Five things I have been doing during Los Angeles, Safer at Home: Part One-Book Releases
During these last few months of Los Angeles, Safer at Home (L.A.,SAH), I have made an effort to explore and learn new things about this city. Things I know I wouldn’t have had the chance to experience if I was commuting to my 9 to 5 and putting in a full day of work on the westside of Los Angeles. From virtual tours and events, food, and general L.A. oddities, here are five things I have been doing during Los Angeles, Safer at Home. This is part one of a series.
One: Attending book releases at Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena
Something I wasn’t able to do before COVID-19 was attend book releases and talks at Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena. As you have seen in the traffic post, the process of heading twenty miles east of where I live and work on a weeknight is a struggle, to say the least. There are months before I head east of La Brea on a workday. This bookstore, miles and miles east of La Brea, is the oldest bookstore in Los Angeles. It has been around since 1894 which is no small feat in this constantly changing city.
I wish I could tell you what Vroman’s looks like. Do my usual cinematic review of the sight, sounds, and smells of this place, but truthfully I haven’t been. Supporting independent bookstores is really important to me and I feel silly to have my first experience of Vroman’s be a virtual one. It is definitely on my go-to list for when Los Angeles re-opens. Even more so now that they added a wine bar, named after their founding year. Wine and books, yes, please! I can’t wait to sit and drink and read in public.
Since virtual Los Angeles opened in March, I have gone to three of their book releases. These tend to be California focused, you know what an L.A. book nerd I am.
Read Me, Los Angeles: Exploring L.A.’s Book Culture
I was able to see Kate Orphan talk about her book Read Me, Los Angeles: Exploring L.A.’s Book Culture which was released on the eve of the quarantine. This book celebrates authors that have written about this city. From L.A. Noir to YA fiction this book covers every genre and every haunt where even a word about Los Angeles was written. I am really excited to read this book. Listening to her tell the process of how the book came to be was really interesting. I worry though that it will lead me down a rabbit hole of all of the books I have yet to read. I will let you know in my upcoming newsletters if any of my currently reading picks comes from this.
Fight of a Century: Writers Reflecy on 100 Years of Landmark Cases
I also attended Fight of a Century: Writers reflect on 100 Years of Landmark Cases on July 15th. This is a collection of essays by well-known writers reflecting on ACLU cases during its one hundred years of existence. The book is so brand new that not a lot of us have had the chance to read it, but still a worthwhile hour to listen about those cases that have had such an impact on our lives. Authors include Viet Thanh Nguyen, Anne Patchett, Jennifer Eagan, Morgan Parker, and Louise Erdich and edited by Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman. Buy the book from Vroman’s here.
Miracle Country
The last book release I attended was last night. It was for Miracle Country by Kendra Atleework who interestingly weaves her memoir with California’s natural environment. This is her writing debut and I can’t wait to check it out.
I am thankful that Vromann’s is offering these types of programs and that I have gotten to know them during this time.
If hearing writers talk about their books interests you, bookstores doing virtual events isn’t just a Los Angeles thing. Here are some options for Eastern and Central time.
Eastern time zone
Events at the Strand in NYC: https://www.strandbooks.com/events
Central time zone
Events at Magers & Quinn in Minneapolis: (Miracle Country will have its release on August 3) https://www.magersandquinn.com/event
Have you read any of these books? Do you know of more bookstores doing virtual events like these? Let me know in the comments.
There are four more things I have been doing to occupy my time during Los Angeles, Safer at home. Next up, one of those oddities that are uniquely L.A.
Book Covers were sourced from Goodreads and the ACLU. Bookstore photo by Janko Ferlic on Pexels.com
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Comments (1)
Five things I have been doing during Los Angeles, Safer at home: Part two-Wild Parrots –
September 20, 2020 at 12:31 pm
[…] on from part one, the five things I have been doing during Los Angeles, Safer at home, I am going to stay in […]