Books this week around L.A.: Libreria Martinez celebrates and more
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Our pick: Next Sunday, Feb. 1, Librería Martinez in Santa Ana is throwing a grand reopening in its new location (at 1200 N. Main St., Suite D, next door to its old one). Librería Martinez is the bookstore of Rueben Martínez, the man who began with a few books in his barbershop and wound up getting a MacArthur ‘Genius’ grant for bookselling in 2004. Part of that money went into a literacy nonprofit; part went into the bookstore, which, despite its achievments, is now struggling to stay afloat. On Sunday, there will be a panel with Sarah Rafael Garcia, Jamie Martinez Wood and Mary Castillo, moderated by Latino Affairs journalist Marcos Najera, and, as with all celebrations, food and wine.
Also recommended:
Tuesday, Jan. 27: Support local literary culture at the launch party for the latest issue of the Los Angeles Review literary journal at Skylight Books in Los Feliz. This issue, #5, includes work by local authors Timothy Green, Stephanie Eve Halpern, Eloise Klein Healy, Jamey Hecht and Edan Lepucki, all of whom will be on hand reading from their work. 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 28: Thinkin’ about Lincoln? This year is the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth, and Ronald C. White Jr.’s ‘A. Lincoln: A Biography’ is the first book marking the occasion. He’ll read and discuss at Vroman’s in Pasadena at 7 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 29: Dave Eggers visits 826LA East for a book party launching ‘Thanks and Have Fun Running the Country: Kids’ Letters to President Obama’ at 7:30 p.m. The letters are by kids from the 826 centers across the country; pre-ordering the book online — just $12 — will save you a seat at the Echo Park event, which will include reading and discussion. Also on Thursday, Sven Birkerts will be at the Hammer at 7 p.m.; the editor of the literary journal Agni and the director of the Bennington writers seminars, his books often deal thoughfully with the process and problems of writing.
— Carolyn Kellogg
