Recommended Chicagoland literary events for Saturday, April 24 through Friday, April 30.
SaturdayChicago Public Library will hold annual celebration of PoetryFest, as part of National Poetry Month, with readings, workshops, performances, lectures and panel discussions from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Harold Washington Library, 400 S. State St.; free. For more information and a schedule of events, go to
chipublib.org.
Sunday “The Sunday Papers” radio show, hosted by Tribune reporter Rick Kogan, will feature Mary Ann Presman and James Wolfe (“Curse? There Ain't No Stinking Chicago Cub Curse” from 6:30 to 7 a.m., Marlene Necheles (“Clara Peller: An American Icon”) from 7 to 7:30 a.m. and Cathleen Falsani (“Sin Boldly: A Field Guide to Grace” and “The Dude Abides: The Gospel According to the Coen Brothers”) from 8:40 to 9 a.m. during the 6:30 to 9 a.m. broadcast on WGN-AM 720.
The 32nd Jo-Anne Hirshfeld Memorial Poetry Awards ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. at the Evanston Public Library, 1703 Orrington Ave., Evanston. The event will include a reading by this year's judge, poet Bobbi Katz; free.
Don De Grazia and Matt Martin will host “Come Home Chicago,” an evening of music, readings, and comedy, with featured guests actor Tim O'Malley, novelist Billy Lombardo (“The Man With Two Arms”), book critic Donna Seaman, writer John Schultz (“The Chicago Conspiracy Trial” and “No One Was Killed: The Democratic National Convention, August 1968”) and other special guests, 10 E. Walton St.; free.
Monday Actress Holly Robinson Peete will sign copies of her children's book, “My Brother Charlie,” at 7 p.m. at Borders, 1144 Lake St., Oak Park; free.
TuesdayOpium magazine and Literary Death Match founder Todd Zuniga will discuss the future of reading at 2 p.m. Columbia College Chicago's Film Row Cinema, 1104 S. Wabash Ave., eighth floor. At 7 p.m. Zuniga will host Literary Death match in the Conaway Center in the same building. The event will feature guest judges Chris Bower, Jason Bredle, Lindsay Hunter and Robbie Q. Telfer.
The Moth Story Slam will present an evening of story performance on this month's theme: On the Road. The event will take place at 8 p.m. at Martyr's, 3855 N. Lincoln Ave., $7 admission at the door. Only 21 and older will be admitted.
Wednesday Jonathan Eig will read from and discuss his latest book, “Get Capone!: The Secret Plot that Captured America's Most Wanted Gangster” at 7 p.m. at The Book Cellar, 4736-38 N. Lincoln Ave.; free.
Thursday Northwestern University School of Continuing Studies creative writing program will host a faculty and student reading featuring special guest author Patrick Somerville (“The Cradle”), who will read from his recent collection of short stories, “Universe in Miniature in Miniature” at 6 p.m. at Northwestern University School of Continuing Studies, 339 East Chicago Ave., Wieboldt Hall, Room 408; free. Advance seating can be reserved at
scs.northwestern.edu/events.
Author Josh Wilker will read from his book “Cardboard Gods: An All-American Tale Told Through Baseball Cards” at 7 p.m. at Quimby's, 1854 W. North Ave.; free.
Elizabeth Berg will read from and sign copies of her book “The Last Time I Saw You” at 7 p.m. at The Book Cellar, 4736-38 N. Lincoln Ave.; free.
Friday Poets from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Argentina will come together through Contratiempo Literary Center and DePaul's Center for Latino Studies for Poesia en Abril, a tribute performance to Mario Benedetti, followed by live jazz from Darwin Noguera and Calje at 7 p.m. at Green Dolphin Street, 2200 N. Ashland Ave.; $10 suggested donation, with all donations to benefit Contratiempo, a Chicago nonprofit literary and publishing center. For more information or advance tickets, go to
revistacontratiempo.com. Only 18 and older will be admitted.
Sterling A. Brown Blues Festival of the Arts will feature a panel discussion, blues and hip-hop workshops, open mic performances by Columbia College students and local high school students, a staged reading of August Wilson's “Ma Rainey's Black Bottom” and will include a keynote address by Angela Y. Davis, who will read from and discuss her book, “Blues Legacies and Black Feminism: Gertrude ‘Ma' Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Billie Holiday” The festival will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. at Columbia College Chicago's Getz Theater, 72 E. 11th St. General admission tickets are $5 and required in advance. For more information or tickets, go to
colum.edu.
Authors Jonathan Eig and Elizabeth Berg will appear with this year's Printers Row Lit Fest, June 12-13. For a list of participating authors, go to our special Printers Row Lit Fest online section.
Amy Guth, aguth@tribune.