Tue, June 6
David Shields and Claire Dederer
In his new book, Other People, Seattle nonfiction troublemaker Shields examines the endless existential mystery that are human beings other than one's self. Claire Dederer, New York Times bestselling author of Poser: My Life in Twenty-Three Yoga Poses, has a new book out: Love and Trouble. Together, the two local authors discuss each other's work and their different approaches to long-form essay. Town Hall, $5

Wed, June 7
Lisa Ko, 'The Leavers'
In her debut novel, The Leavers, Ko intertwines the story of a Chinese immigrant and her estranged son who sets out to find his biological mother after growing up with adoptive white parents. Inspired by the real-life stories of undocumented mothers separated from their children, and the children themselves who are forced to grow up within the confines of foster care, The Leavers won the 2016 Pen/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction. Elliott Bay Book Company, Free 

June 7–July 2
'Welcome to Braggsville'
Everyone’s a target for sharp comic mockery in Book-It Rep’s adaptation of T. Geronimo Johnson’s novel Welcome to Braggsville. When an outcast from the small Georgia town of Braggsville enrolls at UC Berkeley, he finds himself in an entirely alien world of liberal self-righteousness: He mentions that his hometown still does Civil War reenactments, and his friends launch a plan to interrupt the proceedings with a mock lynching. The students’ journey to the pool of Southern pride and oblivious racism results in shocking and disturbing turns. Center House Theatre, $15

Thu, June 8
Erik Blood
Seattle producer and musical journeyman Erik Blood has worked with some of the city's most exciting names, including forthcoming records from Shabazz Palaces and TheeSatisfaction. It's been eight years since his debut solo record, the haunting and shoegazy The Way We Live. Since then, Blood has released a pair of records, a film soundtrack Music from the Center of Gravity, and has generally remained fixture in the local music scene—including an appearance Upstream. He's joined this week by Western Haunts, Season of Strangers, OC Notes. Neumos, $12–$14

Fri, June 9
Waves 3.0: Synchromatic
A multimedia experience featuring art installations, aerial performances, and a giant projection screen, Waves 3.0 will turn Fred Wildlife Refuge into something of a sensory overload. That's saying nothing of the electronic music sets slated throughout the night, featuring Frida K, Ky N Kumarion, Quakson, and LuckDragon. Fred Wildlife Refuge, $5