Category: D.C.-Area Readings

The listings below are adapted from my page of upcoming D.C.-area readings; please see that page for addresses, contact information, and full event listings.

Notable Events During the Coming Week

May 2
Sandra Beasley, I Was the Jukebox (Politics & Prose)

May 3
Dan Clowes, Wilson (Politics & Prose)
W.S. Merwin, The Shadow of Sirius (Folger Shakespeare Library)

May 5
Rosalynn Carter, Within Our Reach (Borders Baileys Crossroads)

May 6
Dave Barry, I’ll Mature When I’m Dead: Dave Barry’s Amazing Tales of Adulthood (Barnes & Noble Bethesda, Borders L Street)
Laura Bush, Spoken From the Heart (Smithsonian Associates, The George Washington University Lisner Auditorium)
Charlaine Harris, Dead in the Family (Borders Baileys Crossroads)
Rick Riordan, The Kane Chronicles, Book One: The Red Pyramid (Politics & Prose)

May 8
30th annual PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction ceremony (Folger Shakespeare Library)

Just Added

May 4
Bernard Waber and Paulis Waber, Lyle Walks the Dogs (Politics & Prose)

May 6
J&P Voelkel, The Jaguar Stones (Politics & Prose)

May 9
Louisa Shafia, Lucid Food (Dupont Circle Freshfarm Market, 1500 block of 20th Street NW, via Politics & Prose)

May 11
Zoya Phan, Undaunted: My Struggle for Freedom and Survival in Burma (Busboys & Poets 5th & K)

May 12
Emil Draitser, Stalin’s Romeo Spy: The Rise and Fall of the KGB’s Most Daring Operative (Library of Congress)

May 15
John Kenneth White, Barack Obama’s America: How New Conceptions of Race, Family, and Religion Ended the Reagan Era (Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library)

May 18
Frances Moore Lappe, Getting a Grip 2 (Shirlington Public Library)
Jeffrey A. Miron, Libertarianism, From A to Z (Cato Institute)

May 19
Robert Carlson, Biology is Technology: The Promise, Peril, and Business of Engineering Life (Reiter’s)
Timothy M. Gay, Satch, Dizzy and Rapid Robert: The Wild Saga of Interracial Baseball Before Jackie Robinson (Library of Congress)
Jennifer Steil, The Woman Who Fell From the Sky: An American Journalist in Yemen (American University, Mary Graydon Center 3, 202-496-1992)

May 21
Jeff Shesol, Supreme Power: Franklin Roosevelt vs. the Supreme Court (Library of Congress)

May 22
Chris d’Lacey, Dark Fire (Barnes & Noble Tysons Corner)

June 2
Rich Remsberg, Hard Luck Blues (Library of Congress)
John Waters, Role Models (Smithsonian Associates)

June 3
Wahida Clark, What’s Really Hood! A Collection of Tales from the Streets (Barnes & Noble Union Station)

June 6
Carol Kranowitz and Joye Newman, Growing an In-Sync Child: Simple, Fun Activities to Help Every Child Develop, Learn, and Grow (Sixth & I Historic Synagogue)

June 7
Andrew Young and Kabir Sehgal, Walk in My Shoes: Conversations Between a Civil Rights Legend and His Godson on the Journey Ahead (National Press Club)

June 16
Spencer Wells, Pandora’s Seed (National Geographic Society)
Jerry Wolman, The World’s Richest Man (Sixth & I Historic Synagogue)

June 21
Benjamin Balint, Running Commentary: The Contentious Magazine that Transformed the Jewish Left into the Neoconservative Right (Washington DC Jewish Community Center)
Keith Gilyard, John Oliver Killens: A Life of Black Literary Activism (Busboys & Poets 14th & V)
Lori Gottlieb, Marry Him: The Case for Settling for Mr. Good Enough (Sixth & I Historic Synagogue)

June 23
Monte Reel, The Last of the Tribe (Borders Friendship Heights)

June 29
Gwynne Dyer, Climate Wars: The Fight for Survival as the World Overheats (Busboys & Poets 14th & V)

July 6
Azby Brown, Just Enough: Lessons in Living Green from Traditional Japan (Smithsonian Associates)
Eva Hoffman, Time (Smithsonian Associates)

July 7
W. Joseph Campbell, Getting It Wrong: Ten of the Greatest Misreported Stories in American Journalism (Busboys & Poets 14th & V)

July 12
Nadine Cohodas, Princess Noire: the Tumultuous Reign of Nina Simone (Library of Congress)

July 17
John Varriano, Tastes and Temptations: Food and Art in Renaissance Italy (Smithsonian Associates)

July 21
Michael Psilakis, How to Roast a Lamb (Smithsonian Associates)
Alison Weir, Captive Queen (Smithsonian Associates)

July 24
Stan Newman, 15,003 Answers: The Ultimate Trivia Encyclopedia, and Ken Jennings, Brainiac (Smithsonian Associates)

July 26
Alex Kava, Damaged (Borders Baileys Crossroads)

July 27
Larry Doyle, Go Mutants! (Borders Baileys Crossroads)

August 4
Mary Roach, Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void (Smithsonian Associates)

October 4
David Sedaris, Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary (The George Washington University Lisner Auditorium)

November 13
Sarah Vowell, The Wordy Shipmates (The George Washington University Lisner Auditorium)

The listings below are adapted from my page of upcoming D.C.-area readings; please see that page for addresses, contact information, and full event listings.

Notable Events During the Coming Week

April 25
Sarah Blake, The Postmistress; Dominique Paul, The Possibility of Fireflies (Writer’s Center)

April 26
Anne E. Kornblut, Notes From the Cracked Ceiling (Friendship Heights Village Center, 4433 S. Park Avenue, Chevy Chase; RSVP 301-656-2797)

April 29
Pico Iyer, Video Night in Kathmandu, The Lady and the Monk (National Geographic Society)
Kitty Kelley, Oprah: A Biography (Barnes & Noble Tysons Corner)

April 30
Isabel Allende, Island Beneath the Sea (Washington National Cathedral)
Maria Bartiromo, The 10 Laws of Enduring Success (The Liaison Capitol Hill, 415 New Jersey Avenue NW, via Hooks Book Events)

May 1
David Baldacci, Deliver Us from Evil (Barnes & Noble Tysons Corner)
David Goodwillie, American Subversive (Politics & Prose)

Just Added

May 1
Meredith and Sofie Jacobs, Just Between Us (Borders Rockville)

May 4
Thomas Kaufman, Drink the Tea (Borders Rockville)

May 5
Jeffrey Kaye, Moving Millions (Borders L Street)

May 7
Stephen C. Neff, Justice in Blue and Gray (National Archives)
Nataki Suggs, A Life Beyond Limits (Borders Largo)

May 8
Ernest Burley, Jr., Money Management: Easy as 1, 2, 3 (Borders Largo)

May 11
William Sample, Prelude to Danger (Arlington Public Library)

May 13
Keith Donaldson, Rude Awakenings (Barnes & Noble Arlington)

May 14
Harrine Freeman, How To Get Out of Debt (Borders Largo)

May 15
Austin Camacho, Russian Roulette (Borders Largo)

May 17
Barry Ozeroff, The Dying of Mortimer Post; and Mark Ozeroff, Days of Smoke (Borders Baileys Crossroads)

May 18
Ben Bradlee and Quinn Bradlee, A Life’s Work: Fathers and Sons (National Press Club)

May 20
William Nagy, Invisible Ink: Spycraft of the American Revolution (Arlington Public Library)

May 22
Valencia Campbell, Advice From the Top (Borders Largo)
Roy Howard, April: Confusion in the Aftermath of Aggression (Borders Largo)

May 26
Brian McGinty, John Brown’s Trial (National Archives)

May 27
Ruth Baja Williams, Detour Berlin (Arlington Public Library)

May 28
Rique Johnson, A Dangerous Return (Borders Largo)

May 29
Tessa LaRock, Spidey Legs Lana: Black Widow (Borders Largo)
Irean Shumpert, A Water Way Overflowing With Blessing (Borders Largo)

June 3
Susan Coll, Beach Week (Barnes & Noble Bethesda)

June 5
Samantha Bee, I Know I Am But What Are You? (Borders L Street)

June 12
David Dosa, Making Rounds with Oscar (Borders Tysons Corner)

June 27
Tania James, Atlas of Unknowns; Elisabeth Murawski, Zorba’s Daughter (Writer’s Center)

July 7
Venus Williams, Come to Win: How Sports Can Help You Ace Your Goals and Top Your Profession (Barnes & Noble Downtown)

July 15
Jennifer Weiner, Fly Away Home (Borders Baileys Crossroads)

July 21
Pamela Meyer, Liespotting: Proven Techniques to Detect Deception (Barnes & Noble Downtown)

August 9
Justin Kramon, Finny (Politics & Prose)

The listings below are adapted from my page of upcoming D.C.-area readings; please see that page for addresses, contact information, and more.

Notable Events During the Coming Week

April 18
Contributors, Full Moon on K Street: Poems about Washington, DC (Historical Society of Washington, DC)
Jennifer Gilmore, Something Red (Borders Baileys Crossroads)

April 19
Anchee Min, Pearl of China (Politics & Prose)

April 20
Martha Grimes, The Black Cat (Barnes & Noble Potomac)
The Rock Bottom Remainders (Mitch Albom, Dave Barry, Roy Blount, Jr., Greg Iles, James McBride, Ridley Pearson, Amy Tan, and Scott Turow) in conversation with Sam Donaldson (Harman Center for the Arts, 610 F Street NW, 202-547-1122; also performing April 21 at the 9:30 Club, 815 V Street NW, 202-265-0930)

April 21
Mark Kurlansky, The Eastern Stars (Politics & Prose)

April 22
Sarah Silverman, The Bedwetter (Borders L Street)
E.O. Wilson, Anthill (Smithsonian Associates)

April 23
Greg Mortenson, Stones Into Schools (Smithsonian Associates)

Just Added

April 19
Hugh Howard, Houses of the Founding Fathers (Library of Congress)

April 23
Estelle Irizarry, Christopher Columbus: The DNA of His Writings (Library of Congress)

May 1
Paul E. Sluby, Sr., Bury Me Deep: Burial Places Past and Present In and Nearby Washington, D.C. (Historical Society of Washington, DC)

May 6
Bruce Johnson, Heart to Heart (Historical Society of Washington, DC)

May 8
Sean Hannity, Conservative Victory: Defeating Obama’s Radical Agenda (Barnes & Noble Tysons Corner)
Mark Levin, Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address Illustrated (Barnes & Noble Tysons Corner)

May 10
David Shaman, The World Bank Unveiled (Shirlington Public Library)

May 12
Travis Stork, The Doctor Is In (Borders Rockville)

May 16
Steve Dryden, Peirce Mill: Two Hundred Years in the Nation’s Capital (Historical Society of Washington, DC)

May 23
David Palmer, Memoirs of David Palmer (Historical Society of Washington, DC)

June 1
Mark Edmundson, The Wisdom and Perfect Teachings of the Kings of Rock and Roll (Politics & Prose)

June 2
T.H. Breen, American Insurgents (Politics & Prose)

June 3
Matt Gallagher, Kaboom (Politics & Prose)

June 4
Sasha Polakow-Suransky, The Unspoken Alliance (Politics & Prose)

June 6
Kathryn Schneider Smith, Washington at Home: An Illustrated History of Neighborhoods in the Nation’s Capital (Historical Society of Washington, DC)

June 7
Wilbert Rideau, In the Place of Justice (Politics & Prose)

June 8
Karl Marlantes, Matterhorn (Politics & Prose)

June 9
Robert McCrum, Globish (Politics & Prose)

June 10
Christopher Hitchens, TBA (Politics & Prose)
William Hogeland, Declaration (Borders L Street)
Richard Whittle, The Dream Machine: The Untold History of the Notorious V-22 Osprey (Barnes & Noble Bethesda)

June 11
Dave Jamieson, Mint Condition (Politics & Prose)

June 12
Dan Ariely, The Upside of Irrationality (Politics & Prose)
Adele Logan Alexander, Parallel Worlds (Politics & Prose)
Stephen J. Rose, Rebound: Why America Will Emerge Stronger From the Financial Crisis (Politics & Prose)

June 13
Kathryn Allamong Jacob, King of the Lobby: The Life and Times of Sam Ward, Man-About-Washington in the Gilded Age (Historical Society of Washington, DC)
Aife Murray, Maid as Muse (Politics & Prose)

June 14
Stephen Kinzer, Reset (Politics & Prose)

June 15
Alan Furst, Spies of the Balkans (Politics & Prose)

June 16
Peter Beinart, The Icarus Syndrome (Politics & Prose)

June 17
Sebastian Mallaby, More Money Than God (Politics & Prose)

June 18
Michael Pertschuk, The Demarco Factor (Politics & Prose)

June 19
Susan Coll, Beach Week (Borders Silver Spring)
Steve Dryden, Peirce Mill (Politics & Prose)
Sam Munson, November Criminals (Politics & Prose)

June 21
Bret Easton Ellis, Imperial Bedrooms (Politics & Prose)

June 24
Charles Ogletree, The Presumption of Guilt (Politics & Prose)

June 25
Piper Kerman, Orange Is the New Black (Politics & Prose)

June 26
Dan Nadel, Art in Time (Politics & Prose)
Michael O’Hanlon, Toughing It Out in Afghanistan (Politics & Prose)

June 27
Eli Kintisch, Hack the Planet (Politics & Prose)

June 28
Jennifer Egan, A Visit From the Goon Squad (Politics & Prose)

June 29
Nicholas Carr, The Shallows (Politics & Prose)

Every Saturday I update a page on this site listing upcoming readings and literary events in the Washington, D.C. area. I’ve rarely mentioned these updates on the blog proper, but now that more interesting events are coming up as spring moves into summer, I think it’s worthwhile to push out some of the more notable events once a week. First is a list of notable (not all) literary events within the next week; following that is a list of all events I’ve just added. Address and contact information for all venues are on the listings page.

I assemble these listings myself without the assistance of any databases, etc, so I value any suggestions, corrections, and (especially) information about events I may have missed.

Notable Events This Week

April 11
Laura Appelbaum, Jewish Life in Mr. Lincoln’s City (Barnes & Noble Rockville)
Thomas E. Kennedy in conversation with Andre Dubus III, In the Company of Angels (Politics & Prose)
Bob Rogers, No Cartoon Left Behind! The Best of Rob Rogers (Newseum)

April 12
Harry Katz, Susan Reyburn, Frank Ceresi, Phil Michel, and Wilson McBee, Baseball Americana: Treasures from the Library of Congress (Library of Congress)
John McPhee, Silk Parachute (Politics & Prose)
Ruth Reichl, For You, Mom. Finally (Smithsonian Associates)
Vendela Vida and Heidi Julavits (Folger Shakespeare Library)

April 14
Andre Aciman, Eight White Nights (Washington DC Jewish Community Center)
Elizabeth Kostova, The Swan Thieves (Smithsonian Associates)
Yann Martel, Beatrice and Virgil (Sixth & I Historic Synagogue)
Bill McKibben, Eaarth (Politics & Prose)
Alice Walker, Overcoming Speechlessness (Busboys & Poets 14th & V)

April 15
Jennifer Gilmore, Something Red (Politics & Prose)
Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Wench (Busboys & Poets 14th & V)

April 16
Jennifer Gilmore, Something Red (Politics & Prose)
Eleanor Clift, Two Weeks of Life (Writer’s Center)
James Shapiro, Contested Will: The Shakespeare Authorship Controversy (Folger Shakespeare Library)

Just Added

April 20
Steven V. Roberts, From Every End of This Earth: 13 Families and the New Lives They Made in America (Sixth & I Historic Synagogue)
Joel Sartore, Rare: Portraits of America’s Endangered Species (National Geographic Society)

April 22
Anita Silvey, Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Children’s Book (Library of Congress)

April 26
Nicole Brun-Mercer, The Golden Ring (Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library)

April 28
Toby Jurovics, Carol Johnson and Will Stapp, Framing the West: The Survey Photographs of Timothy H. O’Sullivan (Library of Congress)

May 2
Carolyn Dungee Nicholas, Hilda (Busboys & Poets 5th & K)

May 3
Meredith and Sofie Jacobs, Just Between Us: A No-Stress, No-Rules Journal for Girls and Their Moms (Sixth & I Historic Synagogue)

May 6
Alan Orloff, Diamonds for the Dead (Barnes & Noble Reston)

May 12
Ayelet Waldman, Bad Mother: A Chronicle of Maternal Crimes, Minor Calamities and Occasional Moments of Grace (Sixth & I Historic Synagogue)

May 13
Gwen Ifill, The Breakthrough (Ritz-Carleton Georgetown, 3100 South Street NW, 202-912-4110, via the Q&A Cafe)

May 19
Victoria Rowell, Secrets of a Soap Opera Diva (Borders Bowie)

May 23
Newt Gingrich, To Save America: Abolishing Obama’s Socialist State and Restoring Our Unique American Way (Barnes & Noble Reston)

May 25
Emily Gould, And the Heart Says Whatever (Sixth & I Historic Synagogue)

May 27
Joanna Slan, Photo, Snap, Shot (Barnes & Noble Reston)

June 1
Fred Thompson, Teaching the Pig to Dance (Borders L Street)

June 5
Robin Givhan, Michelle: Her First Year as First Lady (Newseum)

June 8
Susan Hasler, Intelligence (Borders Baileys Crossroads)

July 8
Brad Herzog, Turn Left at the Trojan Horse: A Would-Be Hero’s American Odyssey (Barnes & Noble Bethesda)