Literary Calendar

7 P.M. Joseph T. Glatthaar, a history professor at the University of North Carolina, presents a lecture, "Robert E. Lee: The Challenge of Command," drawn from his new book General Lee's Army: From Victory to Collapse, as part of the Smithsonian Resident Associate Program being held at the S. Dillon Ripley Center, 1100 Jefferson Dr. SW. A book signing follows. Tickets are $28 for nonmembers; call 202-633-3030 or visit http://www.smithsonianassociates.org to RSVP.

7 P.M. Political commentator Keli Goff discusses and signs Party Crashing: How the Hip-Hop Generation Declared Political Independence at Olsson's Books-Penn Quarter, 418 Seventh St. NW, 202-638-7610.

7 P.M. The monthly POESIS series features poetry readings by Sandra Beasley and Sydney March, with music by Shep Williams and friends, at Borders Books-Pentagon Centre, 1201 S. Hayes St., Arlington, Va., 703-418-0166.

7 P.M. Jane Kotapish, a modern dancer and freelance writer living in Brooklyn, reads from and signs her debut novel, Salvage, at Olsson's Books-Old Town, 106 S. Union St., Alexandria, Va., 703-684-0077.

7 P.M. Washington Writers' Publishing House, a collective literary press created in 1973 that also sponsors an annual writing competition in poetry and fiction, hosts a reading spotlighting the 2007 and 2008 winners of those very prizes: poet Bruce MacKinnon, author of Mystery Schools (2007); Elizabeth Bruce, author of the novel And Silent Left the Place (2007); Brandel France de Bravo, author of the poetry collection Specious Origins (2008); and David A. Taylor, author of Success: Stories (2008), at the Petworth Neighborhood Library, 4200 Kansas Ave. NW. This event, one of four made possible by a grant from the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, will also include other WWPH writers and an open mic segment. For details, call 202-841-7182 or visit http://www.wwph.org.

8 P.M. Award-winning poet Edward Hirsch, a former teacher and past "Poet's Choice" columnist for Book World, reads from his new collection of verse, Special Orders, as part of the "Visiting Writers Series" at American University, Abramson Family Recital Hall, Cyrus and Myrtle Katzen Arts Center, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Call 202-885-2971 for details.

20 THURSDAY

2:30 P.M. Historian Marie Tyler-McGraw discusses and signs An African Republic: Black and White Virginians in the Making of Liberia at Northern Virginia Community College, Loudoun Campus, Room LW 113, 1000 Harry Flood Byrd Hwy., Sterling, Va., 703-323-3000.

7 P.M. Comedienne and actress Alison Larkin reads from and signs The English American, her new, semi-autobiographical novel, at Olsson's Books-Penn Quarter, 202-638-7610.

7 P.M. Economist Jeffrey D. Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, discusses and signs Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet at Politics and Prose Bookstore, 202-364-1919.

7:30 P.M. Veteran broadcast journalist Daniel Schorr discusses his new book, Come to Think of It: Notes on the Turn of the Millennium, at the Friendship Heights Village Center, 4433 S. Park Ave., Chevy Chase, Md., 301-656-2797.

21 FRIDAY

7 P.M. Jonathan Steele, a senior correspondent for the Guardian newspaper, discusses and signs Defeat: Why America and Britain Lost Iraq at Politics and Prose Bookstore, 202-364-1919 (reviewed on page 8).

22 SATURDAY

5 P.M. Victoria Christopher Murray reads from and signs her new young adult novel, The Diamond Divas, at Borders Books-Largo, 913-A Capital Centre Blvd., Largo, Md., 301-499-2173.

SPECIAL NOTICES

V-Day, the global initiative to stop violence against women and girls through awareness campaigns and benefit productions of founder Eve Ensler's play "The Vagina Monologues," celebrates its 10th anniversary with staged readings from the anthology A Memory, a Monologue, a Rant, and a Prayer: Writings to Stop Violence Against Women and Girls (which contains contributions from Maya Angelou, Michael Cunningham, Dave Eggers and Alice Walker) on Saturday, March 22, and Monday, March 24, at 7:30 p.m. at the Silver Spring Stage, Woodmoor Shopping Center, 10145 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring, Md. Admission is $10 (there is a pay-as-you-can dress rehearsal Friday evening, March 21, at 7:30 p.m.). Proceeds will benefit local women's anti-violence programs and the upcoming "V to the Tenth" event in New Orleans in April. For further details, call Belle Aurore Productions at 301-681-6143 or e-mail info@belleauroreproductions.com.

The Literacy Council of Northern Virginia will hold a basic literacy training workshop for volunteers interested in helping adults learn to read, write and speak English over the course of three Saturdays in April (5th, 12th and 19th) from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. each day (must attend all sessions) at the James Lee Community Center, 2855 Annandale Rd., Falls Church, Va. A $35 fee (to cover cost of materials and instruction) applies; call 703-237-0866, e-mail volunteers@lcnv.org or visit http://www.lcnv.org for details and to register.