Verb produces some of the largest book and music events in Atlanta and Decatur. With over twenty years working with authors, musicians, book events and public radio, Verb is the go-to source for making author events happen in Atlanta. Words, Music, Hare-Brained Schemes: We do it all.

Some Verb projects you may know:

In partnership with Chronicle, Verb is the founding producer of the AJC-Decatur Book Festival, the largest independent book festival in the Country. Celebrating five years of proving that Decatur and Atlanta has a thriving book culture, the AJC-DBF is ground zero for all things books in Georgia.

Working with legendary folk venue Eddie's Attic and Agnes Scott College, Verb has launched Eddie and Agnes, a new concert series for metro Atlanta. In coming months, Presser Hall, one of the best sounding venues in Atlanta, will host some of the top performers in the country.

Daren Wang, curator of Verb, appears weekly on WABE's City Cafe with John Lemley to promote book and author events around the region.

Verb: An Audioquarterly is an occasional literary magazine released only in audio. Presenting exclusive writing from some of the top writers in the country, some issues of Verb are available over at Audible. Vol. 1, No. 1 featuring Robert Olen Butler, James Dickey, Ha Jin, Tom Lux, Tom Franklin and Stuart Dybek and Vol. 1, No. 2 featuring Stuart Dybek, Peter Case, George Singleton and more.

Baby Got Books

Maud Newton

Publishers Weekly

New Yorker Book Notes

New Yorker Fiction

NYTimes books

Galleycat

Submitted by darenwang on Wed, 02/17/2010 - 02:29

Ru Paul: WORKIN’ IT

Outwirte Bookstore
Tuesday, February 16th, 2010 7:30PM
**This is a Line Ticketed Event
"Workin' It!" will provide helpful and provocative tips on fashion, beauty, style and confidence for girls and boys, straight and gay - and everyone in between! No one knows more about life, self-expression and style than RuPaul! With photos by Mathu Andersen from the new season of RuPaul's Drag Race and a fresh look at style and inner beauty, "Workin' It!" will pick up where the show leaves off. The book will be as colorful, fun, and intriguing as RuPaul, with insights into makeup, clothing choices and the illusion of drag. Fans of RuPaul will get piece of Ru's philosophy on style and attitude - and how it's more than the clothes that make the man, or woman! With four colour photos throughout and a fresh, funky design "Workin' It!" will be the perfect guide to RuPaul - part style guide, part confidence manifesto, and entirely fabulous! And, words of wisdom from your favourite contestants on Season One of RuPaul's Drag Race including, Nina Flowers, Ongina, Rebecca Glasscock, and more!
Ru Paul and Elton John--Don’t Go Breakin My Heart
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDqPpbqSnAI

A major media presence thanks to his outgoing persona and campytheatrics, RuPaul was a popular attraction on '90s dance floors as well,scoring several club hits with Hi-NRG Euro-disco pop. Born Rupaul AndreCharles, he grew up in San Diego, learning fashion tips from his mother and three sisters.

The Big Read Kick-Off: Harlem Renaissance Celebration

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 6pm-8:30pm
Atlanta History Center
The Atlanta History Center's Literary Center at Margaret Mitchell House
presents a unique after-hours program with a nod to the Harlem Renaissance during the Big Read kick-off party. Guests enjoy living history performances by Yvonne Singh as she portrays Zora Neale Hurston, musical performances by singer/songwriter Kyshona Armstrong, and guided tours of the exhibition Let Your Motto Be Resistance: African American Portraits. Light refreshments and a cash bar are available. The first 50 visitors through the door receive a free copy of Their Eyes Were Watching God. This program is free of charge.

Woody Holton: ABIGAIL ADAMS
Saturday 2/20/2010 5pm
A Cappella Books
Abigail Adams is perhaps best remembered for requesting that her husband, the not–yet–president John Adams, "remember the ladies" as he helped forge a new government in 1776. This famous private letter has turned Adams into a feminist icon, and while here she may have been specifically referring to domestic violence, in other letters she expressed what is often seen as a progressive, enlightened view that women should be equally educated with men and allowed to engage in business and control their own finances. This aspect of Adams's biography is well-known. But less so are her conflicted ideas on religion, African-Americans, money making, Europe, politics and family. In Abigail Adams, by American history scholar Woody Holton, readers are given a vivid and complete picture of America's second first lady.
Woody Holton was a finalist for the National Book Award.

Verb in the press

Some of the coverage of Verb of late.

Jamie Gumbrecht gives Eddie & Agnes a shout out (Inside Access, Jan. 12, 2010)
Tickets on sale for first in Decatur’s new Eddie and Agnes concert series:

Dekalb Neighbor does a nice profile of Eddie & Agnes (And Michelle & Daren)(Dec. 29, 2009)
Eddie Partners with Agnes

A kind feature from Howard Pousner and Jamie Gumbrecht about the Decatur Book Festival (AJC, Aug. 28, 2009)
Decatur Book Festival a Young Heavyweight

Highlights from the Archive

Verb has produced hundreds of hours of radio, spoken word, music, and audiobooks over the years. Watch this space as we start highlighting bits or archives.

Bomblight Prayer Vigil, Peter Case from Verb: An Audioquarterly V1,i2
Grammy nominee is one of the best singer songwriters of the last 30 years. From his start with The Nerves, through the Plimsouls, to his groundbreaking solo career, Peter has never sat still. This 2006 suite of spoken songs is singular in his career, and was a real coup for Verb's second issue.
Comin' Your Way

Back Home

Kokomo Prayer Vigil

Dead Hand Got'cha

The Ballad of the Minimum Wage

Sweet As You Are

Daren's Stuff

Daren Wang curates Verb, but he occasionally pursues schemes too hare-brained for that venerable institution. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, or on various blogs to find out what trouble he's getting into when he's not trying to make Verb work.

Decatur Midlife Crisis/Opportunity

Daren's blog about personal renovation. It will track his various efforts to embrace his mid-fortiness. One recurring theme is the workout record project, wherein he listens to forgotten vinyl from his record collection while working out, and then shares his horror or joy at what he's hearing for the first time in twenty five years.

Emory Vision

Daren is getting LASIK treatment, and has been asked to document the process. Follow him over on the Emory Vision Blog as he scraps the specs and starts seeing like a sprightly twenty-year-old.

Daren in the News

A couple recent stories on Daren:
Michael Hunter's profile of Daren Wang in the Atlanta Business Chronicle (Dec. 18, 2009)
The full version, hosted on the verb site
Selling creativity is way of life for Decatur exec
behind the firewall at Atlanta Business Chronicle
Selling creativity is way of life for Decatur exec

Daren orchestrated the most expensive beer sale in Decatur History (AJC, Feb. 9, 2009)
Pubs first pint ($2650) swigged for a good cause

Another hare-brained scheme (AJC, Aug. 4, 2009)
Decatur to donate old banners for tote bag project