The Booksmith is excited to welcome Zach Schonfeld for his new book about Nicolas Cage's early years and formative performances - How Coppola Became Cage. He will be joined in conversation by Ned Raggett. Please join us!

About the book

Author Zach Schonfeld traces Cage's rise through the world of independent cinema and chronicles the stories behind his career-making early performances, from the method masochism of Birdy to the operatic torment of Moonstruck and abrasive expressionism of Vampire's Kiss, culminating with the astonishing pathos of Leaving Las Vegas. Drawing on more than 100 new interviews with Cage's key collaborators—including David Lynch, Martha Coolidge, John Patrick Shanley, and Mike Figgis—How Coppola Became Cage offers a revealing portrait of Cage's wildly intense devotion to his performances behind the scenes and his creative self-discovery as he drew on influences as far-flung as silent cinema and German Expressionism. These were all crucial ingredients in the creation of a singular acting style that rejects the limits of realism.

Brimming with previously untold stories and insights, How Coppola Became Cage both revels in and demystifies Cage's onscreen eccentricities. No other modern actor has explored such profound creative extremes while bending the boundaries of good taste. Here is the origin story of an actor who truly is wild at heart and weird on top.

About the author

Zach Schonfeld is a freelance writer, journalist, and critic based in New York. He writes about culture for Pitchfork, Vulture, SPIN, Paste, and many other publications. He was formerly a senior writer for Newsweek, where he was on staff for five years. His first book, Ghetto: Misfortune’s Wealth, was published in 2020 as part of the 33 1/3 series. How Coppola Became Cage is his second book.

Ned Raggett has written about music for a variety of publications over the decades, including Pitchfork, the Quietus, Bandcamp and KQED Arts. He lives and works in San Francisco, enjoys trying restaurants he hasn’t been to before, and is the founder and cohost of the By-the-Bywater podcast, which explores the work of J.R.R. Tolkien. 

About the bookstore

The Booksmith is an independent bookstore located in the Haight Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco since 1976.

Please note:

• Masks are not required, but can be provided upon request.
• Check-in begins at 6:45. Unclaimed seats are given up beginning at 7:10.
• There will be a 30 minute post-show signing as time allows. Books will be for sale on the night of the event, but you can also purchase additional copies straight from our website.
• Please be aware of the ticket tier you are selecting. The free general admission tier *does not guarantee a seat* and may be standing room if our seated tiers sell out first.
• Questions? Accessibility requests? Write to us at [email protected].