This week seems a bit calmer than last week for anyone in the Philadelphia area seeking a bit of bookish excitement. I can't help but wonder if I've overlooked something! As always, if you have an event I've missed, or one you would like me to be sure and mention coming up, please just let me know!

Even a calm week means there's a lot going on, often at the same time. I for one would be striking out for several different places at once on Thursday, if I could.

Looking ahead, next week sees the launch of Elise Juska's new book, The Blessings, a novel in stories about a close knit Irish family from Northeast Philadelphia.  Ms. Juska, the director of the undergraduate BFA writing program at the University of the Arts will appear at the Free Library and at Main Point. Look for a review here later this week.


Monday, April 28

Kenneth Oppel | The Boundless
Children's Book World, Children's Book World, 17 Haverford Station Rd., Haverford, PA
Free
4:30 pm

This looks like a fun middle-grade fantasy adventure with a historical feel. I also want to check out his Printz Honor book Airborn, so I think I know where I'll be heading in a couple of hours.


Tuesday, April 29

Jen Calonita | Summer State of Mind with Elizabeth Eulberg | Better off Friends
Children's Book World, Children's Book World, 17 Haverford Station Rd., Haverford, PA
Free
7:00 pm

Why Not Poetry? With Ginny Beards, Daisy Fried, Sebastian Agudelo, Eli Goldblatt
Chester County Book Company, Chester County Book Company, 967 Paoli Pike, West Goshen Center, West Chester, PA
Free
7:00 pm

Ralph Nader | Unstoppable: The Emerging Left-Right Alliance to Dismantle the Corporate State 
Free Library, Central Library
Free
7:30 pm


Wednesday, April 30

Beth Kephart | Going Over
Radnor Memorial Library, 114 W. Wayne Ave. Wayne, PA 19087
Free
7:30 pm

Come celebrate local author, Beth Kephart's latest YA novel about teenagers living and loving in Berlin on opposite sides of the wall. I hear there will be cake. I would be there, but am leading a book group discussion at Main Point Books.


Thursday, May 1

Leading Voices: Biz Stone | Things a Little Bird Told Me: Confessions of the Creative Mind
Free Library, Central Library
$40 -- General Admission (includes a copy of the book)
8:00 am

Stanley Warren | The Works of Stanley Warren
Wellington Square Bookshop, 549 Wellington Square, Exton, PA
Free
6:30 - 8:00 pm

Bee Ridgeway | The River of No Return
Main Point Books, 1041 Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr
Free
7:00 pm

I really enjoyed The River of No Return when I read it last year. Historical fantasy that defies genre this is a book that's hard to describe, but is a joyride. It's now out in paperback with a really fabulous new cover! Bee (aka Bryn Mawr College professor Bethany Schneider) is charming and I hope she'll spill on the progress and plans for a sequel.

Francine Prose | Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris 1932 with Mona Simpson | Casebook
Free Library, Central Library
$15 General Admission, $7 Students
7:30 pm


Friday, May 2

Eric Wight | The Vanishing Coin
Towne Book Center, 220 Plaza Drive, Suite B-3, Collegeville, PA 19426
Free
4:30 - 6:00 pm


Saturday, May 3

Santo Marabella | The Practical Prof: Simple Lessons for Anyone Who Works
Towne Book Center, 220 Plaza Drive, Suite B-3, Collegeville, PA 19426
Free
11:00 am


Sunday, May 4

Amanda Kingloff | Project Kid: 100 Ingenious Crafts for Family Fun
Chester County Book Company, 967 Paoli Pike, West Goshen Center, West Chester, PA
Free
1:00 pm

James Waggoner | The Wages of Sin
Big Blue Marble Bookstore, 551 Carpenter Lane, Philadelphia
Free
4:00 pm


P.S. If you know of events or venues with regularly scheduled events that I've missed, please let me know in the comments or via email at abudner (at) comcast (dot) net.