This week in New York the Indie Booksellers Choice Awards at Housing Works; Book Expo America runs all week; Emma Donohue, Room, at powerHouse; book launch parties for Vanessa Hidary, Lynne Tillman, and Vanessa Veselka; two storytelling events: Sideshow Goshko and The Soundtrack Series; and BAM celebrates Cuban dance at DanceAfrica 2011.
MONDAY 5/23: Tonight go celebrate independent booksellers at the Indie Booksellers Choice Awards for The Ultimate Shelf Taker, hosted by David Rees and other special guests. Housing Works Bookstore. 7 p.m. Free. See the list of finalists here.
TUESDAY 5/24: Book Expo America is going on all this week. Granta presents Julie Otsuka, Francine Prose, and Karen Russell on “The Legacy: Feminism in Literature Today” where they will talk about the feminist writers that have passed the baton and what feminism means today. Jacob K. Javitz Center. 2 p.m. For tickets, visit www.bookexpoamerica.com.
WEDNESDAY 5/25: Emma Donoghue, author of Room, will be at powerHouse Arena in her first and only NYC appearance to celebrate the paperback release of Room. Drinks! 7 p.m. Free.
Penmanship Books is throwing poet and actress Vanessa Hidary a book party for her first book, The Last Kaiser Roll in the Bodega, a collection of poetry, prose, and theater. 92Y Tribeca. 8:30 p.m. $12.
THURSDAY 5/26: Storytellers with a love for music will tell tales of their past that are associated with some of their favorite songs at The Soundtrack Series, hosted by Dana Rossi. Featuring Lane Moore, Marc Landers, Julie Kraut, Jon Baker, and Matthew Trumball. (Le) Poisson Rouge. 7 p.m.
More storytelling at Leslie Goshko’s Sideshow Goshko, with some of the city’stop writers and storytellers sharing bizarre true stories about their lives. Featuring Brad Lawrence, Ed Gavagan, and Sharon Spell. Also with live accordion music, trivia, and a free wine giveaway. KGB Bar. 7 p.m. Free.
FRIDAY 5/27: Red Lemonade is throwing a launch party for Lynne Tillman, Someday This Will Be Funny, and Vanessa Veselka, Zazen. Everyone who attends will get e-book versions of the books, free with purchase of any book at WORD. This event is party of New York Book Week. WORD. 7:30 p.m. Free.
SATURDAY 5/28 & SUNDAY 5/29: Hopefully the rain will be gone this Memorial Day Weekend. Head out to Fort Green for BAM’s DanceAfrica 2011 Bazaar, part of the 34th annual DanceAfrica event (there’s still time to get tickets for the DanceAfrica show, celebrating Cuban dance, with shows Friday through Monday). More than 200 vendors from around the world with great food, fashion, and art. Ashland Place, between Hanson Place and Fulton Street, GGMC & Impark parking lots. Saturday through Monday from noon to 8 p.m. Rain or shine. Free.
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