Arts Agenda: Book signings and discussions

Each week, ArtsATL delivers a critic’s short list of the shows, exhibitions, concerts and events we recommend for the coming weeks within one area in the kaleidoscope of Atlanta arts and culture. Saturday, April 25, is Independent Bookstore Day and more than 30 Georgia bookstores are participating. Get the full list here.

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April 23

Former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and Kandi Burruss dive into Bottoms’ memoir, The Rough Side of the Mountain, at The Gathering Spot at 7 p.m. April 23 in an event presented by 44th & Third Bookseller.

April 24

Morehouse Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center and 44th & 3rd Foundation, Inc. present a conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Percival Everett at Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College at 11 a.m. April 24.

April 25

Meet authors Kim Conrey (Nicholas Eternal) and George Weinstein (Hardscrabble Road) at Virginia Highland Books from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. on April 25.

April 27

Spelman College welcomes author Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw in honor of her new book, Backtalker: An American Memoir. Crenshaw will appear in conversation with Carol Anderson, Robert W. Woodruff Professor of African American Studies at Emory and author of the National Book Award-nominated One Person, No Vote, at 4 p.m. on April 27 at Spelman’s Cosby Auditorium.

April 30

Chinese American chef Ron Hsu of Atlanta’s Lazy Betty shares original recipes exploring innovative Asian-influenced dishes via the rich larder of the American South in his debut cookbook, Down South + East. He’ll appear at the Margaret Mitchell House in conversation with Henna Bakshi, Eater’s Regional and Audience Editor, at 7 p.m. on April 30.

April 30

A Cappella Books, Grocery on Home and the Origin Stories podcast join forces for a special evening with New York Times bestselling author Jami Attenberg and Origin Stories’ host Matthew Shaer at Grocery on Home at 7 p.m. April 30. The evening will include a live taping of an episode about the writing life inspired by Attenberg’s newest book, 1000 Words: A Writer’s Guide to Staying Creative, Focused, and Productive All Year Round.

May 11

The debut novel by NBC News anchor Morgan Radford, Now Then, follows a Harvard student navigating her own path to self-discovery while uncovering her mother’s secret past fleeing the Cuban revolution. A Cappella Books and Georgia Center for the Book welcome Radford in conversation with Georgia Democratic gubernatorial nominee and New York Times best-selling author Stacey Abrams at the Decatur Library at 7 p.m. on May 11.

May 12

Robert D. Bland, author of Requiem for Reconstruction: Black Countermemory and the Legacy of the Lowcountry’s Lost Political Generation, will appear in conversation with Claire Haley at 7 p.m. on May 12 at the Atlanta History Center’s McElreath Hall.

May 13

Award-winning documentary photographer Virginia McGee Richards comes to Constellations on Auburn Avenue in honor of her new book, The Inner Passage: An Untold Story of Black Resistance Along a Southern Waterway. Richards will appear in conversation with Crystal R. Sanders, associate professor of African American Studies at Emory University, at 7 p.m. on May 13.

May 14

A Cappella Books presents an evening with Kathryn Stockett, author of The Help, to celebrate the launch of her long-awaited new novel, The Calamity Club. The author will appear in conversation with Peter Biello, host of All Things Considered, at the Garden Club at Wild Heaven West End at 7 p.m. on May 14. Each ticket includes a signed first edition of The Calamity Club.

May 17

The Book Bird in Avondale Estates will host a chat with food media personality, cookbook author and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s new food editor, Monti Carlo, and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Kim Severson at 4 p.m. on May 17.

May 19

In Wired for Wonder, writer and editor Aaron Cline Hanbury explores the massive and mundane ways technology shapes and reshapes our world. He’ll discuss his work at 7 p.m. on May 19 at the Atlanta History Center’s McElreath Hall.

WABE presents An Evening with David Sedaris at the Cobb Energy Centre at 7:30 p.m. on May 19. The National Public Radio contributor and author will be live onstage following the release of his new children’s book, Pretty Ugly.

May 26
Atlanta author Jessica Handler will appear at Manuel’s Tavern to celebrate the launch of her new novel, The World to See. She’ll be in conversation with Virginia Prescott, president of School of Humans Audio and former host of GPB’s On Second Thought, at 7 p.m. on May 26.

May 31

Celebrate Road Trip, the newest novel by local Avondale Estates author Mary Kay Andrews, a New York Times best-selling author of 30 novels. She’ll talk about her writing process and her newest book at The Chapel on Sycamore from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on May 31 at an event sponsored by The Book Bird.

June 3

New York Times best-selling author of Begin Again, Eddie S. Glaude Jr., will appear at the Performing Arts Studio at Emory University for a discussion of his new book, America, U.S.A.: How Race Shadows the Nation’s Anniversaries. He’ll speak with Erica Armstrong Dunbar — historian, professor and author of the National Book Award finalist Never Caught — at 7 p.m. June 3.