Each week, we offer a roundup of the best literary events in the city. All events are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted. Want to submit an upcoming event for consideration? Go here.
Grant Morrison (Supergods: What Masked Vigilantes, Miraculous Mutants, and a Sun God from Smallville Can Teach Us About Being Human)
Friday, August 5th, 7 pm, at Book Passage Corte Madera (59 Tamal Vista Blvd.)
As one of the most acclaimed comics writers of recent years, Grant Morrison (The Invisibles, Batman: Arkham Asylum) is uniquely positioned to explain humanity's attachment to superheroes. Considering that only 60 years ago, most of these caped crusaders didn't exist, their ascent to household-name status (and summer-movie dominance) reveals a number of unique truths about us, our pasts, and our dreams for the future. Morrison's own wacky attempts to access this universal consciousness (from tripping on mushrooms to forgoing sleep for 50 hours) provide a colorful background to his philosophical inquiries.
Writers with Drinks
Saturday, August 6th, 7:30-9:30 pm, at the Make-Out Room (3225 22nd St.)
This monthly reading series is known for its diverse and high-profile author lineups, and August's is another winner. Readers include Melissa Febos, whose Whip Smart chronicled her life as a professional dominatrix (she also recently produced some stellar columns for the New York Times' monthly author series); Hugo and Nebula award winner Ted Chiang; and academic Lee Konstantinou, editor of an upcoming book of essays on David Foster Wallace. Novelist Edie Meidav and productivity guru Dinah Sanders round out the group. Admission is $5-10, sliding scale, and adult beverages are available at the bar.
John Burnham Schwartz (Northwest Corner)
Tuesday, August 2nd, 7 pm, at Book Passage Corte Madera (59 Tamal Vista Blvd.)
For over a decade, Schwartz has been quietly producing delicate tales of romance and loss; his most famous book, Reservation Road, was turned into a film with Jennifer Connelly and Joaquin Phoenix. Northwest Corner, his latest novel, is a sequel of sorts to Reservation Road, set twelve years after the events of the first book. It's the story of an ex-con who's starting over as the manager of a sporting-goods store, attempting to conceal his past from his new girlfriend.
Habitat for Insanity: Stories of the City
Wednesday, August 3rd, 7-10 pm, at 111 Minna Gallery (111 Minna St.)
LitUp Writers is dedicated to hosting humorous readings starring local scribes. Its latest event focuses on horrible housing in a variety of cities, from SF to Rome to Wellington, New Zealand. The event's readers are mostly amateurs and writing students, meaning you might get to see SF's next big literary star before he or she makes it big-- and if you don't, there's always a full bar to comfort you. Speaking of the bar: this event is free, but only those 21 and older can attend.
