Monday 10/21: Novelist Jonathan Grimwood hosts Charlotte Druckman, Gideon Lewis-Kraus, and Matt Gross for an evening of storytelling focused on obsessions. Grimwood’s novel, The Last Banquet (October 2013), set in Enlightenment era Versailles, will inspire refreshments served by chef Emily Casey. Housing Works, 7pm, free.
Irish author Michèle Forbes reads from her debut novel, Ghost Moth (April 2013). BookCourt, 7pm, free.
Former Poet Laureate Billy Collins will read at a ticketed event hosted by Daniel Menaker. 92Y, 8:45pm, $27.
Geoffrey Nutter and Stephanie Ford will read as part of the Monday Night Poetry series. KGB Bar, 7pm, free.
Tuesday 10/22: Chris West celebrates the release of his book, A History of Britain in Thirty-six Postage Stamps. West follows postage stamps through British history. He will be joined by James Hirschfeld, founder and CEO of Paperless Post. The Strand, 7pm, $15 or book purchase.
Lily Brett will read from her sixth novel, Lola Benksy (August 2013). McNally Jackson, 7pm, free.
David Leavitt will read from his new novel, The Two Hotel Francforts (October 2013). Center for Fiction, 7pm, free.
Wednesday 10/23: Mircea Cărtărescu will be reading from the first volume of his dream-memoir, Blinding: Volume 1 (October 2013). The Romanian poet, novelist, and essayist will be joined by Joshua Cohen, author of the hefty novel Witz and story collection Four New Messages. McNally Jackson, 7pm, free.
Claudia Roth Pierpont will celebrate the release of her book Roth Unbound: A Writer and His Books. The New Yorker staff writer has known Philip Roth for a decade and combines personal knowledge with meticulous research for a not-quite-biography look at the author. 82nd Barnes and Noble, 7pm, free.
Daniel Canty launches his recently translated novel Wigrum along with translator Oana Avasilichioaei. Poets Brandon Downing and Michael Ruby will also read. Mellow Pages Library, 8pm, free.
Thursday 10/24: Alina Simone and Adelle Waldman, both authors of novels set in Brooklyn, join Pete’s Reading Series. Simone’s Note to Self (June 2013) follows middle-aged Anna of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn as she criticizes hipster culture. Waldman earned wild success with her debut The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P. The novel chronicles the rise and fall of a relationship between writers Nate and Hannah set against the Brooklyn writing-scene zeitgeist. Pete’s Candy Store, 7:30pm, free.
Dani Shapiro will read from her new writing-as-process memoir, Still Writing (October 2013). She will be joined by writer Darin Strauss and Adam Wilson. Strauss is the author of the memoir Half a Life (September 2010) and novel More Than it Hurts (June 2008). Wilson’s Flatscreen (February 2012) is a hilarious novel of the slacker-as-hero genre and has a forthcoming story collection. Center for Fiction, 7pm, free.
Marek Waldorf reads from his debut novel, The Short Fall and is joined for discussion by novelist James McCourt. Brooklyn Public LIbrary, 7pm, free.
Allyson Paty, Ben Kopel, Brian Foley and Sara Renee Marshall read poetry. Kopel, Foley, and Marshall have chapbooks from Brave Men Press. Mellow Pages Library (Facebook), 8pm, free.
Friday 10/25: Housing Works has gathered the leaders of internet feminism to celebrate the launch of The Book of Jezebel: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Lady Things. Jessica Coen, editor in chief of Jezebel, Anna Holmes, founder of Jezebel, Lori Leibovich, editor at Huffington Post Women, Samhita Mukhopadhyay, former executive editor of Feministing, Amelia McDonnell-Parry, editor in chief of The Frisky, and Edith Zimmerman, founder of The Hairpin will come together for a panel discussion on contemporary womanhood. Kate Harding, co-author of the book, will moderate. Housing Works, 7pm, free.
The Paragraph reading series highlights the work of Laura Hemphill, Kurt Pitzer, and Melvin Estrella. Hemphill’s novel, Buying In will be released in November. Pitzer is a journalist and Melvin Estrella is a mixed-media storyteller. KGB Bar, 7pm, free.
Timothy Donnelly, Lynn Melnick, Mark Bibbins, Tanya Olson will read poems as part of the Multifarious Array reading series. Pete’s Candy Store, 7pm, free.
Mitchell S. Jackson reads from his semi-autobiographical novel The Residue Years (August 2013). He also also making a documentary about the process of novel writing, and previously promised to show parts of that film at NYU. Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House, 7pm, free.
Saturday 10/26: Joan Retallack reads poetry as part of the Segue Reading Series. Zinc Bar (pdf), 4:30pm, free.
Junot Diaz comes to the Brooklyn Library to discuss his short story collection This is How You Lose Her (September 2012). As with all Diaz events, expect large crowds. Central Library, Dweck Center, 4pm, free.
Sunday 10/27: Chandrahas Choudhury reads from Arzee the Dwarf (October 2013). Book Thug Nation, 7pm, free.
Margaret Randall reads fragments from her new book Che on My Mind. Bowery Poetry Club, 4pm, $5.
