Wednesday 9/30: Marin poets Angelika Quirk (Of Ruins and Rumors) and Ella Yetan will be reading tonight in San Rafael. This event is part of the series, Hand To Mouth/WORDS SPOKEN OUT. Free, 6:30 p.m., Rebound Bookstore.
Are you a fan of noir fiction? There may be no better place to talk about noir San Francisco than the Mechanics’ Institute Library. Author Nathan Ward will be discussing his book, The Lost Detective: Becoming Dashiell Hammett, with Private Eye, David B. Flechheimer, and Hammett Tour Guide, Don Herron. The discussion will be moderated by ZYZZYVA managing editor, Oscar Villalon. $15, 6 p.m., Mechanics’ Institute Library & Chess Room.
Martuni’s Piano Bar is usually packed with musical comedy nerds belting out arias from Phantom of the Opera and such like, but tonight it plays host to the Literary Speakeasy hosted by James J. Siegel. Featuring Tracey Knapp, Maisha Z. Johnson, Paul Corman-Roberts, and RJ Ingram. Free, 7 p.m., Martuni’s.
Thursday 10/1: John Shoptaw (Times Beach) is the featured poet at today’s edition of UC Berkeley’s Noontime Poetry series. Free, 12 p.m., Morrison Library in Doe Library on the UCB campus.
It’s time for the first Shipwreck of October. The piratical crew at The Booksmith will sink Stephen King’s Carrie in a bloody flood of erotic fan fiction. Perpetuators of this mayhem will include Virgie Tovar, Meg Elison, Spencer Bainbridge, Jessica Lachenal, Na’amen Tilahun, and Lily Miller. Happy Halloween! $10 advance/$12 at the door, 7 p.m., The Booksmith.
Friday 10/2: Are you going to Oakland tonight for First Friday? Check out the Studio One reading series, featuring Gillian Conoley, Brian Teare, and Richard Meier. Free, 7:30 p.m., Studio One Art Center.
Today is opening day of the third Filipino American Book Festival. Various events will take place at several locations (mostly the Koret Auditorium and other rooms at the San Francisco Public Library). The impressive list of participants is too lengthy to include here, but they are many and some are travelling from as far away as Canada, Europe, and, of course, the Phillipines. Definitely worth checking out! Free, Oct 2nd–4th at various times and locations.
Saturday 10/3: For another reading in a gallery, check out Studio Morey’s presentation of The Night Gallery: An Ekphrastic Reading and Art Opening featuring writers Peter Bullen, J de Salvo, Hollie Hardy, and Colleen McKee reading new work inspired by the art of Rhea Adri, Samara Halperin, Tom Madsen, and Donald Morey. Free, 7 p.m., Studio Morey.
Sunday 10/4: After a summer hiatus, the Bazaar Writers Salon returns, hosted by Peter Kline, and featuring readings by Tiffany Higgins, Mark Labowskie, and Casey Thayer. Free, 6 p.m., Bazaar Cafe.
Monday 10/5: The Creative Writing Department of San Francisco State University presents Writers on Writing: Anita Amirrezvani (The Blood of Flowers). Free, 7 p.m., Humanities Building Auditorium, SFSU.
UC Berkeley’s Holloway Series in Poetry is underway for 2015-2016. Last month was the annual faculty reading. The solo features begin tonight with Ronaldo Wilson (Mixed Blood). Free, 6:30 p.m., Maude Fife Room, 315, Wheeler Hall, UC Berkeley.
Tuesday 10/6: Did you know that there is a Tenderloin Museum that opened this summer? There is! And tonight is a good night to check it out by attending 50/50 Poetry Night, hosted by Small Press Traffic, and featuring Cheena Marie Lo, Justin Waltin, and Juliana Spahr. Free (RSVP required), 7:30 p.m., The Tenderloin Museum.
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This week’s theatre recommendation is Custom Made Theatre’s production of the Tony-Nominated This Is Our Youth by Kenneth Lonnergan. The small ensemble are excellent in their portrayals of three alienated young people in Reagan-era New York, struggling to make sense of their lives. Brian Katz’s superb direction captures every nuance. This is also an opportunity to check out CustomMade’s new digs by Union Square. For further information, click here.
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Evan Karp presents video of this week’s featured local author, Akemi Johnson. Click here to read an interview.
And here’s video from a past SF Notable, Ken Knabb, reading in honor of Kenneth Rexroth for the first edition of Poetry in Parks, a Quiet Lightning show in Samuel P. Taylor State Park held on September 7th 2015. (Special thanks to Quiet Lightning.)
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