Wednesday 7/8: Kevin Killian has organized a reading at Alley Cat Books featuring visiting poets, two of whom have never read in the Bay area before. Don’t think the Mission neighborhood is down for the count when events like this keep happening. Featured: Camara Brown, Jacob Kahn, and Gabriel Ojeda-Sague. Free, 7 p.m., Alley Cat Books.
Did I mention that reports of the death of the Mission have been greatly exaggerated? Nowhere is this more evident than The Institute of Possibility (aka Chez Poulet) which tonight is hosting Fireside Storytelling. Six storytellers will explore the theme “Sink or Swim” sans script or notes. They are: Penelope Whitney, Doug Cordell, Charles C. Gibson, Jill Poe, Jason Meyers, and a sixth TBA. $15, 7:30 p.m., The Institute of Possibility.
Thursday 7/9: Poetry Flash presents Andy Clausen, Bruce Isaacson, and Pamela Twining. Free, 7:30 p.m., Moe’s Books.
INFOFORUM presents Chuck Palahniuk and Lidia Yuknavitch: A Night of Mayhem. In Palahniuk’s own words: “Join Chuck Palahniuk at the Castro Theater July 9th, where the air will be filled with color, noise and candy. It’s a party to celebrate the release of Lidia Yuknavitch’s newest novel, The Small Backs of Children, a major step forward from one of our most avidly watched writers—a masterful exploration of the treacherous, often violent borders between war and sex, love and art. Contests, prizes, disturbing bedtimes stories and mayhem will reign. As always, the wearing of sexy sleepwear is encouraged.” $25, 5:45 p.m. check-in and reception/6:30 p.m. program/7:30 p.m. book signing, Castro Theatre.
Shipwrecked, San Francisco’s “premiere literary erotic fan fiction event” makes its monthly port-of-call in the Haight Ashbury district, this time embarrassing us all with readings inspired by J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan. Featuring Andrew Dudley, Rose Garrett, Jared Schwartz, and one more writer TBA. Submissions are blind-read by Baruch Porras-Hernandez. $12 at the door ($10 in advance), 7 p.m., Booksmith.
Friday 7/10: Amy Berkowitz is having a San Francisco release party for her new book, Tender Points, featuring performances by herself, Maisha Z. Johnson, and Tender Thing. Free, 7 p.m., Alley Cat Books.
Saturday 7/11: Tonight is the fourth iteration of Beast Crawl, Oakland’s annual free literary festival. Over the course of several hours more than 100 writers will take over more venues all over downtown Oakland as thousands of enthusiastic literati make their tipsy trek from bars to galleries to storefronts, followed by an after party, the best of the year. Free, 5 p.m.–9 p.m. (after party till 2 a.m.), various Oakland locations.
Sunday 7/12: If you can make it up and out after the Beast Crawl party, novelist Patrick O’Neil is in town to promote his new memoir, Gun, Needle, Spoon. Free, 7 p.m., Book Passage Corte Madera.
Tuesday 7/14: Litquake and Green Apple Books present the Bay Area launch of Joshua Mohr‘s latest novel, All This Life. Jack Boulware will be interviewing the author, followed by audience Q&A. This is Mohr’s fifth novel in six years (his first appeared in 2009). He’s on fire. $10-20 suggested donation, 7 p.m., Viracocha.
*
This week’s theatrical recommendation is SF Playhouse’s revival of the great Stephen Sondheim’s ground-breaking Company, from 1970, opening July 11th. Still fresh, still funny, still insightful, still Sondheim! For further information, click here.
