Numerous Bay Area writers are sharing new fiction and non-fiction titles (including some interesting memoirs) to kick off the year. Meanwhile, in the South Bay, Silicon Valley Reads kicks off its 2024 program, with the theme “A Greener Tomorrow Starts Today,” on Jan. 31 at De Anza College in Cupertino with a focus on three titles: “All We Can Save: Truth, Courage and the Solutions for Climate Crisis,” “One Green Thing” and “The Light Pirate.”
(To submit an event to the calendar, email books@baycitynews.com.)
Jan. 4
Marlene L. Daut: The professor of French and African American studies at Yale University appears in conversation with historian Julia Gaffield to discuss “Awakening the Ashes: An Intellectual History of the Haitian Revolution.” [7 p.m., City Lights Books, 261 Columbus Ave., San Francisco]
Jan. 5
Elle Gonzalez Rose: Speaking with her friend Taleen Voskuni, author of “Sorry Bro,” the novelist launches her young adult LGBTQ romance, “Caught in a Bad Fauxmance,” called by one reader a “charming and hilarious debut that puts a fresh new spin on the fake dating trope.” [6 p.m., Books Inc. Laurel Village, 3515 California St., San Francisco]
Jan. 7
Michael Cunningham: Appearing in conversation with Italian journalist Enrico Rotelli, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “The Hours” is promoting “Day: A Novel,” which explores the effects of the pandemic on family in Brooklyn, and is set on April 5 in 2019, 2020 and 2021. [1 p.m., Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera]
Jan. 7
Michael Alenyikov: The San Francisco author of the short story collection “Ivan & Misha” reads from his new book “Sorrow’s Drive: A Quartet,” a series of novellas that span continents and eras. A Q&A and discussion with the Eureka Valley Reads Book Club follows. [3:30 p.m., San Francisco Public Library, Eureka Valley/Harvey Milk Memorial Branch, 1 Jose Sarria Court, San Francisco]
Jan. 7
Anne Belden, Paul Gullixson: The award-winning local journalists discuss “Inflamed: Abandonment, Heroism, and Outrage in Wine Country’s Deadliest Firestorm,” which details stories of the senior citizens devastated by the deadly wildfires in Northern California in October 2017. [4 p.m., Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera]
Jan. 11
Anna Bliss: The Bay Area writer launches her historical novel “Bonfire Night,” a World War II-set love and adventure story about a young Irish Catholic photographer and a British Jewish medical student in England. [7 p.m., Books Inc., 1344 Park St., Alameda]
Jan. 11
Keith Scott Ferris and Lia Smith: Illustrator Ferris and writer Smith appear with Charles Haletky, Rory O’Neill and Dustin Wells, contributors to “Muni Is My Ride: Portraits of Muni in Words & Images,” a collection of colored pencil drawings of passengers, portraits of operators and line drawings of bus stops accompanied by interviews of workers who detail their day-to-day realities transporting passengers. [7 p.m., Green Apple Books, 1231 Ninth Ave., San Francisco]
Jan. 14
Adam Plantinga: The San Francisco Police Department sergeant, author of “400 Things Cops Know,” speaks about his debut novel “The Ascent,” a thriller set in a high-security prison involving a down-on-his luck cop and the governor’s daughter. [2 p.m., Book Passage, 1 Ferry Building, San Francisco]
Jan. 16
Joan Gelfand: The Bay Area poet and activist launches her memoir “Outside Voices,” described as “an engrossing recollection of the protest scene in 1970s Berkeley” and a “stirring account from the front lines of the feminist movement.” [7 p.m., Books Inc., 1491 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley]
Jan. 17
Ajuan Mance: The author of “What Do Brothas Do All Day?”— a children’s book inspired by Richard Scarry’s “What Do People Do All Day?” — appears with San Francisco artist Nancy Cato and KALW “Sights & Sounds” host Jeneé Darden in a talk about beautiful Black men they have known. [7 p.m., Books Inc., 1344 Park St., Alameda]
Jan. 17
Joan Gelfand: The San Francisco poet-writer is promoting “Outside Voices,” her memoir set in 1970s Berkeley and a tale of how the power of community brought about innovation, social change and self-discovery. [6 p.m., Books Inc., 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera]
Jan. 17
Blake Butler: The writer appears in conversation with novelist Colin Winnette to discuss “Molly,” his acclaimed and controversial memoir about the suicide of his wife, poet, writer and baker Molly Brodak. [7 p.m., Booksmith, 1727 Haight St., San Francisco]
Jan. 18
Brian Simpson: The author of “Alex Archer: Town Secrets” speaks about his debut novel, a thriller in which an Air Force pilot faces the difficult decision of whether to enjoy his long-anticipated retirement or confront a sordid underworld in Florida. [7 p.m., Books Inc., 317 Castro St., Mountain View]
Jan. 19
Manjula Martin: In conversation with writer-editor Dani Burlison, the writer speaks about “The Last Fire Season: A Personal and Pyronatural History”; the book is a memoir, natural history and literary inquiry describing her experience in Northern California during 2020’s ferocious fire season. [7 p.m., Copperfield’s, 775 Village Court, Santa Rosa]
Jan. 19
Brad Herzog: The Pacific Grove resident, an award-winning writer of children’s books, best-selling travel books and dozens of magazine articles, combines elements from his two Tedx talks in the presentation “Think Right and Write Wrong.” (5:30 p.m., Pacific Grove Public Library, 50 Central Ave., Pacific Grove]
Jan. 20
Darren Walton: Appearing with co-author Michael J. Coffino, the Marin County resident speaks about his memoir “Di Di Mau: A True Story About Tigers, Rock Apes, the Jungle, and War,” in which he details and reflects on his dramatic service in a Marine reconnaissance unit near Da Nang, Vietnam. [1 p.m., Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera]
Jan. 20
Charles Hood: The author, photographer and naturalist leads “Day Hikes, Night Hikes, Kid Hikes, Joy Hikes—10 Ways to Get More Out of Nature” sponsored by the Contra Costa County Library. [2 to 4 p.m., Dougherty Station, 17017 Bollinger Canyon Road, San Ramon, registration required at https://ccclib.bibliocommons.com/events]
Jan. 20
Gemini Wahhaj: The novelist speaks with author and TV host Anoop Ahuja Judge about “The Children of Madness,” a family saga touching on recent history in Bangladesh, Iraq and America, and detailing the contrasting lives of a Bengali-American woman in Texas, and her father, an engineering professor who grew up in poverty. [3 p.m., Book Passage, 1 Ferry Building, San Francisco]
Jan. 21
Parini Shroff: Appearing in conversation with fiction writer Rita Chang-Eppig, the novelist speaks about her acclaimed satirical debut “The Bandit Queens,” in which a young Indian woman finds the false rumors that she killed her husband useful—until women in her village seek her help in getting rid of their husbands. [2 p.m., Book Passage, 1 Ferry Building, San Francisco]
Jan. 23
Dominic Lim: The Oakland author of “All the Right Notes” —a funny rom-com about a piano genius and Hollywood heartthrob who come together for a musical charity show — speaks at a session of the Romance and Wine Book Club, co-sponsored by Books Inc. [6 p.m., Rootstock Wine Bar, 331 Castro St., Mountain View]
Jan. 24
Kyle Chayka: In a $10 ticketed event co-presented by Slack15, the New Yorker staffer and author of “The Longing for Less” writer discusses his new book, “Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture,” an investigation into the ways human tastes, behaviors and emotions have become governed by computers. [5:30 p.m., Book Passage, 1 Ferry Building, San Francisco; RSVP required at eventbrite.com]
Jan. 27
Manjula Martin: In conversation with Bay Area essayist Chris Feliciano Arnold, Martin discusses “The Last Fire Season: A Personal and Pyronatural History”; the book is a memoir, natural history and literary inquiry describing her experience in Northern California during 2020’s ferocious fire season. [1 p.m., Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera]
Jan. 28
Kyla Zhao: The Singaporean born, Northern California author of “The Fraud Squad” speaks about “Valley Verified,” her new novel about a fashion writer who dives into the cutthroat Silicon Valley tech world. [2 p.m., Book Passage, 1 Ferry Building, San Francisco]
Jan. 29
Manjula Martin: The Sonoma County writer discusses “The Last Fire Season: A Personal and Pyronatural History,” a memoir, natural history and literary inquiry describing her experiences during 2020’s ferocious fire season. [6 p.m., Books Inc., 1491 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley]
Jan. 30
Mike Chen: The New York Times bestselling author of “Star Wars: Brotherhood,” launches his new novel “A Quantum Love Story,” described as “delightful twist on the time loop story,” in conversation with Star Wars books author Kristin Baver. [7 p.m., Books Inc., 855 El Camino Real, #74, Palo Alto]
Jan. 31
Silicon Valley Reads 2024 Kickoff Event: NBC Bay Area reporter Damian Trujillo leads a live and streamed talk with writers Heather White (“One Green Thing”), Lily Brooks-Dalton (“The Light Pirate”) and Favianna Rodriguez and Alexandria Villaseñor, contributors to “All We Can Save,” a book of essays from women at the forefront of the climate movement edited by Ayana Elizabeth Jackson and Katharine Wilkinson. [7 p.m., Visual Performing Arts Center at De Anza College, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino; registration requested at SiliconValleyReads.org.]