Literary Calendar

June 9-15, 2008

9 MONDAY

2 P.M. The Smithsonian Institution Libraries are sponsoring a symposium, Mark Catesby's America, followed by a premier of the film "The Curious Mister Catesby," all celebrating the English artist and naturalist Mark Catesby (whose mid-18th-century Natural History was the first comprehensive study of the flora and fauna of the eastern coast of North America) at the Freer Gallery of Art, Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Auditorium, Jefferson Dr. at 12th St. SW. The symposium runs from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and the screening from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.; for details, call 202-633-2875.

6:30 P.M. Historian Alex Kershaw discusses and signs Escape from the Deep: A Legendary Submarine and Her Courageous Crew, a chronicle of the sinking of the U.S. Navy submarine Tang in World War II, at Borders Books-Downtown, 18th & L Sts. NW, 202-466-4999.

7 P.M. Robert Scheer, editor-in-chief of the political blog Truthdig.com, discusses and signs his new book, The Pornography of Power: How Defense Hawks Hijacked 9/11 and Weakened America, at Politics and Prose Bookstore, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-364-1919.

7 P.M. Arts critic John Gruen, formerly the chief art critic for New York magazine and an arts columnist, among others, discusses and signs Callas Kissed Me ... Lenny Too!: A Critic's Memoir at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, 500 17th St. NW. Admission is $20 for the general public, $15 for museum members; call 202-639-1700 for details.

7:30 P.M. Kerry Reichs reads from and signs her debut novel, The Best Day of Someone Else's Life, at Borders Books-Baileys Crossroads, Route 7 at Columbia Pike, Baileys Crossroads, Va., 703-998-0404.

10 TUESDAY

7 P.M. Investigative reporter Rick Shenkman discusses and signs Just How Stupid Are We?: Facing the Truth About the American Voter at Olsson's Books-Dupont, 1307 19th St. NW, 202-785-1133.

7 P.M. Scott McClellan, White House press secretary from 2003 to 2006, discusses and signs his new memoir, What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception, at Politics and Prose Bookstore, 202-364-1919.

7 P.M. Ta-Nehisi Coates discusses and signs his new memoir, The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons, and an Unlikely Road to Manhood (his father, a Vietnam vet and former Black Panther, founded the Black Classics Press), at the New Carrollton Branch Library, 7414 Riverdale Rd., New Carrollton, Md., 301-459-6900.

7:30 P.M. Local pastry chef and entrepreneur Warren Brown, owner of the bakery CakeLove and its sister establishment Love Café, discusses his new cookbook, CakeLove: How to Bake Cakes from Scratch, at the Sherwood Regional Library, 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria, Va. The event is free, but registration is required; call 703-765-3645.

7:30 P.M. Will Frazier and Megan Hauptmann, winners of the Jacklyn Potter Young Poets Prize, are joined by poet Diane Lockward for a reading of their work as part of the Joaquin Miller Cabin Poetry Series held at Miller's Cabin, Picnic Grove #6, Beach Dr. at the Military Road overpass in Rock Creek Park, 703-820-8113. An open reading (sign-up at 7 p.m.) will conclude the program.

7:30 P.M. Jeffery Deaver reads from and signs his new Lincoln Rhyme thriller, The Broken Window, at Borders Books-Baileys Crossroads, 703-998-0404.

7:30 P.M. Michael Sokolove discusses and signs Warrior Girls: Protecting Our Daughters Against the Injury Epidemic in Women's Sports at Borders Books-Tyson's Corner, 8027 Leesburg Pike, Vienna, Va., 703-556-7766.