BookSwell

Some authors are taking a hard look at society IRL and virtually, pinpointing the ways we come up short in connecting with each other.Some 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. Featuring Ryane Nicole Granados (author of The Aves), PJ Manney (author of the bestselling and Philip K. Dick Award nominated Phoenix Horizon trilogy, (R)EVOLUTION, (ID)ENTITY, and (CON)SCIENCE), and Sarah Rafael Garcia (author, community educator, and performance ethnographer and founder of LibroMobile).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 2024 season. Additional support is provided by media partnerships with Book Soup and the Los Angeles Review of Books.

Enjoy an intimate conversation between the award-winning novelist, poet, playwright, and screenwriter Susan Minot and actor, director...Wednesday, November 20 at 7:00PMA conversation between writer Susan Minot and actor/producer Griffin Dunne: Discussing their new booksEnjoy an intimate conversation between the award-winning novelist, poet, playwright, and screenwriter Susan Minot and actor, director, and producer Griffin Dunne. These two close friends will discuss their books. Minot’s engrossing new novel, Don’t Be A Stranger and Griffin Dunne’s poignant memoir, The Friday Afternoon Club.Don’t Be a Stranger is the story of a woman swept into a love affair at mid-life. With spellbinding prose, Minot has crafted a luminous novel about erotic obsession, and the hunger for intimacy, communication, oblivion. Don’t Be a Stranger is a gripping, sensual, and provocative work from one of the most remarkable voices in contemporary fiction.For all its boldface cast of characters and jaw-dropping scenes, The Friday Afternoon Club is no mere celebrity memoir. It is, down to its bones, a family story that embraces the poignant absurdities and best and worst efforts of its loveable, infuriating, funny, and moving characters—its author most of all.

Processing What Happened and Preparing for What's Next2024 is the first presidential election since the January 6th insurrection, raising important questions about what will happen in the days and months after election day on November 5th. Will we have a peaceful transfer of power? Will there be legal and/or illegal attempts to change election outcomes? Given the deep and wide role of religion in our public square — and the Insurrection — what role will religious communities play in fomenting anti-democratic movements and mobilizing pro-democracy coalitions? This event will gather an illustrious group of scholars and leaders to help process what happened — and prepare for what's next.Sponsored by Americans United For Separation of Church and State and USC Knight Program in Media and Religion.Panel 1: Andrew L. Seidel (Constitutional Laywer at Americans United of Separation of Church and State and Author of The Founding Myth and American Crusade), Arlene Sanchez Walsh (Author of Pentecostals in America)Panel 2: ) Rachel Laser (President and CEO at Americans United for Separation of Church and State), Khyati Joshi (Farleigh Dickinson University, Author of White Christian Privilege), and Brad Onishi (Co-host of Straight White American Jesus, Author of Preparing for War),Moderated by Dan Miller Read More ...

An Evening with Josh Brolin discussing his memoir, "From Under the Truck"Please note:-- Tickets are non refundable and are not transferable.-- Tickets cannot be re-sold on re-seller platforms. Re-sold ticket will not be honored.-- All ticket holders should be ready to show ID at the event.-- The name(s) you provide during registration will be on a will-call list at the event, where you will check-in and get your ticket to enter the theatre.----------------------------------------------------------Join us for an in-person and virtual* Live Talks Los Angeles event:Thursday, November 21, 2024, 8pm*Virtual event airs on November 26 at 6pm PT/9pm ETAn Evening with Josh Brolindiscussing his memoir, From Under the TruckTICKETS:$55 General Admission ticket + signed copy of the book$80 Two General Admisison tickets + one.sigend bookAdditional signed books available for purchase at eventFace masks recommendedThe virtual version of this event airs on November 26, 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 signed book)ASL interpreter provided upon request.Free parking at the venueA funny, uncanny, unforgettable and un-celebrity memoir from Josh BrolinJosh Brolin was born in 1968 and raised on a ranch in Paso Robles, California. He is a producer, Read More ...

In person author event with Yasmin Fahr and Aishwarya Dyer at Zibby's Bookshop, 1113 Montana Ave, Santa Monica 90403!Zibby's Bookshop is thrilled to host Yasmin Fahr as she celebrates the launch of her new book, Cook Simply, Live Fully. Jen will be joined in conversation by Aishwarya Iyer, Founder and CEO of Brightland!About the book:From New York Times Cooking contributor Yasmin Fahr comes a guide to tackling weeknight dinner, with simple, delicious recipes that suit the needs of even the busiest home cooks.What’s for dinner? It’s a question we ask ourselves most nights—pressed for time or groceries, searching through the fridge for inspiration. Dinner can be a time to unwind and connect with family or friends, but it can also feel like a chore.Recipe developer and cookbook author Yasmin Fahr gets it, and is here to help readers create nourishing meals even when real life seems to have other plans. In Cook Simply, Live Fully she offers 120 recipes for taking the grind out of dinnertime, with dishes that span the range of “too tired to chop vegetables” to “up for a challenge but please make it snappy.”Yasmin’s approach is all about simplicity and flavor while keeping things nutritious and Read More ...

An Evening with Peggy Noonan discussing her book, "A Certain Idea of America: Selected Writings."Please note:-- Tickets are non refundable and are not transferable.-- Tickets cannot be re-sold on re-seller platforms. Re-sold ticket will not be honored.-- All ticket holders should be ready to show ID at the event.-- The name(s) you provide during registration will be on a will-call list at the event, where you will check-in and get your ticket to enter the theatre.----------------------------------------------------------Join us for an in-person and virtual* Live Talks Los Angeles event:Thursday, December 5, 2024, 8:00pm*Virtual event airs on Dec 10 at 6pm PT/9pm ETAn Evening with Peggy Noonandiscussing her book, A Certain Idea of America: Selected WritingsTICKETS:$50 General Admission ticket + signed copy of the book$75 Two General Admisison tickets + ONE signed bookAdditional books available for purchase at eventFace masks recommendedThe virtual version of this event airs on Dec 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 venueFrom Pulitzer-prize winning Wall Street Journal columnist and New York Times bestselling author Peggy Noonan, a masterclass in how to see and love Read More ...

What makes a memory? What makes an idol? Through what queer lenses do we examine ourselves and our community?What makes a memory? What makes an idol? Through what lens do we examine ourselves and our community?This discussion brings together a poet and author, a photographer, and a culture writer to discuss how they point a critical lens at themselves and their community. Charles Jensen is the author of Splice of Life: A Memoir in 13 Film Genres (Santa Fe Writer’s Project 2024) and the collection of poetry Instructions between Takeoff and Landing (University of Akron Press 2022). Manuel Betancourt is the author of The Male Gazed: On Hunks, Heartthrobs, and What Pop Culture Taught Me About (Desiring) Men (Penguin Random House 2024). Aaron Jay Young is a portrait photographer and the author of Queen (Padlock Publishing 2023). The event will open with an original poem read by Jen Cheng, current West Hollywood City Poet Laureate and author of Braided Spaces (2023).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 Read More ...

An Evening with Eric Idle discussing his book, "The Spamalot Diaries"Please note:-- Tickets are non refundable and are not transferable.-- Tickets cannot be re-sold on re-seller platforms. Re-sold ticket will not be honored.-- All ticket holders should be ready to show ID at the event.-- The name(s) you provide during registration will be on a will-call list at the event, where you will check-in and get your ticket to enter the theatre.----------------------------------------------------------Join us for an in-person and virtual* Live Talks Los Angeles event:Tuesday, January 28, 2024, 8pm*Virtual event airs on February 2 at 3pm PT/6pm ETAn Evening with Eric Idlediscussing his book, The Spamalot DiariesTICKETS:$50 General Admission ticket + signed copy of the book (for pick up at the event)$57 General Admission ticket + signed copy of the book (ships week of Oct 28)$75 Two General Admisison tickets + one sigend book (for pick up at the event)Additional signed books available for purchase at eventFace masks recommendedThe virtual version of this event airs on February 2, 2025, 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 signed book)ASL interpreter provided upon request.Free parking at the venueFrom comedy Read More ...

An Evening with Kristin Hannah on the writing life and the occasion of the 10th anniversary of her novel, "The Nightingale."Please note:-- Tickets are non refundable and are not transferable.-- Tickets cannot be re-sold on re-seller platforms. Re-sold ticket will not be honored.-- All ticket holders should be ready to show ID at the event.-- The name(s) you provide during registration will be on a will-call list at the event, where you will check-in and get your ticket to enter the theatre.----------------------------------------------------------Join us for an in-person and virtual* Live Talks Los Angeles event:Tuesday, February 18, 2024, 8pm*Virtual event airs on February 23 at 3pm PT/6pm ETAn Evening with Kristin Hannaha special event for the 10th anniversarylimited edition releaseof her novel, The NightingaleTICKETS:$55 General Admission ticket + signed* copy of the book$80 Two General Admission tickets + ONE signed* copy of the book$90 General Admisison ticket +TWO sigend books -- The Nightingale and The Women*Tickets include a signed limited 10th Anniversary Edition with foil and embossing, gorgeous designed edges, a ribbon bookmark, exclusive four color endpapers, and a decorative, gold foil stamp on the front case. This special edition hardcover jacket will be revealed in October.Face masks recommendedAdditional signed books available Read More ...

Fae lords. Sexy vampires. Elusive immortals. Enemies to lovers. Badass heroines. If this is your dream--Romantasy BookCon is your realm.Please note that all convention activities are 18+. Evening activities are 21+.Come celebrate a weekend of Romantasy with200+ incrdible authors and bookish vendorsAward winning narratorsFabulous cosplayersPanels, workshops, author Q&AsMurder Mystery PerformanceRealm of Romantasy NightMasquerade BallThemed cocktails and mocktailsPlease note that all ticket sales are considered final.