What's Going On This Week at Boswell for May 7-13? Plus Events at the Lynden Sculpture Garden and the Plankinton Arcade and Mystery One.

Monday, May 7, 7 pm, at Boswell:
Alison Bechdel, author of Are You My Mother? and Fun Home,

With an authorless discussion of Fun Home at the store at 5:30 pm.

From the USA Today review from Deirdre Donahue: "In her new graphic memoir, Bechdel seeks to understand her relationship with her mother, who is alive. The result is less Gothic than Fun House (sic) but no less fascinating. A retired teacher who writes and acts, the highly intelligent Helen was a better parent than her husband, though plenty weird. (She stopped kissing and hugging her daughter when Alison was 7.)"

I think it's one of those things where it takes the new book's release to get the enthusiasm going. At first reaction seemed quiet, but now everybody's abuzz about Bechdel coming. I think we're going to be setting up for, if not a full house, then probably 150. As always, we close the door if we hit capacity, but we then reopen for the signing part.

Tuesday, May 8, 7 pm, Women's Speaker Series at the Lynden Sculpture Garden, 2145 W. Brown Deer Rd.,
Admission is $15, $12 for members:
The Daniel Goldin Book Club-apalooza, with wine.

Needless to say, my reputation is on the line for this one. Like hearing me on Wisconsin Public Radio or at one of my short book club talks at the store? Have you heard from a book group that they enjoyed one of my presentations? Well, here's your chance to hear about new and sort-of new books in lovely setting. I've had enough feedback from other talks that I can promise, if nothing else, that I'll be entertaining.

Wednesday, May 9, 7:30 am, Plankinton Arcade, 161 W. Wisconsin Ave., 2nd floor,
Co-sponsored with Business Journal of Greater Milwaukee and MiKE: Innovation in Milwaukee:
Austin Kleon, author of Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You about Being Creative.

Steal Like an Artist began with the seeds of a simple 10-point list aimed at some community college students with the premise of "things I wish someone told me when I was starting out." The text and slides made it onto the internet and became a viral sensation, with praise raining down from the likes of Rosanne Cash, Seth Godin, and Chris Anderson. The book features the original text, plus new wisdom, fun and accompanied by Austin's no-nonsense, yet completely charming, sketches.

Wednesday, May 9, 7 pm, at Boswell,
co-sponsored with Cedar Block:
Austin Kleon, author of Steal Like an Artist.

From the School Library Journal review: "The book’s small size and unusual shape catches the eye, as does the bold black-and-white cover, which is echoed in the alternating black-and-white pages within. Quirky charts, drawings, lists, and photographs break up the text. This is a quick, easily digestible read that is particularly relevant in today’s digital world."

Thursday, May 10, 7 pm, at Mystery One, 2109 N. Prospect Ave.:
Nancy Atherton, author of Aunt Dimity and the Village Witch (in hardcover) and Aunt Dimity and the Family Tree (in paperback).

Talk about cozy! There's not even murder in the newest Lori Shepherd mystery, but there's still a mystery. Publishers Weekly called the story "absorbing" and here's a note from Kirkus: "Although there’s little mystery in the traditional sense, the hunt for historical artifacts adds spice to one of the most charming adventures of Lori and Aunt Dimity."

And here's a note on the event. We're co-hosting this event with Mystery One. They'll be selling the new book and we'll be selling the backlist, but it all takes place at 2109 North Prospect. We'll be joining Dave (Richard is out of town) for a nice evening with a lovely author.

Friday, May 11, 7 pm, History Night at Boswell:
Glen Jeansonne, author of The Life of Herbert Hoover: Fighting Quaker, 1928-1933.
and also
David Luhrssen, author of Hammer of the Gods: The Thule Society and the Birth of Nazism.

First a note on Jeasonne's The Life of Herbert Hoover. Born in a Quaker hamlet in Iowa, orphaned at nine, Herbert Hoover rose to wealth and world fame as an international mining engineer, the savior of Belgium during the Great War, and Food Administrator under Woodrow Wilson. He combined government with private resources to become the first president to pit government action against the economic cycle, setting precedents and spawning ideas employed by his successor and all future presidents.

And now a bit about Hammer of the Gods. Public interest in Adolf Hitler and all aspects of the Third Reich continues to grow as new generations ponder the moral questions surrounding Nazi Germany and its historical legacy. One aspect of Nazism that has not received sufficient attention from historians of the Third Reich is the doctrine’s origins in the Thule Society, a Munich occult group with a political agenda. Both general readers and academics concerned with European cultural and intellectual history will find that Hammer of the Gods opens new perspectives on nineteenth- and twentieth-century Europe.

Saturday, May 12, 1 pm, at Boswell, free mini-workshop:
Kate Hopper, author of Use Your Words: A Writing Guide for Mothers.

“Part writing workshop, part anthology, part mothers’ group between two covers, Use Your Words is so much more than an instruction manual. It is also a readable, powerful call to the page for every woman in the process of giving birth to herself as a writer. If you have ever wondered whether motherhood is a viable literary subject, or whether you have a mothering story worth telling, Kate Hopper’s beautifully written book will answer that question once and for all – with compelling excerpts, exercises to inspire you, and clear, practical teachings on matters of voice, structure, and style.”
--Katrina Kenison, author of The Gift of an Ordinary Day and Mitten Strings for God.

Saturday, May 12, 7 pm, at Boswell, $5 ticket.
Will Allen of Growing Power, Inc., author of The Good Food Revolution: Growing Healthy Food, People, and Communities.

In 1993, Will Allen cashed out a small retirement package bought a couple acres a few blocks from Milwaukee’s largest public housing project. Almost 20 years later, those acres have been developed into the country's finest urban farm. Now in The Good Food Revolution, MacArthur Genius grant recipient Allen shares his story with the world. Ticket proceeds from this event will be donated to Growing Power, Inc., and a ticket also gets you 20% off a copy of The Good Food Revolution.

Note that this is our first C-Span taping for Book TV. We're very excited, but I should also note there will likely be configuration issues, in order to get Boswell camera ready, so to speak.