Book It: The Five Best Literary Events This Week

Colorado’s bookish world lights up this week, as Denver events spotlight essays on desolation, godliness without religion, and a Democracy Now! host. Aspen has Dark Money (this may not surprise you). And Arvada celebrates all of the books, music and art that one Saturday afternoon in late winter can handle. Here are Denver's five best literary events for the week.

Jane Mayer, Dark Money
Tuesday, March 12, 6 p.m.
Aspen Institute/Paepcke Auditorium
1000 North 3rd Street, Aspen
$25
The Aspen Institute’s 22nd Winter Words series closes out with Jane Mayer, investigative reporter and longtime writer for The New Yorker and author of Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right. Mayer will discuss her work with media strategist and former director of Aspen Public Radio Carolyne Heldman. Tickets for the event are available on the Aspen Institute website.

Bruce Berger, A Desert Harvest
Tuesday, March 12, 7 p.m.
Tattered Cover LoDo
1628 16th Street
Free
Poet and essayist Bruce Berger brings his newest collection, A Desert Harvest: New and Selected Essays, to the Tattered Cover LoDo for a reading and signing. The book covers a spectrum of portraits of America’s seemingly desolate terrains, from wasteland architecture to mountaintop astronomy to the canals of Phoenix, Arizona. Berger will be joined by James Anderson, author of the critically acclaimed novels Crown, The Never-Open Desert Diner and Lullaby Road.

Jerry Herships, Rogue Saints
Wednesday, March 13, 7 p.m.
Tattered Cover
2526 East Colfax Avenue
Free
Author and pastor Jerry Herships comes to the Tattered Cover to discuss and sign his new book, Rogue Saints: Spirituality for Good-Hearted Heathens. If you’re one of the many folks in Denver who love people and want to do good in the world but have little use for church, or if you long for a connection to something bigger than yourself, Pastor Herships might be your guy. He leads After Hours Denver, a local community that serves the homeless and talks about new ways to serve the divine outside of organized religion.


Amy Goodman, Democracy Now!
Friday, March 15, 7 p.m.
East High School
1600 City Park Esplanade
$15
KFFR 88.3 FM, Colorado’s newest full-power community radio station, hosts a talk with host and executive producer of Democracy Now! Amy Goodman, speaking at East High School about “Independent Media in a Time of War, Climate Chaos, and the Trump Presidency.” A VIP reception with Goodman and co-author (and KFFR founder) Denis Moynihan will be held at 5:30 p.m. and will include refreshments, reserved seating at the 7 p.m. talk, and a copy of their book Democracy Now!: 20 Years Covering the Movements Changing America. General admission tickets to the 7 p.m. talk at East High School cost $15. For tickets and more information about VIP pricing, go to the event's Brown Paper Tickets page.

Colorado Book and Arts Festival
Saturday, March 16, noon to 4 p.m.
Arvada Center for Arts and Humanities
6901 Wadsworth Boulevard, Arvada
$15 for Keynote & Festival/$5 Festival Only/Kids $1
The Arvada Center, Regis University and Tattered Cover will present the Colorado Book and Arts Festival, a one-day literary culture festival celebrating books, art, and music for the whole family with award-winning authors, panel discussions, artists' booths, musical performances and more. Don’t miss the special keynote conversation with Peng Shepherd, author of The Book of M. For more information, and to buy tickets, visit the event website.

Do you have an event you want included in this list? Send the details to [email protected].