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.
Zyzzyva Spring Issue Release
Thursday, April 12, 7:30 pm, at The Booksmith (1644 Haight St.)
Tuesday, April 24, 7 pm, at Tosca Cafe (242 Columbus Ave.)
Issue number 94 of the beloved Bay Area literary journal is hitting the streets, and the editors are hosting not one, but two parties to celebrate its release. The Booksmith event boasts fiction writers Benjamin T. Miller and Lindsay Thordarson, while the Tosca event (the latest entry in Litquake's last-Tuesday-of-the-month reading series) features novelist Peter Orner (Love and Shame and Love) and fiction writer Rob Ehle. Both events will also have novelist Elena Mauli Shapiro (13, rue Therese) on hand.
Lynn Sherr (Swim: Why We Love the Water)
Thursday, April 12, 1 pm, at Book Passage Corte Madera (51 Tamal Vista Blvd.)
Friday, April 13, 7 pm, at the South End Rowing Club (500 Jefferson St.)
Sherr (above), who spent 30 years as a correspondent for ABC News, explores the art of swimming and the powerful effect it has on human beings. From Esther Williams' pool stunts to Chairman Mao's affection for a dip, a love for swimming transcends a lot of boundaries. She also explores the biology of swimming, how Olympic swimmers train to compete, and how swimming costumes have changed over the years. Sherr's South End Rowing Club event, co-sponsored by Green Apple Books, will offer drinks and snacks in addition to the reading.
Cara Hoffman (So Much Pretty)
Saturday, April 14, 1 pm, at Book Passage Corte Madera (51 Tamal Vista Blvd.)
Hoffman's first novel is the story of two small-town teen girls ensnared in a murder mystery: one of whom is murdered, and the other of whom may know why. Based on a real-life missing-persons case, So Much Pretty has earned praise for not only its suspense, but for its understanding of how violence and paranoia can affect a small town. The book earned universal praise in its hardcover release, including "top pick" notices from The New Yorker and Entertainment Weekly; Hoffman is now touring to support the paperback.
Michael Moran (The Reckoning: Debt, Democracy, and the Future of American Power)
Wednesday, April 11, 7:30 pm, at The Booksmith (1644 Haight St.)
Thursday, April 12, 6 pm, at the World Affairs Council (312 Sutter St., Suite 200)
Moran, the editor-in-chief of Renaissance Insight, is considered one of the world's leading economic forecasters. In his new book, he outlines the challenges facing the U.S. in the wake of the recession, including new technologies; the rise of China, India, and Brazil; and mounting government debt. His strategy for helping the U.S. adapt to the shifting global climate includes a reduced military budget, the restoration of financial regulations, and policies to promote the middle class.
