Tag Archives: Author Talk

Word Up Recirculation: Lauren Derby’s BÊTES NOIRES with Orchestre Moto

Lauren Derby’s BÊTES NOIRES with Anne Eller, René Cordero, and Lizabeth Paravisini-Gebert

With a performance from Orchestre Moto

To celebrate Independent Bookstore Day, Word Up welcomes author Lauren Derby to celebrate her new book Bêtes Noires: Sorcery as History in the Haitian-Dominican Borderlands. Joining Derby will be Anne Eller (long durée Hispaniola history), René Cordero (post-Trujillo corruption and drug trafficking), and Lizabeth (Lisa) Paravisini-Gebert (vodou/vodú), each presenting on their research topics.

After the reading, there will be a performance from Orchestre Moto. Orchestre Moto is a New York and Los Angeles-based band with a constellation of roots, from Kinshasa to Brazzaville, Lubumbashi to Pointe-Noire, dedicated to showcasing the Congolese sound. Moto means “fire” in Lingala: a name that reflects the explosive, high-energy African dance music they bring to the stage. The ensemble performs genres such as rumba, sebene, mutuashi, and ndombolo—styles born in post-independence Africa that blend traditional rhythms with electric guitar and Afro-Cuban influences.

This event is a $5 suggested donation ticket.  Please register in advance.

Word Up Recirculation: Community Potluck (Independent Bookstore Day)

Community Potluck with Caroline Choe (Independent Bookstore Day)

In an attempt to remind folks there is still love, life, and safety in our community spaces, especially in such a turbulent time, chef Caroline Choe, author of Banchan: 60 Korean American Recipes for Delicious, Shareable Sides, is hosting a community potluck at Recirculation.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their favorite dish and celebrate cherished third spaces on Independent Bookstore Day!

Please register in advance.

Recirculation Word Up: Stuart Schrader’s BLUE POWER with Philip V. McHarris

Word Up welcomes historian Stuart Schrader to discuss his new book Blue Power: How Police Organized to Protect and Serve Themselves (out April 14, 2026), a history of police unions that reveals how American law enforcement built a political movement that made cops untouchable. In conversation with Schrader will be Philip V. McHarris, author of Beyond Policing.

“Stuart Schrader’s sweeping history of the political mobilization of the police makes clear just how historically distinctive the role of the police in our society is today. Blue Power chronicles the rise of the police as a political force, and the lobbying strategies, rhetorical campaigns, and legal gambits police unions and associations have deployed to protect the power and autonomy of their members. This has indelibly shaped not only American cities and criminal justice policies, but our society and politics as a whole. The book is a remarkable achievement.”—Kim Phillips-Fein, author of Fear City

Buunni Coffee: InsideAbility Author & RightHear

Buunni and RightHear invite you for an afternoon with InsideAbility Founder and author, Krystal B.

Buunni  has partnered with RightHear to provide an accessible experience for visually impaired customers, using Bluetooth beacon technology to deliver real-time audio descriptions of the environment. This installation makes the cafe more inclusive by helping users navigate and locate points of interest.