May 4
Jeffrey Thomas Leong: The Bay Area scholar, translator and poet speaks about “Wild Geese Sorrow: The Chinese Wall Inscriptions at Angel Island,” a book of poems he translated while earning his master’s degree, and “Writ,” which collects his original poems, which also describe the Angel Island detainee experience. [2 p.m., Books Inc., 2483 Washington Ave., San Leandro]
May 4
Jody Gelb: The stage and screen actress’ memoir “She May Be Lying Down but She May Be Very Happy” describes her experiences as the mother of a severely disabled daughter. [2 p.m., Barnes & Noble, 1232 Burlingame Ave., Burlingame]
May 7
Jo Boaler: The Stanford University professor of education and equity reads from her new book “Math-ish: Finding Creativity, Diversity, and Meaning in Mathematics,” which attempts to improve students’ aptitude for math by examining what limits their motivation to do it. [7 p.m., Books Inc., 855 El Camino Real #74, Palo Alto]
May 7
David Sedaris: The wildly popular humor writer and essayist, whose newest offering is the kids’ book “Pretty Ugly,” appears at a ticketed ($38-$75) event. [7:30 p.m., Luther Burbank Center, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa]
May 7
Jude Berman: The Berkeley writer and editor’s debut novel “The Die” is a techno-thriller about a tech writer who uncovers an international conspiracy after she suspects someone has been tampering with a game she’s developing for a Silicon Valley company. [7 p.m., Books Inc., 1491 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley]
May 7
Yukiko Tominaga: The translator launches her first book, “See: Loss. See Also: Love,” a comic novel about a Japanese widow raising her son assisted by her Jewish mother-in-law, in a talk with Carol Edgarian, author of the novel “Vera.” [7 p.m., Green Apple Books, 1231 Ninth Ave., San Francisco]
May 9
Melissa Broder: Copperfield’s Books presents the writer speaking about her praised surrealistic novel about a cactus, “Death Valley,” on its paperback release. [7 p.m., Thumbprint Cellars, 102 Matheson St., Healdsburg]
May 11
Gail Tsukiyama: The author of nine novels, including “Women of the Silk,” “The Samurai’s Garden,” “The Color of Air” and 2023’s “The Brightest Star” appears in author series presented by the public library on its 75th anniversary at its location. [10:30 a.m., El Cerrito Library, 6510 Stockton Ave., El Cerrito]
May 11
Bonnie Portnoy: The granddaughter of once acclaimed, and later forgotten, 20th century painter Tilden Daken speaks about her new, painstakingly researched biography, “The Man Beneath the Paint” at an event presented by Left Coast Writers. [2 p.m., Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera]
May 15
Tiffany Haddish: The actress, comedian and writer speaks about her new essay collection “I Curse You With Joy” with KQED’s Alexis Madrigal in a ticketed ($49) event presented by City Arts & Lectures. [7:30 p.m., Sydney Goldstein Theater, 275 Hayes St., San Francisco]
May 16
Carvell Wallace: Appearing in a ticketed ($39) City Arts & Lectures event, the podcaster, essayist and journalist known for writing incisive profiles speaks about his new memoir, “Another Word for Love,” which describes his experiences growing up homeless with a single mother, being Black and queer, and raising two children in a precarious world. [7:30 p.m., Sydney Goldstein Theater, 275 Hayes St., San Francisco]
May 16
Brian Copeland: The performer and author of “Not a Genuine Black Man,” the long-running solo play, speaks about his debut crime thriller “Outraged,” in which a TV investigative reporter and his sister, a homicide detective, look into the slayings of Bay Area cops who shot unarmed African Americans. [7 p.m., A Great Good Place for Books, 6120 La Salle Ave., Oakland]
May 16
Ruth Reichl: The award-winning food and memoir writer speaks about her new book, “A Paris Novel,” a food, art and fashion adventure story set in 1980s Paris, with cookbook author Georgeanne Brennan. [6 p.m., Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera]
May 16
Jen Psaki: The former White House press secretary and current MSNBC host is promoting her memoir “Say More: Lessons from Work, the White House, and the World” at a ticketed event ($40 includes book) presented by Book Passage. [7 p.m., Angelico Hall, Dominican University, 20 Olive Ave., San Rafael]
May 18
Amy Tan: The author of “The Joy Luck Club” speaks about her latest volume of essays and drawings, “The Backyard Bird Chronicles,” in conversation with environmentalist John Muir Law at a ticketed talk ($49 includes book) presented by City Arts & Lectures. [7:30 p.m., Sydney Goldstein Theater, 275 Hayes St., San Francisco]
May 19
Thien Pham: The author-illustrator shares “Family Style,” his personal heartfelt graphic novel about leaving Vietnam as a small child, living in a refugee camp with his family in Thailand, and adjusting to new surroundings in San Jose. [3:30 p.m., Saratoga Library, 13650 Saratoga Ave., Saratoga]
May 19
Nicholas Kristof: The Pulitzer Prize-winning writer is on tour with his memoir, “Chasing Hope: A Reporter’s Life,” in which he shares details about his foreign correspondent days, covering the Tiananmen Square protests, the Yemeni civil war, the Darfur genocide and the opioid crisis at home. The ticketed ($50 includes book) talk with moderator Angie Coiro is presented by Kepler’s. [7 p.m., Kepler’s Books, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park]
May 21
Kathleen Hanna, Brontez Purnell: The riot lead singer of Bikini Kill and Le Tigre speaks about her memoir “Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk” with the Oakland punk musician, whose new memoir is “Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt,” at a ticketed ($49) talk that includes a copy of “Rebel Girl.” [7:30 p.m., Sydney Goldstein Theater, 275 Hayes St., San Francisco]
May 22
Stephen Breyer: The former U.S. Supreme Court justice discusses his first book since retiring, “Reading the Constitution: Why I Chose Pragmatism, Not Textualism” with legal analyst Sarah Isgur in a City Arts & Lectures ticketed ($49) event. [7:30 p.m., Sydney Goldstein Theater, 275 Hayes St., San Francisco]
May 22
Kevin Kwan: The author of the “Crazy Rich Asians” trilogy is promoting his new book, “Lies and Wedding,” a comedy of manners about a down-on-his luck future duke whose mother demands he seduce and marry a rich woman. The ticketed ($46 includes book) talk is presented by Kepler’s. [7 p.m., Kepler’s Books, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park]
May 23
R.O. Kwon: The author of the hit title “The Incendiaries” discusses “Exhibit,” an novel about a woman “caught between her desires and her life” with Cathy Park Hong at a ticketed ($20) event co-presented by Booksmith and Berkeley Arts & Letters. [7 p.m., Hillside Club, 2286 Cedar St., Berkeley]
May 23
Miranda July: The filmmaker, artist and writer is on tour with her second novel, “All Fours,” speaking with Anna Sale in a ticketed ($49) event presented by City Arts & Lectures. [7:30 p.m., Sydney Goldstein Theater, 275 Hayes St., San Francisco]
May 26
Sebastian Junger: The award-winning reporter and author of “The Perfect Storm” speaks about “In My Time of Dying,” in which he reflects about mortality after surviving a ruptured aneurysm; the ticketed ($33) event includes a copy of the book. [3 p.m., Books Inc., 601 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco]
May 29
Carl Elliott: The bioethicist at the University of Minnesota speaks about “The Occasional Human Sacrifice: Medical Experimentation and the Price of Saying No,” which tells six stories of medical research in which patients were deceived into participating in programs they did not understand. [6 p.m., Books Inc., 3515 California St., San Francisco]
May 29
Shefali Luthra: The health care reporter’s “Undue Burden” follows people affected by abortion bans, and the domino effect since the ban, in a book that includes perspectives of providers, activists and lawmakers as well as patients; the ticked talk ($49 includes book) is presented by Kepler’s. [7 p.m., Kepler’s Books, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park]
May 30
Nina St. Pierre: The author and journalist speaks about her California-set memoir, “Love Is a Burning Thing,” which sensitively details her complicated relationship with her mother while touching on issues of mental health, class, shame, gender and spirituality. [6:30 p.m., Usher Gallery, 1 Petaluma Blvd. North, Petaluma]
May 31
Joan Baez: The musician-activist speaks with moderator Angie Coiro about “When You See My Mother, Ask Her to Dance,” her new autobiographical poetry collection; the ticketed ($48-$65) event presented by Kepler’s includes a copy of the book. [7 p.m., Hillsdale High School, 3115 Del Monte St., San Mateo]
May 31
Meredith Jaeger: In an offsite event presented by Copperfield’s, the California writer discusses her new historical novel “The Incorrigibles,” which explores the lives of two women in San Francisco: an Irish maid who is imprisoned for stealing in 1890 and a photographer in 1972 dealing with gentrification in her neighborhood. [7 p.m., Thumbprint Cellars, 102 Matheson St., Healdsburg]
To submit an event to the calendar, email books@baycitynews.com.
The post May 2024 Bay Area author events: Joan Baez, Stephen Breyer, Tiffany Haddish, Miranda July, Nicholas Kristof, Kevin Kwan, R.O. Kwon, Ruth Reichl, David Sedaris and more appeared first on Local News Matters.