Oakland Book Festival: Angela Davis, Ishmael Reed, Laura Albert, more

21 MAY 2017 — sunday

The Oakland Book Festival presents one hundred writers in fifty events on one day, this year featuring writers Angela Davis, Judith Butler, Danielle Allen, Jeff Chang, Arlie Hochschild, Sheryl Oring, Mistah F.A.B., Wendy Brown, Ishmael Ree, Laura Albert, and Anthony Marra among many others; this literary event is dedicated to books, ideas, and the pleasures of literacy, aiming to serve the reading public, to encourage debate, and celebrate Oakland; the City Hall hearing rooms host panels in which journalists, fiction writers, poets, editors, critics, and memoirists discuss challenges of gentrification, cosmopolitan, diversity, tolerance, conflict, education, more, audience participation is encouraged; live performances for all ages as well as a dedicated children's area featuring readings hosted by the Oakland Public Library, book-making projects sponsored by Oakland's Museum of Children's Art (MOCHA), and interactive programs courtesy of Fairyland, book vendors and publishers exhibit [Visit Poetry Flash and Manic D Press at Booth 33! Come see the latest books on pop culture from Manic D Press and pick up free Poetry Flash poem bookmarks and the latest on the 2017 Northern California Book Awards], Oakland City Hall and Frank Ogawa Plaza, downtown Oakland, free, 11:00 a.m.-6:00 (www.oaklandbookfestival.org)