The Contra Costa Jewish Book Festival kicks off its 18th year with a presentation by Rich Cohen, author of “Sweet and Low.” Cohen speaks at 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 5. Professor Dorothy Shipps presents a workshop, “The State of Education in America,” on Sunday, Nov. 5 from 10:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. “King of the Hill” writers Judah and Murray Miller will speak at 7 p.m.

Elizabeth Rosner, author of “Blue Nude,” speaks at 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 6; Jack Marshall, author of “From Baghdad to Brooklyn: Growing Up in a Jewish-Arabic Family in Mid-Century America,” speaks Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 10 a.m.; Ruth Andrew Ellenson, author of “The Modern Jewish Girl’s Guide to Guilt,” speaks Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 7:30 p.m.

German Consul General Rolf Schuette speaks at a screening of “Bonhoeffer” on Thursday, Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m.; Michael Wex, author of “Born to Kvetch,” speaks Saturday, Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m. Jim Lebenthal, author of “Confessions of a Municipal Bond Salesman,” speaks Monday, Nov. 13 at 12 p.m. and David Margolick, author of “Beyond Glory: Joe Louis vs. Max Schmelling and a World on the Brink” speaks at 7:30 p.m.

Cara Black, author of “Murder on Montmarte,” speaks Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 10 a.m. and Adam Harmon, author of “Lonely Soldier: The Memoir of an American in the Israeli Army,” speaks Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 7:30 p.m.

The festival runs through Nov. 15. All lectures take place at the Contra Costa Jewish Community Center, 2071 Tice Valley Blvd., Walnut Creek. For information, call (925) 943-5238.