October Book Events in Los Angeles Featuring Brian Wilson, Mel Brooks and Abbi Jacobson

Allyson Gronowitz

Personal histories are the name of the game for the month of October. Comedic filmmaker Mel Brooks shares some rollicking tales from the making of the classic “Young Frankenstein” and innovative Beach Boys singer-songwriter Brian Wilson discusses the highs and lows of his incredible life in a new memoir. Meanwhile, writer Kate Schatz and artist Miriam Klein Stahl dip into a larger pool of inspirational figures with their book about “Rad Women Worldwide.” Check out these authors and our other October highlights at your local Los Angeles bookstores.

Cookie Johnson, “Believing in Magic: My Story of Love, Overcoming Adversity, and Keeping the Faith” at Barnes and Noble: The Grove | Oct. 1
Cookie Johnson shares the story of her marriage to legendary NBA star Magic Johnson in her memoir “Believing in Magic.” With startling honesty, Johnson details their struggles with faith, an HIV diagnosis and parenthood.

Kate Schatz and Miriam Klein Stahl, “Rad Women Worldwide” at Skylight Books | Oct. 3
From the bestselling authors of “Rad American Women A-Z” comes the natural follow-up, “Rad Women Worldwide,” which expands on portraits of “artists and athletes, pirates and punks, and other revolutionaries who shaped history.” Feminist writer Schatz and artist/activist Stahl collaborate on 40 new biographical profiles and papercut illustrations.

Bruce Springsteen at Barnes & Noble at The Grove | Oct. 3
Inspired to tell his story following his exhilarating performance with the E. Street Band at the 2009 Super Bowl, The Boss himself recounts the highs and lows of his life and career in the new memoir, “Born to Run.”  To celebrate the release of this seven years in the making book, the Jersey rocker will be meeting and posing for photos with 1100 of his most loyal L.A. fans.

Carli Lloyd, “When Nobody Was Watching: My Hard-Fought Journey To the Top of the Soccer World” at Vroman’s Bookstore | Oct. 4
Lloyd skyrocketed to fame when she scored a hat trick in the 2015 World Cup final, earning Team U.S.A. its third title. But her road to success was a rocky one, as the two-time Olympic gold medalist reveals in her memoir “When Nobody Was Watching.” Lloyd bares all in discussing her painful estrangement from her family, her punishing training regimen and simmering animosity with her teammates.

Micah Perks, “What Becomes Us” at Skylight Books | Oct. 5
Perks will discuss her dazzlingly original new novel, a story about a woman starting life over again in a small town, told from the perspective of her twin fetuses, with author Michelle Tea.

Monika Skerbelis and Rona Edwards, “I Liked It, Didn’t Love It” at Book Soup | Oct. 6
For budding screenwriters, directors and producers, “I Liked It, Didn’t Love It” has been a treasure trove of advice and insider information. Authors and industry professionals Skerbelis and Edwards will present and sign the latest edition of their coveted textbook.

Michael DiMartino, “Rebel Genius” at Barnes and Noble: The Grove | Oct. 7
From the co-creator of hit animated series “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and “The Legend of Korra” comes “Rebel Genius,” the first in an enriching fantasy series where artists befriend living embodiments of their creative spirits.

Phoebe Robinson, “You Can’t Touch My Hair” at Skylight Books | Oct. 7
In this fiercely funny essay collection, comedian and “2 Dope Girls” podcaster Robinson discusses the intersections of race, feminism and pop culture.

Natasha Gregson Wagner and Robert Wagner, “Natalie Wood: Reflections on a Legendary Life” at Book Soup | Oct. 8
In the first family-authorized book on famous actress Natalie Wood (“Nightmare on 34th Street,” “West Side Story”), those closest to Wood (including husband Robert Wagner, daughter Natasha Gregson Wagner and co-star Robert Redford) reflect on the extraordinary career of the child-star turned award-winning actress.

David Reddish, “Conquest of the Planet of the Geeks” at Vroman’s Bookstore | Oct. 9
Reddish’s “Comic Con Chronicles” follows aspiring screenwriter Liquin Sonos and his geeky friends as they battle corporate greed and struggle with mental illness in their quest to make it in the creative industry. “Conquest of the Planet of the Geeks” takes place two years after “Sex, Drugs & Superheroes” and dives into the tantalizing subcultures of the annual San Diego Comic Con.

Amor Towles, “A Gentleman in Moscow” at Vroman’s Bookstore | Oct. 10
On the heels of his breakout bestseller, “Rules of Civility,” Towles takes us back to the mid-20th century in “A Gentleman in Moscow.” With wit and elegance, Towles tells the tale of a Russian aristocrat who is sentenced to a life of house arrest inside a glamorous hotel, while history unfolds without him on the Moscow streets.

Melissa Yancy, “Dog Years” at Skylight Books | Oct. 10
Yancy’s touching collection of short stories draws upon her own experiences as she explores both modern marvels and mundanities with equal profundity.

Rod Pyle, “Blueprint for a Battlestar: Serious Scientific Explanations Behind Sci-Fi’s Greatest Inventions” at Vroman’s Bookstore | Oct. 12
NASA insider Pyle examines 25 artifacts of technology from the world of science fiction in his illustrated “Blueprint for a Battlestar,” while assessing how many of these advancements are within our reach.

Colin Dickey, “Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places” at Skylight Books | Oct. 12
From the haunted brothels of Reno to the buried treasure in the Mississippi Delta, Dickey takes readers on a road trip across America to investigate the fringes of superstitious belief. He is joined by licensed mortician Caitlin Doughty to discuss the inverted sacredness of haunted spaces and how we approach the supernatural.

Nell Zink, “Nicotine” at Skylight Books | Oct. 14
Heralded by none other than National Book Award winner Jonathan Franzen, up-and-coming novelist Zink draws on her experience living in cooperative housing to craft “Nicotine,” the story of business school graduate Penny Baker’s idealistic clash with the group of anarchist hippies occupying her childhood home.

Cary Elwes, “As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride” at Vroman’s Bookstore | Oct. 15
For fans of “The Princess Bride,” Rob Reiner’s beloved adaptation of William Goldman’s novella, Elwes’ firsthand account of the production of the film (complete with exclusive stories, photographs, and interviews with co-stars) is a must-have. Now, celebrating the release of the paperback edition of “As You Wish,” Elwes (who played romantic lead Westley in the film) will be on hand to sign copies of the book.

Vanessa Hua, “Deceit and Other Possibilities” at Skylight Books | Oct. 16
Debut writer Hua will discuss her stunning short story collection centered around the immigrant experience in America with award-winning novelist Naomi Hirahara.

Brian Wilson, “I Am Brian Wilson: A Memoir” at Book Soup | Oct. 18
As a founding member of the Beach Boys, Brian Wilson has lived through fame and fortune while also battling drug addiction and mental illness. In his candid memoir, Wilson shares the inspirational story of his triumph over life’s many adversities.

Mike Massimino, “Spaceman: An Astronaut’s Unlikely Journey to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe” at Skylight Books | Oct. 18
In his memoir “Spaceman,” ‘celebrity astronaut’ Massimino tells the unlikely story of how a kid with poor eyesight and a fear of heights followed his dreams to the stars.

Mel Brooks, “Young Frankenstein: A Mel Brooks Book” at Barnes and Noble: The Grove | Oct. 20
Iconic comedy legend Mel Brooks will discuss “Young Frankenstein: A Mel Brooks Book,” the actor/director’s first-hand account of the production of his zany satire of the classic Universal horror franchise.

Simon Reynolds, “Shock and Awe” at Skylight Books | Oct. 20
Reynolds, a longtime music journalist, provides a comprehensive account of the legacy of “Glam Rock,” featuring artists such as David Bowie and Alice Cooper, from the seventies until today.

Maria Semple, “Today Will Be Different” at Barnes and Noble: The Grove | Oct. 21
Semple, a former writer on “Saturday Night Live” and the author of the uproarious bestseller “Where’d You Go, Bernadette,” returns with “Today Will Be Different.” The novel chronicles a day in the life of the unambitious Eleanor Flood, who is forced to rethink her life and confront her own identity.

Sierra Furtado, “Life Uploaded” at Barnes and Noble: The Grove | Oct. 22
Furtado, a teenage YouTube vlogger with millions of followers, opens up about her life as an internet celebrity while balancing the travails of high school.

Carrie Brownstein, “Hunger Makes Me A Modern Girl” at Skylight Books | Oct. 25
“Portlandia” star and musician Brownstein celebrates the paperback release of her intimate memoir, “Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl,” along with “The Argonauts” author Maggie Nelson. The launch event will take place at the Largo at the Coronet and tickets include a copy of the book.

Jason Porath, “Rejected Princesses: Tales of History’s Boldest Heroines, Hellions, and Heretics” at Book Soup | Oct. 25
Based on the popular Tumblr, “Rejected Princesses” presents an illustrated account of badass ladies throughout history and mythology. The delightfully irreverent Porath includes entries on a rebel preacher in 1630s Boston, a bloodthirsty Hungarian countess and more.

Mario Batali, “Mario Batali: Big American Cookbook” at Vroman’s Bookstore | Oct. 26
Famous American chef, Mario Batali, will discuss his latest cookbook, a celebration of regional recipes, with former Los Angeles Times food editor Russ Parsons.

Abbi Jacobson, “Carry This Book” at Barnes and Noble: The Grove | Oct. 30
The “Broad City” co-creator and co-star showcases her more lighthearted creative side with “Carry This Book,” an illustrated account of the objects that real and fictional personalities carry around in their bags and pockets. She will discuss the contents of Amelia Earhart’s pencil case and Bernie Madoff’s suit pockets with fellow comedian Amy Poehler.

David Skal, “Something in the Blood: The Untold Story of Bram Stoker, the Man who Wrote Dracula” at Book Soup | Oct. 30
Skal’s account of the Bram Stoker, the man responsible for the creation of Count Dracula, delivers a fascinating psychological portrait of a prolific and mysterious writer in an age of medical horrors and changing attitudes towards sex and gender.

Book readings and signings are happening in Oct. at Book Soup, Skylight Books, Vroman’s Bookstore and Barnes & Noble at The Grove.