NOW IS THE WINTER OF OUR DISCONTENT It seems appropriate that during after such a contested and divisive election The Actor’s Ensemble of Berkeley is performing Richard III, the classic Shakespeare tale of “the lust for power gone berserk.” The king won’t let anyone stand in the way of his desire for the crown of England. Richard III, directed by Sharon Huff Robinson, is the Actor’s Ensemble’s final production for its 55th season. It runs Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until Nov 17 at Live Oak Theater.
BOOKS OF ALL STRIPES, GALORE Every book lover in town knows that the Friends of the Berkeley Public Library’s annual book sale is a great place to pick up tomes at a discount. All books, CDs, DVDs, and records are only 50 cents apiece. This year the Friends have added new categories such as sexuality, humor, and vintage. The sale takes place on Saturday Nov. 10 on the third floor of the Central Library at 2090 Kittredge Street and runs from 10 to 4 pm. Lines can be long, so arrive early.
THE HIDDEN LIFE OF BERKELEY’S LITERARY LAUREATES Berkeley has a rich history of serving as the home of poets and writers. On Saturday, Andrew David King, who wrote an article about the city’s literary heritage for Ploughshares, will lead a walk exploring this hidden world. It includes a stroll though the Poetry Walk, the Poetry Garden, and past the homes of many writers. The tour is sponsored by the Berkeley Path Wanderers’ Association. Rain cancels.
THE HIGH ART OF WRITING HISTORY Both Pulitzer-Prize winning author T.J. Stiles, author of a biography of Cornelius Vanderbilt, and bestselling writer Adam Hochschild, who has penned books on World War I and King Leopold’s plundering of the Congo, have honed the craft of turning dry facts into fascinating narrative. The two will discuss their approaches to their craft Saturday at 8:00 p.m. in UC Berkeley’s Sibley Auditorium. Julia Flynn Siler, author of The Lost Kingdom, a history of the American takeover of Hawaii and its last queen, will moderate.
HONORING VETERANS In honor of Veterans’ Day, Freight & Salvage is putting on Soldier Stories, One Family’s Journey through 250 years of War and Service, directed by Julian Lopez Morillas. The music in this critically acclaimed show ranges from traditional to contemporary roots and Americana music, dating from the Revolutionary War to the present, featuring Nell Robinson’s smoky vocals, Jim Nunally’s virtuosic guitar, multi-instrumentalist Keith Little’s mandolin, fiddle and banjo, and beguiling three-part harmonies. Woven throughout the music Julian will be reading letters, stories and poetry from Nell’s southern family, who have fought in every war, at times on both sides, since the American Revolution (and against the middle as pacifists too). The show is Sunday, Nov. 11 at 8:00 p.m.
Don’t forget these events we have featured on Berkeleyside:
Lúnasa, Le Vent du Nord, Laurie Antonioli play Berkeley
Crush: East Bay wine, food fest in Berkeley for 17th year
Walking tour reveals century of South Asian American history
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To find out about more events in Berkeley and nearby, visit Berkeleyside’s Events Calendar. We also encourage you to submit your own events.
