This week in New York Reginald Dwayne Betts at louderARTS, the Saul Bellow Slam, Edwidge Danticat on Haiti Noir with actors Anika Noni Rose and Stephen Lang at Symphony Space, Literary Death Match is giving away Shya Scanlon’s Forecast, musicians Marika Hughes and Howard Fishman in Tribeca, and a talk about philosophy and fiction at Greenlight Bookstore.
MONDAY 1/24: Poet Reginald Dwayne Betts features at louderARTS tonight. His first poetry collection, Shahid Reads His Own Palm, is the winner of the Beatrice Hawley Award, published by Alice James Books. Open slam before Betts takes the stage. Get there early if you want to sign up. Bar 13. 7 p.m. $6 ($5 with student ID).
Penguin Books is kicking off its 65th anniversary celebration with the Saul Bellow Slam, readings by Joseph O’Neill, Gary Shteyngart, Joshua Furst, Francine Prose, and others. Audience participation will be encouraged. Housing Works Bookstore Café. 7 p.m.
TUESDAY 1/25: Women’s/Tran’s Poetry Jam & Open Mike featuring Maria Mazziotti Gillian and Laura Boss. Open to poetry, prose, and song. Hosted by Vittoria Repetto. Bluestockings. 7 p.m. $5 suggested.
WEDNESDAY 1/26: A night of literature and theater for Selected Shorts: Haiti Noir. Actors Anika Noni Rose (Dreamgirls) and Stephen Lang (Avatar) will perform stories written by Edwidge Danticat and Mark Kurlansky from Haiti Noir, a new anthology edited by Danticat. Symphony Space, Peter Jay Sharp Theatre. 7 p.m. $27; Member $23; 30 & Under $15.
The next installment of Literary Death Match is gifting the first 100 tickets sold a copy of Shya Scanlon’s novel, Forecast. Literary duelers are Anya Ulinich, Morgan Meis, Amy Shearn, and James Freed. Judges are Roz Chast, Sam Lipsyte, and Kevin Townley. Hosted by LDM creator Todd Zuniga and all-new LDM NYC co-producer M.G. Martin. (Le) Poisson Rouge. 6:30 p.m. $10 in advance, $15 at the door.
THURSDAY 1/27: Emma Straub reads from Other People We Married. Book Court. 7 p.m. Free.
FRIDAY 1/28: Tonight is the CD Release party for cellist Marika Hughes, who has two new CDs: Afterlife Music Radio—11 New Pieces for Solo Cello and The Simplest Thing. The evening will feature experimental chamber pop and jazz by an all-star line up of musicians. Howard Fishman opens the show. 92nd Street Y Tribeca. 8 p.m. $12.
SATURDAY 1/29: The Seque Reading Series presents poet Douglas Kearney, The Black Automaton, and writer/visual artist Yedda Morrison, Girl Scout Nation. Bowery Poetry Club. 4 p.m. $6.
SUNDAY 1/30: Four speakers from various backgrounds come together to talk about the intersection of fiction and philosophy at A Walls and Bridges Event, From Fiction to Philosophy. Walls to Bridges will present cultural events throughout 2011. Pierre Cassou-Noguès, Rick Moody, Avital Ronell, and Benjamen Walker. Hosted by Tin House editor/co-founder Rob Spillman. Greenlight Bookstore. 1 p.m. Free.
If you’re looking for a little carnival with your literary readings, check out The Wold Newton Reading Extravaganza. Readers Felix Gilman, The Half-Made World; Jeffrey Ford; and Sheron Mesmer, Annoying Diabetic Bitch. Music by Brian Francis Slattery and the West Constantinople Squeezebox All-Stars. Hosted by Eric Rosenfield and Ed Champion. Word. 6:30 p.m.
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