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.
Literature + Regret = Regretrature
Wednesday, April 4, 8 pm, at the Verdi Club (2424 Mariposa St.)
The esteemed scribes of the San Francisco Writers' Grotto are teaming up with Litquake for their second annual showcase of work that was probably better left in drawers or hidden laptop folders. Mary Roach, Katie Crouch, Jeff Greenwald, Julia Scott, Todd Oppenheimer, and Isaac Fitzgerald are among the scribes who will read their worst work, reassuring the rest of us that even the writers of New York Times bestsellers can lob a brick from time to time. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door, and all proceeds will benefit the Litquake festival.
Mike Doughty (The Book of Drugs)
Tuesday, April 10, 8 pm, at the Swedish American Hall (2174 Market St.)
After leaving his band, Soul Coughing, at the height of its popularity, Doughty (above) battled addictions to both heroin and sex. Unlike many rock memoirs, though, The Book of Drugs is light on glamour and heavy on lacerating criticism-- of his former bandmates, his family, and most importantly, himself. Now a cult singer-songwriter, Doughty is touring the country with a hybrid reading-concert, including an audience Q&A session. Tickets are $20.
Novella Carpenter and Willow Rosenthal (The Essential Urban Farmer)
Saturday, April 7, 3 pm, at Omnivore Books on Food (3885a Cesar Chavez St.)
Monday, April 9, 7 pm, at Books Inc. Opera Plaza (601 Van Ness Ave.)
In her 2010 memoir, Farm City, Novella Carpenter shared the story of how her Oakland backyard grew from a handful of chickens and some bees to a full-blown urban farm. Now, she's teamed up with fellow local farmer Willow Rosenthal to craft a definitive guide on starting your own urban homestead, from choosing a site to planting crops to taking your produce to market. If you've dreamed of expanding your horticultural repertoire beyond herbs on the windowsill (but aren't ready to give up city life just yet), this is the book for you.
Rachel Kramer Bussel and Susie Bright (Best Sex Writing 2012)
Monday, April 9, 7:30 pm, at The Booksmith (1644 Haight St.)
Series editor Bussel and 2012 guest judge (and sex-positive activist) Bright have culled the best of last year's journalism on the intersection of sex, politics, and culture. From an inside look at being gay in the military before the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal to an exploration of teen sex laws, this collection takes an intellectual look at how sex filters into Americans' daily lives, and how technology and activism are changing our approach to the act.
