Skylight Books Author Reading Series

Jerusalem (Drawn & Quarterly)

Acclaimed graphic memoirist Guy Delisle returns with his strongest work yet—a thoughtful and moving travelogue about life in the Holy City. Guy Delisle expertly lays the groundwork for a cultural road map of contemporary Jerusalem, utilizing the classic stranger in a strange land point of view that made his other books, Pyongyang, Shenzhen, and Burma Chronicles required reading for understanding what daily life is like in cities few are able to travel to. In Jerusalem: Chronicles from the Holy City, Delisle explores the complexities of a city that represents so much to so many. He eloquently examines the impact of the conflict on the lives of people on both sides of the wall while drolly recounting the quotidian: checkpoints, traffic jams, and holidays.

When observing the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim populations that call Jerusalem home, Delisle’s drawn line is both sensitive and fair, assuming nothing and drawing everything. Jerusalem showcases once more Delisle’s mastery of the travelogue.

THIS EVENT WAS RECORDED LIVE AT SKYLIGHT BOOKS APRIL 28, 2012.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [01:05:04m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (Loading)

We're Getting On (Monster Meanman)

Author and filmmaker James Kaelan returns to Skylight Books to celebrate the re-release of his novella We're Getting On and, immediately following this event, the premiere of his documentary of the same name at the United Film Festival.

In July 2010, Skylight hosted the launch party for the original editon of We're Getting On, a limited-edition novella with a seed-embedded cover.  The event was also the kick-off of the author's book tour -- entirely by bicycle -- which took him more than 1,000 miles from Los Angeles to Seattle, and which the documentary chronicles.

Come hear a reading from this excellent novella, a harrowing tale of ideals taken to their extreme, then attend the screening, right next door at the Los Feliz 3 at 2 p.m.!

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [00:31:18m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (Loading)

Poets At Work Celebrate National Poetry Month

Poems can make you laugh, cry, and think about your world in a completely new way.  Poets At Work members Kim Dower, Yvonne M. Estrada, Steven Fleet, Dylan C. Gailey, Brett Guitar Hofer, Eric Howard, Ronna Perrin, Sharon Venezio and Terry Wolverton will read poems that do all that and then some!

THIS EVENT WAS RECORDED LIVE AT SKYLIGHT BOOKS APRIL 15, 2012.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [01:14:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (Loading)

Death by Sunshine (Writers Tribe Books)

Novelist Allison Burnett (Christopher, The House Beautiful) visits Skylight to read and sign the third and final book in his B. K. Troop series, Death by Sunshine.

"Like Truman Capote, Allison Burnett knows how to pull up a chair and whisper a juicy story into his lucky reader's ear. Death By Sunshine is a quickly paced tale inhabited by fascinating and funny creatures." --Nell Scovell, Vanity Fair

"In this age when the genuine comic novel seems to be an extinct species, Allison Burnett gives us reason to rejoice. Death By Sunshine is a return trip to the world of B.K. Troop, one of the most appealing characters ever put on a page." --Charles Busch, author of The Tale of the Allergist's Wife and Die, Mommie, Die!

"Death by Sunshine is classic Burnett: hilarious, gut-wrenching, and entirely entertaining. He takes us on a journey across the country into the darkest recesses of the human psyche - with a few detours into the excesses of the human flesh along the way. A terrific read!" --Claire LaZebnik, author of Epic Fail and Families and Other Non-Returnable Gifts

Allison Burnett’s first novel, Christopher, was a finalist for the 2004 PEN Center USA Literary Award in Fiction. His second novel, The House Beautiful, was published in October 2006. His third novel, Undiscovered Gyrl, was published by Vintage Books in October 2009. His new novel, set in Los Angeles, is Death By Sunshine. Allison also works in film, having written and directed the 1997 feature film, Red Meat, as well as written or co-written a dozen films, including Autumn in New York, Resurrecting the Champ, The Feast of Love, Underworld Awakening, and Gone.

THIS EVENT WAS RECORDED LIVE AT SKYLIGHT BOOKS APRIL 11, 2012.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [00:33:26m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (Loading)

In the Lake of Your Bones by Dobreer; What We Ache For by Morago (both books published by Moon Tide Press)

Los Angeles-based poet Peggy Dobreer presents her new poetry collection In the Lake of Your Bones, joined by award-winning slam poet Eric Morago, who will read and sign his 2010 collection What We Ache For. Peggy Dobreer is the author of In the Lake of Your Bones, the latest title from Moon Tide Press, and has had work published in Malpais Review, San Pedro River Review, WordWrights Magazine and elsewhere. She also founded the Horse of Another Color poetry series and has organized the Small Press Festival in Santa Monica.

Eric Morago is the poet-in-residence for the California Workforce Association and the host of the SHOUT! poetry series in Whittier. He has also taught poetry workshops to at-risk youth. His first book, What We Ache For, came out from Moon Tide Press in 2010.

THIS EVENT WAS RECORDED LIVE AT SKYLIGHT BOOKS APRIL 10, 2012.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [01:01:53m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (Loading)

Celebrate poetry month at Skylight Books with Los Angeles poets reading from Walt Whitman's magnificent Leaves of Grass on Sunday, April 1st from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

Walt Whitman began Leaves of Grass: "I celebrate myself,/ And what I assume you shall assume,/ For every atom belonging to me as good belong to you." Leaves of Grass celebrates the open road, camraderie, freedom, equality: "I am the poet of the woman the same as the man,/ and I say it is as great to be a woman as to be a man,/ and I say there is nothing greater than the mother of men."

A diverse group of some of Los Angeles' finest poets will join us to celebrate National Poetry Month by reading from this groundbreaking form, including James Cushing, Pam Ward, Holly Prado Northup, Harry Northup, Phoebe MacAdams Ozuna, Fernando Castro, Eloise Klein Healy, and S.A. Griffin.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [02:19:04m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (Loading)

New American Haggadah (Little, Brown and Company)

Author Jill Soloway (Tiny Ladies in Shiny Pants) presents a discussion with Eileen Levinson and Caroline Libresco on New American Haggadah, a new translation by Nathan Englander of the story of Exodus, with additional essays and commentaries edited by Jonathan Safron Foer.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [00:54:34m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (Loading)

The Big Town (Fantagraphics)

Monte Schulz returns to Skylight Books to launch the last book in his Jazz Age trilogy, The Big Town.

"Monte Schulz's The Big Town exposes decadence, wealth and consumption in Jazz Age America as spiritual myopia — where desperate, haunting characters hinge their lives on impossible dreams. This lyrical, gripping novel is as close to 1920s America as it gets, and penned with such frightening realism that the chaos of a bygone era erupts from its pages." – Simon Van Booy, award-winning author of Everything Beautiful Began After

Monte Schulz published his first novel, Down by the River, in 1990, and spent the next twelve years writing a novel of the Jazz Age, which is now available in three parts: This Side of Jordan, The Last Rose of Summer, and The Big Town. He wrote the three books for his father, the late cartoonist, Charles M. Schulz.

THIS EVENT WAS RECORDED LIVE AT SKYLIGHT BOOKS APRIL 4, 2012.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [00:59:01m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (Loading)

The Man Who Quit Money (Riverhead)

Mark Sundeen visits Skylight to discuss and sign his book The Man Who Quit Money, the fascinating true story of Daniel Suelo, a man who left his life savings in a phone booth ten years ago and hasn't earned, received, or spent a penny since.  Daniel Suelo will be attending the event and is available to answer questions and sign books!

“Maybe it's just this odd, precarious moment we live in, but Daniel Suelo's story seems to offer some broader clues for all of us. Mark Sundeen's account will raise subversive and interesting questions in any open mind.” --Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature and Deep Economy Mark Sundeen is an award-winning writer whose work appears in the New York Times Magazine, Outside, National Geographic Adventure, McSweeney’s, and The Believer. He is the author of the books Car Camping (HarperCollins, 2000) and The Making of Toro (Simon & Schuster, 2003), and co-author of North By Northwestern (St. Martin’s, 2010), which was a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller. Sundeen was born in Harbor City, California, in 1970. After graduating from Stanford University, Sundeen spent ten years in Moab, Utah, sometimes homeless, working odd jobs, river guiding, and leading Outward Bound wilderness courses. It was here, in 1993 while working as a short order cook, that he first met Daniel Suelo. Sundeen holds a masters in writing from the University of Southern California, and has taught at the MFA writing programs at the University of New Mexico and Western Connecticut State University. Since moving to Montana in 2005, he splits his time between Missoula and Moab.

Photo of the author by Isan Brant.

THIS EVENT WAS RECORDED LIVE AT SKYLIGHT BOOKS MARCH 21, 2012

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [01:25:43m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (Loading)

Jumped In: What Gangs Taught Me about Violence, Drugs, Love, and Redemption (Beacon Press)

UCLA professor of social welfare Jorja Leap will discuss and sign her groundbreaking new study of Los Angeles gang life, Jumped In.

The author's proceeds from this book will be donated to Homeboy Industries.

“What makes Jorja Leap a gang expert is not just her years of experience and indefatigable research, but her heightened reverence for the enormous complexity of the gang dilemma. Jumped In gives us a window into a world of a sub-grouping of the poor who few understand and too many demonize. Her view is both 'aerial' and 'in the weeds' while always staying heartbreakingly compassionate and true. Her work gives me hope.” —Gregory J. Boyle, S.J., Founder and Executive Director, Homeboy Industries

Jorja Leap has been on the faculty of the UCLA Department of Social Welfare since 1992 and has served as a lecturer, researcher, and consultant. A recognized expert in gangs, violence, and crisis intervention, she has worked nationally and internationally in violent and postwar settings. Dr. Leap is currently the senior policy advisor on Gangs and Youth Violence for the Los Angeles County Sheriff.

Photo of the author by Anthony Kaklamanos.

THIS EVENT WAS RECORDED LIVE AT SKYLIGHT BOOKS MARCH 20, 2012.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [01:08:38m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (Loading)

Baby Geisha by Dalton (Two Dollar Radio); Damascus by Mohr (Two Dollar Radio); boneyard by Beachy (Verse Chorus)

Three great writers -- Trinie Dalton, Joshua Mohr, and Stephen Beachy -- will read and sign their latest books!

Photo of Trinie Dalton by Jason Frank Rothberg. Photo of Joshua Mohr by Kevin Irby.

THIS EVENT WAS RECORDED LIVE AT SKYLIGHT BOOKS FEBRUARY 8, 2012.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [01:03:48m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (Loading)

These Days Are Ours (Grand Central Publishing)

L.A.-based author Michelle Haimoff will read and sign her acclaimed debut novel, These Days Are Ours, a thoughtful look at the life of a recent college graduate living in New York shortly after 9-11.

"Whether she's ruthlessly dissecting the mating habits of disaffected urbanites, or evoking the emotional complexity of coming of age in New York City in the aftermath of 9/11, Haimoff's writing is smart, witty, honest, and never anything less than utterly engaging." -- Jonathan Tropper, author of This Is Where I Leave You

"Beware reader: this novel is so addictive, once you start reading, you will have to cancel all of your plans. But you'll hardly even notice; Michelle Haimoff has such a fresh and inviting voice, and a gift for making characters live, you’ll feel surrounded by friends."- Alison Espach, author of The Adults

Michelle Haimoff is a writer and blogger whose writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, PsychologyToday.com and The Huffington Post. She is a founding member of NOW's Young Feminist Task Force and blogs about feminist issues at genfem.com.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [00:29:01m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (Loading)

Pity the Billionaire (Metropolitan Books)

Thomas Frank (What's the Matter with Kansas?) returns to Skylight Books to discuss and sign his new book Pity the Billionaire, in which he takes an insightful and sardonic look at the way our dire economic circumstances have brought an unexpected resurgence of conservatism.

"No one fools Thomas Frank, who is the sharpest, funniest, most intellectually voracious political commentator on the scene. In Pity the Billionaire he has written a brilliant expose of the most breath-taking ruse in American political history: how the right turned the biggest capitalist breakdown since 1929 into an opportunity for themselves." --Barbara Ehrenreich

"A feisty and galvanizing book... This is the kind of analysis - historically astute, irreverent and droll - that makes Frank such an invaluable voice. As he's done in a series of perceptive books, Frank cuts through the partisan blather and explains how money and cynical ideas shape a certain kind of contemporary politics. Pity the Billionaire is further evidence that he's as good at this as any writer working today." --San Francisco Chronicle

Thomas Frank is the author of The Wrecking Crew, What’s the Matter with Kansas?, and One Market Under God. A former opinion columnist for The Wall Street Journal, Frank is the founding editor of The Baffler and a monthly columnist for Harper’s. He lives outside Washington, D.C.

Photo of the author by Jane Magellanic.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [00:57:20m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (Loading)