BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Playhouse Village Association - ECPv6.18.4//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Playhouse Village Association X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://playhousevillage.org X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Playhouse Village Association REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Los_Angeles BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20250309T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20251102T090000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20260308T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20261101T090000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20270314T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20271107T090000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261017T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261017T140000 DTSTAMP:20260922T194356Z CREATED:20260922T194356Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260922T194356Z UID:10015877-1792245600-1792245600@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Leslie Adame\, in conversation with Ashley Granillo\, discusses & signs Chloe Vega and the Missing Unseen (Chloe Vega and the Agents of Magic #2) DESCRIPTION:Secrets\, magic\, and danger collide in the second book of Leslie Adame’s thrilling middle grade fantasy series\, as Chloe must master her newfound powers to stop a destructive sorcerer — perfect for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers and Witchlings. \nAfter saving her parents from the clutches of an evil sorcerer\, Chloe Vega just wants a normal year at her magical academy. But when you wield legendary new powers\, danger is never far behind. \nHer enemies will stop at nothing to use her to reveal the Agents of Magic to the rest of the world. And with their secret society on the brink of discovery\, the agency begins to question whether Chloe is their best weapon–or their greatest risk. \nWhen Chloe’s powers spiral out of control\, the cost isn’t just their chance at victory\, it’s the people she loves. Can she master her powers in time or will she lose everything? \nQuestions? email promo@vromansbookstore.com or call us at (626)449-5320 URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-leslie-adame-in-conversation-with-ashley-granillo-discusses-signs-chloe-vega-and-the-missing-unseen-chloe-vega-and-the-agents-of-magic-2/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,Free,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/leslie-adame.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261016T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261016T190000 DTSTAMP:20260922T194153Z CREATED:20260922T194153Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260922T194153Z UID:10015876-1792177200-1792177200@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Rebekah Faubion\, in conversation with Liz Kerin\, discusses & signs What a Nightmare DESCRIPTION:They called her a nightmare\, so she became one. \nHaven Powers has spent years trying to disappear. Once a loud\, troublemaking girl who defied every expectation in her small town of Friendship\, Texas\, now she’s learned to hide her fire behind a quiet receptionist’s smile. It’s safer that way–for her\, and for everyone else. \nWhen an unsettling encounter with her predatory boss cracks open the tightly locked box inside her\, Haven dreams a terrifying dream about him\, only to wake up and discover it’s come true; he’s dead. Desperate to gain control of this deadly power once and for all\, Haven returns home. \nWelcomed suspiciously with open arms\, Haven is immediately met with the ghosts of her past. Under the suffocating pressure of the town and her family who believe obedience is next to godliness\, Haven soon finds herself on a path to revenge. She’ll show them what happens when the girl they called too much\, too loud\, too everything\, finally lets her demons loose. URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-rebekah-faubion-in-conversation-with-liz-kerin-discusses-signs-what-a-nightmare/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,Free,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/rebekah-faubion-2.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261012T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261012T190000 DTSTAMP:20260922T193847Z CREATED:20260922T193847Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260922T193847Z UID:10015875-1791831600-1791831600@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Joey Clift\, in conversation with Ally Beardsley and illustrator Julie Fiveash\, discusses We've Been Here the Whole Time! DESCRIPTION:Peabody and Emmy-nominated Native comedian Joey Clift takes you on a journey to discover the largest population you don’t know in his hilarious debut for fans of Michael Harriot\, Mo Rocca\, and Phoebe Robinson. \nForeword by Shane Hawk\, writer and co-editor of Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology! \nPut away the construction paper: This contraband book is here to teach you everything your high school refused to teach about Native American history\, people\, and culture. From misunderstood figures like Pocahontas\, to sports mascots\, to the Land Back movement\, to how cool Lily Gladstone is\, this hilarious NDN-approved guide is the first of its kind–illustrated in an irreverent\, textbook-meets-notebook style by DinÃ(c) artist Julie Fiveash. Share with your loved ones and transform your boring Thanksgiving into a big “You’re Welcome” dance party! \nJoey Clift (Cowlitz tribe) walks you through a wide range of information that will answer provocative questions and debunk Americans’ wildest assumptions\, like: \n\n“Native American” or “American Indian” What the heck do we call you?\nIs it appropriate to do a Land Acknowledgement over Zoom?\nWhy saying “I’m 1/16th Cherokee” is like saying you’re “1/16th Californian’\nColumbus Day is a holiday for a guy who was bad at pretty much everything\nAre Native American people extinct? No! Stop asking!\n\nThis giftable\, conversation-starting book is perfect for history buffs\, teachers\, and comedy lovers alike. Funny\, fearless\, and deeply informative\, Joey Clift’s debut reminds readers that Native people aren’t just part of history–they’ve been here the whole time. URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-joey-clift-in-conversation-with-ally-beardsley-and-illustrator-julie-fiveash-discusses-weve-been-here-the-whole-time/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,Free,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/joey-clift-2.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261011T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261011T140000 DTSTAMP:20260922T193401Z CREATED:20260922T193401Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260922T193401Z UID:10015874-1791727200-1791727200@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: TICKETED - Matt Singer\, discusses & signs Funny Business DESCRIPTION:A celebration of a generation of iconic comedies–the raunchy\, blockbuster “Frat Pack” films of the early 2000s–and a no-holds-barred look at their rise and fall in Hollywood\, the effects of which can still be felt in the fractured media landscape of today \nIf you were a moviegoer in the early aughts\, you had a front-row seat to a golden age of comedy. Ben Stiller\, Seth Rogen\, Will Ferrell\, Owen Wilson\, Steve Carell\, and Vince Vaughn became unlikely leading men–a band of rowdy wedding crashers\, hungover bachelors\, and 40-year-old virgins dubbed the “Frat Pack” that took Hollywood by storm over the span of a single decade. Then\, seemingly overnight\, Frat Pack movies vanished. Or did they? \nIn Funny Business\, award-winning author and film critic Matt Singer traces the path these gonzo stars and directors took from the fringes of comedy to the mainstream–beginning on tiny stages like Second City and the Groundlings\, then infiltrating into talent incubators like SNL\, eventually leading to the big screen. Along the way\, he shares insider stories of the films that raised a generation\, including: The 40-Year-Old Virgin\, Zoolander\, Borat\, Anchorman\, Old School\, and The Hangover. \nHow did these movies and their stars come to dominate a generation of moviemaking? Who won–and who was left out–of this comedy boom? And can studio comedies make a comeback in our modern digital and streaming world? Funny Business points the way forward to a (possible) new future for cinema–never forgetting that the audience always gets the last laugh. \nBio: \nMatt Singer is the editor and film critic of ScreenCrush.com and a member of the New York Film Critics Circle. He is also the author of Marvel’s Spider-Man: From Amazing to Spectacular and Opposable Thumbs: How Siskel & Ebert Changed Movies Forever. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two daughters. URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-ticketed-matt-singer-discusses-signs-funny-business/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,Free,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/matt-singer.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261010T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261010T110000 DTSTAMP:20260922T192942Z CREATED:20260922T192942Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260922T192942Z UID:10015873-1791630000-1791630000@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: A Celebration of 100 Years of Winnie the Pooh! DESCRIPTION:Hip Hip Pooh-ray! Join us for a special Winnie-the-Pooh 100th anniversary party. Hear your favorite tales from the Hundred Acre Wood. Make a birthday card for Pooh! Wander the store on a special Winnie-the-Pooh and friends scavenger hunt. And more! URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-a-celebration-of-100-years-of-winnie-the-pooh/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,Free,In-Person,Kids,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/pooh-100social-graphicfb-or-ig.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261009T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261009T190000 DTSTAMP:20260922T185518Z CREATED:20260922T185518Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260922T185518Z UID:10015872-1791572400-1791572400@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Playhouse Village: Trish Lundy\, in conversation with Veronica Bane\, discusses & signs The Worst is Yet to Come DESCRIPTION:From the author of The One That Got Away with Murder comes a fresh YA mystery about a girl who survives a murder attempt and the boy who finds her bleeding on the side of the road as they team up to find out who is targeting teen girls in their small\, Rust Belt community. Perfect for fans of Holly Jackson and Karen M. McManus. \nHigh school might be officially over\, but the real nightmare is just beginning. When two best friends are attacked on graduation night\, only one of them makes it out alive. \nLeft for dead at an abandoned house but determined to find out who killed her best friend\, Rose is rescued by former high school quarterback and heartthrob\, Jake\, who becomes an unexpected ally. . . and maybe something more. But when she learns that seventeen years ago\, another girl suffered the exact same fate in the exact same place\, she wonders if a murderer might be back with a vengeance. . . or is a copycat killer on the loose? \nTime is running out\, because whoever the killer is\, they’re eager to correct their biggest mistake: letting Rose live. As Rose follows the trail of evidence\, she’s led down a path of horrors that threatens to expose the insidious secrets at the heart of her community–secrets the killer will do anything to keep quiet. URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/playhouse-village-trish-lundy-in-conversation-with-veronica-bane-discusses-signs-the-worst-is-yet-to-come/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/trish-lundy-2.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261008T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261008T190000 DTSTAMP:20260922T185256Z CREATED:20260922T185256Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260922T185256Z UID:10015871-1791486000-1791486000@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: TICKETED - Hernan Diaz\, in conversation with Percival Everett\, discusses Ply DESCRIPTION:The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Trust turns to the future with a novel that examines the place of technology in the American imagination \nCenturies from now\, at the dawn of a historical epoch filled with both uncertainty and promise\, an orphan is adrift in a city on the brink of a great transformation. The state has been dismantled\, and humans are reinventing social bonds and learning new ways to coexist with nature. Following a childhood defined by loss\, survival\, and found family\, the orphan grows up to become a “pincher\,” someone who steals electricity from the grid to sell it on the black market. It’s a high-risk life\, one that brings her into a rich art and music scene where she powers underground concerts. It also leads her to a colossal scientific invention that could change the very fabric of reality. \nAfter rewriting America’s past with his two previous novels\, Hernan Diaz defies expectations with his third and gives us a breathtaking glimpse into the future. A major achievement from a major contemporary writer\, Ply questions the place of technology in the American experiment with a plot that grabs both heart and mind. It is a novel of ideas built from a story of people. Combining Dickensian odyssey\, family drama\, and scientific thriller\, Ply poignantly charts the tenuous boundaries of selfhood and the distance that inevitably stands between us and those we love. URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-ticketed-hernan-diaz-in-conversation-with-percival-everett-discusses-ply/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/hernan-diaz.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261005T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261005T190000 DTSTAMP:20260922T163827Z CREATED:20260922T163827Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260922T163827Z UID:10015869-1791226800-1791226800@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: TICKETED - Leigh Bardugo\, Christopher Rice\, & Eric Shaw Quinn discuss & sign Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire: 50th Anniversary Edition DESCRIPTION:The 50th anniversary edition of the spellbinding classic that started it all\, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author. \nThis dazzling special edition features a jacket with foil and embossing\, sprayed edges\, designed endpapers\, a new foreword from Leigh Bardugo\, an afterword by Christopher Rice\, and never-before-seen bonus pages from the original manuscript. \nHere are the confessions of a vampire: a hypnotic\, shocking\, and chillingly sensual story of Louis de Pointe du Lac’s first two hundred years as one of the living dead. We begin on the night when Louis\, disaffected and reluctant heir to a Louisiana plantation\, is turned into a vampire by Lestat. Radiant\, petulant\, and powerful\, Lestat becomes Louis’ companion and urges him to embrace the hungers and feelings of vampirism: the detachment\, the hardened will\, the “superior” sensual pleasures. As Louis struggles to retain the last residue of human feeling within him\, he discovers must commit the ultimate act: to break away from his creator and discover the new world to which he belongs–whatever the cost. \nThis is a story of danger and flight\, of loyalty and treachery\, of gaining humanity and losing it\, and of the extraordinary power of the sense URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-ticketed-leigh-bardugo-christopher-rice-eric-shaw-quinn-discuss-sign-anne-rices-interview-with-the-vampire-50th-anniversary-edition/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/web.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261003T113000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261003T113000 DTSTAMP:20260922T162133Z CREATED:20260922T162133Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260922T162133Z UID:10015868-1791027000-1791027000@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Pasadena Conservatory of Music presents Musical Storytime: The Bats on the Bus by Alison Jackson DESCRIPTION:The Pasadena Conservatory hosts a special musical storytime featuring The Bats on the Bus by Alison Jackson. Caregivers and children ages 3-9 enjoy a story paired with musical accompaniment\, interactive musical play\, and a mini-concert featuring PCM students! URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-pasadena-conservatory-of-music-presents-musical-storytime-the-bats-on-the-bus-by-alison-jackson/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,Free,In-Person,Kids,Pasadena Conservatory of Music,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/storytime-600-x-600-19.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261002T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261002T190000 DTSTAMP:20260922T161852Z CREATED:20260922T161852Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260922T161852Z UID:10015867-1790967600-1790967600@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Vroman’s Bookstore & Tepito Coffee Present: Leslie Priscilla discussing & signing Chancla DESCRIPTION:A parenting guide that speaks directly to Latinx families with language\, history\, and lived experience that honors and celebrates our cultura–while helping readers unlearn violence and shame as tools of discipline. \nFor many in the Latinx community\, “la Chancla”–what we learn to see as the warning sign for disciplinary violence–has become a cultural symbol that has spawned relatable memes that many of us laugh about and bond over. But what if it’s also a symbol of something more harmful? \nIn Chancla\, educator and Latinx Parenting founder\, Leslie Priscilla\, invites readers\, parents\, and the Latinx community on a transformative journey away from cycles of fear\, shame\, and corporal punishment. With warmth and deep cultural insight\, Priscilla explores the historical legacies attached to Chancla while offering a path forward rooted in connection\, self-reflection\, and ancestral healing. Chancla is the nonviolent parenting practice that celebrates Latinx cultura\, while teaching its readers–and their Mamis\, Papis\, Tias\, and Tios–how to heal from generational violence. \nBlending personal storytelling\, historical context\, and actionable tools\, Chancla helps readers not only nurture their children\, but their wounded inner child. Readers will see themselves in these pages\, because ultimately Chancla encourages them to unlearn what they’ve inherited and make space for what they deserve: homes full of love\, safety\, and respect. URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-vromans-bookstore-tepito-coffee-present-leslie-priscilla-discussing-signing-chancla/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore CATEGORIES:Books,Free,In-Person,Tepito Coffee,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/leslie-priscilla-edit.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260929T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260929T190000 DTSTAMP:20260818T164228Z CREATED:20260818T164228Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260818T164228Z UID:10015830-1790708400-1790708400@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Miriam Pawel discusses & signs California Dreams DESCRIPTION:Pulitzer Prize winner Miriam Pawel’s epic history of one of the world’s elite public universities\, its sweeping social impact\, and hopeful lessons about endurance in troubled times. \nDistinguished by its founding mission as an engine of upward mobility\, the University of California-a constitutionally independent public trust-is a great American experiment that has persevered through fraught battles over access\, funding\, and leadership. \nThe University has been at the nexus of nearly every public policy debate and social movement since the Civil War\, from women’s rights to student protests\, from academic freedom to affirmative action\, shaping policies that reverberate throughout the United States. \nCalifornia Dreams narrates UC’s rise and resilience through the lens of those whose lives it has transformed-in particular\, five pioneering graduates whose diverse paths underscore why the University remains\, in the words of Berkeley graduate Joan Didion\, “California’s best idea of itself.” \nAt a time of staggering inequality and uncertainty\, as higher education faces unprecedented threats\, that role has never been more crucial. Drawing on extensive research in ten archives and dozens of interviews\, California Dreams weaves together the linked history of the school and state in all its drama\, signi?cance\, and humanity; the result is a magisterial narrative of both a remarkable public institution of higher education\, and also California itself. URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-miriam-pawel-discusses-signs-california-dreams/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/miriam-pawel.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260928T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260928T190000 DTSTAMP:20260818T163810Z CREATED:20260818T163810Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260818T163810Z UID:10015829-1790622000-1790622000@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Jon Else discusses & signs Frenchman Flat: The Rise and Fall of Atomic Bombs DESCRIPTION:The story of a single nuclear bomb’s deep origins\, brief life during the Cold War\, and lasting environmental and political legacies–as a fresh path to consider the entire sweep of the American nuclear enterprise. A grave reminder of the frightening truth about nuclear testing\, as international norms waver. \nAs the US and Russia let one treaty after another falter and expire\, this urgent book reminds us of the price of those tests. Frenchman Flat recounts the science\, politics\, and human experience of those who developed nuclear weapons\, suffered the consequences\, and fought for and against arms control between the 1940s and 1990s. The throughline of this vast\, complex story is a 37-kiloton atomic bomb dubbed “Priscilla” that was exploded above a custom-built mini-civilization at Frenchman Flat\, Nevada\, in 1957. Jon Else uses Priscilla and the bombs that preceded and followed to highlight the terrifying ways we have stockpiled and tested nuclear weapons\, how near and often we came to self-annihilation\, how we managed to avoid it\, and what we did to the planet and to our own bodies in the process\, from wartime Los Alamos to the suspension of US and Soviet nuclear testing in 1992. \nIn the two decades after Hiroshima\, a pair of dramatic stories unfolded alongside each other: the scramble to produce ever more powerful nuclear weapons\, and the struggle to ban testing of those same weapons. The dramatic narrative takes in the physics of the megaton postwar bombs\, the role of private industry\, the near misses of the Cuban Missile Crisis and less well-known events\, and the testimony of scientists\, politicians\, doctors\, weapons developers\, test-site workers\, ranchers\, and families downwind of test sites. \nThis powerful and persuasive book reminds us how we have–so far–prevented nuclear war by deterrence\, diplomacy\, and luck. It is for the moment a success story\, and a warning. URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-jon-else-discusses-signs-frenchman-flat-the-rise-and-fall-of-atomic-bombs/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/jon-else.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260927T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260927T160000 DTSTAMP:20260818T163030Z CREATED:20260818T163030Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260818T163030Z UID:10015828-1790524800-1790524800@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Local Author Day Introducing m.a. Arana\, Esma Ali & Paul J. Ramirez DESCRIPTION:With entrancing violet eyes and telepathic gifts\, Jalyn Wilds has spent years hiding from her former mentor\, the enigmatic Madam. But when an attempted robbery at Jones’ Store reveals her powers\, she becomes the center of a dangerous conspiracy. \nDetective Ed Daza senses something otherworldly in Jalyn\, and as he follows the trail\, he discovers a hidden network of “Others”-individuals with extraordinary abilities targeted by Madam’s shadow organization with deadly plans. Each step pulls Ed deeper into a world of manipulation\, betrayal\, and supernatural intrigue\, where those he trusts may not be who they seem. \nHunted and caught between forces far beyond ordinary law enforcement\, Jalyn must navigate a web of psychic danger and hidden agendas to survive. Violet Mystique is an urban fantasy thriller that pulses with suspense\, mystery\, and supernatural power-a story of gifts\, secrets\, and the lengths one young woman will go to protect herself and the lives she touches.\nEsma Ali presents Was Jesus A Narcissist?: A Muslim’s Defense of Jesus!\nAs a Christian\, I found this book thought provoking. Well-researched. It has helped me understand the Muslim mindset. I appreciate Esma’s use of Psychology in her illustrations. \n-Anne Nolty\, PhD\, Psychologist\, Pasadena\, CA. \nAs a Catholic\, I have immensely enjoyed the reading!!! Esma Ali brings out perspectives that have never crossed my mind. The book has enhanced an understanding of my own faith as well as Islam. Although I disagree with some of her statements\, I recommend this book. A good educational source for everyone! \n-Adolfo Sanchez\, Accountant \nAs a Bible Study Pastor\, I have grasped the Muslim viewpoint on scripture. This book has enhanced my knowledge. Esma Ali has demonstrated a thorough understanding of the Bible. \n-Jolene Cadenbach\, Pastor\, Arcadia Congregational Church \nAs a Muslim\, I value this book. Esma Ali has illuminated me about the Bible. Her work has enabled me to converse intelligently with Jews and Christians. \n-Dr. Tehmina Khan \nPaul J. Ramirez presents The Fatherless Life: Letters From an Abandoned Playground\nGrowing pains\, adversity\, love\, sadness\, and joy. A broken father preparing his children for the future without him by writing them personal letters from the now abandoned playground they used to play on. A book all should read Please note that purchasing the hardcover helps Paul with his auto-immune treatments. The softcover is at the lowest price possible. URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-local-author-day-introducing-m-a-arana-esma-ali-paul-j-ramirez/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/local-authors-600-x-600.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260924T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260924T190000 DTSTAMP:20260818T162749Z CREATED:20260818T162749Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260818T162749Z UID:10015827-1790276400-1790276400@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Nadia Bowers & Stephanie Wittels Wachs discuss their books\, Dear Dealer: A Memoir\, and Last Day: How to Stop Losing Our Loved Ones to the Opioid Crisis DESCRIPTION:About Dear Dealer: \nFor readers of Beautiful Boy and The Night of the Gun\, this gripping memoir explores addiction\, grief\, and family trauma as one woman goes in search of her sister’s killer. \nIn the summer of 2015\, Nadia Bowers’s beloved older sister\, Sasha—a social worker and Ivy League graduate—was found in her car in a restaurant parking lot in their hometown outside New Haven\, Connecticut\, dead from a fentanyl overdose. Plunged into grief\, equipped with Sasha’s phone\, and just weeks from giving birth to her first child\, Nadia began to investigate her sister’s shadow life: who sold Sasha the drugs that killed her? Did they know each other well? Did the dealer have any idea who Sasha was\, outside of addiction? \nExpanding on her viral 2018 This American Life essay of the same name—a letter to this imagined dealer—Bowers’s memoir is a love letter\, a diary\, and a quest in search of the dealer’s identity\, as well as her own. Who is she without her sister? Who is she because of her sister? And what now? Bowers reflects on her shifting roles as sister and mother\, examining how loss has reshaped her sense of self. Her letters to the faceless dealer are interwoven with rage\, reflection\, and even moments of humor as she recounts their intertwined lives alongside memories of charismatic and complex Sasha. \nRooted in unflinching honesty and poetic prose\, Dear Dealer is a richly compelling account of one woman’s search for meaning\, forgiveness\, and hope in the aftermath of tragedy. \nAbout Last Day: \nBased on the groundbreaking podcast of the same name\, Last Day weaves together a heartbreaking story of personal loss and an unflinching investigation of what could have prevented it. Alongside expert voices on opioid addiction\, Stephanie Wittels Wachs issues a clarion call for change in an ongoing and overwhelming opioid crisis. \nBased on the groundbreaking podcast of the same name\, Last Day is borne of Stephanie Wittels Wachs’s determination to shed light on the ongoing opioid epidemic in America. \nAfter the tragic and untimely death of her brother Harris Wittels to an opioid overdose\, Stephanie connected with Jessica Cordova Kramer\, whose brother died under nearly identical circumstances. Together they launched Last Day\, a podcast that facilitates unflinching conversations with addiction specialists\, harm reductionists\, people in long-term recovery\, public policy experts pushing for reform\, and many others\, to determine what could have saved their brothers lives and how we can prevent overdose deaths moving forward. \nTen years ago\, Stephanie lost her brother—her person—and over the last seven years\, her interviews and research have become a vital resource for others fighting not to lose their person. Heartbreaking yet deeply hopeful\, Last Day is\, at its core\, a powerful story of love that endures long after loss. URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-nadia-bowers-stephanie-wittels-wachs-discuss-their-books-dear-dealer-a-memoir-and-last-day-how-to-stop-losing-our-loved-ones-to-the-opioid-crisis/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/9781668037898.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260923T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260923T190000 DTSTAMP:20260818T162515Z CREATED:20260818T162515Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260818T162515Z UID:10015826-1790190000-1790190000@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Reading Group: Remarkably Bright Creatures DESCRIPTION:The Vroman’s Fiction Reading Group explores contemporary fiction -– long and short -– from a diverse selection of writers.  Enjoy lively discussions at our one-hour meetings.  Our Fiction Reading Group is free and inclusive – there are no requirements nor criteria to join. We announce upcoming titles 3-6 months in advance and choose titles that are available in paperback.  Drop by our next meeting! \nSeptember’s pick is Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. \nFiction Reading Group meetings are held inside Vroman’s Bookstore on the second floor in the event space. URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-reading-group-remarkably-bright-creatures/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,Free,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/heading-26.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260919T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260919T190000 DTSTAMP:20260818T161500Z CREATED:20260818T161500Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260818T161500Z UID:10015823-1789844400-1789844400@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: TICKETED - Dolph Lundgren\, presents Fights Worth Fighting DESCRIPTION:Best known for his role as Ivan Drago in Rocky IV\, Lundgren skyrocketed to fame in the 1980s and has since built a remarkable career spanning over a hundred films—including producing\, writing\, and directing multiple projects. But beyond the on-screen battles lies a far more compelling story: the real-life fights Lundgren has faced behind the scenes. \nIn this deeply personal account\, Lundgren opens up about his upbringing in Sweden\, his rise from a chemical engineering student to a martial arts champion\, and his eventual transformation into an international movie star. He explores the pressures of fame\, the emotional and physical toll of life in a cutthroat industry\, and his private struggles. Now\, as he faces his most difficult challenge yet—a fight against cancer—Lundgren reflects on the cost of survival and what it truly means to keep going. \nMore than just a Hollywood memoir\, Fights Worth Fighting is a guide to resilience. Like Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Be Useful\, it blends life lessons with personal storytelling\, offering practical insights on discipline\, reinvention\, and the importance of mental and emotional strength. \nLundgren’s story arrives at a time when audiences crave authenticity. This isn’t just the tale of a movie star—it’s a call to arms for anyone struggling with their own battles. Candid\, inspiring\, and unexpectedly vulnerable\, Fights Worth Fighting shows us that real strength isn’t just about winning—it’s about continuing the fight when no one’s watching. \nThis is a ticketed event at Pasadena Presbyterian Church. Tickets include one entry and one copy of Fights Worth Fighting to be handed out at check-in. URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-ticketed-dolph-lundgren-presents-fights-worth-fighting/ LOCATION:Pasadena Presbyterian Church\, 585 East Colorado Boulevard\, Pasadena \, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/dolph-lundgren-2.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260919T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260919T140000 DTSTAMP:20260818T162217Z CREATED:20260818T162217Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260818T162217Z UID:10015825-1789826400-1789826400@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Alina Chau discusses & signs Monkey King: Uproar in Heaven DESCRIPTION:Drawing from classic Chinese adventure Journey to the West\, Alina Chau’s bright new adaptation centers on the Monkey King’s wild beginnings and brings one of mythology’s most unforgettable troublemakers to life in a whole new way. \nSun Wukong wasn’t born in the usual way–he hatched from an egg atop Hua Guo Mountain\, full of big dreams and an even bigger attitude. With a shape-shifting staff\, a cloud he can ride like lightning\, and an unstoppable belief in himself\, Wukong isn’t just another monkey . . . he’s the Monkey King. \nWhen word of his wild powers reaches the Heavenly Realm\, the gods try to keep him close to prevent any chaos. But Wukong didn’t come all this way to play by someone else’s rules. And when he decides to shake things up\, the skies themselves might not be ready for the storm he’s about to unleash. Can one monkey’s mischief really cause an uproar in heaven? \nCombining Alina’s sumptuous\, dreamy art with a faithful\, respectful adaptation of a favorite mythical tale\, Uproar in Heaven still manages to be as much fun as a barrel full of monkeys. URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-alina-chau-discusses-signs-monkey-king-uproar-in-heaven/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/alina-chau.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260919T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260919T110000 DTSTAMP:20260818T161955Z CREATED:20260818T161955Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260818T161955Z UID:10015824-1789815600-1789815600@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Caroline L. Perry & Sydney Hanson read from & sign I Am Not Grumpy! (Critter Complaints) DESCRIPTION:In the vein of Grumpy Monkey and Unicorns are the Worst!\, this laugh-out-loud picture book from the creators of I Am Not Happy! gives voice to a black rain frog who swears she’s not grumpy–despite what her expression may suggest! \nWith a cozy burrow\, puddles to play in\, and a never-ending buffet of juicy bugs\, this black rain frog is the happiest amphibian in the land…so why does everyone think she’s grumpy? Sure\, she may have a permanent pout that you might call a serious case of “Resting Frog Face\,” but this sulky squeaker is as content as can be. Don’t you believe her? \nThe cheerful little frog teaches her animal neighbors to not judge a critter by its cover in this hilarious and heartwarming story. URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-caroline-l-perry-sydney-hanson-read-from-sign-i-am-not-grumpy-critter-complaints/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/caroline-l-perry-sydney-hanson.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260915T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260915T190000 DTSTAMP:20260818T160652Z CREATED:20260818T160652Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260818T160652Z UID:10015820-1789498800-1789498800@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Kaitlin Reilly\, discusses & signs Look What You Did DESCRIPTION:A page-turning debut thriller for fans of Kathleen Glasgow and Megan Lally about a teen who must confront her own buried trauma to clear her friend’s name of murder and expose the dark secrets of her small town. \n“I know about Will….I know what he did that night” \nAfter the tragic death of golden boy Will Ashford\, everyone in town is in mourning. Or almost everyone. Seventeen-year-old Mackenzie couldn’t be more relieved. Because she knows Will’s veneer of perfection hid something dark and dangerous. It was a truth she learned one night at the Ashford house and swore never to tell. \nBut her plan is threatened when she starts receiving texts from an unknown number. Someone knows the secret Mackenzie has tried so hard to hide–and they are determined to reveal it. \nWhen Mackenzie’s former best friend is found dead\, she is convinced the anonymous texter is connected to her murder\, and she will stop at nothing to find them. But doing so will mean confronting the trauma she’s fought so hard to suppress and exposing the dark secrets her town has tried to keep buried–or risk being the next girl dead. URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-kaitlin-reilly-discusses-signs-look-what-you-did/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/kaitlin-reilly.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260913T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260913T150000 DTSTAMP:20260817T231605Z CREATED:20260817T231605Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T231605Z UID:10015819-1789311600-1789311600@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Marie Miranda Cruz discusses & signs A Boy Called Hero DESCRIPTION:A time-travel adventure story about finding ways to make a difference\, connect with others\, and be true to yourself no matter where (or when) you are. \nTwelve-year-old Hero Del Rosario isn’t happy about staying with his grandfather in the Philippines while the rest of his family takes a trip back to the States. He’s always been the overlooked one\, the one who gets left behind\, the one who–despite his name–is nothing special. But when he’s transported more than a century into the past\, he suddenly has bigger problems. \nIt’s 1892\, and the Philippines is controlled by Spain. Hero doesn’t know how he got here or how to get home. Luckily\, he meets two kids his age–his great-great-grandfather\, Teo\, and Teo’s twin sister\, Olivia–who take Hero under their wing. \nHero’s ancestors are secretly resisting the oppressive colonial government and working for Philippine independence. Their current mission: distributing copies of a banned book that promotes revolutionary ideas. Soon\, Hero is drawn into this work . . . and discovers that he may be able to live up to his name after all. \nAs the Spanish authorities close in\, Hero must act fast to save his family and the seeds of revolution―without losing his chance to return to his own time. URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-marie-miranda-cruz-discusses-signs-a-boy-called-hero/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/9798765690734.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260912T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260912T110000 DTSTAMP:20260817T230936Z CREATED:20260817T230936Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T230936Z UID:10015818-1789210800-1789210800@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Sandra Equihua reads from & signs Hola\, Lola! to the Bodega: A Bilingual First Words Book/¡hola\, Lola! a la Bodega: Un Libro Bilingã1/4e de Primeras Palabras DESCRIPTION:A bilingual picture book from the Emmy Award-winning creator of El Tigre\, featuring a spunky girl on a mission at the local bodega for her grandfather’s birthday. With over 100 first words in English and Spanish! \nUn libro bilingüe\, de la creadora de la serie El Tigre: las aventuras de Manny Rivera\, y ganadora de un premio Emmy\, protagonizado por una niña alegre con una misión en la bodega para el cumpleaños de su abuelito. ¡Con más de 100 primeras palabras en inglés y español! \nIt’s Abuelito’s birthday\, and Lola must go to the neighborhood bodega to get a candle for his cake! But there’s just so much at the store that catches Lola’s eye\, from the fresh fruits and vegetables to the delicious sandwiches at the deli counter–not to mention the sweet breads and paletas. \nLittle ones will lose themselves in the aisles along with Lola as she delves into all areas of the bodega. English and Spanish labels introduce young readers to all the common foods and items found at the grocery store. \nEs el cumpleaños del abuelito de Lola\, y ella debe ir a la tiendita de la esquina a comprarle ¡una vela para el pastel! Pero hay tanto que ver en la tienda que se distrae\, desde la fruta fresca y los vegetales hasta los sándwiches en los mostradores. ¡Y no hay que olvidar el pan dulce y las paletas! \nLos pequeños se perderán en los pasillos junto con Lola mientras ella explora la bodega. Las etiquetas en inglés y español introducen a pequeños lectores a todas las comidas y los artículos que se encuentran en una tienda. URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-sandra-equihua-reads-from-signs-hola-lola-to-the-bodega-a-bilingual-first-words-book-ahola-lola-a-la-bodega-un-libro-bilinga1-4e-de-primeras-palabras/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/sandra-equihua.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260910T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260910T190000 DTSTAMP:20260817T230437Z CREATED:20260817T230437Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T230437Z UID:10015817-1789066800-1789066800@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Michelle Berenfeld discusses & signs Lessons from a Lost Republic: What Ancient Rome Can Teach Us about This American Moment DESCRIPTION:A lively pocket history of the Roman Republic’s collapse–and its unsettling echoes in our own political moment. \nAmericans are obsessed with Rome. Billionaires and manosphere pundits wax on about its military might\, its gladiators\, its emperors\, its greatness. \nBut we’re telling ourselves the wrong story. \nIn this sharp\, eye-opening account\, classics professor Michelle Berenfeld redirects our gaze. The Roman Empire isn’t the lesson–the Roman Republic is. Nearly five centuries of representative government\, undone by forces that should sound familiar: wealth and power concentrated in the hands of elites\, rampant political violence\, endless expansionist wars\, and a Senate that normalized emergency measures until it had nothing left to protect. One by one\, aspiring strongmen seized what the Senate had surrendered\, stretching the limits of their legal power\, using the military against their own people\, undermining elections\, and killing their enemies–until one of them\, Augustus\, gained total control and became an emperor. \nBerenfeld’s argument is both clarifying and urgent: Rome’s slide into autocracy was not inevitable–and neither is ours. Smart\, spirited\, and packed with revelatory detail\, Lessons from a Lost Republic is a wake-up call two thousand years in the making\, a reminder that the republic is ours to protect. URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-michelle-berenfeld-discusses-signs-lessons-from-a-lost-republic-what-ancient-rome-can-teach-us-about-this-american-moment/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/michelle-berenfeld.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260909T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260909T190000 DTSTAMP:20260817T230055Z CREATED:20260817T230055Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T230055Z UID:10015816-1788980400-1788980400@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Kate Stayman-London\, in conversation with Maurene Goo\, discusses & signs See You Next Tuesday DESCRIPTION:From the bestselling author of One to Watch comes a heartwarming enemies-to-lovers romance perfect for fans of The West Wing and When Harry Met Sally\, featuring two campaign staffers who agree on their politics\, but disagree on everything else. \n“A West Wing love story with Heated Rivalry storytelling . . . all of the heat of an enemies-to-lovers romance with the adrenaline-pumping excitement of a political drama . . . charming\, propulsive\, topical.”–Iman Hariri-Kia\, bestselling author of Female Fantasy \nIn every election\, they’re the issue. \nAnya Katz is Type A and highly driven with unfaltering morals; she’s never met a group project she wouldn’t rather do all by herself. Gabe Hunt is a staggeringly handsome and charming golden boy who’ll do whatever it takes to win. At work on Democratic campaigns\, Anya and Gabe fight about everything–but how long can they fight their undeniable attraction? \nSee You Next Tuesday follows Anya and Gabe through a decade of elections\, from all-night phone banks and piles of greasy takeout to glitzy celebrity fundraisers and presidential debates. They say politics is the art of making change\, but working in politics changes you–and Anya and Gabe navigate dizzying highs and devastating lows in their professional and personal lives as they evolve from enemies to grudgingly respectful colleagues to best friends to lovers . . . to bitter rivals. \nWith breakneck banter\, sizzling chemistry\, and clear-eyed optimism\, See You Next Tuesday is an uplifting and addictive portrait of two lovers passionately working to make history–if only they can overcome their own. URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-kate-stayman-london-in-conversation-with-maurene-goo-discusses-signs-see-you-next-tuesday/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/kate-stayman-london.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260908T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260908T190000 DTSTAMP:20260817T225709Z CREATED:20260817T225709Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T225709Z UID:10015815-1788894000-1788894000@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Dan Werb discusses & signs Our Wild Familiars: How Animals Are Adapting to Cities and Reshaping the Natural World DESCRIPTION:A dazzling journey into the hidden lives of synanthropes\, the wild animals who’ve found ingenious ways to survive and thrive in human communities—from award-winning writer and scientist Dan Werb \nSynanthropes have always been an immutable part of the tapestry of our lives. They are the reason we hear birdsong in the morning and skittering throughout the day\, and why we take such pains to fix lids to our garbage cans. But they are so much more than that\, too: epidemic vectors\, churners of soil\, ecosystem evolvers\, spiritual lodestars\, and\, sometimes\, sharp-toothed marauders making their way through our most intimate spaces with cruel intent. But beyond their quotidian impact on our lives\, synanthropes have a critical part to play in how our communities are shaped and how sustainably they function. These creatures are ambassadors from nature\, arbiters of our planet’s future\, and a key influence on our species’ ongoing evolution; and recently\, something essential has shifted with them. \nWe are in a fraught era of environmental disruption\, habitat destruction\, and human population expansion that is ravaging formerly wild and untouched habitats. That’s caused us to become ever more inundated with synanthropes\, which are bringing delight\, chaos and danger to our doorstep. These species\, so long dismissed\, are forcing us to reckon with them—from the hundreds of thousands of raccoons in urban spaces that spread our refuse no matter how many “raccoon-proof” bags and bins we invent\, to the invasive kudzu plants that grow a foot a day\, enveloping houses\, telephone poles\, trees\, and any other structures into their green abyss. Now\, as urban spaces increasingly become wild spaces\, we have a choice: continue to resist them by any means necessary\, or take the opportunity to promote a more harmonious coexistence. \nThrough vivid storytelling\, Our Wild Familiars brings to spectacular life the world’s most successful synanthropes\, from bats\, raccoons\, and crows\, to some of its weirdest\, including the Giant Pacific Octopus. Acting as a guide to the curious\, Werb reveals how the cracks in our millennia-long efforts to shield ourselves against the outside world might just lead us to a new and necessary balance with nature—or to an ever more savage future. URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-dan-werb-discusses-signs-our-wild-familiars-how-animals-are-adapting-to-cities-and-reshaping-the-natural-world/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/dan-werb.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260904T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260904T190000 DTSTAMP:20260817T225445Z CREATED:20260817T225445Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T225445Z UID:10015814-1788548400-1788548400@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Sara Kehaulani Goo discusses & signs Kuleana: A Story of Family\, Land\, and Legacy in Old Hawai'i DESCRIPTION:Set in one of the world’s most beautiful landscapes\, Kuleana is the story of an award-winning journalist’s effort to hold on to her family’s ancestral Hawaiian lands—and find herself along the way. \n“A powerful story of land\, belonging\, loss\, and survival that challenges us all to think about what we are responsible for.” —Rebecca Nagle\, bestselling author of By the Fire We Carry \nFrom an early age\, Sara Kehaulani Goo was enchanted by her family’s land in Hawai‘i. The vast area on the rugged shores of Maui’s east side—given by King Kamehameha III in 1848—extends from mountain to sea\, encompassing ninety acres of lush\, undeveloped rainforest jungle along the rocky coastline and a massive sixteenth-century temple with a mysterious past. \nWhen a property tax bill arrives with a 500 percent increase\, Sara and her family members are forced to make a decision about the property: fight to keep the land or sell to the next offshore millionaire. When Sara returns to Maui from the mainland\, she reconnects with her great-uncle Take and uncovers the story of how much land her family has already lost over generations\, centuries-old artifacts from the temple\, and the insidious displacement of Native Hawaiians by systemic forces. \nPart journalistic offering and part memoir\, Kuleana interrogates deeper questions of identity\, legacy\, and what we owe to those who come before and after us. Sara’s breathtaking story of unexpected homecomings\, familial hardship\, and fierce devotion to ancestry creates a refreshingly new narrative about Hawai‘i\, its native people\, and their struggle to hold on to their land and culture today. URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-sara-kehaulani-goo-discusses-signs-kuleana-a-story-of-family-land-and-legacy-in-old-hawaii/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/sara-kehaulani-goo.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260903T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260903T190000 DTSTAMP:20260817T224932Z CREATED:20260817T224932Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T224932Z UID:10015813-1788462000-1788462000@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Sonali Kolhatkar discusses & signs Breaking Ice: Community Defense Against State Terror and Maga Fascism DESCRIPTION:A gripping\, on-the-ground account of the growing movement against state violence\, featuring interviews with those on the frontlines of the fight for immigrant justice and what it means to belong. \nFeatures a foreword by Salvadoran American journalist and author Roberto Lovato. \nA war is being waged on the streets of the United States of America: MAGA’s violent anti-immigration regime is being challenged by a growing national movement dedicated to protecting communities and reversing racist and authoritarian policies. In Breaking ICE\, award-winning journalist Sonali Kolhatkar presents her conversations with over a dozen movement organizers\, lawyers\, artists\, labor leaders\, and scholars on the frontlines of the fight. Through their courageous stories\, Kolhatkar documents the impact of ICE violence\, workplace raids\, mass surveillance\, and intimidation tactics\, and how communities from Maine to California are organizing for a better world. Our present actions will not only determine the nature of American demographics from here on out\, but also whether the future of the United States will look like an open multiracial democracy or a fascist police state. \nFeatures conversations with: Pablo Alvarado\, Nikki Marín Baena\, Eduardo Delgado\, Adela de la Torre\, Shannon Gibney\, Ron Gochez\, David Huerta\, Ibram X. Kendi\, Robin D. G. Kelley\, Josefina Lopez\, Leonardo Martinez\, Christine Neumann-Ortiz\, Viet Thanh Nguyen\, Favianna Rodriguez\, Luis Rodriguez\, Ruben Torres\, Richard Wallace\, Yohuru Williams\, and Kent Wong. Foreword by Roberto Lovato. URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-sonali-kolhatkar-discusses-signs-breaking-ice-community-defense-against-state-terror-and-maga-fascism/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/sonali-kolhatkar.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260902T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260902T190000 DTSTAMP:20260817T224626Z CREATED:20260817T224626Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T224626Z UID:10015812-1788375600-1788375600@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Andre Hardy\, in conversation with Mark Sarvas\, discusses & signs Tear the City Down DESCRIPTION:This debut novel from a former NFL player is a hard-hitting\, heart-wrenching crime novel that brilliantly blends elements of jazz\, football\, and a gritty portrait of a city divided–perfect for fans of S.A. Cosby and Walter Mosley. \nColtrane Davis is at once a knight and a hustler. He has risen to wealth and success\, graduating from San Diego’s back alleys to the halls of power through his partnership with Saul Sollman\, a crooked kingmaker among the city’s elite. Running multimillion-dollar scams with Saul\, he has been Saul’s fixer\, but now he wants out of the hustle so that he can focus on his teenage daughter’s burgeoning tennis career and finally be the dad he has always wanted to be. \nBut when the Los Angeles Chargers’ star running back vanishes one evening before a big game\, Coltrane is drawn into an investigation of what happened by Saul and his protégé\, the player’s agent; the stakes escalate with a gut-punch when the trail leads into San Diego’s underworld of drugs and prostitution and reveals clues to the disappearance of his daughter’s best friend\, whose loss has haunted him. \nTorn by the unreconcilable demands of the life he can’t seem to quit and the fierce desire he has to protect his own\, Coltrane brings himself and his loved ones to the brink of destruction in his quest to free himself once and for all of Saul’s control–and focus on what really matters: family. URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-andre-hardy-in-conversation-with-mark-sarvas-discusses-signs-tear-the-city-down/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/andre-hardy.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260901T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260901T190000 DTSTAMP:20260817T224348Z CREATED:20260817T224118Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T224348Z UID:10015811-1788289200-1788289200@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Joseph Fink\, in conversation with Mara Wilson\, discusses & signs The Nudge: A Psychological Thriller DESCRIPTION:A purchase of the book from Vroman’s is greatly appreciated and makes events like this possible.\nA new horror novella from the creator of Welcome to Night Vale and Alice Isn’t Dead featuring original illustrations from Night Vale series artist Jessica Hayworth. \nOn the open road\, evil doesn’t chase you. It waits . . . \nLate one night\, a wounded man checks into a remote roadside hotel. He’s running from something he can’t explain or escape. And over the course of a night\, he’ll tell the hotel’s proprietor how his life fell apart. \nIt started with his wife. Subtle changes. Smiles that didn’t belong to her. Then violence–sudden\, intimate\, almost casual. Therapy offered hope. Recovery seemed possible. Until it wasn’t. He believes a hidden influence has attached itself to him\, one that never forces\, never commands. It whispers. It suggests. Nudges people toward their worst impulses. \nNow the man wanders the country as a fugitive\, hoping to break free from the evil that’s wormed its way into him. But as our narrator’s story unfolds\, he begins to question whether he’s fled far enough . . . \nTense\, atmospheric\, and chilling\, The Nudge is a slow-burn tale of suspense that will linger like a whisper in the dark\, long after the story is over. \nCan’t make it to the event but still want a signed copy? Pre-order your signed copy here. URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-2/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/joseph-fink-2_0.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260831T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260831T190000 DTSTAMP:20260806T193636Z CREATED:20260806T193636Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260806T193636Z UID:10015775-1788202800-1788202800@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Sam Quinones discusses & signs Our Lady of the Angels: The Virgin of Guadalupe on the Walls of Los Angeles DESCRIPTION:On storefronts\, alleyways\, and street corners across the city\, murals of the Virgin of Guadalupe grace the walls of Los Angeles in a tapestry of faith\, identity\, and culture. Our Lady of the Angels: The Virgin of Guadalupe on the Walls of Los Angeles captures the sacred and everyday presence of Guadalupe murals across the city\, offering a poignant lens into the cultural heartbeat of LA neighborhoods. Each image is a testament to community\, artistry\, and devotion—a visual pilgrimage through urban altars where spirituality meets street art. Whether you’re drawn to religious iconography\, Latino culture\, or the layered stories of LA itself\, this collection invites you to see the city anew—through the lens of its most beloved saint. \nEn escaparates\, callejones y esquinas de toda la ciudad\, murales de la Virgen de Guadalupe adornan los muros de Los Ángeles como un tapiz de fe\, identidad y cultura. Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles: La Virgen de Guadalupe en los muros de Los Ángeles captura la presencia sagrada y cotidiana de los murales guadalupanos en la ciudad\, ofreciendo una mirada conmovedora al pulso cultural de los vecindarios angelinos. Cada imagen es un testimonio de comunidad\, arte y devoción: una peregrinación visual a través de altares urbanos donde la espiritualidad se encuentra con el arte callejero. Ya sea que te atraiga la iconografía religiosa\, la cultura latina o las historias entrelazadas de Los Ángeles\, esta colección te invita a ver la ciudad de una nueva manera: a través del lente de su santa más querida. \n  URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-sam-quinones-discusses-signs-our-lady-of-the-angels-the-virgin-of-guadalupe-on-the-walls-of-los-angeles/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/sam-quinones.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260829T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260829T110000 DTSTAMP:20260806T193442Z CREATED:20260806T193442Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260806T193442Z UID:10015774-1788001200-1788001200@playhousevillage.org SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Linda Liu reads from & signs I Guess I’ll Go Eat Worms DESCRIPTION:Yup! You read that right . . . WORMS! \nOnly thing for an outcast to eat . . . \nBut what if wet\, gooey\, chewy worms could be a way to meet someone new? What if there’s somebody out there who wallows in worms just as much as you do? Well\, for an ugly duckling and a black sheep\, there may just be a cure for their loneliness . . . \nAnd you know the cure can only be one thing: worms–I mean\, friendship. \nIn this hilarious remix of the classic nursery rhyme\, Linda Liu breathes new life into the importance of connection–with a book that demands to be sung URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-linda-liu-reads-from-signs-i-guess-ill-go-eat-worms/ LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States CATEGORIES:Books,Vroman's Bookstore ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/linda-liu.png END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR