This week Keith Gessen and HFM present “Diary of a Very Bad Year,” Justin Taylor goes guerrilla at the Guerrilla Lit Reading Series, Ed Park, Deb Olin Unferth and Ben Greenman at a “Word for Word” lunchtime event, Paula Abdul is a vampire, Contraband Cinema comes to BAM, Nick Reding on methamphetamine taking over middle-America, Janelle Brown tells us where we live, Yossi Milo exhibits hand-painted photographs from the 19th century and Macy’s presents its annual fireworks show.
MONDAY 6/28: Keith Gessen and HFM present “Diary of a Very Bad Year: Confessions of an Anonymous Hedge Fund Manager.” For a few issues of n+1, editor Keith Gessen sat down with an anonymous hedge fund manager (HFM) to discuss what was happening in the world of finance. Their conversations vividly recounted the scope of the crisis from the viewpoint of a participant. Gessen and HFM discuss this new book. Greenlight Bookstore. 7:30pm.
TUESDAY 6/29: With one more day left, don’t forget to check out Ron Gallela’s exhibit “Smash His Camera.” Clic Gallery. 424 Broome St. Free.
Janelle Brown reads from her second novel, “This is Where We Live,” tracking the lives of an artistic couple. Her debut novel, “All We Ever Wanted was Everything,” was widely recognized. McNally Jackson. 7PM
Post reading walk across the street to Housingworks Bookstore for Joe DeRosa’s CD Release Party, featuring a performance by Matt McCarthy (from the Verizon Fios commercials). Housingworks Bookstore Café. 8:30PM
WEDNESDAY 6/30: “Word for Word” holds a lunchtime event with Underwater readings by Ed Park (Personal Days), Deb Olin Unferth (Vacation), Nelly Reifler (See Through: Stories), Said Sayrafiezadeh (When Skateboards Will Be Free) and a special guest. An Underwater letter-writing activity from Ben Greenman (What He’s Poised to Do) and music for underwater things by Michael Hearst (One Ring Zero).
Nick Reding reads from Methland, his provocative depiction of the negative effect of methamphetamine on the small town of Oelwein, Iowa. BookCourt. 7PM
This month’s installment of the Guerrilla Lit Reading Series features Justin Taylor and Margot Berwin. Bar on A. 107 Ave. A. 7:30PM.
THURSDAY 7/1: Kick off July with Comedy Below Canal, featuring performances by the hilarious Janeane Garofalo, Dave Hill, Matt Goldich, Joe Mande and John Roberts. 92Y Tribeca. 8PM
Contraband Cinema at BAMCinematek: Dealing in transgression, allegory, agit-prop, and personal essay, Contraband Cinema presents a mini film-festival of explosive stories of secret histories and public battles. In both content and form, these films ignite a dialogue around the question, what makes a political film? BAM Rose Cinemas. Times vary. Through July 8.
Marat/Sade (Part of the Contraband Cinema series, see above). 9:15pm.
FRIDAY 7/2: Straight Up Vampire with Paula Abdul: Avoid the Twihards and enjoy a comedic twist on the ongoing vampire obsession. Listen to the tunes of Paula Abdul while Benjamin Franklin proves her lyrics to have bloodsucking undertones. Joe’s Pub. 9:30PM.
SATURDAY 7/3: Check out Zoe Kazan as Ivy,a twenty-year-old home for Spring Break, in The Exploding Girl. Landmark Sunshine, 143 E. Houston St. Ongoing. $12.50. Times vary.
Le Bingo with Murray Hill and Linda Simpson. Le Poisson Rouge. Doors 6:30PM. Show 7PM. Free.
SUNDAY 7/4: Annual Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks featuring the teenage swooned Justin Bieber. For the second year in a row the fireworks will take place over the Hudson River rather than the East River. Get a spot between 26th and 30th for some of the best views. Hudson River. 9:20PM.
Eldridge Cleaver at BAMcinématek. Under pressure from FBI’s counterintelligence program, Black Panther Eldridge Cleaver and his wife Kathleen left the United States for Algeria. There, he set up the International Section of the Black Panther Party which quickly became the hangout of revolutionaries from the Vietnamese and African liberation movements. Klein’s moving interview follows up with Cleaver during the Pan-African Cultural Festival in Algiers, where he expounds upon the Vietnam War and Black Power during a time when “revolution was the main theme of the day.” Kathleen Cleaver joins for a pre-screening Q&A. 4:30pm.
ART: Retratos Pintados at Yossi Milo. Since the late 19th century through the 1990s, hand-painted photographic portraits were a common feature in homes in the rural areas of the northeastern Brazilian states. The retratos pintados (“painted portraits”) glamorized and idealized their subjects. This exhibition includes approximately 150 unique, vintage painted portraits.
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Original Notable New York Illustration © André da Loba.
