Readings at the Bookstore

City Lights has an ongoing series of readings and events, usually at least one or two each week. Our online calendar is updated regularly, but if you want to be sure not to miss out on anything, be sure to sign up for our Events Newsletter to receive weekly updates on what's happening at the bookstore.

Unless otherwise noted, all events are free and open to the public and take place at City Lights Bookstore | 261 Columbus Avenue | San Francisco, CA 94133
For more information, call us at 415-362-8193 | Map & Directions

Check out our new podcast series, "Live From City Lights"-- broadcasting events, interviews, and reviews from City Lights Books & Publishers.

Women in Public Book Party City Lights Booksellers, 261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco Tuesday, March 10, 2015, 7:00 P.M. celebrating the release of Women in Public City Lights Spotlight Series No. 13		Brian Jones Night (Hosted by San Francisco's Rock 'n Roll Book Club) City Lights Booksellers, 261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA Wednesday, March 11, 2015, 7:00 P.M. with Richie Unterberger and Maureen Russell

Breathturn Into Timestead: The Collected Later Poetry of Paul Celan City Lights Booksellers, 261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA Wednesday, March 18, 2015, 7:00 P.M. cosponsored by The Poetry Center at San Francisco State University and City Lights Books poet-translator Pierre Joris multimedia by Nicole Peyrafitte		An evening with Paul Beatty City Lights Booksellers, 261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco Thursday, March 19, 2015, 7:00 P.M. in conversation with Oscar Villalon celebrating the release of The Sellout from Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

Nelson George in conversation with Adam Mansbach City Lights Booksellers, 261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco Tuesday, March 24, 2015, 7:00 P.M. celebrating the release of two new books The Lost Treasures of R&B & The Hippest Trip in America: Soul Train and the Evolution of Culture and Style		Caryl Phillips City Lights Booksellers, 261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA Wednesday, March 25, 2015, 7:00 P.M. reading from The Lost Child from Farrar, Straus, Giroux

Rad American Women A to Z Book Party! San Francisco, CA: City Lights Bookstore Saturday, March 28th, 12:30pm City Lights celebrates the publication of our first kid's book!		Marc Olmsted on Allen Ginsberg City Lights Booksellers, 261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco Sunday, April 5, 2015, 5:00 P.M. Remembering Allen Ginsberg on the 18th anniversary of his passing as Marc Olmsted discusses the poet with a new book

David Meltzer City Lights Booksellers, 261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA Wednesday, April 8, 2015, 7:00 P.M. reading from Two Way Mirror: A Poetry Notebook published by City Lights Books		Ryan Gattis City Lights Booksellers, 261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA Wednesday, April 15, 2015, 7:00 P.M. reading from All Involved (a novel) published by Ecco Press/Harper Collins

Eli Horowitz City Lights Booksellers, 261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco Tuesday, April 21, 2015, 7:00 P.M. celebrating the release of The New World co-authored with Chris Adrian from Farrar Straus & Giroux		Viet Thanh Nguyen City Lights Booksellers, 261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA Thursday, April 23, 2015, 7:00 P.M. reading from The Sympathizer from Grove Press

Amber Tamblyn City Lights Booksellers, 261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA Tuesday, April 28, 2015, 7:00 P.M. discussing her new book of non-fiction Dark Sparkler (Forward by Diane di Prima) from Harper-Perennial		Robert Scheer City Lights Booksellers, 261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA Thursday, April 30, 2015, 7:00 P.M. in conversation with Mark Rumold, Electronic Frontier Foundation discussing his new book They Know Everything About You: How Data-Collecting Corporations and Snooping Government Agencies Are Des

Keith P. Feldman City Lights Booksellers, 261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco Tuesday, May 12, 2015, 7:00 P.M. discussing his new book A Shadow over Palestine: The Imperial Life of Race in America from University of Minnesota Press		Emily Schultz City Lights Booksellers, 261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA Wednesday, May 13, 2015, 7:00 P.M. reading from *The Blondes* from St. Martins Press with a special appearance by Ruth Galm and Rachel Khong Hosted by Kara Levy, San Francisco editor of Joyland Magazine

Greg Proops 3rd Floor McRroskey Mattress Factory, 1687 Market Street, (at Gough Street), San Francisco Thursday, May 21, 2015, Doors 6:30, Event 7:00 P.M. City Lights and The Green Arcade present Greg Proops celebrating his new book The Smartest Book In The World from Simon & Schuster		Stephen Kessler City Lights Booksellers, 261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco Tuesday, June 16, 2015, 7:00 P.M. celebrating the release of three new books: Where Was I? Need I Say More? and Forbidden Pleasures

Red Hen Press @ City Lights City Lights Booksellers, 261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco Wednesday, June 24, 2015, 7:00 P.M. with Ron Carlson, Dean Kostos and Amy Uyematsu reading from their poetry