Tuesday, August 1 through Friday, August 4

Laughing Heart Literary Festival

Laughing Heart Literary Festival and Malaprop’s Bookstore/Café are bringing together Robert Morgan, Jill McCorkle, Terry Roberts, Julia Franks, Susi Gott Seguret, Wayne Caldwell, Keith Flynn, Trent Thompson and Amy Greene. For more information and a schedule, visit www.laughingheartliteraryproject.org

Tuesday, August 1 at 7 pm

BRONWEN DICKEY & DEIRDRE FRANKLIN present PIT BULL: THE BATTLE OVER AN AMERICAN ICON and PIT BULL LIFE: A DOG LOVER'S COMPANION

How has a breed beloved by Teddy Roosevelt and Helen Keller come to be known as a brutal fighter? Bronwen Dickey and Deirdre Franklin, along with co-author Linda Lombardi, trace the pit bull’s transformation from beloved to feared and provide a primer for pit bull owners about these cheerful and resilient dogs. At the authors’ request, please do not bring dogs to the event.

Wednesday, August 2 at 7 pm

LYNN FRIERSON FAUST presents FIREFLIES, GLOW WORMS & LIGHTNING BUGS

The first-ever comprehensive firefly guide written for all those who want to know more about the amazing world of lightning bugs and learn the secrets hidden in the flash patterns of the 75+ species found in the eastern and central United States and Canada.

Co-sponsored by Asheville Museum of Science.

Thursday, August 3 at 7 pm

MELISSA SCHOLES YOUNG presents FLOOD

Flood is a contemporary debut novel about a young woman who—like Mark Twain—fled her hometown of Hannibal, Missouri and must return to face the secrets she left behind.

Saturday, August 5 at 11 am

Children's Author SUSAN PAUL presents C.D. AND THE DREAM PILLOW along with an ACTIVITY!

With this high-quality storybook/sketchbook, one grandmother is fighting back against the rising tide of electronic entertainment for small kids. A child-centric reading and drawing opportunity, it invites engagement, participation, creativity, and self-expression.

Saturday, August 5 at 2 pm

WHERE’S WALDO PARTY!

You looked for him and found him all over Asheville in July. Now you can celebrate with cupcakes and lemonade as you await the drumroll to find out who wins the prizes!

Sunday, August 6 at 3 pm

POETRIO

Join us for a monthly celebration of poetry featuring three poets. This month, we welcome Julia Nunnally Duncan, Tony Reevy, and a third poet to be announced.

Monday, August 7 at 7 pm

GAVIN GEOFFREY DILLARD presents GRAYBEARD ABBEY with MICHAEL COYLE

Graybeard Abbey is the thirteenth book from Gavin Geoffrey Dillard--poet, playwright, songwriter, librettist, and comedy writer to the stars. Though the book is in poetic form, it is also a journal of a year on the poet's wee tea farm in Southern Appalachia. Gavin will be joined by local poet Michael Coyle.

Tuesday, August 8 at 7 pm

GRANT KING presents LOVE SONGS FOR A COUNTRY LANE

Join us as we welcome country music songwriter Grant King to Malaprop's! This book gives us his selected songs and poems from a lifetime of writing, classics from a true master.

Wednesday, August 9 at 7 pm

JOE BERKOWITZ presents AWAY WITH WORDS: AND IRREVERENT TOUR THROUGH THE WORLD OF PUN COMPETITIONS

Fast Company reporter Joe Berkowitz investigates the bizarre and hilarious world of pun competitions from the Punderdome 3000 in Brooklyn to the World competition in Austin.

Thursday, August 10 at 7 pm

CHRISTOPHER SWANN presents SHADOW OF THE LIONS

Ten years after his roommate and best friend, Fritz, vanishes during their senior year at the Blackburne School in Virginia, Matthias Glass returns to the school as an English teacher. He is soon drawn into the past and driven to find out what happened to Fritz. In the spirit of film noir, Shadow of the Lions takes plenty of dark, surprising twists.

Friday, August 11 from 4 pm to 5 pm

POETRY ON REQUEST

Engage in conversation with one of our talented local poets and have a thoughtful poem crafted just for you!

Friday, August 11 at 7 pm

LINDA STAR WOLF presents SOUL WHISPERING: THE ART OF AWAKENING SHAMANIC CONSCIOUSNESS

Addressing humanity's paradigm shift from linear consciousness to shamanic consciousness, Linda Star Wolf and co-author Nita Gage explore how the art of soul whispering can help each of us understand why we experience our lives the way we do and shift from healing our wounds to embracing the process of transformation.

Saturday, August 12 from 4 pm to 5 pm

POETRY ON REQUEST

A second opportunity to have a thoughtful poem written for you by a talented local poet!

Sunday, August 13 at 3 pm

CATHY NICHOLS presents STORYTELLING ART STUDIO: Visual Expressions of Character, Mood, and Theme Using Mixed Media

If you enjoy art journaling, stenciling, books like Big Magic, creativity workshops and retreats, and are on a journey of self-discovery through art—one that is perfectly complemented by storytelling—this book is for you! Come for a fun, interactive event.

Monday, August 14, 2017 at 7 pm

CHRISTOPHER BLAKE presents RIVER OF CLIFFS: A LINVILLE GORGE HISTORY

Join Linville Gorge expert Christopher Blake as he shares the history of the beautiful place known as the “Grand Canyon of the East!”

Wednesday, August 16, 2017 at 6 pm

TEACH-IN Event with NANCY MACLEAN discussing DEMOCRACY IN CHAINS: THE DEEP HISTORY OF THE RADICAL RIGHT'S STEALTH PLAN FOR AMERICA

Duke University scholar Nancy Maclean will be here to share her research and answer your questions at this month’s teach-in event. Arrive early to get a seat! 6 pm start time. “ Nancy MacLean tells the long-overlooked story of the political economist who developed the playbook for the Koch brothers. James McGill Buchanan merged states rights' thinking with free market principles and helped to fashion the inherently elitist ideology of today's Republican Party. Professor MacLean's meticulous research and shrewd insights make this a must-read for all who believe in government ‘by the people’.” --Nancy Isenberg, author of White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America

Thursday, August 17, 2017 at 3 pm

In-store signing with HARRY ROSENBLUM as he presents VINEGAR REVIVAL: Artisanal Recipes for Brightening Dishes and Drinks with Homemade Vinegars

"While a section of the book is devoted to the culinary applications of homemade vinegars, the subject matter crosses over to the drinks world to appeal to avid home brewers, DIY-inclined wine drinkers and home bartenders alike . . . " --PUNCH

Thursday, August 17, 2017 at 7 pm

DAWN RENO LANGLEY presents THE MOURNING PARADE

Natalie DeAngelo lost everything the day her two young sons were killed in a school shooting. Desperate to find relief, she volunteers as a veterinarian on an elephant sanctuary in Thailand and must find a way to heal an angry, injured elephant. This deeply emotional novel explores the long journey to healing.

Friday, August 18, 2017 at 7 pm

YA Author Event with JEFF ZENTNER & KATHLEEN GLASGOW

Join us for an event with two authors who boldly tackle some of the harder parts of the human experience in their latest work. Jeff Zentner’s Goodbye Days looks at a teen's life after the death of his best friend and how he navigates through the guilt and pain by celebrating their lives--and ultimately learning to forgive himself. In Kathleen Glasgow’s Girl in Pieces, as she struggles to recover and survive, seventeen-year-old homeless girl Charlotte "Charlie" Davis cuts herself to dull the pain of abandonment and abuse then finds her way to better coping mechanisms through art.

Saturday, August 19, 2017 at 7 pm

KERRY SCHLOSS, JILLIAN KELLY & KIM ALLEN present THE ASHEVILLE BEE CHARMER COOKBOOK: Sweet and Savory Recipes Inspired by 28 Honey Varietals and Blends

Sweet as honey, without a sting. Help us celebrate the proprietors of Asheville Bee Charmer and their new cookbook!

Sunday, August 20, 2017 at 3 pm

FRANCES FIGART presents SEASONS OF LETTING GO: Most Of What I Know About Truly Living I Learned By Helping Someone Die

Caregiving and death are topics often avoided in modern conversations. The truth is, not only is it okay to talk about caregiving and death, by doing so, we can work through the grief process and actually finish it. Join Frances Figart for her story of healing.

Wednesday, August 23, 2017 at 7 pm

KEN HAEDRICH presents THE HARVEST BAKER: 150 Sweet & Savory Recipes Celebrating the Fresh-Picked Flavors of Fruits, Herbs & Vegetables

With plant-based eating taking the spotlight everywhere, noted cookbook author Ken Haedrich shows how to incorporate a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, and herbs into all types of baking with his collection of 150 savory and sweet recipes.

Thursday, August 24, 2017 at 7 pm

DEVYN BENSON presents ANTIRACISM IN CUBA: THE UNFINISHED REVOLUTION

While some Afro-Cubans agreed with the revolution's sentiments about racial transcendence—“not blacks, not whites, only Cubans”—others found ways to use state rhetoric to demand additional reforms. Join Devyn Benson, assistant professor of Africana and Latin American Studies at Davidson College, for insight into Cuban history and culture.

Friday, August 25, 2017 at 7 pm

LITERARY KARAOKE

Bring your friends, your courage, and your love of literature to the mic to read poetry and prose by your favorite scribes. The number one party in town for bookworms!

Sunday, August 27, 2017 at 3 pm

BIRDSONG: POEMS IN CELEBRATION OF BIRDS with LAURIE WILCOX-MEYER, BART WHITE, & LORRIE JAYNE

Join local poets for a reading celebrating this anthology of 100 bird-themed poems by 80 poets!

Tuesday, August 29, 2017 at 7 pm

EVA SHOCKEY presents TAKING AIM

Taking Aim is Outdoor Channel star Eva Shockey’s memoir of adventure, skill, and healthy living. She is a passionate hunter, a conservationist, and a new mother. In the book, Eva shares how every tough moment she has faced has helped her become the person she is today.

Wednesday, August 30, 2017 at 7 pm

LEAH WEISS presents IF THE CREEK DON'T RISE

Sadie Blue has been a wife for fifteen days. That’s long enough to know she should have never hitched herself to Roy Tupkin, even with the baby. "Writing with a deep knowledge of the enduring myths of Appalachia, Weiss vividly portrays real people and sorrows. A strong, formidable novel for readers of William Faulkner and Cormac McCarthy." --Library Journal

Thursday, August 31, 2017 at 7 pm

J.C. SASSER presents GRADLE BIRD

Gradle Bird has lived her entire life with her Grandpa, Leonard, at a seedy motel and truck stop off Georgia’s I-16. But when Leonard moves her to a crumbling old house rumored to be haunted by the ghost of Ms. Annalee Spivey, Gradle is plunged into a lush, magical world much stranger and more dangerous than from the one she came.

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Every Wednesday at 10 am

MISS MALAPROP’S STORYTIME

Malaprop’s hosts storytime with Miss Malaprop herself! Join us with your wee ones every week on Wednesday at 10 am for classic and contemporary stories sure to enchant and entertain. Together, we’ll introduce children to the wonderful world of books. Recommended for ages 3 through 9.

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Join a Book Club!

Tuesday, August 1 at 7 pm

CURRENT EVENTS BOOK CLUB

Join host Bruce Roth for a lively discussion on topics of current interest including war and peace, the economy, the environment, and other hot political topics. This month the club continues its discussion of Citizen Scientist: Searching for Heroes and Hope in an Age of Extinction by Mary Ellen Hannibal.

Tuesday, August 1 at 7 pm (at Battery Park Book Exchange)

WOMEN IN LIVELY DISCUSSION BOOK CLUB (WILD)

Join co-hosts Linda-Marie Barrett and Maria Fire for the WILD Book club. This month’s title is The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson.

Wednesday, August 2 at 7 pm

MALAPROP’S BOOK CLUB

Host Jay Jacoby will lead a discussion of Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt.

Monday, August 7 at 7 pm

LGBTQ BOOK CLUB

Join hosts and Malaprop's booksellers Caroline Christopoulos and Hannah Richardson to discuss a wide-ranging selection of fiction and nonfiction focused on the LGBTQ community. This month’s selection is Funny Boy by Shvam Selvadurai.

Tuesday, August 8 at 12 pm

DISCUSSION BOUND BOOK CLUB

Hosted by the Asheville Art Museum, this monthly discussion is a place to exchange ideas that relate to artwork and the art world. Bring your book and a brown-bag lunch to make the most of your midday break! This month’s book is My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris.

Monday, August 14 at 7 pm

MYSTERY BOOK CLUB

Join host Tena Frank to discuss Neon Rain by James Lee Burke.

Thursday, August 17 at 7 pm

NOTORIOUS HBC* (*HISTORY BOOK CLUB)

Join host and Malaprop’s bookseller Patricia Furnish to discuss a range of books across different periods of history. We’re creating a book club that tackles the challenging subjects, hence “NOTORIOUS.” This month’s pick is Spain in Our Hearts by Adam Hochschild.

Wednesday, August 30 at 7 pm

BRIDGE THE GAP

Join host Madelyn Anderson for a book club for those interested in exploring perspectives of people with different life experiences or world views, particularly those marginalized in the U.S. We’ll read about the intersection of race, gender, political affiliation, and sexual identification/orientation, as well as discuss ways to take collective action. This month’s book is Citizen by Claudia Rankine.

Thursday, August 31 at 7 pm

WORKS IN TRANSLATION BOOK CLUB

Join host and Malaprop’s bookseller Justin Souther to discuss writers—and their literature—in translation, and the cultural, political and artistic influences that shape them. This month’s book is His Excellency by Carlos Casares, translated by Malaprop’s bookseller, Jacob Rogers.