Nicole Levin “Diary of a Mad Girl” – Discussion and Book Signing at Page Against the Machine

Los Angeles author and climate activist Nicole Levin discusses her illustrated literary comedy, “Diary of a Mad Girl; Me Vs. The Oil Industry Vs. My Nonprofit Job,” at an in-store event at Page Against the Machine (2714 E. 4th Street, Long Beach, CA, 90814) on Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 7:00pm. Levin will be in conversation with fellow climate activist Nancy Woo, exploring the book's themes of climate anxiety, burnout culture, millennial disillusionment, and the absurdity of surviving late-stage capitalism. Signed copies of the book will be available. The event is free and open to the public, with no tickets or reservations required. Part illustrated diary, part existential comedy, and part psychedelic feminist fever dream, “Diary of a Mad Girl” follows Joelle, a thirty-something climate organizer living in Los Feliz with her tiny dog. She believes she has assembled the perfect progressive life: a hot musician boyfriend, a nonprofit job battling the oil industry, and a deeply one-sided emotional attachment to Adeline, her favorite online yoga instructor. But beneath the curated identity and activist routines, something is unraveling—possibly society itself. Through diary entries, poetry, and psilocybin-induced journeys into parallel universes, Joelle searches for meaning in a world defined by climate collapse, emotional precarity, and widespread exhaustion. “Diary of a Mad Girl”examines the contradictions of modern activism and asks what it means to fight for collective justice while privately fearing isolation, irrelevance, and collapse. The book was released on September 15 in paperback, audiobook, and eBook formats. Additional events will follow through the end of the year, with more dates to be announced. For more information, updates, and to order the book, please visit www.nicolejlevin.com. NICOLE LEVIN Nicole Levin is an artist and environmental organizer living in Los Feliz. Raised in Fairfield, California, Levin studied environmental science at Harvard, and her work reflects contemporary social anxieties in a conscious, poignant voice—with a hearty portion of Jewish humor. Her writing has appeared in “The New Yorker” and “The Harvard Crimson,” and she has written for “The Harvard Lampoon” as well as the television series “Lethal Weapon.” Levin previously worked at the Sierra Club, where she helped lead campaigns to phase out urban oil drilling in Los Angeles. Most recently, she has devoted her time to completing an all-white 1,000-piece puzzle. She lives in Southern California with the love of her life, Nina. NANCY WOO Nancy Woo is an eco-centric poet based in southern California who harbors a wild love for the natural world. She has released a full-length poetry book entitled “I’d Rather Be Lightning” from Gasher Press, as well as two chapbooks. Her poems have appeared in “Salamander,” “Tupelo Quarterly,” “Radar Poetry,” “Stirring,” “West Trade Review,” and others. She has an MFA from Antioch University and a BA in sociology and environmental studies from UC Santa Cruz.