Book It: The Five Best Literary Events This Week

If you’re still in the market for a week-before-Christmas gift for that book lover in your life, the Barnes & Noble on South Colorado Boulevard has you more than covered. While most of the town's other bookstore event planners are settling in for a long winter’s nap, this B&N is turning the holly jolly up to eleven. Add to that a local punk publication and a plethora of local playwrights, and you’ve got one very nice list of five literary winter wonders.

Colorado Authors' League Bookfair
Tuesday, December 17, and Wednesday, December 18, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Barnes & Noble Bookstore
960 South Colorado Boulevard, Glendale
Free
The Colorado Authors' League has been supporting local writers for over eighty years, and now Barnes & Noble will host over 25 members over two exciting days. A complete list of the participating writers, their most recent books, and what times they’ll be in-store to shake hands and sign copies is available on the Barnes & Noble website. Autographed books are some of the best gifts — and when they’re local, they’re doubly special.

Denver Zine Library Bookfair
Thursday, December 19, 9 a.m.
Barnes & Noble Bookstore
960 South Colorado Boulevard, Glendale
Free
Denver’s own Tinto Press, boutique publisher of graphic novels, comics and mini-comics (including David Tosh’s Jumbo Mumbo), sponsors this bookfair designed to benefit the Denver Zine Library. It's a trifecta of local literary awesome Denver: a brick-and-mortar retailer hosting an event for a local publisher that supports a local literary nonprofit. Happiness upon happiness upon happiness, just in time for the season.

Hidden Worlds and Strange Negotiations
Thursday, December 19, through Saturday, December 21
Theater 29
5138 West 29th Avenue
$22
Denver’s Theater 29 presents nothing but original plays by local playwrights — and this production is no exception. Jessica Austgen, Tami Canaday, Lisa Wagner Erickson, Ellen K. Graham, Dakota C. Hill, Rebecca Gorman O’Neill and Edith Weiss put together these stories of one reality spilling into the next: literary lovers grow tired of their genre, a homeless man connects with knock-knock jokes, time becomes a palindrome on East Colfax (doesn’t it always?), and much more. Tickets start at $22 for performances Thursday through Saturday nights — a great way to get out of the house before the holidays and support your local arts!

Junior League of Denver, Centennial Celebrations: A Colorado Cookbook
Friday, December 20, 9 a.m.
Barnes & Noble Bookstore
960 South Colorado Boulevard, Glendale
Free
Packed with colorful Colorado flavor, Centennial Celebrations commemorates the Junior League of Denver’s hundredth anniversary. This sixth cookbook in JLD’s award-winning collection includes more than 200 recipes for every season and occasion, from crowd-pleasing game-day apps to traditional holiday favorites. This is only one of the ways that Barnes & Noble is celebrating the Junior League of Denver. For more information, check the B&N website.

Book Release Party, Colorado Crew: Denvoid Pt. 2
Friday, December 20, 6 p.m.
Mercury Cafe
2199 California Street
Free
The Mercury Cafe hosts the local launch party for Colorado Crew: Denvoid Pt. 2: A Collection of Tales & Images From the Colorado Punk Scene 1988-1996. This is the follow-up to Bob Rob Medina’s first book on Colorado music history, including a visual odyssey of images and interviews. Erstwhile Westword writer and author of Strange Stars Jason Heller supplies the foreword to this indispensable volume of Denver’s punk past. Can’t make it to the Merc on Friday? Try Mutiny Information Cafe on Saturday at 5 p.m., when the party starts all over again. Check out the details on Mutiny's Facebook page.

Have a literary event you think should be included on this list? Send details to [email protected].