Sunday in the park with ... books

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Cellist, Guggenheim fellow and award-winning author Mark Salzman will be honored tonight as the winner of the city of West Hollywood’s first Algonquin Literary Award.

Salzman gets the nod for the prize, given in honor of the late Dorothy Parker, one of the famed literary lunchers of the Algonquin Round Table, because, like Parker, he is “a wonderful example of a writer who has made a significant impact on his generation and the world of literature,” City Councilman John Heilman said. Salzman’s books include “True Notebooks: A Writer’s Year at Juvenile Hall” (2003) and “The Soloist” (1994).

The 7 p.m. ceremony at the Pacific Design Center costs $20 a person, with proceeds of the event, which is intended to be annual, going toward PEN in the Classroom, a writing program for underserved high school students in Southern California.

The event kick-starts Sunday’s sixth annual West Hollywood Book Fair, which will feature more than 300 authors on panels, giving readings and signing their books from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Attendees include John W. Dean, Susan Estrich, Gina Nahai, Lisa Fugard, Cecil Castellucci, Samantha Dunn, Alex Espinoza, Jessica Abel, Tara Ison and Will Beall.

The festival is at West Hollywood Park, 647 N. San Vicente Blvd.

Kristina Lindgren