This week’s book events mix history and Hollywood

This week’s book events offer a mix of history and Hollywood, plus a conversation with one of the nation’s top mystery writers.

Here’s the rundown:

Inside the ‘Green Book’

Writer and photographer Candacy Taylor discusses “Overground Railroad: The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel in America” on Monday in Pasadena. Reviewer Lynell George calls the book a “meticulously examined history” of the travel guide first published in 1936: “Taylor’s new book revisits the nesting stories behind the ’Green Book,’ which helped black tourists navigate racial minefields implicit in a road trip — whether across counties or cross-country.”

7 p.m. Monday, Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Free.

Writing ‘Interior Chinatown’

Author and screenwriter Charles Yu will read “Interior Chinatown” on Tuesday as part of PEN Presents. The novel follows actor Willis Wu as he transforms into Kung Fu Guy, taking on Asian American stereotypes and skewering Hollywood tropes. Yu, previously named one of the National Book Foundation’s Five Under 35, has written for the television shows “Lodge 49” and “Westworld.” He’ll be joined in conversation by Raphael Bob-Waksberg, creator and showrunner of “BoJack Horseman.”

7 p.m Tuesday, Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions, 6522 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles. Free.

Exploring Persian culture

Poets Natalie Diaz and Naomi Shihab Nye will read on Wednesday at the Broad museum as part of an event presented in conjunction with “Shirin Neshat: I Will Greet the Sun Again,” an exhibition showcasing the work of the Iranian American artist. The “Allegories of Flight” evening will explore Neshat’s influences with an evening of interdisciplinary programming organized by literary curators Louise Steinman and Maureen Moore. Artist and activist Patrisse Cullors will also perform in the exhibition galleries. Saint Abdullah and Davia Spain are also part of the evening’s lineup.

8 p.m. Wednesday, the Broad, 221 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. $25.

Texas crime tale

Vroman’s bookstore and Alta Magazine will host Edgar Award-winning writer Attica Locke for a discussion of her latest novel, “Heaven, My Home.” It’s the second book in a series featuring Darren Mathews, a cop who quit law school to join the Texas Rangers. Reviewer Paula L. Woods called the 2019 book “one of the most affecting mysteries of the year.”

7 p.m. Wednesday, Vroman’s, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Free.

Guide to the stars

Internet astrologer Chani Nicholas will bring her first book to Skylight on Thursday. In “You Were Born for This,” Nicholas shows readers how to unlock their birth charts in an easy-to-use guide. Nicholas has 321,000 Instagram followers, so you may want to arrive early to snag a seat.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Skylight Books, 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles. Free.

Amber Tamblyn and Amy Poehler

In recent years, actress and filmmaker Amber Tamblyn has emerged not only as an advocate for women’s rights but also as a poet, novelist and nonfiction writer to watch. Her latest book, “Era of Ignition: Coming of Age in a Time of Rage and Revolution,” is part memoir and part manifesto, an exploration of modern feminism. Tamblyn will be joined in conversation by actress, writer and producer Amy Poehler at an event hosted by Live Talks L.A.

8 p.m. Feb. 7, Writers Guild Theater, 135 S. Doheny Drive, Beverly Hills. Tickets: $20-$43.