Friends of the Devil Book Event at Book Soup

Book Soup, the Sunset Strip bookstore, hosts a night for Deadheads and curious newcomers on Wednesday, November 4. Writer Alex Pappademas and painter Joan LeMay discuss and sign Friends of the Devil, a book of stories behind the songs of the Grateful Dead. Jeff Weiss joins them for the conversation.

When: Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 7:00 to 9:00 PM Where: Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood

About the book

The full title is long, and it tells you the tone: Friends of the Devil: West Texas Cowboys, Brown-Eyed Women, and Other Sunshine Daydreamers from the Songs of the Grateful Dead. Rather than a band biography, the book follows individual songs back to the odd people and places that fed them.

The publisher's description promises a strange cast: an anonymous female convict, Playboy bunnies on acid, Joseph Campbell, the Zodiac Killer, college revolutionaries lost in the desert and Bob Dylan wandering in from the cold. The abstract epic "Dark Star" gives shape to a movie gone mad, and "Terrapin Station" travels to Robert Hunter's mind from sixteenth-century France by way of the hollers of Kentucky.

LeMay's original paintings run through the pages, giving the book the ramshackle, blacklight-ready look the band's fans know. The description frames it as a gift for longtime fans and an approachable way in for anyone new to the music.

What to expect

This is a bookstore event, so expect a conversation about how the book came together, the stories that made the cut and the art behind it, followed by a signing. Book Soup's events are built around the shelves, so arrive a little early and browse. Whether copies will be on sale at the event, and whether you need to buy one to join the line, are questions for the store; the source page does not say.

Getting there

Book Soup sits on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, a short walk from the clubs and restaurants along the Strip. Street parking nearby fills up on weeknights, so plan extra time or use a lot in the area. If you are mapping out things happening in Los Angeles this week, an evening of books and music history is an easy pick, though the source lists no price, so check with the store before you go.

For more literary nights, browse our arts and culture listings and the West Hollywood page. When you are planning upcoming events Los Angeles has on the calendar, this one rewards anyone who has ever argued about which show was the best Dead show.

Details come from the Discover Los Angeles listing, which links to Book Soup's own event page. Confirm the time and any entry rules with the store, since bookstore events can change.