Book events for the week of June 27, 2010

Compiled by Grace Krilanovich.

SUNDAY

John Baldessari: LACMA presents the artist and curator Leslie Jones in a conversation held in conjunction with the opening of the retrospective exhibition, “John Baldessari: Pure Beauty.” Broad Contemporary Art Museum at LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. 2 p.m. Free. (323) 857-6512.

Francesca Lia Block: The author will present and sign her new children’s picture book, “House of Dolls.” Diesel Bookstore, 225 26th St., L.A. 3 p.m. Free. (310) 576-9960.

Neil LaBute: The screenwriter and playwright will discuss and sign his new book, “Filthy Talk for Troubled Times: and Other Plays.” Book Soup, 8818 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. 7 p.m. Free. (310) 659-3110.

MONDAY

Carin Davis: The author of “Life, Love, Lox: Real-World Advice for the Modern Jewish Girl” will present and sign her new book. Book Soup, 8818 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. 7 p.m. Free. (310) 659-3110.

Scott Turow: 826LA presents the author in conversation with actor Dustin Hoffman on the subject of Turow’s latest novel, “Innocent,” the sequel to “Presumed Innocent.” Zipper Hall at the Colburn School, 200 South Grand Ave., L.A. 8 p.m. $25-$95. (213) 413-3388. https://www.826la.org.

TUESDAY

Aimee Bender: The author of the story collection “Willful Creatures” will read and sign her new novel, “The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake.” Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. 7 p.m. Free. (626) 449-5320.

Scott Sigler: The author of “Ancestor” will present and sign his new thriller. Book Soup, 8818 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. 7 p.m. Free. (310) 659-3110.

Elizabeth Streb and Philippe Petit: The MacArthur “Genius” award-winning founder of STREB Extreme Action Company and the high-wire performer — who was the subject of the Academy Award-winning documentary “Man on Wire” — will discuss their work as part of the Hammer Conversations series. Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood. 7 p.m. Free. (310) 443-7000.

Ayelet Waldman: Aloud at Central Library presents the author of “Bad Mother: A Chronicle of Maternal Crimes, Minor Calamities and Occasional Moments of Grace” in conversation with author Susan Straight. Richard J. Riordan Central Library, 630 W. 5th St., L.A. 7 p.m. Free. (213) 228-7025. https://www.aloudla.org.

WEDNESDAY

Rob Gokee: The author of “In the Belly of the Fail Whale: How Twitter Changed My Life in One Year” will present and sign his new book. Stories, 1716 Sunset Blvd., L.A. 7 p.m. Free. (213) 413-3733.

Dian Hanson: The editor of “The Big Butt Book” will sign copies of the new Taschen coffeetable book. Taschen Store Beverly Hills, 354 N. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills. 7 p.m. Free; RSVP to store-beverly@taschen.com. (310) 274-4300.

Shane Jones: The author of “Light Boxes” will read and sign his debut novel. Skylight Books, 1818 N. Vermont Ave., L.A. 7:30 p.m. Free. (323) 660-1175.

Newer Poets XV: Aloud at Central Library and Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center present readings by Erika Ayon, David Eadington, Dina Hardy, Georgia Jones-Davis, Russell Salamon and Mike Sonksen. Richard J. Riordan Central Library, 630 W. 5th St., L.A. 7 p.m. Free. (213) 228-7025. https://www.aloudla.org.

Penguin 75th Anniversary Party: Celebrate the venerable imprint’s 75th year with Penguin Group representatives Howard Wall and Amy Comito, author Laura Dave (“The Divorce Party”) and John Parot — a contestant on Bravo’s “Work of Art: The Next Great Artist,” who won the show’s “cover challenge” with his treatment of “The Time Machine” by H.G. Wells. Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. 7 p.m. Free. (626) 449-5320.

Nicholas Schou: The author of “Orange Sunshine: The Brotherhood of Eternal Love and Its Quest to Spread Peace, Love and Acid to the World” will present and sign his new book. Book Soup, 8818 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. 7 p.m. Free. (310) 659-3110.

THURSDAY

Isabel Allende: Host Michael Silverblatt will interview the author of “Island Beneath the Sea.” Bookworm, 89.9 KCRW-FM, 2:30 p.m. https://www.kcrw.com.

Michael Largo: The author of, most recently, “Genius and Heroin: The Illustrated Catalogue of Creativity, Obsession and Reckless Abandon Through the Ages” will discuss and sign his books. Stories, 1716 Sunset Blvd., L.A. 7 p.m. Free. (213) 413-3733.

Sonia Nazario: The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of “Enrique’s Journey” will discuss and sign her book. Overton Hall at California Lutheran University, 60 W. Olsen Road, Thousand Oaks. 10 a.m. Free. (805) 493-3705.

FRIDAY

Alison Arngrim: The actress will present and sign her new memoir, “Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated.” Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. 7 p.m. Free. (626) 449-5320.

James Kaelan: The author of “We’re Getting On” will read and sign his new novel. Skylight Books, 1818 N. Vermont Ave., L.A. 7:30 p.m. Free. (323) 660-1175.

SATURDAY

Mark Frauenfelder: The founder of blog Boing Boing and editor of Make magazine will present his new book “Made by Hand: Searching for Meaning in a Throwaway World.” Skylight Books, 1818 N. Vermont Ave., L.A. 5 p.m. Free. (323) 660-1175.