Boston area author visits, May 3 - 9

By Judith Maas

SUNDAY: Faculty from Lesley University’s MFA program read at 2 p.m., at Newtonville Books, 296 Walnut St., Newtonville … Poets Katherine Desjardins and Carol Bank read at 2 p.m., at Wellesley Booksmith, 82 Central St., Wellesley … Shana Burg reads from “A Thousand Never Evers,” at 3 p.m., at Brookline Booksmith, Coolidge Corner, Brookline. ... Poets Annie Finch and Moira Linehan read at 3 p.m., at the Concord Poetry Center, Emerson Umbrella for the Arts, 40 Stow St., Concord.


MONDAY: Poets Vivian Shipley and Jack Bedell read at 7 p.m., at Harvard Yenching Library, 2 Divinity Ave., Cambridge … Bernardo Atxaga (“The Accordianist’s Son”) and Ilan Stavans speak at 7 p.m., at the Boston University Phototonics Center, 8 St. Mary’s St. … Laila Lalami reads from “Secret Son,” at 7 p.m., at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Mass. Ave., Cambridge … Dr. David Kessler discusses "The End of Overeating," at 7 p.m., at the Harvard Square Coop, Cambridge.

TUESDAY: Elinor Lipman reads from “The Family Man,” at 7 p.m., at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Cambridge … Andrew Bacevich discusses “The Limits of Power,” at 7 p.m., at Brookline Booksmith … Andrei Codrescu discusses “Dada Can Save Your Life,” at 6 p.m., at the Boston Public Library, Copley Square … Chuck Palahniuk reads from “Pygmy,” at 6 p.m., at the Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Cambridge; for tickets ($27 and $5, call Harvard Book Store at 617-661-1515 … Daniel Goleman discusses “Ecological Intelligence,” at 7 p.m., at Longfellow Hall, Askwith Lecture Hall, 13 Appian Way, Cambridge; for tickets ($5), call 617-661-1515 … Anne Fadiman speaks on reading, writing, and editing at 6 p.m., at the Boston Athenaeum, 10.5 Beacon St.; for reservations, call 617-720-7600 … Robert Goolrick reads from “A Reliable Wife,” at 7:30 p.m., at Back Pages Books, 289 Moody St., Waltham … Claire Cook discusses “Wildwater Walking Club,” at 5 p.m., at Front Street Book Shop, 165 Front St., Scituate … Margaret Thomas. Richard Thomas, and Lisa Dobberteen discuss “Love and Limits In and Out of Child Care,” at 7 p.m., at the Harvard Square Coop … Harry Bliss (“Luke on the Loose”) speaks at 7 p.m., at Wellesley Booksmith.

WEDNESDAY: Ruth Reichl reads from “Not Becoming My Mother,” at 6 p.m., at the Brattle Theatre; for tickets ($60 and $5), call 617-661-1515 … Sebastian Barry reads from “The Secret Scripture,” at 7 p.m., at Harvard Book Store … Mary Gaitskill reads from “Don’t Cry,” at 7 p.m., at Brookline Booksmith … Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus discuss “Break Through,” at 7:30 p.m., at First Parish Church, 3 Church St., Cambridge … Poet Mary O’Donoghue reads at noon at the Boston Athenaeum … Jeff Melnick discusses “9/11 Culture,” at 7 p.m., at Porter Square Books … Jen Lancaster reads from “Pretty in Plaid,” at 6 p.m., at the Boston Public Library, Copley Square … James Grippando reads from “Intent to Kill,” at 6 p.m., at Borders, 511 Boylston St. … Ellen Gordon Reeves discusses "Can I Wear My Nose Ring to the Interview?," at 7:30 p.m., at the Harvard Square Coop ... Brian and Gerri Monaghan discuss "The Power of Two," at 5 p.m., at Barnes & Noble, Boston University, Kenmore Square.

THURSDAY: Tracy Winn (“Mrs. Somebody Somebody”) and Lynne Reeves Griffin (“Life Without Summer”) read at 7 p.m., at Newtonville Books … Howard Zinn discusses “The Young People’s History of the United States,” at 6 p.m., at the Brattle Theatre; for tickets ($5), call 617-661-1515 … Colson Whitehead reads from “Sag Harbor,” at 7 p.m., at Porter Square Books … Reif Larsen discusses “The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet,” at 7 p.m., at Brookline Booksmith … Laurie King ("The Language of Bees") and Leslie Klinger ("The Annotated Sherlock Holmes") speak at 7 p.m., at the Harvard Square Coop.

FRIDAY: Poets Ben Mazer, Eric Baus, and Elisa Gabbert read at 8 p.m., at Pierre Menard Gallery, 10 Arrow St., Cambridge … Robert J. Shiller discusses “Animal Spirits,” at 3 p.m., at Harvard Book Store … Zachary Martin discusses “The Mindless Menace of Violence,” at 7 p.m., at the Book Rack, 52 State St., Newburyport … Brookline Booksmith holds a book release party at 6 p.m., for George Scialabba’s “What Are Intellectuals Good For?”

SATURDAY: Traute Marshall signs “Art Museums PLUS,” from 1 to 3 p.m., at Wellesley Booksmith … David S. Brody signs “Cabal of the Westford Knight,” from 1 to 3 p.m., at Annie’s Book Stop, 362 S. Main St., Sharon.

Events are subject to change.