
Join us for our ongoing children’s event, Storytime at Hastings Ranch, which takes place Tuesday mornings at our Hastings Ranch store.
Where: Vroman’s Bookstore
Date: Tuesday the 28th
Time: 10:30 pm
Address: 3729 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91107
Website: http://www.vromansbookstore.com/event/storytime-hastings-ranch-210
Book to Action: Google Me Zines at Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Regional Library, LAPL – Family Event
As part of the Google Me Series, join DSTL Arts in creating your own custom booklet documenting you, your family, and your community!
Bring family photos to be scanned and use them to craft your own mini-zine to add to the LAPL Zine Library, the perfect place for adding your story to the larger landscape of Los Angeles.
Where: Exposition Park Regional Library, LAPL
Date: Tuesday the 28th
Time: 5 pm – 7:30 pm
Address: 3900 S. Western Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90062
Website: http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/events/book-to-action-google-me-zines
Ezra Clayton Daniels & Ben Passmore & Bttm Fdrs at Book Soup
Join us to hear authors Ezra Clayton Daniels & Ben Passmore discuss and sign, Bttm Fdrs.
This book is an Afro-futurist horror-comedy about gentrification, hip hop, and cultural appropriation. Gentrification and body horror collide in this brutal satire form the award-winning creators of Upgrade Soul and Your Black Friend.
Although it was once a thriving working class neighborhood on Chicago’s south side, the “Bottomyards” is now the definition of urban blight. When an aspiring fashion designer and her friends descend on the hood in search of cheap rent, they discover something far more seductive…and deadly.
Where: Book Soup
Date: Tuesday the 28th
Time: 7 pm
Address: 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069
Website: http://www.booksoup.com/event/ezra-claytan-daniels-and-ben-passmore-present-and-sign-bttm-fdrs
The Rise of Nonprofit Journalism at the Hammer Forum
Join us to hear the Hammer Forum discussion on the rapidly expanding ecosystem of nonprofit journalism, ranging from local and national platforms to major investments by philanthropic organizations. Shaniqua McClendon, political director for Crooked Media, will moderate the panel, and panelists include: Megan Garvey, managing editor of Southern California Public Radio/KPCC; Nicco Mele, director of the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy, author of the book The End of Big: How the Internet Makes David the New Goliath, and Nieman Foundation for Journalism Board member; and Emily Ramshaw, editor-in-chief of The Texas Tribune.
Where: Hammer Museum
Date: Tuesday the 28th
Time: 7:30 pm
Address: 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90024
Website: http://hammer.ucla.edu/programs-events/2019/05/the-rise-of-nonprofit-jornalism/
Redondo Poets & Open Mic at Coffee Cartel
Please join the Redondo Poets to welcome this week’s feature, Tiana, and participate in the weekly Open Mic. Redondo Poets is recommended by Mike “The Poet” Sonksen, and has been a mainstay of the Los Angeles Poetry scene for 20 years.
Where: Coffee Cartel
Date: Tuesday the 28th
Time: 8 pm – 10 pm
Address: 1820 S. Catalina Ave., Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Website: http://www.facebook.com/RedondoPoets
Soapbox Sessions Open Mic at Maui Sugar Saloon
Soapbox Nation’s adventure began in 2006 when founder, Jason Brain, started an open mic at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Encino, CA. This event for musicians, poets, and comedians began slowly building a word-of-mouth following and really hit its stride in 2008. Now Soapbox is at a different location, but still in the Valley.
Where: Maui Sugar Saloon
Date: Tuesday the 28th
Time: 8 pm – 12 pm
Address: 18389 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, CA 91356
Website: http://www.facebook.com/SoapboxOpenMic/
Da Poetry Open Mic at Greenway Court Theatre
About: All you have to do is put your name on the sign-up list. The first half sign-ups occur before the doors open, and sign-ups for the second half do not guarantee entry, so stay in line! Keep in line that each half has its own sign-up list so check details at website or at event. Sorry, you can only perform at one half per night, and 12-15 people are typically called up for each half’s open mic, depending on whether there is a feature that night. There is a time limit of three minutes at the mic to do your poem, as we try to accommodate as many people as possible. So please, arrive early!
Where: The Greenway Court Theater
Date: Tuesday the 28th
Time: 9 pm – 12 pm
Address: 544 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036
Website: http://dapoetrylounge.com/visiting-dpl/slam/
Gothic Book Club with John Palisano at The Last Bookstore
Please join us for our Gothic Book club hosted by John Plaisano, a book club exploration of many genres and art forms.
This month’s book selection is Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte. Unrequited love, revenge plots, haunting in Yorkshire, and all that goes with this classic will be the focus of our discussion.
NOTE: All book clubs at his store are ticketed events, so check the website for details.
Where: The Last Bookstore
Date: Tuesday the 28th
Time: 9:30 pm
Address: 453 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013
Website: http://lastbookstorela.com/#events
Powell Zine Fest 2019 at UCLA Powell Library (Day 2 of 4)
To celebrate this year’s L.A. Zine Fest (May 25th), we’re hosting a week-long zine fest of our own! Come by to create your own zines, learn more about their significance, and browse our special collection of student-made zines available for check-out at Powell.
There will be a ZINE WORKSHOP led by our Zine Librarian, Sylvia, on Wednesday, May 29 from 4pm- 6pm in the Powell Rotunda. Stop by to learn more about zines and how to make your own!
Post pictures of your zines to social media using #PowellZineFest and #PowellLibrary.
We love art!
Where: UCLA Powell Library
Date: Tuesday the 28th through Friday the 31st; Workshop on Wednesday, May 29, 4pm- 6pm.
Time: 9 pm – 5 pm daily
Address: 220 Powell Library Building, Los Angeles, CA 90095
Website: http://www.facebook.com/events/1081578038696171/
Native Voices’ New Plays & Quantum at The Autry Museum
Please join us for the Native Voices 25th Annual Festival of New Plays to hear and see Quantum, by Tara Moses (Seminole Nation of Oklahoma).
NOTE: This event requires RSVPs, so check website for further details.
Where: The Autry Museum
Date: Wednesday the 29th
Time: 4 pm
Address: 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Website: http://theautry.org or
https://www.evetnbrite.com/e/native-voices-25th-annual-festival-of-new-plays-tickets-59554379753/
PEN Los Angeles Book Club & The God of Small Things at the Blu Elefant Café
Please join us for the PEN Los Angeles Book Club event to discuss The God of Small Things: A Novel, by Arundhati Roy who will deliver the 2019 Arthur Miller Freedom to Write Lecture. This event is hosted by Vandana Khanna.
NOTE: This event requires RSVPs, so check website for further details.
Where: The Blu Elefant Café
Date: Wednesday the 29th
Time: 6 pm – 8 pm
Address: 2024 W. Washington Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90018
Website: http://www.discoverlosangeles.com/event/2019/05/29/los-angeles-book-club-the-god-of-small-things
WeHo Reads / One City One Pride: Lambda Literary Awards Finalists at West Hollywood City Council Chambers
Please join the City of West Hollywood’s Arts Division for readings from the finalists for the 31st Annual Lambda Literary Awards to celebrate the best books of the year and affirm LGBTQ stories are part of the literature of the world.
Stephen Reigns, inaugural West Hollywood Poet Laureate, will host our readers:
Kazim Ali is an American poet, novelist, essayist and professor. His most recent books are Inquisition and All One’s Blue.
Genevieve Hudson is the author of the forthcoming novel, Boys of Alabama, the memoir-hybrid A Little in Love with Everyone (2018), and the story collection Pretend We Live Here (2018), which is a Lambda Literary Award finalist.
Steve MacIsaac is a Canadian comics artist and creator living in Los Angeles. He is known for adult and erotic comics such as Shirtlifter and Sticky, some of which have been selected for “best of” anthologies.
Tommy Pico is an indigenous writer,, poet, and podcast host. His published works include: IRL (2016) and Nature Poem (2017), and he is co-host of the podcast Food 4 Thot, a podcast about queer identity, race, sex, relationships, literature, and pop culture.
Mark Russell is the author of Spearmint & Rescue, his first full collection, and Shopping for Punks, a full collection of experimental work. He is also the author of three chapbooks.
NOTE: This free event requires RSVPs, so check website for further details.
Where: West Hollywood City Council Chambers
Date: Wednesday the 29th
Time: 7 pm – 8:30 pm
Address: 625 N. San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069
Website: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/weho-readsone-city-one-pride-lambda-lliterary-award-finalists
Native Voices’ New Plays & Quantum at The Autry Museum
Please join us for the Native Voices 25th Annual Festival of New Plays to hear and see Quantum, by Tara Moses (Seminole Nation of Oklahoma).
NOTE: This event requires RSVPs, so check website for further details.
Where: The Autry Museum
Date: Wednesday the 29th
Time: 4 pm
Address: 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Website: http://theautry.org OR
https://www.evetnbrite.com/e/native-voices-25th-annual-festival-of-new-plays-tickets-59554379753/
Authors Harris and Bailey & Stella Rose and the Sea Dragon at Diesel Bookstore – Kids Event
Please join us to meet children’s authors James Harris & Stella Harris, and illustrator Michael Bailey discuss and sign Stella Rose and the Sea Dragon. This book tells the story of a young girl whose greatest love is to play in the ocean. One day she is frightened by a dragon, but her curiosity help her build the courage to face her fears and make a new best friend.
James Harris is the author of The Santa Monica Pier: A Century on the Last Great Pleasure Pier, and Stella Harris is his daughter.
Where: Diesel Bookstore, lower outdoor courtyard
Date: Wednesday the 29th
Time: 6:30 pm
Address: 225 26th St., #33, Santa Monica, CA 90402
Pico Iyer & Autumn Light at Vroman’s Bookstore
Join us to hear author Pico Iyer discuss and sign his book, Autumn Light: Season of Fire and Farewells.
From one of our most astute observers of human nature comes a far-reaching exploration of Japanese history and culture and a moving meditation on impermanence a, mortality, and grief. For years the author has split his time between California and Nara, Japan, where he and his wife Hiroko have a small home. When his father-in-law dies suddenly, he begins to grapple with questions we all have to live with and reminders to take nothing for granted.
Where: Vroman’s Bookstore
Date: Wednesday the 29th
Time: 7 pm
Address: 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91101
Ben Mezrich & Bitcoin Billionaries at Book Soup
Join us to hear and meet author Ben Mezrich read and discuss his book, Bitcoin Billionaires: A True Story of Genius, Betrayal, and Redemption. This book is the definitive one about Facebook’s founding and the basis for the film The Social Network. This is the story of two iconic characters, Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, identical twins, Olympic rowers, and foils to Mark Zuckerberg. This is the story of the brothers’ redemption and revenge in the wake of their epic legal battle with Facebook.
Where: Book Soup
Date: Wednesday the 29th
Time: 7 pm
Address: 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069
Native Voices’ New Plays & Flowers of Hawaii at The Autry Museum
Please join us for the Native Voices 25th Annual Festival of New Plays to hear and see Flowers of Hawaii, by Lee Catluna (Native Hawaiian).
NOTE: This event requires RSVPs, so check website for further details.
Where: The Autry Museum
Date: Wednesday the 29th
Time: 7:30 pm
Address: 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Website: http://theautry.org OR
https://www.evetnbrite.com/e/native-voices-25th-annual-festival-of-new-plays-tickets-59554379753/
Josh Levin & The Queen at Skylight Bookstore
Please join us to hear author Josh Levin, in conversation with Julia Turner, present and discuss his biography, The Queen: The Forgotten Life Behind an American Myth.
David Grann (Killers of the Flower Moon) says Slate editor Josh Levin’s masterful account of America’s original “welfare queen” is “…an invaluable work of nonfiction.” In 1974 Chicago Linda Taylor reported a phony burglary, and the detective that checked it out discovered she was a welfare cheat who drove a Cadillac to collect her ill-gotten government checks. And that was just the beginning. Turner turned out to be a kidnapper, possible murderer, among her other crimes. This is a mesmerizing, book, the product of years of reporting and research, and touches on political debates and racism that reverberate to this day.
Where: Skylight Bookstore
Date: Wednesday the 29th
Time: 7:30 pm
Address: 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027
Website: http://www.skylightbooks.com/event/josh-levin-discusses-his-new-biography-queen-julia-turner
Anansi Writers Workshop & Open Mic at the World Stage
The Anansi Writers Workshop was founded in 1990 by Kamau Daáood, Akilah Oliver, Nafis Nabawi and Anthony Lyons. In 1993, Michael Datcher initiated the development of a three-part format for the workshop. Their tradition of a community workshop began in the late 1960s at the Watts Writers’ Workshop, where World Stage co-founder Kamau Daáood started his writing career. The Anansi Writers Workshop is coordinated by V. Kali and Conney Williams.
Tonight, Anansi Writers Workshop will feature Tashia Asanti, who will present and sign her new book, Sheep and the Wolves. She is the author of seven books, including three novels, and she will be reading from this, her third novel, and debuting her new poetry, all in service to her theme of Literary Rituals: A Poetic Initiation. Come witness and be amazed!
Where: The World Stage
Date: Wednesday the 29th
Time: 7:30 pm –10 pm; Reading at 8:30– 9:30 pm
Address: 4321 Degnan Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90008
Website: http://www.theworldstage.org OR https://www.facebook.com/events/2749968055044847/
Rebellious Creatures Student Reading at Avenue 50 Studios
Please join Avenue 50 & Glendale Community College English Department for Rebellious Creatures Large & Small – a student reading and launch party. Zines by students of Glendale Community College will be available for a small donation.
Where: Avenue 50 Studios
Date: Wednesday the 29th
Time: 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Address: 131 N. Avenue 50, Los Angeles, CA 90042
Website: http://www.facebook.com/event/1040830949638705/
Anthology Reading & Fight Evil with Poetry at The Ugly Mug
Please join us as Two Idiots Peddling Poetry present a collection of poetry from a community of 30 diverse authors whose voices need to be heard. They have united under the banner of Fight Evil with Poetry, overlooking their differences, that their socially charged verse would win hearts and minds to the side of truth, justice, and love.
NOTE: This event requires $3 cover charge, cash only.
Where: The Ugly Mug
Date: Wednesday the 29th
Time: 8 pm – 10 pm
Address: 261 N. Glassell St., Orange, CA 92866
Powell Zine Fest 2019 at UCLA Powell Library (Day 3 of 4)
To celebrate this year’s L.A. Zine Fest (May 25th), we’re hosting a week-long zine fest of our own! Come by to create your own zines, learn more about their significance, and browse our special collection of student-made zines available for check-out at Powell.
There will be a ZINE WORKSHOP led by our Zine Librarian, Sylvia, on Wednesday, May 29th in the Powell Rotunda. Stop by to learn more about zines and how to make your own!
Post pictures of your zines to social media using #PowellZineFest and #PowellLibrary.
We love art!
Where: UCLA Powell Library
Date: Tuesday the 28th through Friday the 31st; Workshop on Wednesday, May 29, 4pm- 6pm.
Time: 9 pm – 5 pm daily
Address: 220 Powell Library Building, Los Angeles, CA 90095
Website: http://www.facebook.com/events/1081578038696171/
Vroman’s Ed – Storytelling Techniques with Laurie Viera Rigler at Vroman’s Bookstore
Join us for a six-week writing workshop course led by Laurie Viera Rigler on Storytelling Techniques.
Writing a compelling story is about revealing the world of yoru protagonist in a way that keeps the reader engaged and eager to know what happens next. In this class we will explore how to “show, don’t tell” and breathe life into a page. There will be writing exercises as well as the opportunity to have the instructor read and comment on your work.
In this six-week course, you will be enrolling in all six weeks. Laurie Viera Rigler is a best-selling novelist and nonfiction author whose work has been translated into six languages. See website for details on class and the author’s bio.
NOTE: See website for costs and details for this writing workshop.
Where: Vroman’s Bookstore, Meeting Room in the Atrium
Date: Thursday the 30th
Time: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Address: 709 E. Colorado Blvd., Suite 120, Pasadena, CA 91101
Website: http://www.vromans-ed-storytelling-techniques-laurie-viera-rigler
Annie Jacobsen & Surpise, Kill, Vanish at Chevalier’s Bookstore
Join us to hear author Annie Jacobsen present her book, Surprise, Kill, Vanish: The Secret History of CIA Paramilitary Armies, Operators, and Assassins.
This book from Pulitzer Prize finalist Annie Jacobsen, is the untold story of the CIA’s secret paramilitary units, the most effective black operations force in the world. With unprecedented access to forty-two professionals who proudly worked in these operations, along with classified documents and deep historical research, the author unveils a complex world of treacherous environments, populated with killers, connivers, and saboteurs, the pieces in a colossal foreign policy machine.
Where: Chevalier’s Bookstore
Date: Thursday the 30th
Time: 7 pm
Address: 126 N. Larchmont Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90004
Website: http://www.chevaliersbooks.com/annie-jacobsen
Madeline Sharples & Papa’s Shoes at Pages Bookstore
Join us as we welcome local author Madeline Sharples, who will present and sign her new book, Papa’s Shoes.
Irqa Schuman is determined to move his family out of their Polish shtetl to the hope and opportunities he’s heard about in America. But along the way he faces the deaths of his four sons, a wife who does not have the same aspirations as his, and the birth of a daughter, Ava, conceived to make up for the loss of his boys. Ava grows up to be smart, beautiful, and very independent, and when she wants to marry a non-Jewish man, Ira realizes his plan has backfired.
Where: Pages Bookstore
Date: Thursday the 30th
Time: 7 pm
Address: 904 Manhattan Ave., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Website: http://www.pagesbookstore.com/event/local-author-madeline-sharples-debuts-her-new-novel
Adam Popescu & Nima at Book Soup
Join us to hear and meet author Adam Popescu read and discuss his novel, Nima, in conversation with Lori Kozowski. This book is the story of Nima, a young Sherpa woman living in the foothills of the Himalayas, a range so immense and a place so isolated it is impossible to imagine anything beyond it. Forced to flee her father’s wrath when her betrothal to a local Sherpa goes wrong, she seeks work as a guide while disguised as a man. The author brings to life the many contradictions of the region through the eyes of Nima, including a tourism industry that fuels the local economy but also threatens to destroy it.
Where: Book Soup
Date: Thursday the 30th
Time: 7 pm
Address: 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069
Website: http://www.booksoup.com/event/adam-popescu-discusses-and-signs-nima-conversation-lori-kozlowski
Making Social Spaces in Museums & Conversations at the Hammer Museum
For her new book, It Speaks to Me, journalist Jori Finkel interviewed artists about artworks that inspire them from museums around the world. Two of these artists, Shinique Smith and Rirkrit Tiravanija, join her here to discuss their own history transforming museum spaces. Smith is best known for creating socially loaded sculptures out of used clothing and fabrics. Tiravanija has long made hospitality a part of his art, most famously serving Thai curry and rice to gallery and museum visitors.
NOTE: Coffee, tea, and book signing will follow the discussion.
Where: The Hammer Museum
Date: Thursday the 30th
Time: 7:30 pm
Address: 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90024
Website: http://hammer.ucla.edu/programs-events/2019/05/jori-finkel-shinique-smith-rickrit-tiravanija/
Native Voices’ New Plays & Flowers of Hawaii at The Autry Museum
Please join us for the Native Voices 25th Annual Festival of New Plays to hear and see Missing Peace, by Kalani Queypo (Blackfeet & Hawaiian).
NOTE: This event requires RSVPs, so check website for further details.
Where: The Autry Museum
Date: Thursday the 30th
Time: 7:30 pm
Address: 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Website: http://theautry.org OR
https://www.evetnbrite.com/e/native-voices-25th-annual-festival-of-new-plays-tickets-59554379753/
Dimitris Lyacos & Harold Abramowitz at Beyond Baroque
Join us to hear Dimitris Lyacos give his final reading in his U.S. tour on the occasion of his recent Box Set publication of his trilogy Poena Damni, joined by L.A. luminary, writer and publisher Harold Abramowitz.
Lyacos is the author of the Peona Damni trilogy (Z213: EXIT, With the People From the Bridge, The First Death). So far translated into thirteen languages, this developed as a work-in-progress over the course of thirty years, as well as in a diverse range of sister projects it inspired. It is one of the most widely acclaimed avant-garde works published in the new millennium.
Abramowitz’s books include Colloquy at the Abyss, Blind Spot, Not Blessed, Dear Dearly Departed, Man’s War and Wickedness, among others. He co-edits the short-form literary press eohippus labs, co-directs the literary arts and humanities curational hub RAD!, and teaches at Charles Drew University, among other endeavors.
Where: Beyond Baroque
Date: Thursday the 30th
Time: 8 pm – 10 pm
Address: 681 N. Venice Blvd., Venice, CA 90291
Website: http://http://beyondbaroque.org/calendar.html
Rich Ferguson, Paolina Acuna-Gonzlaez and VAPA GET LIT Team at Open Door Poetry Reading at Battery Books
Join Open Door Poetry Reading to hear the amazing Rich Ferguson perform with members of the Ramon Cortines School of Visual and Performing arts (aka VAPA). GET LIT Team will also perform their work.
Rich Ferguson is a Pushcart-nominated poet whose poetry and spoken word music videos have been widely anthologized. His collection 8th & Agony is out on Punk Hostage press, and his debut novel, New Jersey Me has been released by Rare Bird Books.
Paolina Acuna-Gonzalez speaks on self-image, culture, mental illness, adolescence and more. She is currently a senior at VAPA, and her team won second place at the 2018 Get Lit Classic Slam.
Where: Battery Books
Date: Thursday the 30th
Time: 8 pm – 10 pm
Address: 26 S. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena, CA 91101
Website: http://www.facebook.com/events/2347200132274020/
Powell Zine Fest 2019 at UCLA Powell Library (Day 4 of 4)
To celebrate this year’s L.A. Zine Fest (May 25th), we’re hosting a week-long zine fest of our own! Come by to create your own zines, learn more about their significance, and browse our special collection of student-made zines available for check-out at Powell.
There will be a ZINE WORKSHOP led by our Zine Librarian, Sylvia, on Wednesday, May 29th in the Powell Rotunda. Stop by to learn more about zines and how to make your own!
Post pictures of your zines to social media using #PowellZineFest and #PowellLibrary.
We love art!
Where: UCLA Powell Library
Date: (Tuesday the 28th through) Friday the 31st.
Time: 9 pm – 5 pm daily
Address: 220 Powell Library Building, Los Angeles, CA 90095
Website: http://www.facebook.com/events/1081578038696171/
Latin American Poets Sing Walt Whitman at UCLA Powell Library
Please join us for Ecos de Gran Viejo: Latin American Poets Sing Walt Whitman, a bilingual reading of works by Latin American writers influenced by Whitman. The impact of Whitman, America’s first poet of democracy, on Latin American literary and political consciousness has been important for two centuries.
Performance followed by a reception with cake on the occasion of his 200th birthday. Free and open to the public. RSVPs are encouraged.
Also featuring special guest appearance by Yalil Guerra, Latin Grammy Award-winning composer and guitarist!
Where: UCLA Powell Library Rotunda
Date: Friday the 31st
Time: 2 pm – 4 pm
Address: 220 Powell Library Building, Los Angeles, CA 90095
Website: https://whitmania.ucla.edu/bilingual-celebration/friday-may-31-ecos-del-gran-viejo/
Ramit Sethi & I Will Teach You to be Rich at Vroman’s Bookstore
Join us to hear author Ramit Sethi present and discuss his book, I Will Teach You to Be Rich, second Edition: No Guilt. No excuses. No B.S. Just a 6-Week Program That Works., the 10th anniversary edition, and his personal plan for young adults. It is based on the four pillars of personal finance: banking, saving, budgeting, and investing. This new edition goes beyond, to detail what make a “rich life.”
Where: Vroman’s Bookstore
Date: Friday the 31st
Time: 7 pm
Address: 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91101
Joan Moran & An Accidental Cuban at Book Soup
Join us to hear and meet author Joan Moran read and discuss her book, An Accidental Cuban. This book is the story of Harry Cisneros, part of a generation of lost youth that face frustration in a moribund Cuban society, and who desperately wants to get off the island. While in Havana he gets involved in the underground economy and Russian subterfuge while planning his escape.
Where: Book Soup
Date: Friday the 31st
Time: 7 pm
Address: 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069
Website: http://www.booksoup.com/event/joan-moran-discusses-and-signs-aqccidental-cuban
Con Safos: Reflections of Life in the Barrio Event, Lummis Days Festival, at Occidental College
Join this Lummis Day event for a free screening of an important new film about Los Angeles: Con Safos: Reflections of Life in the Barrio. For four turbulent years, 1968 – 1972, the Lincoln Heights-based literary magazine, ConSafos, provided a platform for writers, poets, artists, and others who captured the experiences of the barrio and the rumblings of nascent Chicano movement that was bursting on the nation’s consciousness. But it was quashed by an FBI raid in which components of the ninth and tenth issues were seized.
The screening is the opening event of the 14th annual Lummis Days festival, and will be followed by a panel discussion featuring four of the magazine’s founders: Arturo Flores, Rudy Salinas, Sergio Hernandez, and Oscar Castillo.
For a complete Lummis Day Festival schedule visit http://www.LummisDay.org.
Where: Thorne Hall, Occidental College
Date: Friday the 31st
Time: 7 pm – 9 pm
Address: 600 Campus Rd., Los Angeles, CA 90041
Website: http://www.facebook.com/events/2694277623980275/
Walt Whitman Bicentennial Reading at Beyond Baroque
Celebrate Walt Whitman’s 200th birthday with a readings from Leaves of Grass. Readers include: James Cushing, Robert Forster, Phoebe MacAdams, Harry E. Northrop, Holly Prado Northrup & Aleida Rodriguez.
Where: Beyond Baroque
Date: Friday the 31st
Time: 8 pm – 10 pm
Address: 681 N. Venice Blvd., Venice, CA 90291
Website: http://http://beyondbaroque.org/calendar.html
Andrew Turner & Thomas R. Thomas at Tebot Bach
Please join us at Tebot Bach to hear K. Andrew Turner and Thomas R. Thomas present and discuss their work.
Andrew Turner writes queer literary and speculative fiction, poetry, and nonfiction in stolen weekday moments. In 2013 he founded East Jasmine Review—an electronic literary journal, with a focus on publishing diverse writers. His full-length collection, Heart, Mind, Blood, Skin is now available from Finishing Line Press.
Thomas R. Thomas publishes the small press, Arroyo Seco Press. His books are: Scorpio, Five Lines, Climbing Eternity, and a forthcoming unnamed book coming this summer from Los Nietos Press.
NOTE: Please see website for details, directions and free parking instructions.
Where: Golden West College, Humanities 101
Date: Friday the 31st
Time: 8 pm – 10 pm
Address: 15744 Goldenwest St., Huntington Beach, CA 92647
Website: http://www.facebook.com/events/2497623530283983
Michael Portis & Pinky Got Out! at Children’s Book World – Kids Event
Please join us for a Storytime interactive event with author Michael Portis to celebrate his new book, Pinky Got Out! This is a hilarious picture book about Pinky, a flamingo at the zoo, who is an escape artist and follows Penny who is touring the zoo with her class. Penny is the first to spot the flamingo hiding in plain sight, and one by one she lets her friends in on Pinky’s antics.
Where: Woodland Hills Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Saturday the 25th
Time: 10:30 am
Address: 10580 ½ W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles. CA 90064
Website: http://www.childrensbookworld.com/author-events/
Poetry Reading: Patty Seyburn & Threshold Delivery at Memorial Branch Library, LAPL
Please join us to hear a reading by Patty Seyburn of her fifth poetry collection, Threshold Delivery, published in May by Finishing Line Press. She is an Associate Professor at CSU, Long Beach..
Where: Memorial Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Saturday the 1st
Time: 2 pm
Address: 4625 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90019
Website: http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/events/poetry-reading-patty-seyburn
Expressions LA Poetry Reading & Open Mic at Studio City Branch Library, LAPL
Please join us for Expressions LA Poetry Reading Series and Open Mic, which is offered the first and third Saturdays of the month. This is an Open Mic event and all are invited to sign up for 4-6 minute readings. There is at least one featured poet every session.
Where: Studio City Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Saturday the 1st
Time: 3 pm
Address: 12511 Moorpark St., Studio City, CA 91604
Website: http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/events/expressions-la-poetry-reading-series-0
Wide Open Reading at Sunland-Tujunga Branch Library, LAPL
Please join us for the Wide Open Reading, offered the first Saturday of the month. Bring poems, narrative, art, performance and music to share. New members are welcome.
Where: Sunland-Tujunga Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Saturday the 1st
Time: 3 pm – 5 pm
Address: 7771 Foothill Blvd., Tujunga, CA 91042
Website: http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/events/wide-open-reading-5
Dana L. Davis & The Voice in My Head at Vroman’s Bookstore – YA Event
Join us to meet and hear author Dana L. Davis present and sign her book, the Voice in my Head, the story of identical twin sisters, Violet and Indigo. When Violet becomes terminally ill, Indigo spirals into depression and a mysterious voice guides her to a place in the desert to ensure her sister will live.
Where: Vroman’s Bookstore
Date: Saturday the 1st
Time: 4 pm
Address: 695 E, Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91101
Website: http://www.vromansbookstore.com/event/dana-l-davis-discusses-and-signs-voice-my-head
Mason Funk & The Book of Pride at Skylight Bookstore
Please join us to hear Mason Funk discuss his new nonfiction book, The Book of Pride, which pays tribute to dozens of extraordinary and influential leaders who sparked the worldwide LGBTQ-rights movement. These interviews and stories are accompanied by beautiful photographs.
Where: Skylight Bookstore
Date: Saturday the 1st
Time: 5 pm
Address: 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027
Website: http://www.skylightbooks.com/event/mason-funk
Hello We’re Still Alive Reading at Book Show LA
Please join us for an eclectic reading series hosted by Matthew Sherling. The features for this event will be posted soon.
Where: Book Show LA
Date: Saturday the 1st
Time: 7 pm – 9 pm
Address: 5503 N. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90042
Website: http://bookshowla.com/event/hello-were-still-alive-3/
COLA 2109 – A Night of Spiritual Jazz, Poetry, and Literature at Grand Performances
Please join us for COLA: A Night of Spiritual Jazz, Poetry, and Literature, a free event that will feature the works of COLA fellows Suzanne Lummis, Alesia Rodriguez, and Dwight Trible.
Where: Grand Performances, California Plaza Spiral Court (300 S. Grand Ave.)
Date: Saturday the 1st
Time: 8 pm – 10 pm
Address: 350 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90071
Website: http://www.facebook.com/events/424415718386441/
Poetry in Motion with Eve Brandstein at Beyond Baroque
Please join Eve Brandstein to hear an eclectic array of writers from literary and Hollywood communities in this literary performance series.
NOTE: See Eventbrite link at website for costs and detils.
Where: Beyond Baroque
Date: Saturday the 1st
Time: 8 pm – 10 pm
Address: 681 N. Venice Blvd., Venice, CA 90291
Website: http://www.facebook.com/events/424415718386441/
Russell Brand & Mentors at Vroman’s Bookstore
Join us to meet and hear celebrity author Russell Brand present and sign his book, Mentors: How to Help and Be Helped. This book describes the impact that significant people can have on others, and explores how we chose—consciously and unconsciously—the mentors and heroes that guide us throughout our lives.
Where: Vroman’s Bookstore
Date: Sunday the 2nd
Time: 1:30 pm
Address: 695 E, Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91101
Ben Rhodes & The World as It Is at Diesel Bookstore – Kids Event
Please join us to meet and hear author Ben Rhodes, in conversation with Ambassador Derek Shearer, discuss and sign The World as It Is: A Memoir of the Obama White House. This book tells the story of his nearly ten years at the center of the Obama administration, in a multitude of roles.
Ben Rhodes was a writer before he was a staffer, and this is a rare and insightful look at many events and consequential moments over this period of time that shaped the last decade.
Where: Diesel Bookstore, lower outdoor courtyard
Date: Sunday the 2nd
Time: 3 pm
Address: 225 26th St., #33, Santa Monica, CA 90402
Website: http://www.dieselbookstore.com/event/sunday-june-2nd-300-pm-ben-rhodes-discusses-and-signs-world-it
Bryan Washington & Lot: Stories! at Book Soup
Join us to hear and meet author Bryan Washington read and discuss his book, Lot: Stories! He will be in conversation with Justin Torres. The author’s brilliant, viscerally drawn world vibrates with energy, wit, and the infinite longing of people searching for home. Lot explores trust and love in all its unsparing and unsteady forms.
Where: Book Soup
Date: Sunday the 2nd
Time: 4 pm
Address: 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069
Website: http://www.booksoup.com/event/soup-month-presents-author-bryan-washington-conversation-justin-torres
PoetrIE Presents: Sin Filtro Workshops at Garcia Center for the Arts
You are invited to Sin Filtro: Workshops, Readings & Conversation: Rachel Cruz, Jazmine Joyner, & Alicia Mosley. This is the final event in our series, and this event is free and open to the first 15 attendees. Participants will have e opportunity to share their work. We intend to also have a short Open Mic and refreshments.
NOTE: See website for further details.
Where: Garcia Center for the Arts
Date: Sunday the 2nd
Time: 4 pm – 7 pm
Address: 536 W. 11th St., San Bernardino, CA 92410
Website: http://www.facebook.com/events/444117119682204/
First Sunday Open Reading at Beyond Baroque
Please join us for our popular monthly Open Reading hosted by Steve Goldman.
Sign-ups will begin at 4:45 pm.
Where: Beyond Baroque
Date: Sunday the 2nd
Time: 5 pm
Address: 681 N. Venice Blvd., Venice, CA 90291
Website: http://beyondbaroque.org/calendar.html
Duende Nights Open Mic at Beyond Baroque
Please join us for a multimedia poetry performance experience for the multicultural, underground poets and artists of today, hosted by Antonieta Villamil.
Where: Beyond Baroque
Date: Sunday the 2nd
Time: 5 pm
Address: 681 N. Venice Blvd., Venice, CA 90291
Website: http://beyondbaroque.org/calendar.html
Daughters of Whitman at Beyond Baroque
Join diverse women and non-binary artists for an evening of poetry and performance exploring the legacy of Walt Whitman, the father of American poetry. Featuring: Cecilia Fairchild, Suzanna Rodriguez Drissi, Amber West, and more, this event is produced by the UCLA Writing Programs.
Where: Beyond Baroque
Date: Sunday the 2nd
Time: 5 pm
Address: 681 N. Venice Blvd., Venice, CA 90291
Website: http://beyondbaroque.org/calendar.html
Beth Caldwell & Deported Americans at Vroman’s Bookstore
Join us to meet and hear author Beth Caldwell present and sign her book, Deported Americans: Life After Deportation to Mexico. This book describes the stories of over one hundred deportees and their families who were deported to Mexico in recent years, among the many people with lawful status who have been banished, with no hope of lawfully returning. The author challenges traditional notions of what it means to be an American and recommends legislative and judicial reforms to mitigate these injustices.
Where: Vroman’s Bookstore
Date: Sunday the 2nd
Time: 5 pm
Address: 695 E, Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91101
Jacqueline Suskin & The Edge of the Continent: The City at Skylight Bookstore
Join us to hear Jacqueline Suskin present and read form the second book in her poetry trilogy, The Edge of the Continent: The City.
This volume is about Southern California, specifically the heavily populated part of the state, the thirsty land that supports so many people. It explores the author’s transition into city life after leaving the Northern California forests and the fulfillment of off-the-grid living.
Where: Skylight Bookstore
Date: Sunday the 2nd
Time: 5 pm
Address: 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027
Los Angeles Literature 