Literary Calendar

7 P.M. The National Archives celebrates Presidents Day with a roundtable discussion highlighting the "American Presidents" series of concise biographies (published by Times Books) with Timothy Naftali, director of the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum and author of George H.W. Bush (the series' newest entry); journalist Elizabeth Drew, author of Richard M. Nixon; Slate columnist David Greenberg, author of Calvin Coolidge; and series editor Sean Wilentz, historian and author of Andrew Jackson. A book signing follows. The Archives is located at 700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW; call 202-357-5000 for details.

7 P.M. Robert Leleux discusses and signs The Memoirs of a Beautiful Boy at Olsson's Books-Dupont, 202-785-1133.

7 P.M. National Book Award-winning novelist and essayist William T. Vollmann discusses and signs Riding Toward Everywhere, his chronicle of train-hopping around the country, at Politics and Prose Bookstore, 202-364-1919.

7:30 P.M. T. Jefferson Parker reads from and signs L.A. Outlaws at Borders Books-Baileys Crossroads, 703-998-0404.

7:30 P.M. Paula Amann discusses and signs Journeys to a Jewish Life: Inspiring Stories from the Spiritual Journeys of American Jews at Barnes & Noble-Rockville, 12089 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Md., 301-881-0237.

8 P.M. Novelist Mary Gaitskill, author of Because They Wanted To, Two Girls and, most recently, Veronica (a finalist for the National Book Award), reads from her work as part of the "Visiting Writers Series" at American University, Butler Pavilion, Butler Board Room, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Call 202-885-2971 for details.

14 THURSDAY

1 P.M. Historian Donald A. Ritchie discusses and signs Electing FDR: The New Deal Campaign of 1932 as part of the "Books & Beyond" series at the Library of Congress, James Madison Bldg., Pickford Theater, 202-707-5221.

7 P.M."A Celebration of Black Love" is the theme of the Valentine's Day program of the "Literature Live!" series at the University of the District of Columbia, featuring poetry readings by UDC students, local poets and Marita Golden, author of the memoir Migrations of the Heart and the novel After (she is currently editing an anthology It's All Love, which she will discuss) in Building 41, Room A03, 4200 Connecticut Ave. NW. A reception and book signing follow. For details, contact Marita Golden (series sponsor and UDC's writer in residence) at 202-274-5553 or e-mail mgolden@udc.edu.

8 P.M. The Jenny McKean Moore Reading Series at George Washington University presents a reading with Pakistani-born British writer Nadeem Aslam, author of the novels Maps for Lost Lovers and Season of the Rainbirds (he is also the visiting writer-in-residence of the university's creative writing department), and Manil Suri, a mathematics professor at the University of Maryland (BC) and author of the widely praised novel The Death of Vishnu and the just-released The Age of Shiva, at the Marvin Center, 3rd floor amphitheatre, 800 21st St. NW. For details, call 202-994-6180 or visit http://www.gwu.edu/english.

15 FRIDAY

1 P.M. Edward P. Jones, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Known World, takes part in a discussion of his work and that of Native Son author Richard Wright (whose unfinished novel, A Father's Law, was published last month), at Howard University, Blackburn Center, 2397 Sixth St. NW. Call 202-806-6730 for details.

16 SATURDAY

2 P.M. S. James Guitard reads from and discusses his work, including Chocolate Thoughts: Short Stories, Essays and Poetry from the Hearts and Minds of Real Black Men and Delilah's Revenge: There is Nothing More Dangerous for a Man than a Woman with a Plan, at Barnes & Noble-Tysons Corner Center, 1961 Chain Bridge Rd., McLean, Va., 703-506-2937.

7 P.M. Political journalist Ronald Brownstein discusses and signs The Second Civil War: How Extreme Partisanship Has Paralyzed Washington and Polarized America at Barnes & Noble-Potomac Yard, 3651 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Alexandria, Va., 703-299-9124.

17 SUNDAY

10 A.M. Pastor Brian McLaren, founder of the nondenominational Cedar Ridge Community Church and a leader in the emergent church movement (he's also a founder of the group Red Letter Christians), discusses his new book, Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope, as part of "The Sunday Forum: Critical Issues in the Light of Faith," a weekly series held prior to the 11 a.m. service at the Washington National Cathedral, hosted by Dean Sam Lloyd. The cathedral is located at Wisconsin & Massachusetts Aves. NW; for details, visit http://www.nationalcathedral.org.

2 P.M. Allen Raymond discusses and signs How to Rig an Election: Confessions of a Republican Operative (written with Ian Spiegelman) at Barnes & Noble-Bethesda, 4801 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda, Md., 301-986-1761.

5 P.M. Edward Lucas, former Moscow Bureau Chief for the Economist, discusses and signs The New Cold War: Putin's Russia and the Threat to the West at Politics and Prose Bookstore, 202-364-1919.