Authors sharing memoirs, debut novels and nonfiction titles addressing issues of economic, environmental, political and social justice are appearing across the region this spring. Also: local businesses will celebrate Independent Bookstore Day on April 25. The Walnut Creek Library Foundation Authors Gala, a fundraiser featuring numerous esteemed Bay Area writers, is also on April 25. To submit an event to the calendar, email books@baycitynews.com.
April 2
Michael Pollan: Appearing in conversation with New York writer Avram Kosasky, the bestselling author of “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” and “The Botany of Desire” speaks about “A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness,” his new examination of how the human mind works, in a ticketed ($41 includes book) event presented by Book Passage. [7 p.m., Angelico Hall, Dominican University of California, 20 Olive Ave., San Rafael]
April 4
Gary Romano: The owner of Sierra Valley Farms shares “City Within a City: Life at the San Francisco Flower Market,” his story of his lifelong career farming, including his story Italian family’s pioneering influence on the market in the early 20th century. [2 p.m. Book Passage, 1 Ferry Building, San Francisco]
April 4
Cory Booker: Appearing in conversation with Warriors coach Steve Kerr, the U.S. senator from New Jersey discusses “Stand,” in which he details historical instances when people and communities prevailed by embodying virtuous characteristics, in a ticketed ($45 includes book) event presented by Book Passage. [4 p.m., Angelico Hall, Dominican University of California, 20 Olive Ave., San Rafael]
April 7
Jiyoung Han: The Korean-born writer, a climate-change researcher and San Francisco resident who grew up in the Midwest, discusses her debut novel, “Honey in the Wound,” a saga of a Korean family divided by Japanese imperialism, with critic and food writer Soleil Ho. [5:30 p.m., Book Passage, 1 Ferry Building, San Francisco]
April 7
Brandon Mull: The author of the bestselling children’s Fablehaven and Beyonders series is in town to share “Forbidden Mountain,” a new Guardians book; the epic fantasy is set in a world where children bond with spiritual guides that promise greatness and glory and destruction and death. [4 p.m., Danville Library, 400 Front St., Danville]
April 7
Rainey Reitman: Appearing in conversation with investigative tech journalist Cyrus Farivar, the Oakland writer and civil rights activist launches “Transaction Denied: Big Finance’s Power to Punish Speech,” in which she describes how companies such as Visa, Chase, Paypal and Bank of America pressure dissenting marginalized voices into silence. [7 p.m., Mrs. Dalloway’s, 2904 College Ave., Berkeley]
April 9
Monte Schulz: The Santa Barbara writer, son of cartoonist Charles Schulz, speaks about “Undercity,” his “uncannily prescient novel” with 16 interconnected vignettes charting the lives of two dozen characters trying to survive in a totalitarian state. [6 p.m., Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera]
April 9
Rainey Reitman: Speaking with investigative journalist Cyrus Farivar, the Oakland writer and civil rights activist discusses “Transaction Denied: Big Finance’s Power to Punish Speech,” which introduces readers to the concept of “financial censorship”—a form of privatized censorship where banks and payment intermediaries act as censors in ways that government cannot do directly without violating the First Amendment. [7 p.m., City Lights Books, 261 Columbus Ave., San Francisco]
April 9
Irina Smith: The Soviet Union-born, Bay Area author of “The Golden Ticket: A Life in College Admissions Essays,” speaks about “Troika: Three Generations, Three Days, and a Very American Road Trip,” her new book about her West Coast odyssey with her mother and daughter, described as an “epic journey through family history, loss and connection.” [7 p.m., Books Inc., 855 El Camino Real, Palo Alto]
April 10
Victoria Tatum: Appearing in conversation with Sonoma County artist Jennifer Mygatt, the Santa Cruz novelist speaks about “More Than Any River,” her “‘Chinatown’-meets-The ‘Grapes of Wrath’” story about Sacramento Delta farmers who confront agribusiness over massive tunnels the state plans to build under vast acreage of prime farmland. [7 p.m., Copperfield’s, 140 Kentucky St., Petaluma]
April 11
Sue Granzella: The longtime Bay Area public school teacher and writer shares her first book, “Pushed to the Edge: Teachers’ Stories from the Culture Wars,” the result of her efforts to document experiences of fellow educators who have been threatened for teaching honestly about race, gender, immigration, religion and sexuality. [11 a.m., Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera]
April 11
Noel Hassan: The Oakland Public Library presents the University of California, Davis alumna, a poet who self-published “Poetry For Me,” which captures her experiences as a Yemeni American Muslim female, in an Arab American Heritage Month presentation. [Noon at Piedmont Library, 80 Echo Ave., Oakland; 2 p.m. at Lakeview Branch, 550 El Embarcadero, Oakland]
April 11
Ada Limón: The 24th Poet Laureate of the United States discusses “Against Breaking: On the Power of Poetry,” the latest volume in her mission to make poetry approachable in which she reveals how it can heal and connect people. [1 p.m., Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera]
April 12
Sharon Fujimoto-Johnson: The San Mateo County Public presents a session with the author of “Shell Song,” a picture book about Japanese American incarceration in Hawaii during World War II, based on her own family history. [10:30 a.m. at Pacifica Sharp Park, 104 Hilton Way, Pacifica; 3 p.m. at Half Moon Bay Library, 620 Correas St., Half Moon Bay]
April 12
Sue Granzella: The retired East Bay elementary school teacher and writer launches her debut book “Pushed to the Edge: Teachers’ Stories from the Culture Wars,” a nonfiction collection of first-person accounts detailing experiences of Black educators, queer teachers, targeted librarians and vulnerable students. [2 p.m., Books on B, 1014 B St., Hayward]
April 12
Khiara M. Bridges: The law professor at University of California, Berkeley speaks about “Expecting Inequity: How the Maternal Health Crisis Affects Even the Wealthiest Black Americans,” an “unsettling” exploration of how racism persists in reproductive healthcare, in conversation with pediatrician Zea Malawa. [2 p.m., Book Passage, 1 Ferry Building, San Francisco]
April 14
Ada Limón: City Arts & Lectures and Litquake present the two-term Poet Laureate of the United States, whose latest title is “Against Breaking: On the Power of Poetry,” in conversation with Alexis Madrigal at a ticketed ($49 includes book) event. [7:30 p.m., Sydney Goldstein Theater, 275 Hayes St., San Francisco]
April 15
Matt Fogelson: The Oakland writer, a former lawyer and fan of classic rock music, speaks about his unique memoir “Restrung: Fatherhood in a Different Key,” a coming-of-age story set in 1980s New York and detailing of his life as a father today that one critic called a “Nick Hornby-meets-Cheryl Strayed debut”; registration required. [6:30 p.m., Rockridge Library, 5366 College Ave., Oakland]
April 15
Nancy Kurshan: The Oakland author and civil rights advocate who co-founded the Youth International Party (Yippies), shares her memoir “Levitating the Pentagon and Other Uplifting Stories: A Life of Activism” with social movement leader May Boeve. [7 p.m., Mrs. Dalloway’s, 2904 College Ave., Berkeley]
April 15
Irena Smith: The Soviet Union-born, Bay Area author of “The Golden Ticket: A Life in College Admissions Essays,” speaks about “Troika: Three Generations, Three Days, and a Very American Road Trip,” her book detailing her odyssey on the California coast with her mother and daughter, an “epic journey through family history, loss and connection.” [5:30 p.m., Book Passage, 1 Ferry Building, San Francisco]
April 15
Michelle Smith: The reporter who has covered women’s basketball for nearly three decades shares “Life’s Work: How Tara VanDerveer and Stanford Women’s Basketball Changed the Sport,” which retraces seminal moments in Cardinal history and describes how the elite program was established and has been maintained. [5:30 p.m., Books Inc., 1344 Park St., Alameda]
April 15
Alex Mayyasi: City Arts & Lectures presents the author of “Planet Money: A Guide to the Economic Forces That Shape Your Life” with Planet Money podcaster Kenny Malone, with guests: chef Brandon Jew of the Michelin-starred restaurant Mister Jiu’s and Jack Clark of artificial intelligence company Anthropic in a ticketed ($74) event. [7:30 p.m., Sydney Goldstein Theater, 275 Hayes St., San Francisco]
April 17
Peter Richardson: The essayist and author of “Savage Journey: Hunter S. Thompson and the Weird Road to Gonzo” as well as books about the Grateful Dead speaks about his new title “Brand New Beat: The Wild Rise of Rolling Stone” with historian and KALX radio manager Tim Lynch. [7 p.m., Copperfield’s, 140 Kentucky St., Petaluma]
April 17
Terry Winckler: The East Bay journalist and author shares his new adventure, “Afloat in Emerald City: Our Dream to Sail the World,” based on his experiences with his wife in building a boat and embarking on crazy cruises. [5:30 p.m., Books Inc., 1344 Park St., Alameda]
April 17
Rebecca Rosenberg: The Sonoma Valley shares the new book in her “Champagne Widows” series; “License to Thrill: Lily Bollinger,” told in dual timelines during World War II and the 1970s, tells the story of a woman who, while running her late husband’s family’s storied champagne house, must ward off threats by someone determined to tarnish her reputation; a 6:30 p.m. toast at nearby Mandarin Kitchen precedes the event. [7 p.m., Copperfield’s Books, 2316 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa]
April 21
Roy Remer: The director of the Zen Caregiving Project in San Francisco shares tips from his new title “Zen Caregiving: How to Care for Yourself While Caring for Others,” a volume with practical advice offering a path to spiritual solace. [7 p.m., Mrs. Dalloway’s, 2904 College Ave., Berkeley]
April 21
Tina Seelig: The Stanford University educator, bestselling author of “What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20,” shares her new title, “What I Wish I Knew About Luck,” a practical guide to how to become lucky, based on her classes at Stanford and her popular TED Talk. [7 p.m., Kepler’s, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park]
April 22
Dani Burlison: The editor of 2025’s “Red Flag Warning: Mutual Aid and Survival in California’s Fire Country,” speaks about the collection of interviews and essays compiled by two survivors of California fires that’s described “as a guide for living physically, mentally, and emotionally amid ecological destruction.” [6 p.m., Montclair Library, 1687 Mountain Blvd., Oakland]
April 23
Lisa Lee: The author, a Los Angeles resident who grew up in Napa, discusses her novel “American Han,” a San Francisco-set tale of two generations of a Korean-American family, with Jonathan Escoffery, author of “If I Survive You.” [7 p.m., Green Apple Books, 1231 Ninth Ave., San Francisco]
April 23
Jean Gordon Kocienda: The former intelligence officer and Silicon Valley geopolitical analyst discusses her new novel “Girl in a Box,” which is based on the life of pioneering feminist Japanese poet Yosano Akiko (1878-1942), with literature professor Judy Halebsky. [6 p.m., Edgehill Mansion, Dominican University of California, 50 Acacia Blvd., San Rafael]
April 23
Scott Kurashige: The University of Washington Bothell professor speaks about his new book “American Peril: The Violent History of Anti-Asian Racism,” an account representing the culmination of 35 years of scholarship and activism designed to inspire readers to build solidarity. [7 p.m., City Lights Books, 261 Columbus Ave., San Francisco]
April 23
Jane Smiley: The Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist discusses “Lidie,” a sequel to a 1998 book; this new volume about a young widow details her journey as she leaves pre-Civil War Kansas and becomes a free spirit in England; RSVP requested. [7 p.m., Copperfield’s Books, 2316 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa]
April 23
Anita Varma: The faculty member of the University of Texas at Austin shares information from her new title “Solidarity in Journalism: How Ethical Reporting Fights for Social Justice,” a topic she explored as a graduate student at Stanford University. 6 p.m., Learning Studio, fifth floor, Main Library, 100 Larkin St., San Francisco]
April 23
Crystal Wahpepah: The Kickapoo Nation of Oklahoma cook, activist and proprietor of the acclaimed Oakland restaurant Wahpepah’s Kitchen, shares details from “A Feather and a Fork: 125 Intertribal Dishes from an Indigenous Food Warrior” in conversation with librarian Ian Hetzner. [6 p.m., Main Library, 125 14th St., Oakland]
April 24
Savala Nolan: The Bay Area attorney, writer and professor discusses “Good Woman: A Reckoning,” her collection of 12 essays combining memoir, reporting and history and exploring confining expectations of womanhood in conversation with her friend Eirinie Carson, author of “Bloodfire, Baby.” [7 p.m., Copperfield’s Books, 140 Kentucky St., Petaluma]
April 25
Jane Smiley: The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “A Thousand Acres” speaks about her new novel “Lidie,” a sequel to a 1998 volume, here describing the title character’s journey from being a young widow in pre-Civil War Kansas to being a free-spirited soul in England. [11 a.m., Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera]
April 25
Walnut Creek Library Foundation Authors Gala: The 15th annual library fundraiser includes drinks, dinner, a silent auction and the opportunity for patrons to meet authors including Erica Baccus, Brad Balukjian, John Boessenecker, Diana R. Chambers, Vincent Chu, Brian Copeland, Ilana DeBare, Meg Donohue, Satsuki Ina, Soleil Ho, Alice Kitajima, Ian McLaughlin. Tess Perko, Adam Plantinga, Cricket Riley, Eugene Rodriguez, Leta Seletzky, Margaret Wilkerson Sexton, Kevin Smokler, Renee Swindle and Lana Williams. Tickets start at $100 for cocktail reception; $250 for dinner. [6 p.m., Walnut Creek Library, 1644 N. Broadway, Walnut Creek]
April 26
Sue Granzella and Michael Leali: The Bay Area educators—Granzella’s “Pushed to the Edge” collects tales of resilience from teachers and librarians in the face of growing bigotry and Leali’s “The Truth About Triangles” is a middle-grade novel about young gay Italian American trying to save his family’s pizza restaurant—discuss social and political stigmas affecting schools around the country. [2 p.m., Napa Bookmine, 1625 Second St., Napa]
April 27
Rebecca Solnit: The prolific author, intellectual and essayist appears in a ticketed ($22-$38) talk with Angie Coiro to promote her new title “The Beginning Comes After the End,” a description of massive social, political, scientific and cultural changes over the past three quarters of a century that may counteract recent forces seeking to turn back the clock on history. [6:30 p.m., Kepler’s, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park]
April 28
Annie Leonard and André Carothers: The former Greenpeace US staffers share details from “Protest: Respect It Defend It Use It,” which details iconic international campaigns (with photos, artifacts and memorable quotes) that illustrate the power of public dissent. [7 p.m., Mrs. Dalloway’s, 2904 College Ave., Berkeley]
April 28
Caroline Paul: The author of eight fiction and nonfiction books, and longtime member of San Francisco’s Writers Grotto, speaks about her Why Fly: Seeking Awe, Healing, and Our True Selves in the Sky,” a memoir and exploration of art of aeronautics. [6 p.m., Koret Auditorium., Main Library, 100 Larkin St., San Francisco]
April 28
Ralph Remington: The director of cultural affairs of the San Francisco Arts Commission —a community builder, theater director, essayist, actor and writer — discusses “Penetrating Whiteness: How White Supremacy Built America (Navigating The Landscape Of Racism, Sexism, And America’s Cultural Divide)” with attorney-activist Paul Henderson. [6 p.m., African American Center, third floor, Main Library, 100 Larkin St., San Francisco]
April 29
Geraldine Brooks: The Pulitzer Prize winning novelist, author of “March,” “Horse” and others, discusses her new acclaimed memoir “Memorial Days,” in which she explores the sudden loss of her partner of more than three decades, in a ticketed ($24 includes book) event. [6 p.m., Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera]
April 30
Annie Leonard and André Carothers: The former Greenpeace US staffers speak about “Protest: Respect It Defend It Use It,” which recalls campaigns on issues including environmental protection, workers’ rights, human rights, self-determination and climate, social, and racial justice, that illustrate the power of public dissent. [6 p.m., Kepler’s, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park]
April 30
Doris Kearns Goodwin: The Pulitzer Prize-winning historian promotes her new title, “An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s” — a mix of biography, memoir and history describing the emotional journey she and her husband embarked upon in the last years of his life — in a ticketed ($30 includes book) event presented by Book Passage. [7 p.m., Calvary Presbyterian Church, 2515 Fillmore St., San Francisco]
April 30
Lisa Solomon: The author of “Art, Craft, Color,” a coffee-table book featuring 20 rainbow-colored projects created by diverse artists, shares information from the book and heads up a fun, air clay bead craft project included in its pages. [5:30 p.m., Napa Library Community Room, 580 Coombs St., Napa]