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.
Dave Prager (Delirious Delhi)
Tuesday, December 3, 6 pm, at Book Passage SF (1 Ferry Building)
Wednesday, December 4, 7 pm, at Books Inc. Berkeley (1760 4th St.)
Prager was a copywriter at a Madison Avenue ad agency when he and his wife Jenny were offered an unusual opportunity: moving to New Delhi for 18 months to work at the company's office there. Initially overwhelmed by the crowds, traffic, and honking horns, the duo grew to embrace Delhi, savoring the cuisine, learning about its art and history, and making friends along the way. The resulting memoir doubles as an outsiders' guide to the city, with chapters divided into key aspects like transportation and food.
Clint Hill & Lisa McCubbin (Five Days in November)
Friday, December 6, 7 pm, at Book Passage Corte Madera (51 Tamal Vista Blvd.)
As the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's assassination draws a host of critical and cultural reappraisals, few living people are better equipped to discuss the tragic events in Dallas than Clint Hill, the Secret Service agent assigned to protect Jacqueline Kennedy. Throwing himself on the car after shots were fired, Hill was at the First Lady's side in the horrifying days after the assassination, and his new book (written with journalist McCubbin) provides his narrative and commentary on the sad and iconic images of the tumult (including a bit of conspiracy-theory debunking).
East Bay Alternative Book and Zine Fest
Saturday, December 7, 10 am-5 pm, at Berkeley City College (2050 Center St.)
Dozens of DIY zine makers and alternative publishers will be the centerpiece of this bustling festival, which draws big crowds each year to check out the quirky creations of indie writers and artists from all over the U.S. and the world. The festivities will also include workshops on topics like cartooning and screenprinting, readings from Steve Almond and Berkeley journal Milvia Street, and a performance by poetry and art collective Sister Spit.
Rick Steves (Rick Steves' Iran)
Friday, December 6, 1 pm, at Book Passage Corte Madera (51 Tamal Vista Blvd.)
Steves, the megapopular travel writer who boasts a devoted legion of followers, has become a passionate advocate for traveling to Iran in recent years, encouraging Americans to visit a country most have only heard about on the news. In this lecture, he explains the rich contradictions of Persian culture, from bustling Tehran to peaceful rural villages, and examines some of the nation's great cultural treasures. Admission is $12, or free with the purchase of any Rick Steves book from Book Passage.
