Katherine Manderfield

Want to fall in love with this city? Begin with the books that are set here.

Want to fall in love with this city? Begin with the books that are set here.

Todd Zuniga is a bit of a literary fetishist. Not only because he wears three-piece-suits, tosses out literary titles like people reference street names, and is as frequent a face at literary events as black-rimmed reading glasses and cheap red wine, but because Zuniga’s life literally resembles that of a 20th century nouveau roman protagonist.

Let the onslaught of all things literary in Los Angeles begin. The Los Angeles Times Festival of books is descending on our city this weekend and it promises to pack a seriously bookish punch. From fiction and poetry, to cooking, to a children’s stage and more, the 2012 LATFOB is only a few days away—and we can hardly wait. To tide you over until the gates open, here’s a rundown of all you need to know for this year’s festivities.

Literary evangelists of Los Angeles, let the countdown begin. April has officially arrived, which means our city’s most cherished annual literary extravaganza, The 17th annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, is only a few weeks away (April 21-22, to be exact).

After years of grilling some of the world’s biggest stars, Christopher Bollen has suddenly found himself in the interview hot seat: the author spoke with LAist about writing his first novel, the troubling state of the publishing industry, Occupy Wall St, and the kind of LA novel he would most like to read.

Tuesday, award-winning author Rebecca Skloot will read from her New York Times best-selling book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks at UCLA Live’s Royce Hall. The critically-acclaimed nonfiction book has been heralded for its intricate research and gripping story.

Novelist Mark Z. Danielewski is frighteningly good at what he does. His books have imparted an international cult following for their courageous and mind-bending subjects, experimental typography, and innovative approaches to story-telling.

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).

"Things got way too meta," Art Spiegelman says. The author sits at a table atop the Soho House, smoking a cigarette and awaiting his interview with Bookworm-host, Michael Silverblatt, for the 6th installment of KCRW's UpClose series. And he's not kidding.

Time to polish off those reading glasses because this Sunday marks the 10th anniversary of a SoCal literary tradition: the West Hollywood Book Fair! And for letters-loving Angelenos, the line-up is sure to delight. This year, the WeHo Book Fair boasts twelve stages and over a hundred exhibitors, all for fun and for free.

That's right: the days of dogging LA book culture might soon (finally!) be behind us thanks to The Los Angeles Review of Books, an ambitious new LA-based literature review journal that’s re-imagining the art of literary critique and propelling it into the 21st century. Digital, sprawling, and fearless, the LARB aims to reinvigorate book discourse by widening the margins of literary coverage and overthrowing the traditional book review format.