Wednesday, June 1, 8 p.m.: China Mieville at Public Assembly
Don't miss award-winning author China Mieville (The City and the City, Kraken), in conversation with literary critic and author Lev Grossman (The Magicians, Codex), about his new book Embassytown, an extraordinary novel that is not only a moving personal drama but a gripping adventure of alien contact and war. Due to high expected attendance for this event and so as many of China's fans can see him as possible, it is ticketed and will be presented at Public Assembly; standing room only, ages 21+. Tickets are $25, available in-store or online. Each admits one person and includes one copy of Embassytown; books will be signed at the end of the event!

Thursday, June 2, 7 p.m.: The President Is a Sick Man with Matthew Algeo
In The President Is a Sick Man, author and journalist Matthew Algeo offers the first full account of a monumental political scandal that shook the Gilded Age. President Grover Cleveland not only had top-secret surgery for cancer at sea (on a boat!) but covered it up afterward, discrediting the reporter who tried to expose the incident. Manager Stephanie highly recommends this book, and she knows from presidential histories. Algeo will discuss this heretofore-forgotten moment in history in an interview with Philip Kennicott, The Washington Post's culture critic. Facebook RSVP here.

Saturday, June 4, 4 p.m.: Creativity Workshop for Kids and Teens
What words come to mind when you see yourself in the mirror? Do you ever wish you could change who you are? In this workshop, artist and author Laura Lee Gulledge (Page by Paige) will help you "reprogram" your perceptions of yourself by creating a drawing completely out of WORDS! You will work on sheets of paper using a variety of drawing tools. No special artistic skills are necessary! Recommended for ages 8+. Facebook RSVP here.


Tuesday, June 7, 7 p.m.: Small Kitchen Dos and Don'ts

Learn how to stock your pantry, BYOB etiquette, elegant and simple meals with friends, on-a-budget party shopping, date night advice, and more with Cara Eisenpress and Phoebe Lapine, creators of the popular food blog Big Girls, Small Kitchen. They'll be on hand discussing their new book, In the Small Kitchen, which contains tried & true recipes and tons of great advice for those of us with more ambition than space. They'll also be bringing a treat from their own small kitchens, to show us it can be done! Facebook RSVP here. 

Wednesday, June 8, 7 p.m.:
Largehearted Lit: Singers Who Write, Writers Who Sing
Largehearted Lit is pleased to announce a special music and literary event for June, featuring two singer-songwriters who are also talented authors: Alina Simone (You Must Go and Win) and Wesley Stace (Charles Jessold, Considered as a Murderer) who performs music as John Wesley Harding. And a very awesome musical guest will be making a surprise appearance--truly not to be missed, just trust us on this one. Refreshments will be provided by The Brooklyn Baker. Facebook RSVP here.

Friday, June 10, 7 p.m.:
Just Working On My Novel with Emma Straub: 10 Minute Tales
The masterful short stories of Emma Straub, who hosts this month's installment of Russ Marshalek's new works slam, play a thematic point: bring your stories that are 10 minutes long--no longer--for a chance to win. In celebration of Straub's collection Other People We Married, this month's Just Working On My Novel is for stories that end in 10 minutes. When the time goes off, we want to have heard everything. Think you've got what it takes? Email russ@russcomm.net to sign up to read... or just come, have a drink, and listen to the amazing Emma Straub read from a work both published AND unpublished. Facebook RSVP here.

Tuesday, June 14, 7 p.m.: Launch Party for Kate Christensen's The Astral
Come and celebrate everyone's favorite Brooklyn neighborhood at a launch party for Kate Christensen, one of our favorite authors, whose new novel features Greenpoint. Kevin Walsh (Forgotten New York) will open with a slideshow on overlooked local haunts, followed by Kate reading from her newest novel, The Astral. Christine says: "Like she did in The Great Man, Kate has an uncanny ability to draw me into characters that I would not initially think I'd be attracted to reading about but then can't stop thinking about."  Facebook RSVP here.

Wednesday, June 15, 7 p.m.: Monster Doodling with Travis Nichols
The Monster Doodle Book is a hearty tome of half-finished drawings of monsters and creatures featuring misshapen bodies, oodles of appendages, and all kinds of gross crud that you can finish however your demented heart desires. Come doodle on dry-erase blowups from the book and hear gut-punching, sci-fi-synth-pop music from OMEGA MONSTER PATROL! Travis Nichols has done comics for Nickelodeon Magazine, and his first book, Punk Rock Etiquette: The Ultimate How-To Guide for DIY, Punk, Indie, and Underground Bands, was published by Roaring Brook in 2008. Facebook RSVP here.

Thursday, June 16, 7 p.m.: Launch Party for Kristen Balouch
In The Little Little Girl with the Big Big Voice, one loud little girl looks for a friend to play with. She searches the jungle high and low for a pal but her BIG voice scares all the animals away, until at last she finds the perfect playmate--whose "roar" is even louder than hers. Join Kristen Balouch for a launch party and reading, including a shouting contest and other fun activities! All ages welcome. Facebook RSVP here.

Saturday, June 18, 1:30 p.m.: Sign Language Storytime with Lilit
If you've been watching sign language videos for kids, you'll love Sign Language Storytime with Lilit Marcus, who is a CODA (child of deaf adults). She reads and signs a popular kids' book, and children learn a few signs so that they can follow along with her. Parent participation is welcomed and encouraged! Ages 2 and up. Facebook RSVP here.

Tuesday, June 21, 7 p.m.: Shark Night with Juliet Eilperin
Like Shark Week, just a little shorter! Juliet Eilperin will be on hand with her new book Demon Fish, which investigates the fascinating ways different individuals and cultures relate to the ocean's top predator. From Belize to South Africa, from Shanghai to Bimini, sharks are still the object of an obsession that may eventually lead to their extinction. Eilperin, national environmental reporter for The Washington Post, will give a multimedia presentation complete with a just-for-WORD Best & Worst Sharks Ever montage. Facebook RSVP here.

Thursday, June 23, 7 p.m.:
Eating Globally with Danyelle Freeman and Amanda Kludt
Danyelle Freeman (restaurantgirl.com) will be in conversation with Amanda Kludt (editor of Eater NY) on her new book, Try This: Traveling the Globe Without Leaving the Table. Freeman has compiled a cheat sheet to the multicultural playground that is twenty-first century American food, empowering readers to treat eating out as an adventure, and to discover new foods and favorites. From banh mi to bocadillos, spotted dick to soup dumplings, meze to ma po tofu, Try This travels the culinary map as it demystifies unfamiliar foods in sparkling prose that will leave your stomach growling. (But it won't growl at this event---we'll have Polish finger foods available!) Facebook RSVP here.

Sunday, June 26, 4 p.m.:
Buddha Standard Time with Lama Surya Das and WorkSong
Life in the twenty-first century moves at break-neck speed. Despite our dependency on instant coffee, express buses, ATMs, and 140-character tweets, we're all strapped for time and desperately wish for more hours in the day. What if someone had a solution for how busy and stressed out we've all become? In his new book, Buddha Standard Time, Lama Surya Das, national bestselling author and one of the foremost Western Buddhist teachers, offers an alternative to the ceaseless hustle and bustle. Das will be interviewed by Isobeau Trybula, acupuncturist and owner of Greenpoint's WorkSong Chinese Medicine. Facebook RSVP here.

Tuesday, June 28, 7 p.m.:
33 ⅓ Double Header with Cyrus Patell and Bryan Waterman

Join Cyrus Patell and Bryan Waterman for a trip down memory lane with their new books, Television's Marquee Moon and Rolling Stones' Some Girls. Waterman peels back the layers of the origin myth and situates Marquee Moon in the broader cultural history of SoHo and the East Village. Weaving together the history of the band and NYC, Patell traces the genesis and legacy of the album that Jagger would call the band's best since Let It Bleed. Facebook RSVP here. 

Thursday, June 30, 7 p.m.: 1441 Reading
1441 presents a reading of their latest works. A collective of essayists, fiction writers, and poets based out of Bushwick, Brooklyn, they meet regularly to workshop and foster literary discussion and community. Their work has appeared in publications ranging from small journals to The New York Times. They perform regularly in New York City and on the east coast, and have performed across the United States. Facebook RSVP here.