BookSwell

Dave Barry in conversation with Paul Levine discussing his novel, "Swamp Story."Join us for an in-person* Live Talks Los Angeles event:Thursday, May 11, 2023, 8pm*Virtual event airs on May 16 at 6pm PT/9pm ETDave Barry in conversation with Paul Levine discussing the writing life and his novel, "Swamp Story."TICKETS:$46 General Admission ticket + signed copy of "Above Ground"$20 General Admission ticketAdditional books available for purchase at eventFace masks recommendedTickets also include opportunity to watch the virtual event The virtual version of this event airs on May 16 at 6pm PT/9PM ET and is available on video-on-demand for five days Tickets for the virtual event can be purchased here (includes the book)ASL interpreter provided upon request.Free parking at the venuePulitzer Prize–winning bestselling author and actual Florida Man Dave Barry returns to our stage with his latest—Swamp Story, a Florida caper full of oddballs and more twists and turns than a snake slithering away from a gator.You’re guaranteed to laugh as Barry tells us about life as a humorist on the ground down in Florida and how it inspired his latest novel. In short, Swamp Story tells the tale of a woman trapped in the Everglades and how she’s terrorized by an ex who’s a Read More ...

An Evening with Rainn Wilson discussing his book, "Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution"*** US orders only. We only ship books to addresses in the US. Join us for a virtual Live Talks Los Angeles event:Monday, May 15, 2022, 6pm PST/9pm ESTAn Evening with Rainn Wilson on his book, "Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution"TICKETS:$40 Ticket: Virtual Admission + a signed copy of the bookTicket includes opportunity to watch the event on video-on-demand for five days, thru May 20 at midnight.Books ship one week after the event.Actor, producer, writer, and New York Times bestselling author Rainn Wilson, cofounder of the media company SoulPancake, explores the benefits of spirituality as a means to creating solutions for an increasingly challenging world.You may know Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schurte on TV’s “The Office.” But he’s also a writer, thinker and media executive. In his new book, Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution, he talks about the need for profound healing that can only be provided by faith and the sacred. Sparked by his personal struggles with loss, addiction and mental health, Wilson delves into ancient wisdom for answers to life’s deepest questions.Rainn Wilson is a three-time Emmy nominated actor Read More ...

An Evening with Simon Winchester discussing his book, ""Join us for an in-person* Live Talks Los Angeles event:Monday, May 15, 2022, 8pm*Virtual event airs on May 21at 6pm PT/9pm ETAn Evening with Simon Winchester "Knowing What We Know: The Transmission of Knowledge: From Ancient Wisdom to Modern Magic"TICKETS:$46 General Admission ticket + signed copy of the book$25 General Admission ticketAdditional books available for purchase at eventFace masks recommendedTickets also include opportunity to watch the virtual event The virtual version of this event airs on May 21, at 3pm PT/6PM ET and is available on video-on-demand for five days Tickets for the virtual event can be purchased here (includes the book)ASL interpreter provided upon request.Free parking at the venueFrom the creation of the first encyclopedia to Wikipedia, from ancient museums to modern kindergarten classes. In Knowing What We Know: The Transmission of Knowledge: From Ancient Wisdom to Modern Magic, Simon Winchester examines how humans acquire, retain, and pass on information and data, and how technology continues to change our lives and our minds.With the advent of the internet, any topic we want to know about is instantly available with the touch of a smartphone button. With so much knowledge at our fingertips, what is there left Read More ...

Dave Barry in conversation with Paul Levine discussing his novel, "Swamp Story."*** US orders only. We only ship books to addresses in the US. Join us for a virtual Live Talks Los Angeles event:Tuesday, May 16, 2022, 6pm PST/9pm ESTDave Barry in conversation with Paul Levine discussing the writing life and his novel, "Swamp Story."TICKETS:$40 Ticket: Virtual Admission + a signed copy of "Swamp Story"Books ship one week after the event.24 hrs before the event you will get an email with information on watching the event.Pulitzer Prize–winning bestselling author and actual Florida Man Dave Barry returns to our stage with his latest—Swamp Story, a Florida caper full of oddballs and more twists and turns than a snake slithering away from a gator.You’re guaranteed to laugh as Barry tells us about life as a humorist on the ground down in Florida and how it inspired his latest novel. In short, Swamp Story tells the tale of a woman trapped in the Everglades and how she’s terrorized by an ex who’s a reality TV star, a TikTok mob—and a presidential hopeful.Dave Barry is the author of more bestsellers than you can count on two hands, including Lessons from Lucy, Dave Barry’s Complete Guide to Guys, Dave Barry Read More ...

Voices at the Center of American Literature: Richard Blanco, C. Bain, and Michelle ChiharaFunded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, Voices at the Center of American Literature will feature readings and conversations by and with BIPOC and LGBTQ+ authors to discuss visibility, community, and navigating multiple identities, plus the “own voice” and personal narrative. Presidential inaugural poet, poet laureate of Miami-Dade County, and recent recipient of the National Humanities Medal Richard Blanco will join gender liminal multidisciplinary artist C. Bain in a conversation, moderated by Los Angeles Review of Books Editor-in-Chief Michelle Chihara, on their identities as queer men, as a Latino immigrant and a gender nonconforming performer, and on finding their space in the literary world and celebrating what makes them unique.Please join us for what will undoubtedly be an incredible evening of poetry and discussion.ASL interpreting services will be provided. This event will take place in-person at the Hen House Literary Center in Pasadena, California, and will also be livestreamed on Red Hen Press’s website at redhen.org/virtual, Red Hen’s YouTube Channel, and Red Hen’s Facebook Page.Michelle Chihara was a reporter, editor, and freelance writer and then went back to graduate school and became an academic. Read More ...

An Evening with Andy Cohen discussing his book, "The Daddy Diaries: The Year I Grew Up" Join us for an in-person* Live Talks Los Angeles event: Thursday, May 18, 2022, 8pm *Virtual event airs on May 24 at 6pm PT/9pm ET An Evening with Andy Cohen discussing his memoir, "The Daddy Diaries: The Year I Grew Up" TICKETS: $48 General Admission ticket + one signed book $68 Two General Admission tickets + one signed book Additional books available for purchase at event Face masks recommended Tickets also include opportunity to watch the virtual event The virtual version of this event airs on May 24, at 6pm PT/9PM ET and is available on video-on-demand for five days Tickets for the virtual event can be purchased here (includes the book) ASL interpreter provided upon request. Parking garage at the venue New York Times bestselling author Andy Cohen, everyone’s favorite busiest man in show business, goes from bottle service to baby bottles in a hilarious, heartwarming, and name-dropping account of the most important year of his life. From bottle service to baby bottles. Entertainer and best-selling author Andy Cohen returns to the Live Talks Los Angeles stage with his fifth memoir, The Daddy Diaries: The Year I Grew Up. How has Read More ...

An Evening with Simon Winchester, "Knowing What We Know: The Transmission of Knowledge: From Ancient Wisdom to Modern Magic"*** US orders only. We only ship books to addresses in the US. Join us for a virtual Live Talks Los Angeles event:Sunday, May 21, 2023, 3pm PST/6pm ESTAn Evening with Simon Winchester "Knowing What We Know: The Transmission of Knowledge: From Ancient Wisdom to Modern Magic"TICKETS:$40 Ticket: Virtual Admission + a signed copy of the bookTicket includes opportunity to watch the event on video-on-demand for five days, thru May 26 at midnight.Books ship one week after the event.From the creation of the first encyclopedia to Wikipedia, from ancient museums to modern kindergarten classes. In Knowing What We Know: The Transmission of Knowledge: From Ancient Wisdom to Modern Magic, Simon Winchester examines how humans acquire, retain, and pass on information and data, and how technology continues to change our lives and our minds.With the advent of the internet, any topic we want to know about is instantly available with the touch of a smartphone button. With so much knowledge at our fingertips, what is there left for our brains to do? At a time when we seem to be stripping all value from the idea of knowing Read More ...

Daniel Siegel with Luthern Williams discussing his book, "IntraConnected: MWe (Me + We) as the Integration of Self, Identity, and Belonging"Join us for an in-person* Live Talks Los Angeles event:Tuesday, May 23, 2022, 8pm*Virtual event airs on May 31 at 6pm PT/9pm ETDaniel Siegel with Luthern WIlliams "IntraConnected: MWe (Me + We) as the Integration of Self, Identity, and Belonging"TICKETS:$46 General Admission ticket + one signed copy of the book$20 General Admission ticketsAdditional books available for purchase at eventFace masks recommendedTickets also include opportunity to watch the virtual event The virtual version of this event airs on April 10, at 6pm PT/9PM ET and is available on video-on-demand for five days Tickets for the virtual event can be purchased here (includes the book)ASL interpreter provided upon request.Free parking at the venuePresented in association with New Roads School.Daniel Siegel explores the nature of how our experience of what we call “self” emerges across the lifespan.How do we build an inclusive understanding of self in relation to others that promotes well-being? Dr. Daniel J. Siegel’s new book, Intraconnected: MWe (Me & We) as the Integration of Self, Identity and Belonging combines personal reflections with scientific discussions of how the mind, brain and our relationships shape Read More ...

Celebrate the debut of LAR's Electronic Literature Folio with contributors Anthony Cody, J. Michael Martinez & readings by Latinx poets.Los Angeles Review, Letras Latinas, & Beyond Baroque invite you to this special in-person celebration of LATINX DIGITAL POETICS: An Electronic Literature Folio. Published in the Los Angeles Review, the digital anthology features newly commissioned works of six poets, among them Tina Escaja, Leonardo Flores, Loss Pequeño Glazier, and Urayoán Noel.To celebrate this groundbreaking work, contributors Anthony Cody and J. Michael Martinez will be presenting their new works in addition to readings from their most recent publications. Local poets Vickie Vertiz and heidi andrea restrepo rhodes will be opening the event with a special set of selected readings from their newest collections. As the evening's guest of honor, Chicano poet and former L.A. Poet Laureate Luis J. Rodriguez will be delivering a brief response to these cutting-edge works transcending language, format, and tradition. The program will be hosted by Los Angeles Review's Poetry Editor, Brent Ameneyro. Latinx poetry has a rich history of working in avant-garde or innovative spaces—from Juan Felipe Herrera’s experimental forms and Mónica de la Torre’s innovative approaches to translation and collaboration, among many others—this legacy continues in Read More ...

Book Club: June Book Club: Elliot Page discusses "Pageboy"Join Academy Award nominee Elliot Page for a live, in-person conversation about his debut memoir, “Pageboy,” at the L.A. Times Book Club.Page will be in conversation with Kate Mara June 8 at the historic Montalban Theatre in Hollywood. Elliot Page is a producer, writer and director. He currently stars in the Netflix’s hit series, “The Umbrella Academy.”Nearly three years after coming out as transgender, the actor shares his truth in “Pageboy.”With the success of the 2007 film “Juno,” Page became one of the world’s most beloved actors. His dreams were coming true, but the pressure to perform suffocated him as he navigated criticism and abuse in Hollywood. Page often stayed silent, unsure of what to do. Full of behind-the-scenes details and interrogations on sex, love, trauma, and Hollywood, “Pageboy” is the story of a life pushed to the brink. It’s also a winding journey of what it means to untangle ourselves from the expectations of others.Kate Mara is an actor and film producer known for her role in the Netflix series, "House of Cards." She also starred in the Hulu miniseries, "A Teacher."IN-PERSON EVENT INFOWhen: June 8, 2023 at 7 p.m. PT. Read More ...

Celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month! We share our light and illuminate possibilities for living proud, safe, and free.This online reading and panel discussion creates a safe space for writers who use their personal lives and literary careers as means to contribute to and strengthen their communities especially during LGBTQIA+ Pride Month. In collaboration with Lambda Literary, this event shines a light on and basks in the glow of talented writers with exceptional stories and ideas to share with the world.K-Ming Chang is the author of Bestiary, Gods of Want, and the forthcoming novel Organ Meats. Golden is the author of A Dead Name That Learned How to Live (Game Over Books) and the photographic self-portraiture series On Learning How to Live. They currently live in Brooklyn, NY (Lenapehoking land). Kamden Hilliard is the author of MissSettl (Nightboat Books, 2022), their debut collection of poems, and a member of the Faculty at Choate Rosemary Hall. Natalie Wee a queer creator and the author of two poetry collections, Our Bodies & Other Fine Machines and Beast at Every Threshold. Born in Singapore to Malaysian parents, Natalie is currently a settler in Tkaronto.The event is free and you can watch via YouTube Live on Read More ...

An Evening with Richard North Patterson discussing his novel, "Trial"Join us for an in-person* Live Talks Los Angeles event:Wednesday, June 14, 2023, 8pm*Virtual event airs on June 18 at 3pm PT/6pm ETAn Evening with Richard North Patterson discussing his novel, "Trial"* interviewer to be announcedTICKETS:$46 General Admission ticket + one signed copy of the book$20 General Admission ticketAdditional books available for purchase at eventFace masks recommendedTickets also include opportunity to watch the virtual event The virtual version of this event airs on June 18, at 3pm PT/6PM ET and is available on video-on-demand for five days Tickets for the virtual event can be purchased here (includes the book)ASL interpreter provided upon request.Free parking at the venueIn his new novel, Trial, veteran writer Richard North Patterson returns to the legal dramas that have been the hallmark of his long career. This propulsive narrative centers around the most incendiary flashpoints of race: voter suppression, discriminatory law enforcement, the political exploitation of racial anxiety, and the frequent failure of our legal system to provide fair trials for Black defendants. The story culiminates in a nationally televised murder case. This is a gripping, frank and deeply felt novel about the complications of love, family, politics Read More ...