Boston area author readings, Oct. 18-24

By Judith Maas

TODAY: Katrina Kenison reads from “The Gift of an Ordinary Day,” at 3 p.m., at Concord Bookshop, 65 Main St., Concord … For a listing of Massachusetts Poetry Festival events, visit www.masspoetry.org … Chris Brogan discusses “Trust Agents,” at 3:30 p.m., at the Book Rack, 52 State St., Newburyport … Sandy Deden reads from “Jan’s Houseboat Hideaway,” at 2 p.m., at Home of Distinction, 169 Grove St., Wellesley; for tickets ($15-$20) and information, visit rfkchildren.org or call 617-227-4183.

MONDAY: Scott Westerfeld (“Leviathan”) and Robin Wasserman (“Crashed”) read at 6 p.m., at Wellesley Booksmith, 82 Central St., Wellesley … Irene Kahn discusses “The Unheard Truth: Poverty and Human Rights,” at 7 p.m., at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Mass. Ave., Cambridge... Jerri Sher signs "The Twig Painter," from 6 to 8 p.m., at Spirit of '76 Bookstore, 107 Pleasan

TUESDAY: Ivy Pochoda (“The Art of Disappearing”) reads at 7 p.m., at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Cambridge … Poet Pamela Alexander reads at 7 p.m., in Rm. 6-120, 182 Memorial Dr., MIT, Cambridge … Edwin Frank, editor of NYRB Classics, speaks at 7 p.m., at Harvard Book Store … Ariel Sabar discusses “My Father’s Paradise,” at 7 p.m., at The Enormous Room, 567 Mass. Ave., Central Square, Cambridge … Trenton Lee Stewart discusses “The Mysterious Benedict Society Book 3,” at 6 p.m., at Wellesley Free Library, 530 Washington St., Wellesley.

WEDNESDAY: Howard Dean (“Howard Dean’s Prescription for Real Health Care Reform”) speaks at 2:30 p.m., at Emerson Umbrella, 40 Stow St., Concord, and at 7:30 p.m., at Brookline Booksmith, Coolidge Corner; for Brookline Booksmith tickets, call 617-566-6660 … Michael Sandel discusses “Justice,” at 5:30 p.m., at the JFK Library, Columbia Point; for more information and to register, go to www.jfklibrary.org or call 617-514-1643 … Harvard Book Store presents “A Celebration of Princeton Authors,” at 4 p.m. … Poets Paul Muldoon and Elizabeth Swados read at 6:30 p.m., at First Parish Church, 3 Church St., Harvard Square, Cambridge … James Orbinski discusses “An Imperfect Offering,” at 7 p.m., at Harvard Book Store … James McBride discusses “Song Yet Sung,” at 7 p.m., at McCall Middle School, 458 Main St., Winchester … Wheeler del Toro signs “The Vegan Scoop,” at 1 p.m., at Barnes & Noble, Boston University, Kenmore Square … Mary Mitchell discusses “Americans in Space,” at 7 p.m., at Wellesley Booksmith … Lynne Joiner discusses “Honorable Survivor,” at 7 p.m., at the Harvard Square Coop, Cambridge ... Mark Arsenault, Dan Judson, and other mystery writers read at 6 p.m., at the Boston Public Library, Copley Square... Poet Claire Keyes reads at 7 p.m., at the Peabody Institute Library, 82 Main St., Peabody.

THURSDAY: Jonathan Lethem reads from “Chronic City,” at Coolidge Corner Theatre, Brookline ($5) … Christopher Germer discusses “The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion,” at 7 p.m., at Porter Square Books … Dave Zeltserman reads from “Pariah,” at 7:30 p.m., at Back Pages Books, 289 Moody Street, Waltham … Caroline Alexander discusses “The War That Killed Achilles,” at 7 p.m., at Harvard Book Store … Gregory Maguire (“The Next Queen of Heaven”) speaks at 7 p.m. at Concord Bookshop ….Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein discuss “Heidegger and a Hippo Walk Through Those Pearly Gates,” at 7 p.m., at Barnes & Noble, Boston University … Peter Singer (“The Life You Can Save”) and Richard Stearns (“The Hole in Our Gospel”) speak at 4 p.m., at First Parish Church, Cambridge … Vincent J. Cannato discusses “American Passenger,” at 7 p.m., at Andover Bookstore, 89R Main St., Andover … Mary Ann Hoberman and Linda Winston discuss “The Tree That Time Built,” at 4:30 p.m., and Elizabeth Dembrowsky discusses “My Monk,” at 7 p.m., at Wellesley Booksmith … Marc Wortman discusses “The Bonfire,” at 7 p.m., at the Harvard Square Coop … Gerrit Lansing reads from “Heavenly Tree, Northern Earth,” at 7 p.m., at the Bookstore of Gloucester, 81 Main St., Gloucester … Keith Ablow (“Living the Truth”) speaks at 11 a.m., at Home of Distinction; for tickets ($15-$20) and information, visit rfkchildren.org or call 617-227-4183.

FRIDAY: Morris Dickstein discusses “Dancing in the Dark,” at 3 p.m., and Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein discuss “Heidegger and a Hippo Walk Through the Pearly Gates,” at 7 p.m., at Harvard Book Store … Tracy Winn (“Mrs. Somebody Somebody”) speaks at 7 p.m., at Pollard Library, 401 Merrimack St., Lowell … Andrew Clements discusses “Extra Credit,” at 7 p.m., at Sandwich High School, 365 Quaker Meetinghouse Road, E. Sandwich … George Wendt signs “Drinking with George,” at 1 p.m., at Borders Downtown Crossing, 10-24 School St., Boston ... Maureen Wood and Ron Kolek discuss "Ghost Chronicles," at 7:30 p.m., at Jabberwocky Bookshop, 50 Water St., Newburyport.

SATURDAY: The Boston Book Festival takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Boston Public Library, Copley Square, and other locations; for more information, visit www.bostonbookfest.org … The annual Robert Frost Festival takes place from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at Lawrence Library, 51 Haverhill St., Lawrence; for more information, visit www.frostfoundation.org … Professors John Stauffer, Nina Silber, and Bernard Bailyn honor the work of Lincoln scholar David Herbert Donald at 7:30 p.m., at Concord Free Public Library, 129 Main St., Concord ($15) … Kevin Rafferty and others sign “Harvard Beats Yale 29-29,” at 10 a.m., at Harvard Stadium, 65 N. Harvard St. … Jarrett Krosoczka (“Lunch Lady Series”) reads at 2 p.m., at Borders, 255 Grossman Dr., Braintree.