Reading the riot act.

Pussy Riot's leader Nadya Tolokonnikova is many things: an activist, a media entrepreneur, a fashion connoisseur and a conceptual artist. Imprisoned by Vladimir Putin for the band's bold, rebellious performances and favored by the American media as a sober, intelligent voice on modern Russia and its complex political reality, Tolokonnikova can now add author to that list of titles. Her book, "Read & Riot: a Pussy Riot Guide to Activism" (Harper Collins), is coming out this month. On Wednesday, Oct. 10, Tolokonnikova will appear at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco as part of a press tour. She has been here before, as a performer ("I thought San Francisco is a very diverse and open city," Tolokonnikova says). This time, she'll leave the trademark balaclava behind to talk about timely topics. (In early September, Tolokonnikova's former husband, and fellow activist, Peter Verzilov, was mysteriously poisoned.) In a phone conversation from Moscow, the Russian Renaissance woman gives us a preview of her takes on media, feminism and taking action. Content has been edited for space. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]