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Poetry Flash Reading Series


Lynne Thompson

Lynne Thompson and Dorianne Laux

25 JULY 2024 — thursday

Poetry Flash presents an exciting poetry reading by Dorianne Laux, Life and Earth, and Lynne Thompson, Blue on a Blue Palette, part of Poetry Flash's 50+ Anniversary celebration, Art House Gallery & Cultural Center, 2905 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, two blocks north of Ashby BART, refreshments, free, 7:00 pm PDT (poetryflash.org).

Thank you for continuing to support Poetry Flash and our reading series.
Featured books for this reading will be available for signing at the event and at bookshop.org/shop/poetryflash. This event will be posted on the Poetry Flash YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/channel/UClwdR-uPFNz7XxbBbLcnoEA.

MORE ABOUT THE READERS

Dorianne Laux's new book of poems is Life on Earth. Kwame Dawes says, "A prodigious imagination that somehow manages to sift through the ordinary, quotidian, and squalid realities of our world, to produce moments of grace and shimmering beauty, and empathetic illumination. Dorianne Laux is a national treasure, a poet of immense insight and masterful craft." Her previous collections include Awake; What We Carry, a finalist for the National Book Critic's Circle Award; Smoke; Facts About the Moon; The Book of Men, which received The Paterson Poetry Prize; and Only as the Day is Long: New and Selected Poems, a finalist for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. She's co-author of the celebrated book The Poet's Companion: A Guide to the Pleasures of Writing Poetry, and she's authored a new book in that vein, Finger Exercises for Poets. She is a founding faculty member of Pacific University's low-residency MFA program, and lives in Northern California.

Lynne Thompson's new book of poems is Blue on a Blue Palette. Ellen Bass says, "Singing the blues in this beautiful and devastating collection, Lynne Thompson calls on the tradition of poets such as Patricia Smith and Adrienne Rich to examine a culture of loss for women and for people of color.…Thompson employs a variety of forms—from abecedarian to cento and villanelle—in skillful, smart, and generous poems that include allusions to nursery rhymes, Bible verses, musicians, artists, and writers to explore the tensions between creation and violence.…This is an important collection, one to keep close.…" Her previous collections include Beg No Pardon, winner of Perugia Press Prize and Great Lakes Colleges New Writers Award; Start with a Small Guitar; and Fretwork, winner of the 2019 Marsh Hawk Poetry Prize selected by Jane Hirshfield. A Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominee, her honors include an Individual Artist Fellowship from the City of Los Angeles, Tucson Literary Festival Poetry Prize, and George Drury Smith Award for Achievement in Poetry 2023. She lives in Los Angeles and graced that city as Poet Laureate 2021-22.




Daily Listings

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19 AUGUST 2026 — wednesday

20 AUGUST 2026 — thursday

  • Skylight Books, 2220 Arts + Archives, LA Review of Books, and Little, Brown and Company present celebrate the 30th anniversary of David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest, with a conversation about its publication with David L. Ulin and Bonnie Nadell, with readings of favorite passages by Allie Rowbottom, Ben H. Winters, Ivy Pochoda, and Kelly McEvers, at 2220 Arts + Archives, 2220 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, free, 7:00 pm (RSVP requested: skylightbooks.com/event/2026-08-20/2220-arts-celebrating-infinite-jest-david-foster-wallace-30)
  • Green Apple Books presents Chang-Rae Lee, Pulitzer Prize finalist, celebrating his new novel, A Tender Age, with R.O. Kwon, National Book Critics Circle award finalist, Green Apple Books on the Park 9th Avenue, 1231 9th Avenue, San Francisco, free, 7:00 pm (RSVP requested: greenapplebooks.com/event/2026-08-20/9th-ave-chang-rae-lee-ro-kwon)
  • Skylight Books presents the Rabbit Hole Reading Club, a nonfiction book club focusing on political, current events, and history, meets every third Thursday of the month, no sign up required, book subscription available, Skylight Books, 1818 North Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, free, 7:30 pm-9:00 pm (skylightbooks.com/rhrc)

21 AUGUST 2026 — friday

22 AUGUST 2026 — saturday

  • Counterculture Museum presents Steve Edington, longtime member of the Lowell Celebrates Kerouac Committee, and Cathy Cassady, daughter of Neal and Carolyn Cassady, discussing the unique friendship between Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady, Counterculture Museum, 1485 Haight Street, San Francisco, $8-$10, free for members, 6:00 pm (Tickets available: counterculturemuseum.org/events/steve-edington-cathy-cassady)
  • Vroman's Bookstore presents Jaime Parker Stickle discussing and signing her new novel Take Hart: A Thriller (Corey in Los Angeles #2), Vroman's Bookstore, 695 East Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, free, 4:00 pm (vromansbookstore.com/event/2026-08-22/jaime-parker-stickle)
  • Poetry in the Garden presents a poetry reading by Maxine Chernoff, Paul Hoover, Lucille Lang Day, and Carl Landauer, in the backyard at 1431 Spruce Street, Berkeley, 3:00 pm
  • Berkeley Poetry Festival presents "Poetry Takes Root," a free community fundraiser, the celebration features poetry readings by Natasha Dennerstein, Jennifer Hasegawa, and James Cagney, along with music, dance, refreshments, community prizes, and opportunities to support Berkeley Poetry Festival; funds raised will help the organization expand its programs, partnerships, and opportunities for poets and audiences; Donkey & Goat Winery, 1340 Fifth Street, Berkeley, 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm, free/donations encouraged (For information and accessibility inquiries, email: theberkeleypoetryfestival@gmail.com, or visit www.berkeleypoetryfestival.com)
  • Mrs. Dalloway's Bookstore presents Lexie Sharabianlou celebrating her new novel, The Blue Moon Cafe & 24-Hour Occult Emporium, in conversation with Maggie Tokuda-Hall, book signing to follow, Mrs. Dalloway's Bookstore, 2904 College Avenue, Berkeley, free, 7:00 pm-8:30 pm (RSVP requested: mrsdalloways.com/event/2026-08-22/lexie-sharabianlous-blue-moon-cafe-24-hour-occult-emporium)

23 AUGUST 2026 — sunday

  • Vroman's Bookstore presents Local Author Day, introducing Joe Belk with A Fan's Calendar: Musings from a Lifetime of Enjoying Music, Film, and More, Dan Joyce with his autobiographical graphic novel Have You Taken Your Meds? Part 1, and Jason Mahoney with his novel Song of a Dromedary, book signing to follow, Vroman's Bookstore, 695 East Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, free, 4:00 pm (vromansbookstore.com/event/2026-08-23/local-author-day)

24 AUGUST 2026 — monday

  • Skylight Books presents Sarah Mesle, professor of writing at the University of Southern California, celebrating her new book Tangled: Seven Iconic Moments in White Women's Hair and What They Tell Us About Power, Pleasure, and Complicity, in conversation with Karen Tongson, professor of Contemporary Gender Studies at the University of Southern California, Skylight Books, 1818 North Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, free, 7:00 pm (RSVP requested: skylightbooks.com/event/2026-08-24/sarah-mesle-w-karen-tongson-tangled)

25 AUGUST 2026 — tuesday

26 AUGUST 2026 — wednesday

27 AUGUST 2026 — thursday

  • Hollie Hardy presents a casual, generative workshop; Participating writers gather online to work on new poems or stories, prompts provided, monthly theme provided but not required, all levels and genres welcome, online, $25, 5:30 pm-7:00 pm (Sign up: holliehardy.com/shop/p/write-in-8-27-26)
  • Green Apple Books, Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, and SFFILM present an evening with Robert Reich, former U.S. Secretary of Labor and UC Berkeley professor emeritus, featuring a screening of the film The Last Class, directed by Elliot Kirschner, with an onstage conversation with Heather Kinlaw Lofthouse, Inequality Media, on Robert Reich's memoir Coming Up Short, JCC San Francisco, 3200 California Street, San Francisco, $30-$50 ticket includes paperback copy of his memoir, no book signing, 7:00 pm-9:00 pm (Tickets available: www.jccsf.org/event/robert-reich-the-last-class)
  • Green Apple Books presents a reading with poets Valerie Hsiung, Jennifer S. Cheng, Jennifer Elise Foerster, and Samantha Giles Foerster, to celebrate the release of Valerie Hsuing's new collection, The pedestrian, Green Apple Books on the Park 9th Avenue, 1231 9th Avenue, San Francisco, also available to livestream on YouTube, free, 7:00 pm (RSVP requested, YouTube link available: greenapplebooks.com/event/2026-08-27/9th-ave-valerie-hsiung-jennifer-s-cheng-jennifer-elise-foerster-and-samantha-giles)

28 AUGUST 2026 — friday

  • An Evening of Poetry & Piano featuring Forrest Gander, Pulitzer Prize-winner, reading his work with live improvisation by acclaimed pianist Awadagin Pratt on a Steinway Model B, joining the collaboration by "electric screen" will be Booker Prize-winner Mr. Shehan Karunatilaka, presented by Homekey, 116 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto, arrive early, wine tasting with Sommelier James Mobbley and light refreshments will start at 5:30 pm, the program begins promptly, free, 6:00 pm-7:30 pm (Free tickets at Eventbrite: www.eventbrite.com/e/poetry-piano-an-evening-with-forrest-gander-and-awadagin-pratt-tickets-1993637944760)
  • Mechanics' Institute Library presents "How to Find Your Next Read," a class taught by a librarian on the tricks and techniques used to discover and recommend books, including how to use library resources to find new books and authors, use advanced search techniques to use in library catalogs, and how to discover community-based resources online to find like-minded readers, Library Third Floor Classrooms, Mechanics' Institute, 57 Post Street, San Francisco, $5, free for members, 3:00 pm-4:00 pm (www.milibrary.org/events/35874)
  • Green Apple Books, Diasporic Vietnamese Artists Network, and San Francisco Public Library present a reading by Cindy Pham, designer, in conversation with Aimee Phan, The Lost Queen, YA author and National Endowment for the Arts fellow, Green Apple Books on the Park 9th Avenue, 1231 9th Avenue, San Francisco, free, donations welcome, 7:00 pm (RSVP requested: greenapplebooks.com/event/2026-08-28/9th-ave-dvan-presents-cindy-pham-aimee-phan)
  • Book Soup, Gabrielle Tana, and Katerina Tana present Dan Tana's new memoir Everybody Came to Tana's: An American Dream Come True, book signing to follow, signed copies also available to order prior to event, Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, free, 7:00 pm (booksoup.com/event/2026-08-28/gabrielle-tana-katarina-tana)
  • Vroman's Bookstore presents Yance Wyatt discussing and signing his new novel, The Watersmith, Vroman's Bookstore, 695 East Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, free, 7:00 pm (vromansbookstore.com/event/2026-08-28/yance-wyatt-discusses)

29 AUGUST 2026 — saturday

30 AUGUST 2026 — sunday

31 AUGUST 2026 — monday

  • Mrs. Dalloway's Bookstore presents Chloe Benjamin, winner of the Edna Ferber Fiction Book Award, celebrating her new novel, Under Story, in conversation with Kirsten Chen, book signing to follow, Mrs. Dalloway's Bookstore, 2904 College Avenue, Berkeley, free, pre-event reception at 6:15 pm, event 7:00 pm (RSVP requested: mrsdalloways.com/event/2026-08-31/chloe-benjamins-under-story-launch-event)
  • Skylight Books presents Adam O. Davis, winner of the Kathryn A. Morton Poetry Prize and host of the podcast Poetry Goes to the Movies, celebrating his new collection Pyrrhic Symphony, winner of the Raz/Shumaker Prairie Schooner Book Prize in Poetry, in conversation with Katie Ford, finalist for the LA Times Book Prize and the Rilke Prize, Skylight Books, 1818 North Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, free, 7:00 pm (RSVP requested: skylightbooks.com/event/2026-08-31/adam-o-davis-w-katie-ford-pyrrich-symphony)
  • Vroman's Bookstore presents journalist Sam Quinones discussing and signing his new photojournalism book, Our Lady of the Angels: The Virgin of Guadalupe on the Walls of Los Angeles, Vroman's Bookstore, 695 East Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, free, 7:00 pm (vromansbookstore.com/event/2026-08-31/sam-quinones)

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