Literary Calendar

Aug. 31-Sept. 6, 2008

1 MONDAY

Noon. Children's book author and illustrator Rebecca Harrison Reed reads from and discusses The Train to Maine, a new picture book illustrated by Reed and written by Jamie Spencer, at the Fairfax Station Railroad Museum, 11200 Fairfax Station Rd., Fairfax Station, Va., 703-425-9225.

2 TUESDAY

6 P.M. Bobby Austin reads from and signs Circus Clowns & Carnival Animals: Growing Up in the Ebb and Flow of Rural Black Life, his new collection of short stories, at Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th St. NW, 202-387-7638.

7 P.M. Daniel Mendelsohn, author of the award-winning family memoir The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million, discusses and signs his new book of essays, How Beautiful It Is and How Easily It Can Be Broken, at Politics and Prose Bookstore, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-364-1919.

3 WEDNESDAY

6:30 P.M. Jennifer Baumgardner discusses and signs Abortion & Life (with photographs by Tara Todras-Whitehill) at Busboys and Poets, 202-387-7638.

7 P.M. Pollster John Zogby discusses and signs The Way We'll Be: The Zogby Report on the Transformation of the American Dream at Politics and Prose Bookstore, 202-364-1919.

7:30 P.M. Brad Meltzer reads from and signs his new thriller, The Book of Lies, at Barnes & Noble-Bethesda, 4801 Bethesda Ave, Bethesda, Md., 301-986-1761. He will also read on Thursday, Sept. 4, at 7 p.m. at Politics and Prose Bookstore, 202-364-1919.

7:30 P.M. Fantasy author Terry Brooks reads from and signs The Gypsy Morph, the third book in his "Genesis of Shannara" series, at Borders Books-Baileys Crossroads, Route 7 at Columbia Pike, Baileys Crossroads, Va., 703-998-0404.

4 THURSDAY

6:30 P.M. Qanta A. Ahmed discusses and signs In the Land of Invisible Women: A Female Doctor's Journey in the Saudi Kingdom at Barnes & Noble-Metro Center, 555 12th St. NW, 202-347-4170.

6:30 P.M. Alexandra Kerry discusses and signs Notes from the Trail: Presidential Politics from the Inside Out, an intimate look at the 2004 campaign of her father, Sen. John Kerry, at Borders Books-Downtown, 18th & L Sts. NW, 202-466-4999.

7 P.M. Historian Gary Ecelbarger discusses and signs The Great Comeback: How Abraham Lincoln Beat the Odds to Win the 1860 Republican Nomination at Barnes & Noble-Tysons Corner Center, 1961 Chain Bridge Rd., McLean, Va., 703-506-2937.

7:30 P.M. Tom Piazza reads from and signs City of Refuge, his new novel set in post-Katrina New Orleans, at Barnes & Noble-Georgetown, 3040 M St. NW, 202-965-9880.

5 FRIDAY

6 P.M. Victor Navasky, publisher emeritus of the Nation magazine and chairman of the Columbia Journalism Review, discusses and signs Mission Accomplished! Or How We Won the War in Iraq: The Experts Speak (written with Christopher Cerf) at Busboys and Poets, 202-387-7638.

7 P.M. Christopher Buckley reads from and signs his new political farce, Supreme Courtship, at Politics and Prose Bookstore, 202-364-1919.

7:30 P.M. Local writer Kate Blackwell, author of the short story collection You Won't Remember This, presents a workshop on the craft of "Playing with Voice" in your writing as part of the Northern Virginia Writers' "First Friday" series held at the Leesburg Town Hall, 25 W. Market St., Leesburg, Va. Admission is $4 for Writer's Center members and Leesburg residents, $6 for the general public. Call 301-654-8664 or visit http://www.writer.org.

6 SATURDAY

Noon. The Writer's Center (4508 Walsh St., Bethesda, Md.) will host an Open House, providing the opportunity to meet the organization's staff, board members and leaders of the wide array of workshops on offer, all topped off with door prizes and refreshments. Call 301-654-8664 for details.

3 P.M. S.L. Holling signs copies of her novel Blue in the Moonlight at the Book Nook Bookstore, 5606 Baltimore Ave., Hyattsville, Md., 301-209-0035.

BOOK FESTIVALS 2008

Autumn brings a dizzying array of new titles and book festivals. Locally, one of the largest is the National Book Festival on Saturday, Sept. 27, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (rain or shine) on the Mall between the reflecting pool in front of the Capitol and 7th St. Hosted by First Lady Laura Bush and organized by the Library of Congress, the festival boasts novelists, historians, journalists, poets and children's authors galore, including Rick Atkinson, Tiki Barber, Louis Bayard, Jan Brett (whose illustrations grace this year's festival poster), Geraldine Brooks, Kimberly Dozier, Neil Gaiman, Philippa Gregory, Tony Horwitz, Brad Meltzer, Cokie Roberts, Salman Rushdie, Jon Scieszka , R.L. Stine, and Judith Viorst. For all the particulars, visit http://www.loc.gov/bookfest.

This year's Fall for the Book Literary Festival will not only mark its 10th anniversary, but will also introduce a new format for its week-long jostling of authors, readers, publishers and agents from Sept. 21 -26. From its original site on the main campus of George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. (with the generous support of the Fairfax County Public Library), the festival will branch out across Northern Virginia, Maryland and the District (with many events still at George Mason). An early launch will take place on Saturday, Sept. 6, at 1 p.m. when journalist Alan Weisman discusses his book The World Without Us at Politics and Prose Bookstore, 202-364-1919. Other venues will include area libraries, bookstores, restaurants and schools. Participating authors include: novelists Chinua Achebe, Peter Brown, Alan Cheuse, Nani Power and David Taylor; poets Linda Bierds, Jennifer Chang, Alec Finlay, Kevin McFadden and Melissa Tuckey; nonfiction writers Vincent Carretta, Aime Ellis, Daniel Mark Epstein, Michael Klare, Peter Stearns and Alexandra Villard de Borchgrave. Visit http://www.fallforthebook.org.

The Hyman S. & Freda Bernstein Jewish Literary Festival opens Sept. 14 and runs through Sept. 24 at the D.C. Jewish Community Center, 1529 16th St. NW, offering a smorgasbord of authors and literary fare. A sampling: Richard Michelson discusses his children's abecedarium A Is for Abraham: A Jewish Family Alphabet (encompassing a history of Jewish customs) on Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 10 a.m. (free); a joint reading with local writer Peter Manseau, author of the debut novel Songs for the Butcher's Daughter, and poet Janet R. Kirchheimer, author of the collection How to Spot One of Us, on Thursday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m. ($9, member $6); on Saturday, Sept. 20, at 8 p.m., journalist and philosopher Bernard Henri-Lévy presents the annual Gerald L. Bernstein Memorial Lecture drawn from his new book, Left in Dark Times: A Stand Against the New Barbarism, at La Maison Française, Embassy of France, 4101 Reservoir Rd. NW ($20, members $15); Darin Straus reads from his new novel, More Than It Hurts You, on Sunday, Sept. 21, at 7 p.m. ($9, member $6); the Chaim Kempner Author Series hosts a discussion with journalist Ariel Sabar for his new memoir, My Father's Paradise: A Son's Search for His Jewish Past in Kurdish Iraq, on Tuesday, Sept. 23, at 7:30 p.m. ($9, member $6). Tickets for all festival events are on sale now. For a complete schedule and further information and to purchase tickets, visit http://www.washingtondcjcc.org/litfest. To purchase tickets by phone, call Box Office Tickets at 800-494-TIXS.

For those venturing out of town, the third annual Delaware Book Festival is Saturday, Nov. 1, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the First State Heritage Park, 152 S. State St. in Dover, Del., featuring authors Marissa de los Santos, Delia Ephron, Con Lehane, Mary Jo Putney and children's authors Mary Downing Hahn, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Barry Lyga and Avi. Visit http://www.debookfestival.lib.de.us.

Going farther afield? Then be sure to hit the Miami Book Fair International, the nation's largest book festival, taking over the Wolfson Campus of Miami Dade College (300 NE Second Ave.) in downtown Miami from Nov. 9-16. Now in its 25th year, the literary carousing will include more than 400 authors, lots of workshops, educational programs and lectures, as well as a "children's alley," with arts and crafts, storytelling and author readings. Making an appearance will be Russell Banks, Rick Bragg, Sandra Cisneros, Nikki Giovanni, Wally Lamb, Stewart O'Nan, Tavis Smiley and Edmund White, to name but a few. For complete details, call 305-237-3258 or visit http://www.miamibookfair.com.

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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 DC 20071. Our fax number is 202-334-5059; e-mail is litcal@washpost.com.