Join us on Monday, May 11th at 7pm as we welcome Mike Monteiro to the shop to celebrate the release of How To Die. He'll be joined in conversation by Annalee Newitz. RSVP is not required, but greatly appreciated. Seats can be reserved with a sliding scale donation to our program or the purchase of a book.

About the book

On April 2, 2024 I sent out a newsletter asking people to send me questions. I promised to answer a question a week. I started this project for a couple of reasons. First off, I like helping people and I figured I could find out what was bugging people and maybe, just maybe, I'd be able to answer some of their questions and help out a little bit. That was the altruistic reason.

The second reason is selfish. By 2024, I hadn't been able to write in years. There were short bursts and false starts here and there, but I hadn't written anything that felt worthwhile, and I was feeling lost. In a funk. And getting depressed about it. I'm a big believer that when you're feeling lost, the best thing to do is to help others. Give yourself purpose. Help those around you, and you will eventually help yourself. So that's what I did. I asked people if they needed help, I attempted to help them, and yeah... I did pull myself out of that funk. Also, having to do it every week helped to develop a habit. The best way to get better at something is to do it a lot.

Nonetheless, the world kept testing our resolve. Everything is shittier now than it was when I started this project. During the run of this project, which-for the record-is ongoing, the US government toppled completely into a fascist state, masked thugs kidnapped our neighbors and shot people in the face at the behest of those same fascists, trans people were attacked by both parties, and we buried a lot of people, including my father.

So what do we do? Well, we keep helping each other. (You'll see this is a recurring theme throughout the book.) Because every time we help someone else, our energy reserves grow along with theirs. And as long as me and you are still here, we have a responsibility to look out for those who need our help. We also have a responsibility to safeguard joy. Joy is the ultimate act of resistance.

I do believe that at some point we will make the world less shitty. It'll be hard. But it'll be worth it.

In the meantime, please keep sending questions, and I will keep attending to answer them.

About the author

Mike Monteiro is an immigrant living with his family in San Francisco. He lives in constant fear of being evicted from their home so it can be rented out to some tech dickhead at four times the price, getting run over by a driverless car while on his bike, and being arrested by masked thugs. In between those things, he enjoys a donut.

He's written a smattering of books including Design Is a Job, Ruined by Design, The Collected Angers, and Sofa Stories (with Betsy Streeter). 

He's a designer by trade but mostly spends his time painting, writing, and washing dishes these days. He wishes the apocalypse was faster. Or just canceled outright, really. But this?! This is exhausting.

He wants you to protect trans kids.

Go Birds. Fuck ICE. Free Palestine.

Annalee Newitz is a science journalist who also writes science fiction. They are the author of several books, including Automatic Noodle, an instant USA Today bestseller, The Terraformers, which was nominated for the Nebula Award, and Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age. They have a monthly column in New Scientist magazine, and are a member of the Flaming Hydra collective.

About the bookstore

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

Please note:

• Check-in for the event will begin at 6:45pm.
• Priced ticket holders (Book+seat, Pay it Forward!+seat) will have seats held until 7pm. Arrivals after 7pm will be allowed admission, but seats are not guaranteed.
• General admission ticket holders will be offered seats at check-in on a first-come, first-served basis. May be standing room.
• Space at the door on the day of the event is usually available, but not guaranteed.
• Books will be for sale on the night of the event.
• ADA accessible. Bathrooms on site during event hours.
• Events typically end between 8:30 and 9pm.
• Questions? [email protected]