2005 Archive

Check out the great photos of our 2005 festival, taken by Derek Powazek.

2005 Authors

2005 Clips

2005 Complete Schedule Below!

Friday, October 7, 8 p.m.
Howl Redux celebrates the 50th anniversary of the debut of Allen Ginsberg’s epic Beat poem “Howl,” while also showcasing San Francisco’s illustrious literary landscape. Author/celebrity pairings presenting excerpts from seminal Bay Area authors include Daniel Handler reading Gertrude Stein, Armistead Maupin reading Mark Twain, Amy Tan reading Iris Chang, James Dalessandro reading John Steinbeck and more. The Herbst Theater (in the War Memorial Veterans Building, 401 Van Ness Ave. at McAllister). Tickets are $20 for general admission; $100 for VIP admission, which includes special seating and a post-event cocktail party with the readers. Buy advance tickets at City Box Office.
Lineup includes: Ianthe Brautigan reading Ken Kesey, Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown reading Jack London, Peter Coyote reading Kenneth Rexroth, James Dalessandro reading John Steinbeck, Barry Gifford reading Jack Kerouac, Andrew Sean Greer reading Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Daniel Handler reading Gertrude Stein, devorah major reading Bob Kaufman, Armistead Maupin reading Mark Twain, Michael McClure reading for himself, Eddie Muller reading Dashiell Hammett, Sean San Jose reading Randy Shilts, Leslie Scalapino reading Philip Whalen, Christopher Sindt reading Gary Snyder, Amy Tan reading Iris Chang, and Cintra Wilson reading Ambrose Bierce.

Saturday, October 8, 2 p.m.
Kidquake brings local Bay Area children’s authors together for an afternoon of readings and special workshops designed to help build the magical imaginations of kids aged 5-10. Workshops include an illustration demonstration by LeUyen Pham, a paper doll craft project with Elisa Kleven, and a stage-a-poem mini-workshop by Word for Word Performing Arts Company. The Fisher Center, at the San Francisco Public Library, Central Branch (100 Larkin St.). FREE
Lineup includes: Jorge Argueta, Thacher Hurd, Elisa Kleven, LeUyen Pham, Daniel San Souci, and Belle Yang.

Saturday, October 8, noon
With Savoring the Page: A Celebration of Wine and Food Writing, Litquake makes its first foray into the world of food literature, with an assortment of modern-day MFK Fishers holding court. Book Passage in the San Francisco Ferry Building. FREE
Lineup includes: Thom Elkjer, Dianne Jacob, Steve Heimoff, and Richard Sterling.

Saturday, October 8, 9 p.m.
Drugschool: Writers on Pills, Powders, Plants and Pints examines authors under the influence and the work they produce. The Edinburgh Castle Literary Pub (950 Geary St.). $5-$10 Sliding Scale; 21 and over
Lineup includes: Kate Braverman, Jayson Gallaway, Emer Martin, Ed Rosenthal, R.U. Sirius, David Henry Sterry, and Michelle Tea.

Sunday, October 9, 12:30 - 4:30 p.m.
A varied program free from any thematic constraints features twenty of the finest Bay Area writers converging for Off the Richter Scale, Litquake’s annual first Sunday event. The San Francisco Public Library’s Koret Auditorium (100 Larkin St.). FREE
Full schedule broken down by hour available here.
Lineup includes: Kim Addonizio, Rabih Alameddine, Samina Ali, David Beisly-Guiotto, Christopher Bernard, Clark Blaise, Elizabeth Block, Sylvia Brownrigg, Harriet Scott Chessman, J. Brooks Dann, Diane di Prima, Terry Gamble, Joan Gelfand, C.W. Gortner, Daphne Gottlieb, Ryan Harty, Bill Hayes, Jason Headley, Alan Kaufman, Leo Litwak, Adam Mansbach, Julie Orringer, ZZ Packer, Mary Roach, Barbara Ann Szerlip, and Lolly Winston.

Sunday, October 9, 7 p.m.
Litquake and Michelle Tea present writers who’ve yet to be published but whose work definitely merits a listen in Under the Radar, an evening of readings inspired by Ms. Tea’s monthly Radar Reading Series at the SF Public Library. The Latin American Club (3286 22nd St., at Valencia). Homemade cookies will be served. FREE; 21 and over
Lineup includes: Sona Avakian, Stefani Barber, Gwen Bowers, Heather Gold, Ricky Lee, PK McBee, Shanna Streich, Zak Szymanski, Jackie Thornton, and Gary Turchin

Monday, October 10, 7 p.m.
Appetite for Distraction requires authors to prove their mettle under the heat of event co-producer’s Porch Light, where they must tell their stories and perform without any help from text or memorization. Swedish American Hall (2174 Market St., above Cafe du Nord). $12 tickets available in advance from Ticket Web; also available at the door; 21 and over
Lineup includes: Joshua Braff, Neeli Cherkovski, Jeff Greenwald, Rachel Howard, Kim Wong Keltner, Keith Knight, Joe Loya, Edie Meidav, Bucky Sinister, and Susan Steinberg.

Monday, October 10, 6 p.m.
In “Breaking the Spine,” Director Philip Kaufman and critic David Thomson discuss the perils and joys of film adaptation by taking a look at how Kaufman turned Tom Wolfe’s The Right Stuff into an academy award-winning movie ” followed by a screening of the 1983 film, starring Sam Shepard and Ed Harris, among others, at The Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (701 Mission St., at 3rd St.). $12; buy advance tickets here; tickets also available at the door

Tuesday, October 11, 6 p.m.
Short Shorts: First Among Equals asks writers who’ve built their reputations with short stories to conjure, write and then read selections about first times. Not so ironically, all stories were created especially for the evening, so will be read in public for the first time. Varnish Fine Art (77 Natoma St., at 2nd St.). FREE
Lineup includes: Daniel Alarcon, Catherine Brady, Ann Cummins, Kaui Hart Hemmings, Yiyun Li, and Elizabeth McKenzie.

Tuesday, October 11, 8 p.m.
Humor Me gathers that rare breed of authors who aim for and succeed in finding the elusive funny bone”one that shows up in no X-ray or MRI”for an evening of comedy. The Purple Onion Comedy Club (140 Columbus Ave. at Jackson). $10 at the door plus two-drink minimum; 21 and over
Lineup includes: Jack Boulware, Firoozeh Dumas, Merle Kessler (a.k.a. Ian Shoales), Ian Lendler, Beth Lisick, and Mal Sharpe.

Wednesday, October 12, 7 p.m.
With an eye for provocation and an ear for “le mot juste,” the authors participating in Loudmouths of Lit, Vol III, stand and deliver and deliver and deliver. The Make-Out Room (3225 22nd St. at Mission). $5-$10 Sliding Scale; 21 and over
Lineup includes: Tamim Ansary, Dodie Bellamy, Adam Johnson, Regina Louise, Martha O’Connor, Peter Orner, Holly Payne, Kirk Read, and Sean Wilsey.

Wednesday, October 12, 6:30 p.m.
Science Is Sexy is a both a geek treat and a primer on the compelling nature of theory and discovery. The Commonwealth Club (595 Market St. at 2nd St.). $12 for Litquake e-newsletter subscribers (bring a newsletter with you); free for Commonwealth Club members
Lineup includes: James Calder, Michael Chorost, David Ewing Duncan, Michael Pollan, and Richard Rhodes.

Thursday, October 13, 8 p.m.
Scored compiles the top scores in sports writing by featuring scribes engaged with the art of riling reader’s opinions while conveying the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. The Edinburgh Castle Literary Pub (950 Geary St.). $5-$10 sliding scale; 21 and over
Lineup includes: Alan Black, Bob Calhoun, Mickey Disend, and Gary Kamiya.

Thursday, October 13, 6 p.m.
In True Confessions, readings from the new anthology Single Woman of a Certain Age will reveal all. The Bubble Lounge (714 Montgomery between Washington and Jackson). FREE; 21 and over
Lineup includes: Isadora Alman, Anne Buelteman, Jane Ganahl, Kathi Kamen Goldmark, Jean Gonick, Susan Griffin, Wendy Merrill, April Sinclair, and Cameron Tuttle.

Friday, October 14, 7 p.m.
Word/Play: A Night of Poetry and Music brings the two lyrically-inclined disciplines together for a singular night of poetry with musical accompaniment that features Word & Violin, the duo of Pireeni Sundaralingam and Colm �” Riain. The Noe Valley Ministry (1021 Sanchez St. at 24th St.). $5-$10 sliding scale; all ages
Lineup includes: Juvenal Acosta, Justin Chin, Gillian Conoley, Sean Finney, Robert Hass, Kay Ryan, and Pireeni Sundaralingam.

Friday, October 14, 7 p.m.
It would be plain wrong to have an October festival in Fogtown dedicated to literature that didn’t include a track like Underbelly of the City, readings from new anthology San Francisco Noir. The Ha-Ra Club, 875 Geary Street at Larkin. FREE; 21 and over
Lineup includes: Robert Mailer Anderson, Kate Braverman, David Corbett, Eddie Muller, Peter Plate, and Domenic Stansberry. Emceed by Peter Maravelis.

Saturday, October 15, 5- 9:15 p.m.
The Lit Crawl is designed for those of who prefer their literature neat, on the rocks or with a water back”a four hour free pub crawl that includes queer, Latino, San Francisco Stories, travel, spirituality, erotica and other writing wends its way through 25 venues down Valencia Street in the Mission, Saturday, October 15, 5:00-9:15 p.m. See schedule below.

All Lit Crawl events are FREE; see specific venue for any age restrictions

Adobe Books
3166 16th Street at Valencia
Literary Magazines: Breeding Grounds for Emerging and Established Writers
The Believer: Andrew Leland, Jon Mooallem, and Annalee Newitz
Watchword: Erika Figel Roliz, Liz Lisle, Jim Nelson, and Nina Schuyler

Cafe La Onda
3159 16th Street at Valencia
Planning the Perfect Crime: Mystery Writers Make Their Mark
Cara Black, Rhys Bowen, Robin Burcell, Joe Gores, Laurie R. King, and Dylan Schaffer

Ti Couz Creperie
3108 16th Street at Valencia
HarperSanFrancisco: Celebrating the San Francisco Experience
Five Writers on Peace, Love, and Enlightenment
Sasha Cagen, Don Lattin, Dan Millman, Wes “Scoop” Nisker, and Starhawk

Forest Books
3080 16th Street at Valencia
Local Writing Groups: A Literary Support System
Left Coast Writers: Jeff Greenwald, Janell Moon, and Michael Shapiro
San Francisco Writers’ Workshop: Melodie Bowsher, Erika Mailman, Ed Waingortin

Valencia Street Books
569 Valencia Street between 16th and 17th streets
Finding Neverland: Writers of Young Adult Fiction
Michael Cadnum, Gennifer Choldenko, Joyce Maynard, Kathryn Reiss, and Katherine Sturtevant

Abandoned Planet Bookstore
518 Valencia Street between 16th and 17th streets
Voices of our Nation:
Nurturing the Traditions, Perspectives, and Aesthetics of Writers of Color
Kira Allen, Robyn Brooks, drea brown, Jasmine Dawson, Jenesha de Rivera, Diana Ip, Diem Jones, Meeta Kaur, Suzanne McFayden-Smith, Alison Peters, Aimee Suzara, and Patty Tumang

Casanova Cocktail Lounge (21 and over)
527 Valencia Street between 16th and 17th streets
Taking Off: Exploring the Wide World of Travel Writing
Travelers’ Tales: Larry Habegger, Jennifer L. Leo, and Richard Sterling
Lonely Planet: Don George, Bill Fink, and Amanda Jones, all contributors from By the Seat of My Pants humor anthology

Good Vibrations (18 and over)
603 Valencia Street at 17th Street
Getting Hot: Writers of Erotica Read at SF’s Famous Sex-Positive Store
Cleis Press: Violet Blue, Mark Pritchard, and Molly Weatherfield
Good Vibrations: Carol Queen and some of Good Vibes’ favorite authors.
6:30-7:45 p.m.

Elbo Room (21 and over)
647 Valencia Street between 17th and 18th streets
McSweeney’s Celebrates the Release of Robert Coover’s A Child Again
Robert Coover, one of the true revolutionaries in American fiction, will read from a new collection of short stories, revealing the cruelty of puppets, the perfection of a jigsaw puzzle, and the loneliness of the invisibleman.

New College Creamery
780 Valencia Street between 18th and 19th streets
Other Words: San Francisco International Poetry Festival
Christophe Fiat, Nora Gomringer, Anna Jörgensdotter, Dunya Mikhail, Kai Nieminen, Aldo Nove, Liam �” Muirthile, and Monika Rinck

826 Valencia
826 Valencia Street between 19th and 20th streets
826 Valencia celebrates the release of the latest edition of the 826 Quarterly with readings by young authors. This volume includes short stories, poems, news articles, essays, and oral histories, all written by Bay Area students, ages 8-18, and a foreword by Stephen Elliott. Come hear the range and talent of San Francisco’s next wave of authors as they gather for this special evening.

City Art Gallery
828 Valencia Street between 19th and 20th streets
True Tales: Adventures in Nonfiction
Josh Davis, Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, Scott Keneally, Josh Kornbluth, Kevin Smokler, Autumn Stephens, and Kent & Keith Zimmerman

Den
849 Valencia Street between 19th and 20th streets
Chronicle Books: Get in Bed With Chronicle Books!
Be a bad girl, love your lover, undress the best, and celebrate the unparenting life.
Jennifer Axen, Julianne Balmain, Leigh Phillips, Jennifer L. Shawne, and Cameron Tuttle

Borderlands Books
866 Valencia Street between 19th and 20th streets
Another Reality: Fantasy and Science Fiction Writing
Terry Bison, Michael Blumlein, Pat Murphy, and Loren Rhoads

Modern Times Bookstore
888 Valencia Street between 19th and 20th streets
Seal Press: True Stories of Women Exploring the World
Lea Aschkenas, Elizabeth Asdorian, Camille Cusumano, Samantha Schoech, and Lisa Taggart

Amnesia (21 and over)
853 Valencia Street between 19th and 20th streets
Live on Valencia!: Writers Behind the Music
Erik Davis, James D. Houston, Elizabeth Pepin, Sylvie Simmons, Denise Sullivan, and Jaan Uhelszki

Dog Eared Books
900 Valencia Street at 20th Street
The Next Generation: Young Writers Take the Stage
Youth Speaks: Featuring poets from the annual Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam. Now in its 10th year, Youth Speaks runs an ongoing free after-school workshop program, produces the International Youth Poetry Festival, curates two annual progressive theater festivals, Brave New Voices, and hosts a tri-monthly under-21 open mic.
Streetside Stories: Autobiographical stories written by participants in Streetside Stories’ Storytelling Exchange and featured in the 2005 anthology Writing Outside the Lines: Stories of Change by San Francisco Youth. Participants include: Cheyenne Danner, Miesha Henderson, Nayda Peace, Nina Perez, Beatriz Rivera, and Salman Shaikh.

Encantada Gallery
908 Valencia Street between 20th and 21st streets
Estoy & Estamos: Chicano/Latino Writers in English
Yuri Herrera-Gutierrez, Alejandro Murguia, Marc David Pinate, Tomás Riley, Daisy Zamora, and Norman Antonio Zelaya
8-9:15 p.m.

La Casa Del Libro
973 Valencia Street between 20th and 21st streets
Diversidad de las Voces Latinas: Spanish-Language and Brazilian Writers
Francisco X. Alarcon, Paula Valeria Andrade, Camincha, Martivon Galindo, Jose Antonio Galloso, Willy Lizárraga, and Alejandro Murguia
Ritual Coffee Roasters
1026 Valencia Street between 21st and 22nd streets
Daily Dish: San Francisco Chronicle’s Critics, Columnists, and Cartoonists
Don Asmussen, Peter Hartlaub, David Lazarus, Mark Morford, Oscar Villalon, and Pati Poblete

Upstairs at the Marsh
1062 Valencia Street between 21st and 22nd streets
San Francisco Stories: Books That Celebrate Our City by the Bay
Pamela Holm, Kim Wong Keltner, Gus Lee, Joe Quirk, K.M. Soehnlein, and Pam Tent

The Lone Palm (21 and over)
3394 22nd Street at Guerrero Street
Writing Women’s Lives: Exploring The World of Female Fiction
Meg Waite Clayton, Micheline Aharonian Marcom, Bharati Mukherjee, Cornelia Nixon, Katia Noyes, and Sarah Stone

Latin American Club (21 and over)
3286 22nd Street at Valencia
Loud and Proud: Celebrating Our Queerness
Writers with Drinks: Charlie Anders, m.i. blue, Noria Jablonski, and Juliette Torrez
Suspect Thoughts Press: Stephen Beachy, Kevin Killian, and Alvin Orloff reading the work of the late Sam D’Allesandro

Revolution Cafe
3248 22nd Street between Valencia and Mission
Tales from the Edge: Small Presses Make Their Mark
Public House Press: Arielle Eckstut , Amy Itzert, and Katherine McWilliams
Last Gasp: Dramatization of Keiji Nakazawa’s graphic novel, Barefoot Gen
Manic D Press: Jon Longhi and Jeri Cain Rossi

The Make-Out Room (21 and over)
3225 22nd Street between Valencia and Mission
MacAdam/Cage Publishing: “Independent Publishing at its Best”
Will Christopher Baer, Stephen Elliott , Michelle Richmond, and Michelle Tea

12 Galaxies (21 and over)
2565 Mission Street between 21st and 22nd streets
The Grotto: Members of SF’s Renowned Writers Collective Write About Parents
They Make You, They Mold You, They Mess You Up
Tom Barbash, Po Bronson, Xandra Castleton, Marianna Cherry, David Ewing Duncan, Susan Gerhard, Josh McHugh, Eric Puchner, Jason Roberts, Ethan Watters, and Alex Wellen