A Literary Stop on the Campaign Trail

Writers Bloc, a Los Angeles reading series now in its 24th year, has become increasingly important for political authors. LOS ANGELES — Dan Pfeiffer, the Obama adviser turned author and podcast host, was on his third Sharpie, scribbling his signature on copy after copy of his new book, “Un-Trumping America. ” “I’ve got to sign 800 of these in the next few minutes,” he said. It was the day after Super Tuesday, before coronavirus fears had derailed countless book tours and public events, and 900 people were gathered at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre to listen to Pfeiffer, along with the other hosts of “Pod Save America,” riff on Joseph R.

Biden Jr. , Bernie Sanders, the road to the White House and how to unseat the man holding sway there. The evening, organized by Writers Bloc, felt like a political rally, complete with attendees wearing “Warren” hats. But when you looked closer, you saw a Bartleby type in the third row leafing through Sigrid Nunez’s “The Friend,” and three women arguing over “American Dirt” while their daughters posted memes.

This is what a modern literary salon looks like. As the “Pod Save America” gang spent 90 minutes Monday-morning quarterbacking, the crowd cheered, clapped and laughed, while Andrea Grossman, who founded Writers Bloc, watched quietly from a seat in the back. “Considering coronavirus and traffic, it’s a pretty good turnout,” she said. (Things have changed, of course, and all Writers Bloc events have been postponed indefinitely.

“We hope they’re going to be rescheduled,” Grossman said in a follow-up interview on Tuesday. “We just don’t know when. We don’t have any immediate plans right now because everything is unknown. ”) For the past 24 years, Grossman, 64, has operated Writers Bloc, a Los Angeles literary and reading series that has become an important stop for politics writers.

Authors typically go onstage with a journalist or artist who interviews them, then invites audience members to ask questions. Over the past few years, Rachel Maddow, Joy Reid and Ronan Farrow have appeared to sold-out crowds, and Democratic presidential candidates such as Sanders, Cory Booker, Amy Klobuchar and Kamala Harris have stopped by. (Back in 2014, Senator Elizabeth Warren was here, too. ) “In times like these, which can feel really dark, open, honest conversations are crucial,” Reid said in an email.