We have quite a week coming up! Greetings, From Queer Mountain returns on Tuesday with more laugh-out-loud, tearjerking, and introspective stories responding to the theme "Take Me Out Tonight". This time we have performances from Sarah Kennedy, Alex English, Dewayne Perkins, Joe Osmundson, Lena Einbinder, and Veronica Garza!
On Wednesday, two political powerhouses take to the stage: Sarah Kendzior and Amy Siskind. Both have recently published books that respond to the rise to power and eventual election of Donald Trump, and both can also be found as talking heads and commentators on most American news channels, in print and online.
Kendzior's The View from Flyover Country: Dispatches from the Forgotten America is a piercing critique of the labor exploitation, race relations, gentrification, media bias, and other aspects of the post-employment economy that gave rise to a president who rules like an autocrat. These essays have been described as "urgent and beautifully expressed" (The Wire), "(a) collection of sharp-edged, humanistic pieces about the American heartland" (Kirkus), and "a crystalline voice of reason and appraisal in a world that shifts further into unrecognizable territory minute-by-minute." (Booklist).
Siskind's The List: A Week-by-Week Reckoning of Trump’s First Year is the shocking first-draft history of the Trump regime, and its clear authoritarian impulses, based on the viral Internet phenom “The Weekly List", and a must-have guide to what we as a country have lost in the wake of Trump's election. Rebecca Solnit calls it "a document of how, millimeter by millimeter, truth, democracy, and the rule of law, were beaten down. Not a few fought back—including Siskind. The act of remembering, of not losing one's bearings, is itself a form of resistance that matters, and this book is a testament to that strategy."
We end the week on Thursday evening with a celebration of thee Spring issue of print and digital literary journal The Common. This issue focuses on Jordanian literature, and celebrates some of the country’s
best authors, showcasing a cross-section of varied styles, themes, and generations. It
presents work by prominent writers such as Ghalib Halasa, Mahmoud al-Rimawi, and
Elias Farkouh, along with established but lesser-known writers like Jamila Amaireh and
Mufleh al-Odwan, and emerging writers like Majidah al-Outum and Haifa’ Abul-Nadi.
Many of these writers are appearing in English translation for the first time. Even Halasa,
an influential cultural figure in the Arab world from the 1970s until his death-in-exile in
1989, can rarely be found translated into English. There will be readings by Liz Arnold, Emma Copley Eisenberg and translator Lissie Jaquette, followed by a discussion with the magazine's editor in chief Jennifer Acker. Please note that this event begins at 6:30PM.
INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE DAY
Independent Bookstore Day is coming up on April 28, and Atlas Obscura want to see what makes us your favorite local bookstore. Maybe it’s a private alcove that’s perfect for reading, or one of our friendly staff or volunteers who are always ready with a great recommendation, or the fact we sell donuts in crazy flavors. Whatever it is, take a photo and submit it here!
SALES
Our poetry sale kicks off on April 18 and ends on April 25. You can enjoy 30% off selected titles, with members receiving an additional 10% off their final purchase!
HOUSEKEEPING
We're closing early at 6PM on Thursday 19th for The Moth StorySLAM
Want to support us but unable to visit the store? Fear not! You can make a donation to the Bookstore Cafe online via this link: bit.ly/GivetoHWBC |
