The original version of this newsletter was sent out on Tuesday, May 7.
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Hello, fellow bookworms!
Let me introduce myself: I’m Tessa Reeg, the Independent’s Copy Chief and a lifelong book lover, and I’ll be taking up the mantle from Emily Lee as the host and editor of All Booked!
We’ve been thinking long and hard about how to best turn the page into the next chapter of All Booked. What are the pros and cons of having one host versus a cycle of contributors (like we did when Emily went on maternity leave last year)? Ultimately, we decided that the best way to bring you a newsletter with consistent quality, a recognizable voice, and a satisfying variety of book recommendations was to combine the best from both ideas.
So though I’ll be taking over as the main host, showcasing plenty of my favorite books and authors, we’ll also feature members of the Indy staff as recurring contributors! We’re a bunch of bookworms over here at the paper, and we look forward to bringing you a wider variety of exciting new reads to pick up.
In addition, we want to make sure that we continue to hear from you, our fellow book lovers.
Please send information about new books by local authors to allbooked@independent.com.
Please send information about book events to events@independent.com, or, even better, you can post them yourself on our online calendar. Click here for more information about how to do that.
I look forward to embracing the next chapter with you all! Happy reading.
—Tessa, allbooked@independent.com
P.S: If you should feel so inclined, subscribe to Emily’s Substack newsletter to keep up with her reading adventures! I subscribed right away, and I can’t wait to hear what she reads next.
UPCOMING BOOK EVENTS
Below, you will find a few bookish events coming up in Santa Barbara. If you are hosting a bookish event in Santa Barbara, be sure to submit the event to our online events calendar.
Medora’s Book Club: Lush Life
Tuesday, May 7, 6 p.m. | Casa del Herrero
Virtual Romance Book Club
Wednesday, May 8, 5:30 p.m. | Virtual
Local Author Talk and Book Signing: Steven Gilbar
Chaucer’s Books Wednesday, May 8, 6 p.m. | Chaucer’s Books
Virtual Seminar Series: Epistemology of Spinoza
Thursday, May 9, noon | Virtual
Teen BYO Book Club
Thursday, May 9, 5:30 p.m. | S.B. Public Library
Wiggly Storytime
Friday, May 10, and Friday, May 17, 10:15 a.m. | Eastside Library (Patio)
Virtual Seminar Series: The Descent of Man / Darwin
Saturday, May 11, noon | Virtual
Book Talk and Signing: Ana Ellickson
Saturday, May 11, 6 p.m. | The Book Loft
Virtual Seminar Series: Foundations of Our Republic
Sunday, May 12, noon | Virtual
Book Discussion: Earth Keeper
Sunday, May 12, 3 p.m. | S.B. Public Library
Preschool Storytime
Monday, May 13, and Monday, May 20, 10 a.m. | Carpinteria Community Library
Wiggly Storytime
Monday, May 13, and Monday, May 20, 10:30 a.m. | Buellton Library
Stay and Play Toddler Storytime
Tuesday, May 14, 9:15 a.m. | MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation
Storytime at Solvang Library
Tuesday, May 14, and Wednesday, May 15, 10:30 a.m. | Solvang Library
Bilingual Songs & Stories for Kids
Tuesday, May 14, 11 a.m. | Eastside Library
Seminar Series: The Glory of Art
Tuesday, May 14, noon | Ojai Library
Poetry Reading and Book Signing: Paul J. Willis
Wednesday, May 15, 6 p.m. | Chaucer’s Books
Book Talk and Signing: Xochitl Gonzales
Friday, May 17, 7:30 p.m. | Campbell Hall, UCSB
Virtual Seminar Series: The Gene: An Intimate History
Saturday, May 18, noon | Virtual
Saturday Storytime with S.B. Public Library
Saturday, May 18, 2:30 p.m. | Paseo Nuevo
Virtual Seminar Series: Religious Experiences
Sunday, May 19, noon | Virtual
LOCAL BOOK SPOTLIGHT
We at the Independent get many books sent to us by local authors, sometimes too many! It’s practically impossible for us to read and review them all, but just because we are busy bees does not mean that they aren’t worth the attention. In an attempt to not completely drop the ball, we have compiled a list of books here that have a local spin. They are all either written by a local author, feature someone in our community, or have another tie to Santa Barbara. I urge you to look through this list. Perhaps you will find your new favorite read!The following are the most recent titles that have been sent to us. Click here for a more comprehensive list.
Montecito Noir: True Tales of Murder & Mayhem in Paradise by Steven Gilbar
Losing Streak by Paul J. Willis
Maids in Waiting by Judi Ann Conroy
Love and Sabotage by Martha Tolles
Isla Vista Seasons: Ocean, Land, and Light by Aaron Howard
If you are a local author and would like us to feature your book in this section, please email allbooked@independent.com with the subject line “Local Author Spotlight.”
Book Reviews Courtesy of CALIFORNIA REVIEW OF BOOKS*
Thanks to the generous contributions of David Starkey, Brian Tanguay, and their team of reviewers at California Review of Books, we are able to provide a steady stream of book reviews via our content partnership. Recent reviews at Independent.com include:
The Manicurist’s Daughter: A Memoir by Susan Lieu; review by Brian Tanguay
A Splendid Intelligence: The Life of Elizabeth Hardwick by Cathy Curtis; review by Brian Tanguay
Noir Bar: Cocktails Inspired by the World of Film Noir by Eddie Muller; review by George Yatchisin
James by Percival Everett; review by David Starkey
*At the present time, all of the Independent’s book reviews are provided in collaboration with California Review of Books (calirb.com).