Welcome back to Same Page SF, your home for all things local and literary!
I'm Christina, your friendly, well-informed, and unabashedly nerdy bookseller. Each week (at least until my unofficial maternity leave), I share and signal-boost author events, book clubs, new releases, and community gatherings happening across our city.
Last week of Litquake!
The West Coastâs largest, most epic multi-week literary festival is coming to a close - and as always, it saves the best (or at least the rowdiest) for last!Â
Lit Crawl is a massive, one-night-only, free literary pub crawl through the Mission District that brings together hundreds of authors and thousands of readers. If youâve never been, donât be intimidated - the vibes are immaculate (friendly, weird, fun). Iâve met some wonderful people through Litquake - đ book group - especially Lit Crawl!
Across 30 locations, youâve got more than 50 events to choose from. A few Iâm particularly intrigued by: Ode to Sad Girl Poetry, Literary Relay Race, Happy Endings, and So You Think You Can Translate?.Â
Of course, Litquake has plenty going on before the Crawl - check out the weekâs full programming here. Consider Dragging Celebrity Autobiographies, in which a cast of Bay Area drag superstars will âput on their reading glasses to celebrate the most scandalous, most outrageous, and most ridiculous celebrity memoirsâ (Tuesday 10/22, 7pm, $25), or hear directly from actor, comedian, and creator Jenny Slate on her new collection Lifeform (Saturday 10/27, 7:30pm, $82 includes signed copy).
Give me more!
Because this is San Francisco, even without Litquake, weâre spoiled for choice. This week, you can:
đȘŠ Hear from taphophile - âcemetary enthusiast,â for those of you who love learning new words - Loren Rhoads on 222 Cemeteries to See Before You Die at Green Apple Books on the Park or via Zoom (Tuesday 10/22, 7pm, free).
đŹ Join poet and essayist Ross Gay, whose writing explores the complexities of joy, gratitude, and delight, in a fireside-style chat with Aracelis Girmay through City Arts and Lectures (Friday 10/25, 7:30pm, $54+).
đ Celebrate San Franciscoâs idiosyncracies via San Francisco Stairway Month (yes, itâs a real thing!) at SFPL Glen Park (Saturday 10/26, 3-4pm, free), and MUNI is My Ride with author Lia Smith, artist Keith Ferris, and a chance to meet and greet Muni operators at SFPL Portola (Saturday 10/26, 3-4:30pm, free).
Also
Note: This weekâs Also doesnât have space for all Litquake events; see their full programming here!
MONDAYÂ Author talk with Rosanna Xia on California Against the Sea: Visions of Our Vanishing Coastline has been canceled
TUESDAY Silent reading party at Booksmith | Poetry workshop with the North Beach Poets Society | Local author Ritu Mukerji on her historical mystery Murder by Degrees at Bookshop West Portal | Writer and coach Lauren Marie Fleming on her romance Because Fat Girl at Books Inc. Laurel Village
WEDNESDAY Eddie Ahn on his graphic memoir Advocate: A Graphic Memoir of Family, Community, and the Fight for Environmental Justice at SFPL Ortega | Zehra Allibhai on Bismillah, Let's Eat!: Fresh and Vibrant Recipes from my Family to Yours at Omnivore | Graywolf Press 50th Anniversary Literary Salon at Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture is sold out | City Arts & Lectures featuring Ta-Nehisi Coates is sold out
THURSDAY Jon Boilard on his fifth novel Junior at Bookshop West Portal | Local author Carol (CJ) Verburg on The Theatrical Adventures of Edward Gorey: Rare Drawings, Scripts, and Stories at Books Inc. ChestnutÂ
FRIDAYÂ Barrack Zailaa Rima on her celebrated graphic novel Beirut at Silver Sprocket
SATURDAY Food demo and book-signing with Maria Finn on Forage. Gather. Feast at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market | Chef Caroline Choe on Banchan: 60 Korean American Recipes for Delicious, Shareable Sides at Omnivore | Kidsâ halloween storytime extravaganza at Black Bird (costumes encouraged!) | Music and poetry at Medicine for Nightmares, featuring Zeina Hashem Beck, Naomi Helena Quiñonez, and CorazĂłn de Cedro
SUNDAY Rogelio Garcia and Andréa Lawson Gray on Convivir: Modern Mexican Cuisine in California's Wine Country at Omnivore | Meeting of the Parenting Book Group to discuss Raising Resilience by Tovah P. Klein, PhD, at Black Bird | Warehouse sale at Books Inc. Opera Plaza | Meeting of the SF Silent Book Club at Obscenity Bar & Lounge
Local & literary news
Same Page will pause for unofficial maternity leave starting November | Prolific author and bookstore owner Ann Patchett quoted San Franciscoâs own Tee Minot in her reflection on regret in this weekâs NYT | Silver Sprocket is fundraising; help them stay an indie press and pay a living wage to staff
Book-adjacent gatheringsÂ
Not *about* books, but around them
đŹ Mannyâs is holding a discussion of the SF election with Joe Eskenazi (Mission Local) and Joe Garofoli (SF Chronicle). Get smart on ballot measures, school closures, and SF politics before election day. Tuesday 10/22, 7:30pm, $18 (complimentary tickets available).
đȘ§ Speaking of elections, Black Bird is hosting Neha Subramanian of Painthouse SF for a get-out-the-vote poster-making workshop. Posters and paints provided, and all ages welcomed! Saturday 10/26, 10:30am-12pm, free.
đš And speaking of painting, the SFPL is welcoming Eugene RodrĂguez for a sip-and-paint workshop. Theyâll have painting supplies and refreshments on hand; come unleash your inner artist! Sunday 10/27, 2-3pm, free (reservations required).
Thanks for reading!
If you enjoyed this issue of Same Page, show some love by passing it along to a bookish friend or two - or more, but letâs be honest, weâre all introverts here!
As always, if you have questions, ideas, or events to share, Iâd love to hear! Just reply to this email.
Cheers,
Christina
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