Each month I’ll be investigating events around town that might pique the interest of the book nerds, the literature obsessed, and those who enjoy stimulating entertainment and/or socializing. Not surprisingly, Austin has a number of things going on every month the Book People community would enjoy.
One Page Salon
Tuesday, November 3rd at 7pm
Now at The North Door!
Well, it was bound to happen guys. The One Page Salon has outgrown its original home at the beloved Whip In and moved to a bigger space. A space with more space and more seats, though with admittedly less curry and naan. Starting Tuesday November 3rd, this monthly literary event will officially take place at The North Door – Austin’s best venue for alternative entertainment. Both Nerd Nite and Literary Death Match take place at The North Door, so it’s a natural fit for Owen and his cast of One Page Bandits.
This month’s renegade readers include Ada Calhoun, Bernadette Nason, Mike Yang, Natalie Grigson, Ross Smith and Matt The Electrician. To keep up to date on everything One Page Salon, go like them on Facebook! DO IT!
The North Door is located at 502 Brushy St. just east of I-35 between 5th and 6th. As always, admission to The One Page Salon is FREE! And did I mention The North Door has a pizza kitchen? Oh, well, it’s yummy. You should try it!
Trouble Puppet presents Frankenstein
Every Thurs-Sat Oct 29th – Nov 22nd at 8pm, and every Sunday through Nov 22nd at 6pm
Trouble Puppet is Austin’s premier puppet theater. Started by Connor Hopkins in 2004, Trouble Puppet has evolved into a fully developed and award winning performance company.
Trouble Puppet’s Frankenstein, adapted (loosely) from Mary Shelley’s famous novel of the same name, was one of the shows that originally caught Austin’s attention, winning the B. Iden Payne awards for Outstanding Puppetry, Outstanding Direction of a Drama, and Outstanding Production of a Drama. Trouble Puppet has turned this gothic tale into a steampunk puppet show with custom made puppets, costumes, sets, and original music.
Trouble Puppet focuses on fully staged theatrical productions that primarily use American tabletop puppets, along with hand puppets, shadow puppets, and Czech-style marionettes, all designed by Artistic Director Connor Hopkins.
A few things to note: There is a double feature on 11/13 with the Invincible Czars. This show starts at 7pm, instead of the usual 8pm. After the show, the Czars will show the film Nosferatu and play their awesome, original live score! In addition, there will be ASL interpretation by Emily Niswonger at this show.
While Trouble Puppet is sometimes family friendly, this particular show is not designed for children. It is suggested for ages 11 and up.
Tickets range from $10-$21 and are available at Brown Paper Tickets!
This show was also just featured in the Austin Chronicle’s Five Faces of Frankenstein article. Check it out!
Neil Gaiman at The Long Center for the Performing Arts
Friday, November 13th at 8pm
Neil Gaiman has been popping up all over the country lately, and Austin gets its very own visit! Gaiman will be at the Long Center Dell Hall giving a talk, reading some words, answering some questions, and possibly causing some befuddlement and delight (or some befuddled delight, not sure).
Neil Gaiman is perhaps my own personal “favorite author of all time”. I’m currently revisiting his groundbreaking Sandman graphic novel series and getting even more out of than the first two times around. His work really is something special, and I may spend the evening attempting to sneak backstage to ambush Mr. Gaiman with some black roses and homemade fruit tarts (okay, maybe not, but it’s fun imagining just how awkward that would end up being).
Tickets start at a very reasonable $39, and Book People will be on hand selling some of his titles, though at this time there is no information about whether we’ll have signed copies or not.
One last thing… I’ve heard, and seen online, that Gaiman has stated that he is retiring from public life. This could be his last tour. or not. But there is a chance that this will be our last chance to see this great author talk about his work in person.
Jonathan Bate Lecture Wed. Nov 18th at 7pm
Ted Hughes: The Unauthorised Life
At The Ransom Center
Jonathan Bate is a British academic, biographer and novelist, as well as Professor of English Literature at The University of Oxford. In 2010 he was commissioned by Faber and Faber to write a literary life of Ted Hughes, only the have the project cancelled when the Hughes Estate withdrew their co-operation. The book was later recommissioned by HarperCollins as an “unauthorised biography”.
Ted Hughes, British Poet Laureate from 1984 until his death in 1998, is considered by some to be one of the greatest poets of his generation. Starting with The Hawk in the Rain in 1957, Hughes wrote dozens of poetry collections, childrens books, short stories and plays. But his marriage to Sylvia Plath, and relationship to her at the time of her suicide, has made him a controversial figure.
For the annual Stanley Burnshaw Lecture, Jonathan Bate tells the inside story of his new biography, Ted Hughes: The Unauthorised Life. Bate spent years working through Hughes’s archive only to have the estate’s authorization withdrawn. A reception and book signing follow. This event is FREE and open to the public.
Attendees may enter to win a copy of Selected Poems 1957–1994 by Ted Hughes, and a copy of From Gutenberg to Gone With The Wind: Treasures from the Ransom Center.
The Harry Ransom Center is located at 21st and Guadalupe St, on the University of Texas campus.
T.C. Boyle Reading Thurs. Nov 19th at 7:30pm
AVAYA AUDITORIUM IN THE ACES BUILDING
The Michener Center for Writers at The University of Texas at Austin presents a reading by novelist and short story writer T. C. Boyle. Boyle’s archive resides at the Ransom Center.
T.C. Boyle has published fourteen novels and over 100 short stories. He is currently a Distinguished Professor of English at the University of Southern California. His most recent novel, The Harder They Come, follows the relationship of Sten Stenson, his son Adam and his son’s girlfriend Sara, in modern-day California. Sten, a Vietnam veteran, tries to help his schizophrenic son, but thing get out of hand after he shoots someone and goes underground with Sara, a right-wing anarchist who refuses to acknowledge the laws of the state.
The Applied Computational Engineering and Science (ACES) building is located on the UT campus at 24th and Speedway.
NOTE: These events are not affiliated with Book People, except that we think they are great, that you’ll like them too, and hope to see you there!
Are you hosting, or know about, a literary themed event here in Austin in the upcoming months??? If so, email sarah.h (at) bookpeople dot com and let her know about it (hopefully with at least a few weeks advance warning)!
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