Book Society®

You already know you love Sauvignon Blanc. But do you know it can smell and taste entirely different depending on where it's grown? And that a Sancerre-lover can drink just as well on half the budget—if they know where to look? That's exactly what we're going to learn—together.

Book Society is thrilled to bring back our wine tasting series this July, led by Book Society's somm-in-training, Damian Guzman. This three-part workshop takes a fresh approach to wine education: each session zooms in on one compelling question—how does the same grape taste when grown in different hemispheres? Where are the hidden-value bottles sommeliers stock up on at home? And what really makes Champagne Champagne? Come for one class or all three; either way, you'll leave with a sharper palate and a few very good secrets.

Local Event: Varietal Instincts: A Wine Tasting Series | Class 2: The Sommelier's Secret

Alameda County

Berkeley

California

Varietal Instincts: A Wine Tasting Series |...

You already know you love Sauvignon Blanc. But do you know it can smell and taste entirely different depending on where it's...

Varietal Instincts: A Wine Tasting Series | Class 2: The Sommelier's Secret

This month, we're thrilled to welcome a very special guest facilitator for an edition of Journaling Club unlike any other.

Inspired by a prompt in The Book of Alchemy&nbsp;and Michael Bierut's 100-Day Project, Dana Whitaker set out on a 100-day journey to capture one bloom a day from the world around her. What began as a simple daily observation evolved into a deeply reflective creative practice — and a reminder that beauty, when you train yourself to look for it, is everywhere, and more spectacularly surprising than you could ever imagine.

Dana will guide us through this exercise, inviting us to explore what it means to cultivate a daily creative practice rooted in close attention — to the small, the seasonal, and the overlooked. Whether you leave with a new habit (100 days!), a single meaningful page, or simply a fresh way of seeing, this session promises to open your eyes, and heart, a little wider.

Tickets include:
<ul><li>A guided journaling session</li><li>Mimosas or NA bubbly</li><li>Light morning treats</li></ul>

Whether you're a lifelong writer or someone simply looking for a creative outlet, our Journaling Club offers a moment to pause, connect, and explore the world — and yourself — one page at a time.

Local Event: Journaling Club: A Bloom a Day

Journaling Club: A Bloom a Day

This month, we're thrilled to welcome a very special guest facilitator for an edition of Journaling Club unlike any...

The next two books in Sarah J. Maas’s beloved A Court of Thorns and Roses&nbsp;series are officially on the way! In anticipation of the upcoming new releases in the beloved A Court of Thorns and Roses, we’re gathering each month to revisit the iconic romantasy saga by Sarah J. Maas—leading up to what is sure to be one of the most anticipated book releases of the year.

Starting in May, we’ll meet once a month to revisit Books 1–5&nbsp;together—perfect for longtime fans eager to return to Prythian or newcomers ready to experience the series for the first time. Along the way, we’ll relive favorite moments, debate the drama, celebrate the romance, and prepare ourselves for the long-awaited next chapter.

And of course, all of this leads to the ACOTAR release celebration of the year this October. 

Expect an evening filled with lively conversation, great wine, and spirited debate!

Tickets include:
<ul><li>a facilitated book discussion</li><li>a specially selected wine, perfectly paired with this enchanting romantasy</li><li>a delectable snack</li></ul>

Three ways to get the book while supporting Book Society:
<ul><li>In-Store:&nbsp;Pick up a copy the next time you visit us.</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/a/92586/9781250373359" rel="nofollow noopener">Bookshop.org</a>:&nbsp;Order online, and have it shipped to you.</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://libro.fm/playlists/10795?bookstore=booksociety" rel="nofollow noopener">Libro.fm</a>:&nbsp;A great option for audiobook listeners!</li></ul>

No need to have finished the book to join in on the fun!

Hurry and grab your seat—space is limited!

Local Event: The ACOTAR Countdown Book Club: Book 3

The ACOTAR Countdown Book Club: Book 3

The next two books in Sarah J. Maas’s beloved A Court of Thorns and Roses series are officially on the way! In anticipation of...

Local Event: Varietal Instincts: A Wine Tasting Series | Class 3: Pop Quiz

Varietal Instincts: A Wine Tasting Series | Class 3: Pop Quiz

Calling all cookbook enthusiasts, food lovers, and wine-curious home (or professional) chefs! Whether you love to cook, sip, or simply page through a beautifully crafted cookbook, the Cookbook Lovers Club is for you. In collaboration with the fabulous food stylist and cookbook author Bebe Carminito, our club gathers to celebrate the art of cookbooks—featuring a different author and their delicious creations. We meet, eat, sip, and savor good conversation with fellow foodies.

We're raising a glass to the next Cookbook Lovers Club with a very special guest: Catherine Cogliandro Alioto, classically trained chef, recipe developer, and author of Tapas España—a vibrant guide to Spanish-style entertaining featuring 70 easy, crave-worthy small plates.

Join us for an intimate conversation with Catherine about her culinary journey and the story behind Tapas España. Catherine will also guide us through her tips and tricks for bringing the communal, mix-and-match spirit of tapas to your home kitchen—no trip to Spain required.

Whether you're a seasoned entertainer looking for a fresh spread or simply someone who believes every gathering is better with small bites and good wine, this evening was made for you.

Your ticket includes:
<ul><li>Intimate cookbook conversation with Catherine Cogliandro Alioto</li><li>Tasting of delicious tapas recipes from Tapas España&nbsp;paired with Spanish wines</li><li>Book signing with Catherine</li></ul>

Option to pre-order a copy of Tapas España&nbsp;at checkout. A limited number of copies will also be available for purchase at the event.

Local Event: Cookbook Lovers Club: Tapas Espana with Catherine Cogliandro Alioto

Cookbook Lovers Club: Tapas Espana with...

Calling all cookbook enthusiasts, food lovers, and wine-curious home (or professional) chefs! Whether you love to cook, sip, or...

Cookbook Lovers Club: Tapas Espana with Catherine Cogliandro Alioto

Preserving Ancestral Knowledge as BIPOC Writers brings together four Bay Area authors for a conversation about what it means to carry family history, language, and memory into the work of writing.

Joining us are Eirinie Carson, Sabina Khan-Ibarra, Rowena Leong Singer, and Grace Loh Prasad—writers whose books span memoir, fiction, and personal essay, and whose work is united by a deep engagement with diaspora, lineage, and belonging. Several are part of Rooted &amp; Written, a program of San Francisco's Writers Grotto dedicated to writers integrating their histories into their craft.

Together they'll talk about how to listen to, record, and honor ancestral knowledge on the page—without flattening it for mainstream expectations. Expect a conversation that moves between the personal and the craft-focused: how to write the stories that were handed down to you, the ones that were withheld, and the ones you're only now learning to ask about.

This is a conversation Book Society has been looking forward to since seeing it at the Bay Area Book Festival, and we're honored to host these four writers for an evening of literary community in Berkeley.

Your ticket includes:
<ul><li>A moderated conversation with four acclaimed BIPOC authors</li><li>Book signing and Q&amp;A</li><li>A glass of wine and good company, Book Society–style</li></ul>

About the Authors

Eirinie Carson&nbsp;is a member of the Writers Grotto in San Francisco and a frequent contributor to Mother&nbsp;magazine. Her work has also appeared in LitHub, Notre Dame Review, Mortal Mag, Electric Literature, The Sonora Review, and others. Bloodfire, Baby&nbsp;is her debut novel.

Sabina Khan-Ibarra&nbsp;is a Pashtun American writer and educator whose work has been recognized by major literary prizes and fellowships. She teaches creative writing throughout the Bay Area and California, and directs Rooted &amp; Written at the Writers Grotto.

Rowena Leong Singer&nbsp;is an award-winning Chinese-Filipino writer and editor whose work appears in The New York Times, North American Review, Black Warrior Review, Narrative, and elsewhere. She's the grand prize winner in literary fiction for the Book Pipeline Unpublished Contest, holds an MFA from Bennington, and serves as an associate editor at CRAFT&nbsp;and a director of Rooted &amp; Written.

Grace Loh Prasad&nbsp;is the author of the memoir The Translator's Daughter&nbsp;(Mad Creek Books/The Ohio State University Press)—a finalist for the Northern California Book Award and the Feminist Press Louise Meriwether First Book Prize, and one of the San Francisco Chronicle's Best Books of 2024. Her writing on belonging and diaspora has appeared in The New York Times, Literary Hub, Longreads, Guernica, and more.

Local Event: Rooted & Written: Preserving Ancestral Knowledge

Rooted & Written: Preserving Ancestral Knowledge

Preserving Ancestral Knowledge as BIPOC Writers brings together four Bay Area authors for a conversation about what it means to...

Book Society

We live in a world that rewards certainty—the confident answer, the five-year plan, the decisive take. But what if our discomfort with not knowing is costing us something essential?

In How to Not Know: The Value of Uncertainty in a World that Demands Answers, journalist and author Simone Stolzoff makes the case that uncertainty isn't a problem to be solved but a skill to be practiced—one tied to creativity, open-mindedness, and a kind of wonder that certainty tends to flatten. Drawing on psychology, history, Zen philosophy, and conversations with people who've made peace with the unknown—including an economist who founded a "Department of Doubt" and a death doula who sits with families in life's most uncertain moments—Stolzoff offers a way of thinking about ambiguity that feels less like a burden and more like an invitation.

Stolzoff will be in conversation with Dr. Emily Anhalt, clinical psychologist, cofounder of Coa (the gym for mental health), and author of Flex Your Feelings, a data-driven, step-by-step plan for building the seven essential traits of emotional fitness—often described as Atomic Habits&nbsp;for your mental health. Together they'll dig into why professional life pressures us to project certainty we don't actually feel, what it costs us individually and collectively, and what it might look like to build the emotional flexibility to live with not having all the answers—especially in a moment defined by change.

Your ticket includes:
<ul><li>A moderated conversation between Simone Stolzoff and Dr. Emily Anhalt</li><li>Book signing and Q&amp;A</li><li>A glass of wine and good company, Book Society–style</li></ul>

Local Event: How to Not Know: A Conversation on Uncertainty

How to Not Know: A Conversation on Uncertainty

We live in a world that rewards certainty—the confident answer, the five-year plan, the decisive take. But what if our...

OK, guys—we heard you. The ladies have been onto something with book clubs, and now it’s your turn. While this one isn’t exclusively for men, Tough &amp; Tannic leans into a richer, moodier energy—think deep, brooding reds over rosy rosé vibes. This is our newest book club where hard-boiled detectives, double agents, and femme fatales come to play. 

This month, we're diving into From the Dust&nbsp;by David Swinson. Retired DC homicide detective Graham Sanderson moves to the remote Finger Lakes to care for his shut-in brother—until a body turns up and the local police chief, an old family friend, pulls him back into the work he knows too well. The deeper he digs, the more he finds hidden in the town's quiet hierarchies. A soulful rural noir about belief, and what you stand for when you've got nothing left to lose.

Expect an evening of lively conversation, great wine, and the kind of spirited debate that would make even a gumshoe sweat.

Local Event: The Tough & Tannic Book Club: From the Dust

The Tough & Tannic Book Club: From the Dust

OK, guys—we heard you. The ladies have been onto something with book clubs, and now it’s your turn. While this one isn’t...

Laura Guzman

Fernando Haro

Bay Area

Albany

Rockridge

Contra Costa County

El Cerrito

Piedmont

Alameda

Angela Woodall

Lamorinda

Pinole-Hercules

San Francisco

San Francisco County

Pleasant Hill

Walnut Creek

Faction Brewing

Little Steven's Underground Garage, DJ Sid Presley, Faction Brewing present...
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1232889085625868" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">THE ALAMEDA ROCK &amp; ROLL FLEA MARKET</a>
Saturday July 25, 2026 
Faction Brewing | 2501 Monarch Street, Alameda 
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1232889085625868" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE</a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/alamedarockandrollfleamarket/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM!</a>100+ vendors selling records, music memorabilia, musical instruments, vintage clothing, tiki/Hawaiiana, handmade jewelry &amp; gifts, books, videos, and much more!Food &amp; Drink by Satay By The Bay SF, Crazy Block Cheesecakes, Swahili Spot, Sweet Pipers, Kaböb Trolley


Craft brew made on the premises by Faction BrewingLIVE MUSIC SCHEDULE
11:30 Lowell Levinger of The Youngbloods, Little Steven &amp; The Disciples Of Soul
12:30 Dog Party 
1:30 The Control Freaks
2:30 Th' Losin Streaks 
3:30 The Pandoras
4:30 Muck &amp; The Mires 
ALL AGES | $5 admission (12 and under free)
<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/alameda-rock-roll-flea-market-tickets-1991021976328?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExaExwQjJZWWJmb3FGcUtVbnNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR6VbrdVIvL2RwfJVj6r6PV-MSlDEV5rNEJSQWLqvIgfH4nR8O_z7KuiFSS18Q_aem_A5BPHSfFdEJohZtXa2RIKA" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"></a>Indoor/Outdoor event - Rain or Shine
OUR SPONSORS - 1-2-3-4 Go! Records Alternative Tentacles Records Faction Brewing Satay By The Bay SF

Local Event: ALAMEDA ROCK & ROLL FLEA MARKET - 100 Vendors + Live Music, Food Trucks, Craft Beer

ALAMEDA ROCK & ROLL FLEA MARKET - 100 Vendors +...

Little Steven's Underground Garage, DJ Sid Presley, Faction Brewing present...
THE ALAMEDA ROCK & ROLL FLEA MARKET
Saturday...

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Posting Activity

Varietal Instincts: A Wine Tasting Series | Class 2: The Sommelier's Secret

JUL

16

6:30 PM

Book Society®, 2945 College Ave, Berkeley, CA

Journaling Club: A Bloom a Day

JUL

19

10:00 AM

Book Society®, 2945 College Ave, Berkeley, CA

The ACOTAR Countdown Book Club: Book 3

JUL

22

6:30 PM

Book Society®, 2945 College Ave, Berkeley, CA

Varietal Instincts: A Wine Tasting Series | Class 3: Pop Quiz

JUL

23

6:30 AM

Book Society®, 2945 College Ave, Berkeley, CA

Cookbook Lovers Club: Tapas Espana with Catherine Cogliandro Alioto

JUL

28

6:00 PM

Book Society®, 2945 College Ave, Berkeley, CA

Rooted & Written: Preserving Ancestral Knowledge

AUG

5

6:00 PM

Book Society®, 2945 College Ave, Berkeley, CA

How to Not Know: A Conversation on Uncertainty

AUG

18

6:00 PM

Book Society, 2945 College Ave, Berkeley, CA

The Tough & Tannic Book Club: From the Dust

AUG

25

6:30 PM

Book Society, 2945 College Ave, Berkeley, CA

ALAMEDA ROCK & ROLL FLEA MARKET - 100 Vendors + Live Music, Food Trucks, Craft Beer