Festival Will Feature Best-Selling Authors

Eight national best-selling authors and 10 local writers will appear at the fifth annual Festival of Books presented by the Jewish Community Center of Orange County from Dec. 3-17.

The festival, part of a nationwide event that introduces the public to new books by Jewish authors, will begin at the Jewish Community Center at 2 p.m. Dec. 3 with a lecture, “Ancient Egypt and Israel: Interconnections,” by William G. Dever, professor of Near East Archeology at the University of Arizona.

Dever’s presentation, in which he will examine archeological and textual evidence from the past to bring the biblical world to life, is in conjunction with the Bowers Museum of Cultural Art exhibition “Egyptian Art from the British Museum.”

Advance tickets are $5 for JCC and Bowers Museum members and $7.50 general admission. Admission at the door is $10 for everyone.

Authors scheduled to appear at the two-week festival are: Tova Mirvis (“The Ladies’ Auxiliary”) at 1 p.m. Dec. 5; Niles Elliot Goldstein (“God at the Edge”) at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5; Rich Cohen (“The Avengers: A Jewish War Story”), at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7; Rabbi Elie Kaplan Spitz (“Does the Soul Survive? A Jewish Journey to Belief in Afterlife, Past Lives and Living with a Purpose”) at 7 p.m. Dec. 10; Myla Goldberg (“The Bee Season”) and Nomi Eve (“The Family Orchard”) at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 14;, and David Liss (“A Conspiracy of Paper”) 1 p.m. Dec. 17.

In addition, 10 local authors will appear at special “author signing days” at the center on Dec. 3 and 10, from 1 to 3 p.m. Scheduled are: Susan Goldstein “(Healthy Dining in Orange County”); Louis Posner (“Through a Boy’s Eyes: The Turbulent Years 1926-1945”); William A. Gordon (“Ultimate Hollywood Tour Book” and “Four Dead in Ohio”); Goldye Harris and Annette Shapiro (“Professional Shopper”); cartoonist Reudor (“The Hebrew Month” and “The Hebrew Alphabet”); Judy Kancigor (“Melting Pot Memories”); Dr. Mark Rosen (“Spider Matrix”); Stephanie Schneider (“Raising A Spiritual Child”); and Zee Knapp (“Super Invention Fair Projects” and “Super Math Tricks”).

The Jewish Community Center of Orange County is at 250 E. Baker St., Costa Mesa. Tickets for of the author events are $38 for JCC members and $60 general admission. Individual events are $8 for JCC members and $12 general admission. For tickets, call (714) 755-0340.

Also Coming Up

* Los Angeles Times columnist Al Martinez will sign his novel, “The Last City Room” at Borders Books & Music, the Block at Orange, 20 City Drive West, Orange. 3 p.m. today. (714) 385-1025.

* Poet William Hart will read at Borders Books & Music, the Block at Orange, 20 City Drive West, Orange. 7:30 p.m. Monday. (714) 769-3224.

* Barbara DeMarco Barrett will interview Jonathan Kirsch (“King David”) on “Writers on Writing” on KUCI (88.9 FM) in Irvine. 5 p.m. Thursday.

* Tom Hodgins will read “Celtic Echoes” at the UC Irvine Bookstore on campus. 5 p.m. Thursday. (949) 824-7337.

* A holiday gift book sale will be held at the Laguna Niguel Library, 30341 Crown Valley Parkway, Laguna Niguel. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. (949) 249-5252.

* A used-book sale will be held at the Newport Beach Central Library, 1000 Avocado Ave., Newport Beach. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. (949) 759-9667.

* Tom and Penelope Pauley, a father and daughter writing duo, will discuss “I’m Rich Beyond My Wildest Dreams” at the Aliso branch library, 1 Journey, Aliso Viejo. 2 p.m. Saturday. (949) 360-1730.

* Sam McCarver will sign “The Case of the 2nd Seance” at Coffee, Tea & Mystery, 11931 Valley View St., Garden Grove. 2 p.m. Saturday. (714) 898-2583.

*

Send information about book-related events at least 10 days before event to: Dennis McLellan, O.C. Books & Authors, Los Angeles Times, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Or e-mail to dennis.mclellan@latimes.com.