• Evie Shockley

    Edgehill Mansion in Dominican University 50 Acacia Ave., San Rafael, CA, United States

    Evie Shockley is the author of semiautomatic and the new black, both winners of the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award in Poetry; semiautomatic was also a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the LA...

    Free
  • Ottessa Moshfegh with Isabel Duffy

    Sydney Goldstein Theater 275 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA, United States

    Ottessa Moshfegh’s characters are wracked with depression, neurosis, and utter ennui, but the care with which she tends to them imbues her books with a...

    $29
  • Zyzzyva celebrates their Bay Area Issue

    City Lights Bookstore 261 Columbus Ave, San Francisco , CA, United States

    Moderated by Oscar Villalon with Meg Hurtado Bloom, Rita Bullwinkel, Ingrid Rojas Contreras, Chia-Chia Lin, Kevin Simmonds, and Paul Wilner ZYZZYVA's latest volume—the Bay Area Issue—features new writing and poetry...

    Free
  • Steve Inskeep with Angie Coiro

    Kepler's Books 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park , CA, United States

    Michelle and Barack Obama. Ben Bradlee and Sally Quinn. John and Jackie Kennedy. Every era has its power couples— teams of two wielding boundless social,...

    $15 – $45
  • Happy Endings: January

    Make-Out Room 3225 22nd St, San Francisco, CA, United States

    HAPPY ENDINGS is a monthly reading series that showcases new writing and wants to shine a little sun on your soul. What's gonna happen? Five...

    $10
  • T.J. Mitchell & Judy Melinek: First Cut

    Green Apple Books on the Park 1231 9th Ave, San Francisco , CA, United States

    Judy Melinek and T.J. Mitchell discuss their new novel, First Cut. Praise for First Cut “Scalpel sharp. First Cut allows a peek into the autopsy room through the...

    Free
  • Mapping the Bay: with Kim Shuck and friends

    City Lights Bookstore 261 Columbus Ave, San Francisco , CA, United States

    poetry and discussion exploring the pathways language takes through land, water, and air. Poetry is all around us. Hidden in the trauma and joys of...

    Free
  • Miranda Popkey: Topics of Conversation

    Green Apple Books on the Park 1231 9th Ave, San Francisco , CA, United States

    Miranda Popkey discusses her debut novel Topics of Conversation with Rachel Khong. Praise for Topics of Conversation "An intimate evisceration of our narrow imaginings of female sexuality,...

    Free
  • Lyrics & Dirges

    Pegasus Books Downtown 2349 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley , CA, United States

    Lyrics & Dirges is a monthly reading series featuring a mix of prominent, emerging and beginning writers. Its aim is to highlight various forms of writing...

    Free
  • Bina Venkataraman: Long-Term Thinking in a Distracted World

    SFJAZZ Center 201 Franklin St, San Francisco, CA, United States

    What does practical long-term thinking look like? Bina Venkataraman’s new book, The Optimist's Telescope: Thinking Ahead in a Reckless Age, brings this abstract question to life....

    $25
  • Claire Rudy Foster / Shine of the Ever

    The Booksmith 1644 Haight St, San Francisco , CA, United States

    Booksmith hosts Claire Rudy Foster (I've Never Done This Before) for their new book, Shine of the Ever. Please join us! Shine of the Ever is a literary mix tape...

    Free
  • Miranda Popkey, Topics of Conversation

    Bookshop Santa Cruz 1520 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz , CA, United States

    Bookshop welcomes Santa Cruz native Miranda Popkey for a reading and signing of her searing new novel, Topics of Conversation. For readers of Rachel Cusk, Lydia...

    Free
  • Christopher Bernard

    Green Apple Books 506 Clement St, San Francisco , CA, United States

    Christopher Bernard joins us to discuss his novel, Meditations on Love & Catastrophe at The Liars' Cafe. About Meditations on Love & Catastrophe at The Liars'...

    Free
  • Confessions of a Psychedelic Journalist

    CIIS Public Programs 1453 Mission St., San Francisco, CA, United States

    For more than four decades, Don Lattin has written about the social, spiritual, and political aspects of the psychedelic drug movement as a newspaper reporter,...

    $15
  • The War That Used Up Words? Literature in Paris 1910-1940

    Alliance Française de San Francisco 1345 Bush St., San Francisco, California, United States

    For decades, works like Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast and Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris have captivated our imaginations with their images of lively cafés that...

    $15
  • Red Light Lit & The Los Angeles Press

    Make-Out Room 3225 22nd St, San Francisco, CA, United States

    Red Light Lit and The Los Angeles Press doubleheader with a live musical score by AJ Bahnken🎈The performers explore love relationships, sexuality, and gender. Featured...

    $10
  • The Nocturnists: Transitions

    Blue Shield of California Theater at YBCA San Francisco, CA 700 Howard St, San Francisco

    Join us for an evening of medical storytelling on the theme of "Transitions," featuring stories by David Elkin, Tobin Greensweig, Catherine Humikowski, Shaili Jain, Christina...

    $25 – $35
  • This is Now: Kelly McGonigal

    Kepler's Books 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park , CA, United States

    What if the key to feeling vividly alive and energetic in your body is closer than you think? No matter what your past experience with...

    $15 – $45
  • Wile & Wing Poetry Book Launch

    Tenderloin Museum 398 Eddy St, San Francisco , CA, United States

    A poetry reading hosted by author and songwriter Kimi Sugioka. Author and songwriter Kimi Sugioka is a mesmerizing—and folkloric—figure in the Bay Area literary community....

    Free
  • Gary Snyder and Jane Hirshfield

    Mill Valley Public Library 375 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley , CA, United States

    Cosponsored by Poetry Society of America  Gary Snyder began his career in the 1950s as a noted member of the “Beat Generation,” though he has since...

    Free
  • Haight-Ashbury Literary Journal Vo. 35

    The Beat Museum 540 Broadway, San Francisco , CA, United States

    featuring K.R. MORRISON More details and readers to be announced…

    Free
  • “SoMa Lurk” Book Release

    Alley Cat Books 3036 24th St, San Francisco, CA, United States

    a reading in support of "SoMa Lurk" a collection of poems and photos by José Vadi, published by Project Kalahati. Readings by Sarah O'Neal, Tongo...

    Free
  • New Sutras official release party! W/Camille Roy & drought spa

    The Lede 906 Washington St., Oakland, CA, United States

    Join us in celebrating the official release of Suzanne Stein's 21st century technicolor epic NEW SUTRAS at The Lede in Old Oakland, a new bar/restaurant...

    Free
  • Viet Thanh Nguyen, Thi Bui, and Their Sons, Ellison and Hien

    Kepler's Books 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park , CA, United States

    Do your children doodle and write stories? Join us in a celebration of artistic family collaboration, and a tale of chickens and pirates with Pulitzer...

    $5 – $24
  • SFJAZZ Presents The Just and the Blind with Marc Bamuthi Joseph & More

    SFJAZZ Center 201 Franklin St, San Francisco, CA, United States

    Longtime collaborators composer-violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain and spoken-word artist Marc Bamuthi Joseph are joined by street dance pioneer Drew Dollaz and electrifying vocalist Lalin St....

    $25 – $45
  • You’re Going to Die presents: A 10 Year Anniversary Event

    The Independent 628 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA, United States

    Sat, Jan 18, 20208:30 PM  Sun, Jan 19, 20201:00 AM The Indepedent (map) You're Going to Die Presents: a YG2D 10th ANNIVERSARY EVENT!!!! featuring Whiskerman & more...

    $18 – $20
  • Poets @ Play

    Edwin Markham House in History Park 1650 Senter Road, San Jose, United States

    topic: tba Edwin Markham House in History Park 635 Phelan Avenue, San José, CA 95112 Admission FREE Free parking in the Staff/Volunteer lot on Phelan...

    Free
  • Daniel Levitin, Successful Aging

    Bookshop Santa Cruz 1520 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz , CA, United States

    Neuroscientist and bestselling author Daniel Levitin (This Is Your Brain on Music) will join us to discuss his important new book, Successful Aging. Author of the...

    Free
  • Caroline Goodwin, open mic

    Himalayan Flavors 1585 University Avenue, Berkeley

    Poetry Express presents Caroline Goodwin in a featured poetry reading, open mic before and after featured reading, hosted by Bruce Bagnell, Himalayan Flavors Restaurant, back...

    Free