January 7-13, 2008
Sunday, January 6, 2008
7 MONDAY
6:30 P.M. Les Leopold, co-founder and current director of the nonprofit educational groups the Labor Institute and the Public Health Institute, discusses and signs his recent book, The Man Who Hated Work and Loved Labor: The Life and Times of Tony Mazzocchi, at Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th St. NW, 202-387-7638.
7 P.M. Nation magazine columnist Jonathan Schell discusses and signs The Seventh Decade: The New Shape of Nuclear Danger at Politics and Prose Bookstore, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-364-1919.
7 P.M. Poets Kurt Olsson and Gretchen Primack read from their work as part of the Cafe Muse series held at the Friendship Heights Village Center, 4433 S. Park Ave., Chevy Chase, Md., 301-656-2797. Refreshments and classical guitar (courtesy of Michael Davis) will open the program and an open reading (sign-up at 7 p.m.) will conclude it.
8 TUESDAY6:30 P.M. Robert F. Dalzell Jr. and Lee Baldwin Dalzell discuss and sign their recent book, The House the Rockefellers Built: A Tale of Money, Taste, and Power in Twentieth-Century America, at the National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. Admission is $20 for nonmembers; call 202-272-2448 for details and to RSVP.
7 P.M. Local poet and opera aficionado Karren L. Alenier discusses and signs her new book, The Steiny Road to Operadom: The Making of American Operas, at Bridge Street Books, 2814 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 202-965-5200.
7:30 P.M. Douglas Preston reads from and signs his new thriller, Blasphemy, at Borders Books-Baileys Crossroads, Route 7 at Columbia Pike, Baileys Crossroads, Va., 703-998-0404.
9 WEDNESDAY6:30 P.M. Robin Gerber, a commentator on women in leadership and politics, reads from and signs her first novel, Eleanor vs. Ike (historical fiction about a contest between Eleanor Roosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower in the 1952 presidential election) at Borders Books-Downtown, 18th & L Sts. NW, 202-466-4999.
7 P.M. Journalists Douglas Frantz and Catherine Collins discuss their new book on Pakistani nuclear scientist A.Q. Khan, The Nuclear Jihadist: The True Story of the Man Who Sold the World's Most Dangerous Secrets ... And How We Could Have Stopped Him, at Politics and Prose Bookstore, 202-364-1919.
7 P.M. Thomas Norman DeWolf discusses and signs Inheriting the Trade: A Northern Family Confronts Its Legacy as the Largest Slave-Trading Dynasty in U.S. History at Olsson's Books-Penn Quarter, 418 Seventh St. NW, 202-638-7610.
7 P.M. Drew Gilpin Faust, president of Harvard University (where she also holds the Lincoln Professorship in History), discusses and signs This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War at the National Archives, William G. McGowan Theater, 700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Call 202-357-5000 for details.
7:30 P.M. Former secretary of state Madeleine Albright discusses and signs Memo to the President Elect: How We Can Restore America's Reputation and Leadership at Barnes & Noble-Georgetown, 3040 M St. NW, 202-965-9880. She will also speak on Sunday, Jan. 13, at 3 p.m. at Barnes & Noble-Bethesda, 4801 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda, Md., 301-986-1761.
10 THURSDAY7 P.M. Pulitzer Prize-winner Geraldine Brooks reads from her new novel, People of the Book, at Borders Books-White Flint, 11301 Rockville Pike, Kensington, Md., 301-816-1067. The event features a Power Point presentation and closes with a book signing.
7 P.M. Washington Post reporter Dana Milbank, author of the "Washington Sketch" column, discusses and signs his new book, Homo Politicus: The Strange and BarbaricTribes of the Beltway, at Politics and Prose Bookstore, 202-364-1919.
7:30 P.M. Journalist Michael Richman discusses and signs The Redskins Encyclopedia at the Martha Washington Library, 6614 Fort Hunt Rd., Alexandria, Va., 703-768-6700.
7:30 P.M. The Nora School Reading Series hosts a "Music & Poetry Night" with Sydney March (poetry, saxophone and flute), Davi Walders (poetry) and Douglas Wolters (cello) at the Nora School, 955 Sligo Ave., Silver Spring, Md., 301-495-6672.
8 P.M. Brad Hirschfield, rabbi and president of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, discusses his new book, You Don't Have to Be Wrong for Me to Be Right: Finding Faith Without Fanaticism, in conversation with Iman Johari at Busboys and Poets, 202-387-7638. A book signing follows.
11 FRIDAYNoon. Michael Shermer, a columnist for Scientific American and the publisher of Skeptic magazine, discusses and signs his new book, The Mind of the Market: Compassionate Apes, Competitive Humans, and Other Tales from Evolutionary Economics, at the Cato Institute, 1000 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Call 202-789-5229 or e-mail events@cato.org to RSVP. He will also speak on Saturday, Jan. 12, at 2 p.m. at the National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Va. For more details on this event, presented by the National Capital Area Skeptics, call 301-587-3827.
7 P.M. Bangladeshi economist Muhammad Yunus, winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for his work with microcredit in impoverished communities (via the Grameen Bank), discusses his new book, Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism, at the Wesley United Methodist Church, 5312 Connecticut Ave. NW, in an event sponsored by Politics and Prose Bookstore. Two tickets come with purchase of the book at P&P; otherwise, tickets are $12 each. For details, call 202-364-1919.
7 P.M. Dominique Paul reads from and signs The Possibility of Fireflies, her new young adult novel, at Olsson's Books-Old Town, 106 S. Union St., Alexandria, Va., 703-684-0077. She will also read on Saturday, Jan. 12, at 1 p.m. at Borders Books-Fairfax, 11054 Lee Hwy., Fairfax, Va., 703-359-8420.
12 SATURDAY2 P.M. Anna Post, great-great-granddaughter of etiquette authority Emily Post, discusses her new illustrated book, Emily Post's Wedding Parties: Smart Ideas for Stylish Parties from Engagement to Reception and Everything in Between, at the Harriet Kassman Bridal Salon, Mazza Gallerie (second floor), 5300 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-363-1870.
3 P.M. Children's author Doreen Cronin and illustrator Betsy Lewin read from and discuss the re-issue of their picture book Duck for President at Politics and Prose Bookstore, 202-364-1919. A book signing follows.
13 SUNDAY6 P.M. The Iota Poetry Series opens its Winter 2008 season with readings by Christopher Conlon and Lyn Lifshin at the Iota Club & Cafe, 2832 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Va., 703-522-8340.
SPECIAL NOTICESThe second annual Jewish Book Festival, sponsored by the Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia, will be held Jan. 13-21 at 8900 Little River Turnpike in Fairfax, Va. Authors scheduled to participate include novelist Yael Goldstein, journalist Hanna Rosin and ambassador Dennis Ross. More details here next week; in the meantime, visit http://www.jccnv.org.
The Literacy Council of Montgomery County will hold two orientation sessions for volunteers interested in helping adults learn to read, write and speak English: Monday, Jan. 7, at 7:30 p.m. at the Wheaton Library, 11701 Georgia Ave., Wheaton, Md., and Tuesday, Jan. 15, at 7:30 p.m. at the Rockville Library, 21 Maryland Ave., Rockville, Md. Once volunteers have completed the orientation, they can select a two-part training session that fits their schedules; call 301-610-0030 or e-mail info@literacycouncilmcmd.org for details.
The Literacy Volunteers of America, Prince William County chapter, will hold a two-part training session for volunteers interested in helping adults improve their reading and writing skills on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2008, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday, Feb. 2, from 9 a.m. to noon, at the Chinn Park Regional Library, 13065 Chinn Park Dr., Woodbridge, Va. There is a one-time fee of $30 to cover the cost of textbooks and materials. For details and to register, call 703-670-5702, e-mail lvapw@aol.com or visit http://www.lvapw.org
How to submit your Literary Calendar Event to Book World
All submissions must be received no later than 14 days prior to the Sunday you wish the item to appear. Priority will be given to literary events that are free and open to the public. Submissions should be sent to: Literary Calendar/Book World, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071. Our fax number is 202-334-5059; e-mail address is litcal@washpost.com
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