Literary Calendar

7 P.M. Nick Hornby reads from and signs Slam, his first novel for young adults, at Olsson's Books-Penn Quarter, 202-638-7610. [See the review on page 4.]

7 P.M. Andrea Barrett reads from and signs her new novel, The Air We Breathe, at Politics and Prose Bookstore, 202-364-1919. [Read the review on page 5.]

7 P.M. Alex Sanchez reads from and signs his new YA novel, The Good Box, at Lambda Rising, 1625 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-462-6969.

7:30 P.M. Cal Thomas and Bob Beckel, both political columnists for USA Today, discuss and sign Common Ground: How to Stop the Partisan War That Is Destroying America at Borders Books-Tysons Corner, 8027 Leesburg Pike, Vienna, Va., 703-556-7766.

18 THURSDAY

6 P.M. To celebrate 400 years of Hispanic poetry in the United States (traced back to the early Spanish settlements in the Southwest), four noted writers will read from their work at the Library of Congress, James Madison Bldg., Pickford Theater, 101 Independence Ave. SE: Argentine poet Luis Alberto Ambroggio; poet and professor Rei Berroa from the Dominican Republic; Peruvian poet and playwright Isaac Goldemberg; and Nicaraguan poet and novelist Conny Palacios. Call 202-707-2013 for details.

6:30 P.M. George Pelecanos, author of the Terry Quinn/Derek Strange crime novels set on the streets of D.C., including The Night Gardener and Right as Rain, reads from and discusses his work in a dinner program presented by the DeMatha Catholic High School Alumni Association. Tickets are $15; for complete details and to RSVP, call 240-764-2222 or e-mail tponton@dematha.org.

6:45 P.M. The Library of Congress opens its 2007-08 literary season with a reading by Charles Simic, the nation's new poet laureate and author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning collection The World Doesn't End and, most recently, My Noiseless Entourage, in the James Madison Bldg., Montpelier Room, 202-707-5394.

7 P.M. John Hart reads from and signs his new novel of suspense, Down River, at Olsson's Books-Penn Quarter, 202-638-7610. He will also read on Friday, Oct. 19, at 6:30 p.m. at Barnes & Noble-Clarendon, 2800 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington, Va., 703-248-8251.

19 FRIDAY

6:30 P.M. Professor and historian Marcus Rediker discusses and signs The Slave Ship: A Human History at Karibu Books, the Mall at Prince George's, 3500 East-West Hwy., Hyattsville, Md., 301-559-1140. He will also speak on Saturday, Oct. 20, at 1 p.m. at Politics and Prose Bookstore, 202-364-1919.

7 P.M. Stephen Colbert, a writer and faux correspondent on the comic TV program "The Daily Show" and host of the "Colbert Report," discusses and signs his new book, I Am America (And So Can You!), in a Smithsonian Associates Program being held at Lisner Auditorium, George Washington University, 730 21st St. NW. Tickets are $35 for nonmembers ($20 for students with valid ID); call 202-633-3030 or visit http://www.smithsonianassociates.org to RSVP.

21 SUNDAY

2 P.M. Partha Mitter, professor emeritus of art history at the University of Sussex, discusses The Triumph of Modernism: India's Artists and the Avant-garde, 1922-47 as part of the symposia series at the National Gallery of Art, East Building auditorium, Fourth St. & Constitution Ave. NW, 202-737-4215. A book signing follows.

5 P.M. David Sandalow, an energy environment scholar and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, discusses and signs Freedom From Oil: How the Next President Can End the United States' Oil Addiction at Politics and Prose Bookstore, 202-364-1919.

SPECIAL NOTICES

The Hyman S. & Freda Bernstein Jewish Literary Festival at the D.C. Jewish Community Center (1529 16th St. NW) winds up on Tuesday, Oct. 16, with Walter Isaacson, author of Einstein: His Life and Universe, delivering the annual Gerald L. Bernstein Memorial Lecture at 8 p.m.; call 202-777-3250 for details on this and other end-of-festival events.

October 20 & 21 are the final days of BOOKFAIR 2007, sponsored by the Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide, being held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day at the Department of State, Diplomatic Exhibit Hall, entrance on C St. between 21st and 23rd Sts. NW. The event features used books from around the world, art objects and collectibles, stamps and coins. For details, call 202-223-5796.

The Washington Post Book Club will host a reading/discussion/book signing with three award-winning authors for their new novels -- Andrea Barrett for The Air We Breathe, Walter Mosley for his Easy Rawlins mystery Blonde Faith, and Ann Patchett for Run -- on Wednesday, Oct. 24, at 6:30 p.m. at The Washington Post, 1150 15th St. NW. Tickets are $28.70 each; to RSVP, call 202-334-4970 or visit http://www.washingtonpost.com/bookclubtix.