With Thanksgiving behind us, we're heading quickly into gift-giving season. Knock a few names off your shopping list while treating yourself to some thought-provoking talk — and beer! — at this week's best literary events.
Phil Goodstein, The Story of Modern East Denver
7 p.m. Monday, November 27
Tattered Cover
2526 East Colfax Avenue
Phil Goodstein has been a fixture in the local history community for years, and his new book, Magnificent Mayfair, Beautiful Belleview, Hale, Hilltop, and Hospitals: The Story of Modern East Denver continues his in-depth look at this city's neighborhoods. Come for the history, stay for the alliteration.
Mindy McGinnis, This Darkness Mine
7 p.m. Friday, December 1
BookBar
4280 Tennyson Street
From Edgar Award-winning author Mindy McGinnis comes a new psychological thriller in the tradition of Gone Girl and Fight Club. Have some wine, listen to McGinnis read from This Darkness Mine, get a book (or two!) signed, and make an evening of it.
Gunbarrel Pop-Up Comic Con
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, December 2
Gunbarrel Brewing Company
7088 Winchester Circle, Boulder
Wrap up your holiday shopping nerd-style at this free event featuring original comics, art, gifts and more. Another local comic-con is present enough, but this comes with craft beer and Farm & Smoke food-truck deliciousness for a four-color festival of fabulous.
Helen Thorpe, The Newcomers
7:30 p.m. December 2
BookBar
4280 Tennyson Street
Helen Thorpe, author of Soldier Girls and Just Like Us, will be at BookBar to read from and sign her latest book, The Newcomers: Finding Refuge, Friendship, and Hope in an American Classroom, which follows 22 students, most of them refugees, through a year of English-language class at South High School. The students, the teacher and the book itself are all remarkable. Read a chapter of The Newcomers here.
Joe Biden, Promise Me, Dad
Saturday, December 2
Paramount Theatre
1621 Glenarm Street
Joe Biden, former veep and prince of memes, brings his plainspoken and scrappy style to the Mile High City for a stop on his American Promise tour, a series of conversations across the country focusing on our nation, its challenges, and the hope for its future. Not to mention his book, Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose, which is sure to contain precisely zero percent malarkey.