What does having an amazing university, a plethora of fantastic local independent bookstores, and a pretty slam-bang public library system (if we do say so ourselves) bring to a town?

Authors. Lots and lots of authors.

In fact, so many authors pass through the area that sometimes it can be hard to keep track of who is speaking and when and where. To help guide you, Pulp curated a highlights list of September 2017 author events.

Rasa Festival at Literati
➥ Wednesday, September 6 at 7 pm at Literati Bookstore
The Rasa Festival is an annual India-themed multi-arts festival in Ann Arbor. This year, Literati is hosting 3 authors in celebration of the festival: poets Ashwini Bhasi, Tarfia Faizullah and Ambalila Hemsell. All three will read selections of their work at this event.

Barbara Cohn Discusses her book The Detroit Public Library: An American Classic
➥ Thursday, September 7 at 7 pm at the Ann Arbor District Library Downtown Library Multi-purpose Room
The Detroit Public Library is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in Detroit and is heralded as an enduring symbol of the public library as a concept. Cohn will take listeners on a tour of the building and a discussion of its history through he new book, which features dozens of photographs of the building. Books will be available for sale at the event.

Kathryn Remlinger discusses Yooper Talk
➥ Friday, September 8 at 7 pm at Literati Bookstore
Remlinger is a professor of linguistics at Grand Valley State University and has compiled 16 years of research on the dialects of the Upper Peninsula into her new book, Yooper Talk. The book explains linguistic concepts with entertaining examples for general readers and also contributes to interdisciplinary discussions of dialect and identity in sociolinguistics, anthropology, dialectology, and folklore.

Kerrytown Bookfest
➥ Sunday, September 10, 10:30 am to 5 pm
The 15th annual Kerrytown Bookfest features numerous author readings and book signings, as well as many vendors offering the chance to purchase books and book-related items, and special events. This year, featured authors include Ellen Airgood, Peter Ho Davies, David Bell, Keith Taylor, and many others.

Howard Markel discusses book The Kelloggs: The Battling Brothers of Battle Creek
➥ Tuesday, September 12 at 7 pm at the Ann Arbor District Library Downtown Library Multi-purpose Room.
U-M professor and medical historian Markel delves into the history of the Kellogg brothers, whose lifelong competition and hatred of one another changed the trajectory of America’s notion of health and wellness. The brothers, who were born and raised in Battle Creek, took vastly different routes in their lives, both ultimately influencing the entire nation. Books will be for sale at the event.

Scott Stabile
➥ Wednesday, September 13 at 7 pm at Nicola’s Books
Stabile is the author of Big Love: The Power of Living With a Wide Open Heart, a book about fully committing yourself to love. Stabile overcame an incredibly difficult childhood and relates the profound experiences of his life in personal essays in the book and offers universally applicable advice. Stabile has a devoted social media following of his inspirational posts and videos.

Paul Dimond discusses his new historical novel The Belle of Two Arbors
➥ Wednesday, September 13 at 7 pm at the Ann Arbor District Library Downtown Library Multi-purpose Room.
Dimond’s new historical novel spans the first half of the 20th century and takes place here in Michigan. The heroine’s voice brings to life two places: a “downstate” town and an “up north” community seeking vastly different things. Dimond will also discuss his experience researching his book at three local libraries: the AADL, the Bentley Historical Library, and the Special Collections Library at U-M. Read our interview with Dimond here.

John U. Bacon
➥ Thursday, September 14 at 7 pm at Literati Bookstore
John U. Bacon visits Literati to read from Playing Hurt, about the life of legendary sports broadcaster John Saunders, who died suddenly in August of 2016. Bacon is the author of Endzone, Three and Out, Fourth and Long, and contributed to Playing Hurt.

Peter Ho Davies and Derek Palacio
➥ Friday, September 15 at 7 pm at Literati Bookstore
Novelists Davies and Palacio will read from their books The Fortunes and The Mortifications, respectively, celebrating the paperback release of both. Both books deal with immigrant families attempting to make their way in America.

John Lewis
➥ Thursday, September 21 at the Michigan Theater at 5:10 pm
Renowned civil rights leader, politician, and author of the March graphic novels John Lewis will be joined by Nate Powell and Andrew Aydin for a conversation at the Michigan Theater as part of the Penny Stamps lecture series.

Celeste Ng
➥ Friday, September 22 at 7 pm at Literati Bookstore
Celeste Ng, author of Everything I Never Told You, will be in conversation with Douglas Trevor, director of the Helen Zell Writers’ Program at the University of Michigan. Ng’s most recent book, which will be published this month, is Little Fires Everywhere, which explores the weight of long-held secrets in a sleepy town in Ohio.

David Lagercrantz
➥ Sunday, September 24 at 7 pm at Zingerman’s Greyline
Lagercrantz is continuing the Stieg Larsson’s Millennium series, which began with The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Lagercrantz continues the story of Lisbeth Salander with his book The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye. In this book, Salander sees an opportunity to finally uncover the secrets of her childhood and will let nothing prevent her from finding the truth. The event is presented by Literati and tickets are available here.

Robin Sloan
➥ Monday, September 25 at 7 pm at Literati Bookstore
Sloan is the author of Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore and, most recently, the new novel Sourdough, about a software engineer at a San Francisco robotics company. The New York Times Book Review calls Sourdough “Part love letter to books, part technological meditation, part thrilling adventure, part requiem,” and says that it is “eminently enjoyable and full of warmth and intelligence.”

Marta McDowell discusses The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder
➥ Wednesday, September 27 at 7 pm at Literati Bookstore
The classic Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder has been beloved for generations. McDowell describes the plants, animals, and landscapes of the areas that Wilder inhabited, shares details about Wilder’s life and inspirations for her books, and explains to readers how to visit real places featured in the Little House books. The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder is described as a "must-have treasure celebrating the American landscape."

Annie Spence
➥ Thursday, September 28 at 7 pm at Literati Bookstore
Spence has just penned her first book, Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks, a laugh-out-loud book of letters and break-up notes to the books in her life. A librarian in the Midwest for the past 10 years, Spence has been surrounded by books for her whole life, and this book is the perfect read for any bibliophile.

Elizabeth Pearce is a Library Technician at the Ann Arbor District Library.