BookSwell

Join us for a presentation about this incredibly rare manuscript lead by Devon Deimler, PhD, Matt Marble, PhD, and Michael Carter, MFA.W.W. Harmon’s Esoteric Manuscript – An Illustrated Presentation by Devon Deimler, PhD, Matt Marble, PhD and Michael Carter, MFA“We cannot see things spiritual with the eyes of the flesh. The occultist in studying even the physical body must use the eyes of the spiritual intelligence.” – William W. HarmonIn 1891, an optometrist and scholar named William W. Harmon began work on what would become a truly monumental metaphysical manuscript which has been hidden from sight for over 130 years. 284 pages in length, hand illustrated with gorgeous watercolors – some abstract in the style of Swedish artist Hilma af Klint, others gloriously mystical in the style of William Blake – the “Esoteric Manuscript” as it’s currently labeled in the PRS Library Collections, is one of the great lost works of American esoteric art and writing.Although he was known to Manly P. Hall and other members of esoteric circles in the early 20th century – Harmon contributed articles to Hall’s journal The All-Seeing Eye in the late 1920s – his work was, and continues to be, almost completely unknown outside Read More ...

A celebration of poetry collections released within the last yearAuthors Nancy Miller Gomez (Inconsolable Objects), Lynne V.E. Crawford (Washing Water), and Lynne Thompson (Blue on a Blue Palette) are celebrating newly published collections and will be reading from their latest books at Beyond Baroque. Enjoy a reception and book signings after the program.Doors Open 7:30 PM I Readings 8:00 PMAbout the authorsNancy Miller Gomez is the author of Inconsolable Objects (YesYes Books) and Punishment(Rattle chapbook series). Her work has appeared in Best American Poetry, Best New Poets, Prairie Schooner, Lit Hub, The Adroit Journal, New Ohio Review, The Rumpus, Rattle, Verse Daily, and elsewhere. She received a special mention in the 2023 Pushcart Prize Anthology. She co-founded an organization that provides writing workshops to incarcerated women and men and has taught poetry in Prisons, Jails, and the Juvenile Hall. She lives in Santa Cruz, California. More at: nancymillergomez.com.Lynda V. E. Crawford is a poet, born and raised in Barbados. She has lived on both coasts of the US (Connecticut and California). A Pushcart Prize nominee (2022, 2024), her work has appeared in national and international online and print journals including Prairie Schooner, ArtsEtc Barbados, The Caribbean Writer, The Galway Review, Read More ...

An IRL reading of Mobile Data Mag online literary journal available exclusively on SubstackMobile Data Mag is a digital literary journal exclusively on Substack housing a collection of poetry and prose, particularly from authors who are born and raised in California. Authors whose submitted work is at 500 characters or less are posted onto Systemic Dreaming, an extension of Mobile Data Mag and online journal exclusively on Threads social media platform.Hosted by founding editor and author Jesse Tovar, this IRL reading features five poets from all corners of Los Angeles County: Pam Concepcion, Daryl Gussin, Jennifer “Miss B’ Baptiste, Mauricio “Soul on Fire” Moreno, and Laura Sermeño.Following the readings in The Wanda Coleman Theater join us for book signing and a reception with light refreshments.Doors Open: 1:30 PM I Readings: 2:00 PMAbout the authorsPam Concepcion is a multimedia artist: a poet, an aspiring screenwriter, a digital collage artist, and a video editor. She is born and raised in Metro Manila, Philippines, where she played softball, wrote poetry, and earned her Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering with a minor in New Media and Communication. In 2023, she moved to South Pasadena, California, to live with her family. Since then, she has Read More ...