L.A.'s Literary Scene Is Well & Thriving This Fall

While the change of seasons might not be as noticeable here as in other cities, Angelenos can still feel the onset of autumn. Whether it's the darker skies or the shorter days, fall has officially arrived—and with it, a surge in all things literary. Here's a roundup of local lit news and happenings because even in L.A., autumn is a great time to cozy up with a good book (we just don't need the extra down comforter, thanks).

What’s New in Local Lit:

KCRW’s UpClose Series podcast featuring Art Spiegelman went up today. The Pulitzer-Prize winning novelist and illustrator, who is on tour for his latest book MetaMaus, spoke candidly with KCRW’s Bookworm-host Michael Silverblatt about literature, comic books and all things Maus. The interview is part of KCRW’s UpClose series, which puts audiences in direct conversation with some of today’s biggest cultural icons. Check it out here.

LARB launches its first ePub. The Los Angeles Review of Books is taking the L.A. literary world by storm, and now the comprehensive lit review is available as an e-Pub. The latest issue features work from David Shields, Lisa Jane Persky and Ben Ehrenreich. The LARB ePub is available via the review’s website and Amazon.com.

The Writer’s Room, L.A.’s newest ‘literary bar’ is now officially open for business. This Hollywood Boulevard bar was once a local favorite of literary all-stars like Faulkner, Fitzgerald, Parker, and Chandler. The owners of The Writer’s Room are aiming to recreate the Old Hollywood literary vibe (you read that right). Check out Jacket Copy’s great spotlight on it this week for more information, or check it out for yourself at 6685 Hollywood Blvd (back entrance, 9pm-2am, Thurs-Sat).

Vincent Price’s Edgar Allen Poe-Adapted Film Screening At LACMA on Halloween: In L.A., literary events and Halloween are curious bedfellows (remember last year’s RedCat event with Mark Danielewski?). This year, you can count on the stories of Edgar Allen Poe to keep you frightfully entertained on All Hallow’s Eve, thanks to the Vincent Price exhibit at the LACMA. The filmmaker’s work will be screened all day long and will feature two adaptations of Poe’s stories. You can find more information here.

Coming Soon to a Literary Venue Near You:

Wanda Coleman at Beyond Baroque. October 21. 7:30pm. $7.
Michael Ondaatje at Vroman’s. October 21. 7pm. Free.
Norman Rush at the Hammer. October 25. 7pm. Free.
Oliver Stone at Book Soup. October 22. 7pm. Free.
Rhoda Janzen at the Hammer on October 27. 7pm. Free.
Henry Rollins at Book Soup October 27. 7pm. Free.
Young Literati 4th Annual Toast ft. Shepard Fairey, Russell Brand, Henry Rollins and Demetri Rollins at LAPL. October 28. (Ticket info here).
Ry Cooder in conversation with David Ulin at Skylight Books. November 6. Free.
Joan Didion in conversation with David Ulin on November 16 at Vibiana. 8pm. (Ticket info after the jump.)
Dennis Cooper at Skylight on November 17. Free.

Mark your calendars and start reading. This fall is shaping up to be one of L.A.’s most literary yet.

Know of any fall literary happenings? Let ‘em rip.