Jenny Odell, an artist and writer who teaches at Stanford, will be reading and signing copies of her New York Times best-selling book How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy.
"An eloquent argument against the cult of efficiency."—Jennifer Szalai, THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

A new volume of poetry from Robert Hass is always an event. In Summer Snow, his first collection of poems since 2010, Hass further affirms his position as one of our most highly regarded living poets.

Following her National Book Award–nominated debut novel, A Kind of Freedom, Margaret Wilkerson Sexton returns to discuss her new novel THE REVISIONERS a historically inspired story of survivors and healers, of black women and their black sons, set in the American South. Books available for purchase during event.

Sarah Kobrinsky the former Poet Laureate of Emeryville reading from her new book NIGHTIME ON THE OTHERSIDE OF EVERYTHING in conversation with Jennifer Lewis, Writer and Editor in Chief of Red Light Lit

Meredith May, Author and Beekeeper, will be Reading from her memoir, The Honey Bus: A Memoir of Loss, Courage and a Girl Saved by Bees. Join us for a reading, wine, conversation, and honey tasting!

Cynthia Li, MD, author of Brave New Medicine will be reading from her book and in conversation with Michael Lerner of Commonweal. This event is co-sponsored by The New School at Commonweal.

Pulitzer Prize-winning Journalist Jose Antonio Vargas is an activist, journalist and filmmaker. He was part of a Washington Post team that won a Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the Virginia Tech shootings.

Join Cafe Society Presents and Moxie Road Productions for a Monthly Write-in.
Bring pen, paper or laptop and write with us.
Write-In from 5-7 pm
Mingle from 7-8:30 pm.

This summer Moxie Road brings the spirit of Hedgebrook to you. Co-presented by Café Society. For the third year in a row, Moxie Road Productions teams up with Hedgebrook, the women's writing collective, for an afternoon of writing, reading, and sharing. Bring your five-minute-piece (800-ish words) to share at our open mic!
5-7 pm, we'll meet for a silent write-in. 
7:8:30 pm, we’ll pick four names to join emcee Tarja Parssinen and selected Hedgebrook authors.

Josiah Luis Alderete, who hosts the Latinx reading series “Speaking Axolotl’ in Oakland
Leticia del Toro, California poet and short story writer
Ananda Esteva, author of Pisco Sours, a book of poetry, and a young adult adventure novel, The Wanderings of Chela Coatlícue; Touring Califaztlán

Cafe Society and Moxie Road Productions bring you a night of readings in celebration of Mother's Day! Join Jane Vandenburgh, Tarja Parssinen, Janine N Kovac, Regina Louise, Rae'Chel Stanley, Tomas Moniz, and emcee Shannon Hughes. Their stories run the gamut from sweet and sticky to the joy of being motherless.

Award-winning screenwriter, playwright, and novelist Erik Tarloff will be reading from his new novel, The Woman in Black.

Devi Laskar reading from her debut novel, The Atlas of Reds and Blues in conversation with author Elizabeth Rosner

Catamaran welcomes distinguished poets, writers, & visual artists from recent issues.

Allan de Souza, Multi-media Artist, Photographer and UC Berkeley Professor will be reading from his new book How Art Can Be Thought, in conversation with Artist Jan Wurm.

R.O. Kwon, author of The Incendiaries will be in conversation with Margaret Wilkerson Sexton, author of A Kind of Freedom

English Professor at University of California, Berkeley, Hertha Sweet Wong will do a reading from her book, Picturing Identity: Contemporary American Autobiography in Image and Text

Valerie Wallace's Poems are about the life and work of British fashion designer and couturier Alexander McQueen (1969-2010).
"Sensual, devastating, and lithe as silk, Wallace’s work is a fitting tribute to McQueen’s dynamic yet tragic life.” ~ Publishers Weekly

Victoria Patterson reading from a new book of stories  "The Secret Habit of Sorrow"

Cafe Society Presents "Romeo is Bleeding," a Benefit Screening for Richmond's RAW Talent Collective, with Donte Clark in conversation.

Donte Clark — poet, writer, youth activist— gained national recognition with the 2017 release of the award-winning documentary “Romeo Is Bleeding.” Donte and the RAW Talent Collective's spoken word artists will perform, and there will be a discussion of the making of the film.

Griffin Prize-winning poet Brenda Hillman in conversation with Robert Hass and reading from Extra Hidden Life, Among The Days

Richmond Writes! Richmond's Poet Laureates Daniel Ari, Ciera Jevai Gordon and Rob Lipton with the winners of the Richmond Writes Poetry in the Schools Competition

Historian and Civil Rights Activist, Betty Reid Soskin will do a reading from her book, A Memoir of a Pioneering Life: Sign My Name to Freedom

Novelist Jeff Talarigo will discuss In the Cemetery of the Orange Trees,  a collection of stories about life in the Gaza region. 

Whitney Chadwick, author of Farewell to the Muse: Love War and the Women of Surrealism, will discuss her book on female friendship, Surrealism, and the shaping of women artists' lives by war, loss, and trauma.

Meredith May, author of I, WHO DID NOT DIE, tells the incredible story of two men who were destined to be mortal enemies, but instead found in each other mercy, kindness, and hope.

Please join us for a glass of holiday cheer to celebrate Kaleidoscope's Second Anniversary.

Cafe Society poets, writers, artists, and community leaders who have presented will attend and be available to sign books.

Elizabeth Rosner, Author of Survivor Cafe: The Legacy of Trauma, will be in conversation with Elizabeth Farnsworth, author of A Train Through Time.

Sylvia Brownrigg, author of Pages for Her and Cornelia Nixon, author of The Use of Fame will be in conversation with Kirsten Saxton, English Professor at Mills College. Both authors will do a reading and book signing.