Click here for our events calendar to preview upcoming events through the end of December.Click here for more complete descriptions and to buy signed copies online.
Members always save 20% on event books. Click here to register!

 

 

AMAZING AUTHOR EVENTS

Once again, we are astounded at how lucky we are that so many authors visit Washington, D.C. As you may know, authors from all over the country are gathering on the Mall for the National Book Festival this weekend, and many of them also have scheduled stops at Politics & Prose. As a result, you can share in the benefits by meeting some of the same authors here and maximizing your time while there, or if you live in the neighborhood, saving yourself a trip into those crowds.

You have already received our announcement that our event tomorrow evening with Jonathan Franzen will now be held at GW Lisner Auditorium, but we also want to remind you that Jules Feiffer and Norton Juster, Richard Rhodes, Jimmy Carter, William Gibson, Frederick Reuss, Lorin Stein, Suzanne Collins, James Swanson, and David Rakoff all contribute to this week's lineup. Read on to learn more about each of these books.

We also want to let you know that we are preparing to host several other top-notch popular authors - David Grossman, Nicole Krauss, V.S. Naipaul, and Salman Rushdie - at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. All of these ticketed events are free to patrons who purchase these authors' new books from us. More details below.

FIELD TRIP TO FALLINGWATER
Every fall one of Carla's favorite activities has been enjoying the fall colors and accompanying a group of neighbors and customers to Fallingwater. Unfortunately, this year she cannot go along, but we encourage you to consider profiting from this opportunity. Fallingwater is one of Frank Lloyd Wright's famous architecturally masterful oddities, a prime example of his determination to craft lifestyle to art, rather than bend his vision to the inhabitants' perceptions of a home's purpose. Quite frankly, the house and grounds are a thought-provoking and spiritually uplifting education on how we moderns use space, how little space we may actually require, and how opening our awareness to the presence of nature can invigorate our lives. Click here to read more about this opportunity and to register for this trip.

 

PARTNERSHIP FRIDAYS
Politics & Prose is delighted to support the local community with Partnership Fridays. Through this program, we join with area businesses, government agencies, and nonprofits to raise funds and book donations for the schools or literacy projects they support.

Tomorrow, on September 24, the Washington Animal Rescue League (WARL) is holding its Partnership Friday. As part of their event, the League will be hosting a "puppy playpen" in front of the store from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Take this opportunity to talk with WARL staff and learn about adopting a pet. For more information about WARL, call 202-726-2556 or visit http://www.warl.org/about-us/programs/adoption/.

Upcoming Partnership Fridays:
October 1: A Wider Circle www.awidercircle.org
October 8: Marie Reed Elementary School and Fannie Mae, the inspiration behind our Partnership Fridays, celebrate their 5th anniversary as a partnership.

To learn more about Partnership Fridays and to schedule one of your own, contact Mary Alice Garber mgarber@politics-prose.com or Heidi Powell at hpowell@politics-prose.com.

 

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Barbara and Carla's comments this week remind us to reiterate our offer of a great new program. Politics & Prose has welcomed Nobel laureates and Booker Prize winners, debut novelists and established stars in the literary firmament.  Now we’re offering you a chance to be a part of literary history and build an impressive and irreplaceable library through the P&P Signed First Editions Club.

You might be familiar with our Book-A-Month Gift Program, through which our booksellers hand-pick a monthly gift for a reader in your life.  Now you can sign up to have a first edition, first printing of a newly released book delivered each month directly to your - or your loved one's - doorstep. There is no enrollment fee. The cost of each book ($35 or less, including shipping) is the only charge, which will be processed every month when the books arrive at Politics & Prose. You can save by choosing to collect your books in the store.  The program is available for six or twelve months at a time. 

We will showcase novels and literary nonfiction from authors whom we read and love, and who inspire us with contagious enthusiasm.  This program is a chance to collect and cherish these "first firsts" for years to come.

We are excited to begin with Jonathan Franzen's new book Freedom, which Michiko Kakutani has endorsed wholeheartedly with a glowing review in the New York Times,

This fall’s tremendous selections are just the beginning. As a club member, every month you will continue to receive books of surpassing cultural importance and literary merit.

SEPTEMBER: Freedom, by Jonathan Franzen (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $28)

OCTOBER: Great House, by Nicole Krauss (W.W. Norton, $24.95)

NOVEMBER: Travels in Siberia, by Ian Frazier (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $28)

DECEMBER: Luka and the Fire of Life, by Salman Rushdie (Random House, $25)

P&P members will receive 20% off on all selections.

If you are not currently a member, we encourage you to register for a membership. You will save in the long run, and also receive all of the other member benefits - discounts on bestsellers, author event books, our notifications of the events by mail and email, the opportunity to participate in our four annual storewide member sales, and other discount promotions.

Call or email Liz Sher at the store for more information about the Politics & Prose Signed First Editions Club, or register here today!

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P&P will co-host these four events at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. When you pre-purchase these books from P&P, you will receive two free admission tickets. Space permitting we will also sell books with tickets at the door. Book signings and Q&A will follow each author talk. These events may sell out! Click the links below for more information and to buy your books and/or admission tickets today!

Thursday, October 14, 7 p.m.
DAVID GROSSMAN - TO THE END OF THE LAND (Knopf, $26.95)

- Available Now at P&P

From one of Israel’s most acclaimed writers, To the End of the Land is a novel about family life—the greatest human drama—and the cost of war. Evoking the ever-present intrusion of war into the daily life of Israelis, Grossman’s novel tells the story of Ora, a woman whose son, Ofer, who is about to leave the army, and instead goes to the front. To endure the anxiety, Ora leaves home with an old friend, an artist turned recluse after a brutal POW experience. Together the two recall old times and slowly reaffirm the values that give their lives meaning. Grossman vividly depicts the reality and surrealism of daily life in Israel, the currents of ambivalence about war within one household, and the burdens that fall on each generation.

Monday, October 18, 7 p.m.
NICOLE KRAUSS - GREAT HOUSE (W.W. Norton, $24.95)

- Pre-purchase Now - Available Oct. 5

Like the heirloom desk at its center, this novel is intricately and sturdily composed of niches and compartments, secret drawers and histories, each of them telling its own story and contributing to a larger one. From an American novelist to a poet in Pinochet’s Chile, from a woman dying in London to an antiques dealer in Jerusalem, Krauss weaves a powerful narrative of epic sweep. 

Thursday, October 21, 7 p.m.

V.S. NAIPAUL -THE MASQUE OF AFRICA: Glimpses of African Belief (Knopf, $26.95)

- Pre-purchase Now - Available Oct. 19

From Uganda to Ghana and Nigeria, around the Ivory Coast and Gabon, and on to South Africa, the Nobel laureate’s latest work of travel and culture looks at the role of belief throughout the African continent. Considering native faiths based in animism as well as religions introduced from other areas of the world, Naipaul has synthesized a wide range of history, practices, and peoples to tell one more portion of the larger story of human civilization.

Wednesday, November 17, 7 p.m.

SALMAN RUSHDIE - Luka and the Fire of Life (Random House, $25)

- Pre-purchase Now - Available Nov. 16

With the same imagination that has made Salman Rushdie one of the great storytellers of our time, Luka and the Fire of Life revisits the magic-infused, intricate world he first brought to life in the modern classic Haroun and the Sea of Stories.

This new novel centers on Luka, Haroun’s younger brother, who must save his father from certain doom by traveling to the Magic World and stealing the Fire of Life. Thus begins a quest full of unlikely creatures, strange alliances, and seemingly insurmountable challenges as Luka and an assortment of enchanted companions race through peril after peril, pass through the land of the Badly Behaved Gods, and reach the Fire itself, where Luka’s fate, and that of his father, will be decided. Filled with mischievous wordplay and delving into themes as universal as the power of filial love and the meaning of mortality, Luka and the Fire of Life is a book of wonders for all ages.

Please note: From the day the books are released until the day of the event, ticket-holders may collect their books and tickets at P&P. On the day of the event, books and tickets will only be available for Will Call at 6 p.m. at Sixth & I. Signed books may be shipped after the event.

 

 

 

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Field Trip to Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater

Sunday, October 10, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Organizer: Bonnie Kogod

Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpiece of domestic architecture, in a wooded area of western Pennsylvania near the Maryland border, is one of our favorite locales. Once again this fall we are conducting a community trip by bus to enjoy the foliage during peak season. The tour will include ample time to explore the grounds, take photographs, and visit the gift shop.

The trip costs $110.00, which includes continental breakfast at P&P, transportation, entrance fee, guided tour, and a tip for the bus driver. As an additional option, we also offer Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater: The House and Its History (Dover, $14.95), a fascinating and comprehensive guidebook with 118 illustrations, as part of the package for an additional $12.

Register in the store, before October 1st, 2010 by calling Politics & Prose at 202-364-1919, or click here for more information and to sign up online. Seating is limited. If you have any questions, please contact Bonnie Kogod at (202) 363-7738 or bkogod@politics-prose.com.

 

 

Britain in the 16th Century - - Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Additional class added due to popular request!
Monday, October 11 (Columbus Day), 1-3 p.m.
Instructors: Virginia Newmyer and Susan Willens

Henry VIII wants a divorce; the Pope forbids it. Enter Thomas Cromwell, the King's brilliant commoner to transform the Tudor power structure and advocate for the English reformation. This dramatic situation forms the center of Hilary Mantel's novel, Wolf Hall, which traces Cromwell's amazing career from gutter to glory.

In this class, Virginia Newmyer sets the historical stage for Britain's uneasy renunciation of the Roman Catholic Church. Susan Willens discusses how Hilary Mantel brings Thomas Cromwell and his era to new life.

Click here to buy a copy of Wolf Hall. (Discounted 20% for participants.)
Register for the class at Politics & Prose or by clicking here. ($15 for P&P members, $20 for non-members)

 

 

 

Chekhov in English
Thursdays, September 30 - November 4, 12:30 - 2 p.m.
(Please note that the times have changed from our original announcement.)
Instructor: Penny du Bois

The time is past that we must identify Chekhov with the picturesque decline of Russia under the Tsars or with the distorted image of his work projected by the Soviets. Chekhov has become an honorary world citizen, read and performed widely, studied, admired and imitated by writers and thinkers in many languages.

Anton Chekhov opposed theory and made fun of people who expected a better world to follow abstract principles. But his understanding of a vast range of characters is based on a definite attitude to life. "Pitiless" he was called, also tender and compassionate. Can we discern in the stories and the plays a definite moral attitude? He was able to observe and laugh at the foolishness and blindness of many different kinds of people, all struggling to survive, some forced to give up consoling images of themselves. We will be looking for the steely moral backbone that allowed him to pass through judgment to acceptance, and for insights into the stories which will help us to see how he created a new kind of writing for the theater.

We will discuss a selection of Chekhov's stories and then read together "The Cherry Orchard". The text will be THE PORTABLE CHEKHOV (Penguin, $18). A Life in Letters, by Anton Chekhov, edited by Rosamund Bartlett (Penguin, $16) is also recommended, but not required. These books are both discounted 20% for class participants.

The cost of the course is $80 for members and $100 for non-members.

Register for the class at Politics & Prose or by clicking here.

For the first class, you should read "The Name-Day Party".

 

 

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P&P Members always save 20% on our top twelve FICTION and NON-FICTION hardcover bestsellers.

Click the titles to read more about these books and to buy them from Politics & Prose.

FICTION

1. Freedom, by Jonathan Franzen (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $28) Author event on September 24
2. Super Sad True Love Story, by Gary Shteyngart (Random House, $26) Signed copies available
3. What Is Left the Daughter, by Howard Norman (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $25) Signed copies available
4. Ape House, by Sara Gruen (Spiegel & Grau, $26) Signed first editions available
5. The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, by David Mitchell (Random House, $26)
6. Room, by Emma Donoghue (Little, Brown, $24.99) Man Booker Shortlist
7. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, by Stieg Larsson (Knopf, $27.95)
8. Zero History, by William Gibson (Putnam, $26.95) Author event on September 26
9. Swan: Poems and Prose Poems, by Mary Oliver (Beacon Press, $23
10. The Widower's Tale, by Julia Glass (Pantheon, $25.95)
11. The Cookbook Collector, by Allegra Goodman (Dial, $26)
12. Comedy in a Minor Key, by Hans Keilson (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $22)

NONFICTION

1. The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration, by Isabel Wilkerson (Random House, $30) Signed first editions available.
2. Dreaming in Chinese: Mandarin Lessons In Life, Love, and Language, by Deborah Fallows (Walker, $22) Signed first editions available
3. The Tenth Parallel: Dispatches from the Fault Line Between Christianity and Islam, by Eliza Griswold (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $27) Signed first editions available
4. Brazil on the Rise: The Story of a Country Transformed, by Larry Rohter (Palgrave Macmillan, $27) Signed first editions available
5. The Journal Keeper: A Memoir, by Phyllis Theroux (Atlantic Monthly Press, $24)
6. Making Our Democracy Work: A Judge's View, by Stephen Breyer (Knopf, $26.95)
7. The Grand Design, by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow (Bantam, $28)
8. Bob Dylan In America, by Sean Wilentz (Doubleday, $28.95)
9. Let's Take the Long Way Home: A Memoir of Friendship, by Gail Caldwell (Random House, $23)
10. Trying to Please, by John Julius Norwich (Axios Press, $20)
11. Hamlet's BlackBerry: A Practical Philosophy for Building a Good Life in the Digital Age, by William Powers (HarperCollins, $24.99)
12. The Glamour of Grammar: A Guide to the Magic and Mystery of Practical English, by Roy Peter Clark (Little, Brown $19.99)

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If you can't attend a talk, but would like to reserve a signed copy or a recorded author talk, click the title links to purchase online. P&P members save 20% on these author event titles.

Thursday September 23

Suzanne Collins - Mockingjay: The Hunger Games, Book 3
3-4:30 p.m. Katniss's fate, and the fate of Panem, are revealed in this action-packed third and final installment of The Hunger Games trilogy. Who are members of the Underground? What happened to District 12? Where have the Underground taken Katniss Everdeen? When will District 13 emerge and is it Washington, D.C.?  (Ages 12 and up)

This is a ticketed event. Because Suzanne Collins suffers from hand strain, she will be "signing" books with a special stamp custom made for Mockingjay events. Signing line tickets, which entitle you to meet Ms. Collins and have her stamp one of your books, are distributed when you purchase one of the books in The Hunger Games trilogy from P&P. Click here for more guidelines about this event.

David Rakoff - Half Empty
7 p.m. The latest collection of humorous essays from the author of Don't Get Too Comfortable revels in the power of negative thinking. Firmly on the side of those determined to keep their expectations low so as never to be disappointed, Rakoff is a droll and unsentimental cultural critic.

Friday September 24

Michael Buckley - Nerds: Book Two: M is for Mama's Boy
10:30 a.m. The school basement is the secret headquarters for a group of unpopular fifth graders determined to get some respect. They resort to high-tech means to teach the popular kids not to underestimate the power of a nerd. Then they meet a villain so nerdy he's a mama's boy, and the humor goes over the top. (Ages 9-12)

Jonathan Franzen - Freedom @ GW Lisner Auditorium
7 p.m. Nine years after his National Book Award-winning The Corrections, Franzen chronicles the ups and downs--mainly the downs--of the Berglunds. Patty, once a promising basketball player, is now a depressed suburban wife and mother, battling neighbors and her own demons. Her husband talks green but does business with the coal industry, while their old friend Richard has descended from would-be rock stardom to building decks.

Saturday September 25

Frederick Reuss - A Geography of Secrets
1 p.m. Reuss's fifth novel explores the quintessential Washington industry of intelligence and covert operations. His characters are cartographers and defense analysts. They do work they can't tell anyone about, not even their families, who eventually have to sort out a confused legacy of silence and secrets.

Lorin Stein, ed. - The Paris Review No. 194, Fall 2010 - NEW EVENT
3:30 p.m. The Paris Review was founded in Paris in 1953 and from the first issue—in which William Styron announced the journal's intention to publish all kinds of writers, "so long as they're good"—The Paris Review has maintained a balance between open-mindedness and authority, able to take chances on fresh talent while also publishing the best work of established authors. In April 2010, writer, former FSG editor, and P&P friend Lorin Stein succeeded Philip Gourevitch as editor of the publication. He will present the new Fall issue, available on September 15.

Richard Rhodes - The Twilight of the Bombs
6 p.m. Since his magisterial The Making of the Atomic Bomb in 1986, Rhodes has written extensively about the peril of nuclear weapons, arguing ever more strongly against nuclear deterrence. His fourth book on the topic examines post-Cold War events, including U.S.-Russia nonproliferation agreements, development of nuclear capabilities by India and Pakistan, and North Korea's nuclear activities.

Sunday September 26

Norton Juster and Jules Feiffer - The Odious Ogre
11 a.m. From the remarkable duo that brought us The Phantom Tollbooth some 49 years ago, this new book features a horrible, terrible ogre. He deploys big words to keep control over his kingdom, crushing his subjects and never being polite--until one day a maiden teaches him a lesson he never forgets. The collaborators blend witty text and perfect illustrations for a humorous tale with a happy ending. (Ages 4-8)

William Gibson - Zero History
1 p.m. The latest novel from the visionary author of Spook Country and Pattern Recognition centers on the seemingly unstoppable Hubertus Bigend, a global marketing magnate whose offers no one can refuse. Or can they? A Defense Department contract for combat clothing somehow runs amok, unleashing a gang of drug dealers not even Bigend wants to tangle with.

Steve Lerner - Sacrifice Zones
5 p.m. Broadening the view of communities ravaged by industrial and chemical pollution that he opened with Diamond, his study of a Louisiana town, Lerner here covers a dozen areas, from Brooklyn to Pensacola, letting the residents tell their stories of illness, of health traded for jobs, of lapses in regulatory oversight, and of how they have fought back.

Monday September 27

Mem Fox - Let’s Count Goats
10:30 a.m. Fox’s silly sense of humor helps young children count the goats as well as notice the differences between them. Her energetic herd is made up of over-goats and under-goats, teaching opposites along with numbers; some goats are lost, some goats are found, and some goats have professions that require opposable thumbs. (Ages 3-6)

Fatima Bhutto - Songs of Blood and Sword
7 p.m. A granddaughter of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and niece of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, Fatima Bhutto, Karachi-based columnist for the Daily Beast, New Statesman, and other publications, has written a memoir of her family that is also a story of the emergence of modern Pakistan. She was 14 when her father Murtaza was killed in 1996.

Tuesday September 28

Roland Smith - I.Q., Book Two: The White House
10:30 a.m. At Independence Hall, I.Q. and Angela discovered that Angela’s mother, Malak, was still alive, as a double agent in a terrorist cell.  Now they are at the White House for their parents’ concert, but also to prevent, or foil, another terrorist attack.  Can they communicate with Malak?  Can they save not only her, but also the president and his family?

Kim O’Donnel - The Meat Lover’s Meatless Cookbook @ Modern Times Coffeehouse
7 p.m. Join us downstairs in the Modern Times Coffeehouse for a sampling of vegetarian dishes from former Washington Post food columnist O’Donnel.  These dishes are as hearty as they are healthy and should satisfy even the most confirmed of carnivores.

Jeff Sharlet - C Street: The Fundamentalist Threat to American Democracy
7 p.m. Sharlet’s new book continues the exposé of the secretive Christian fundamentalist organization he began in his bestselling The Family. The group operates like any other powerful lobby, funneling money to further its interests, but as Sharlet shows, the fundamentalist mission has potentially serious implications for American politics.

Wednesday September 29

President Jimmy Carter - White House Diary (Signing Only)
12:30 p.m. Former President Carter kept a diary during his term as Chief Executive, and by the time he left office he had written some 5,000 pages on issues such as energy, the Camp David Accords, and the Iranian hostage crisis, as well as domestic politics. Now he has gathered selections from these journals, adding his current reflections on past events.

James Swanson - Bloody Crimes
7 p.m. Local Lincoln expert and author of Manhunt, Swanson continues the story of the 16th President’s end, juxtaposing it with the flight of the erstwhile Confederate leader, Jefferson Davis. Leaving Richmond two weeks before Lincoln’s death, Davis was suspected of masterminding the killing. In vivid detail, Swanson maps out the concurrent hunt for Davis and the final train home for Lincoln.

Thursday September 30

Jim Arnosky - Man Gave Names to All the Animals
10:30 a.m. The classic Bob Dylan song provides the text for the gorgeous, lush drawings by naturalist Jim Arnosky. Animals from all over the world inhabit his Eden, each awaiting its name. Mr. Arnosky will bring his guitar and give his rendition of the song; an original Bob Dylan recording comes with the book. (Ages 3-6)

Gal Beckerman - When They Come for Us, We’ll Be Gone
7 p.m. Between the end of World War II and 1989, Jews in the Soviet Union were unwanted yet not allowed to leave. Based on newly released government documents and interviews with activists and refusniks, Beckerman’s story of the Soviet Jews’ long struggle for freedom is also an account of how human rights gained prominence in American foreign policy.

Friday October 1

Keith Jeffery - The Secret History of MI6
7 p.m. The world’s first spy agency, Britain’s MI6 was formed just before the First World War. For this authorized history of the organization, Jeffery, professor of British history at Queen’s University, Belfast, was granted access to hitherto secret archives. His very colorful history starts with the chaotic early days and traces the development of classic spy-master techniques.
This event is co-sponsored with Washington, D.C.’s International Spy Museum. More information at www.spymuseum.org.

Saturday October 2

Matthew Zapruder - Come On All You Ghosts
1 p.m. This award-winning poet’s third collection uses vivid imagery, startling jump cuts, and other energetic techniques to update the classic genres of love poem, elegy, and ode. The powerful title work combines elements of each of these modes as Zapruder salutes his late father, literary heroes, and other mentors.

Scott Simon - Baby, We Were Meant for Each Other
3:30 p.m. The host of NPR’s Weekend Edition is also the father of two adopted daughters. How he, his wife, and these little girls became a family is one story here; considering all the things “family” can mean, Simon sought out other adoptive parents and adds their diverse range of experiences and observations to his own.

Mark Feldstein - Poisoning the Press
6 p.m. In their long, public, and very dirty fight, Richard Nixon and the columnist Jack Anderson set the stage for the contentious relationship between government and the press that Feldstein—a George Washington University professor of media and public affairs—sees continuing today.

Sunday October 3

Mark Ozer - Massachusetts Avenue in the Gilded Age
1 p.m. The latest tour of D.C. from the city’s resident historian runs from Union Station to Dupont Circle, traverses elegant Embassy Row and takes in the imposing National Cathedral. In addition to expert commentary on the Avenue’s architecture, Ozer fleshes out the lives of the socialites, celebrities, politicians, and others who lived and visited there.

Thanassis Cambanis - A Privilege to Die
5 p.m. Made up of middle-class professionals as well as the unemployed, the Party of God is at once a standing army, a political party, and a theological movement. In his thorough, detailed presentation of Hezbollah, the veteran Middle East correspondent cuts to the heart of this complex and uncompromising organization by following the activities of a few of its members.

To see the complete schedule and to purchase any of the above books, click here.

 

 

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Thursday, September 23, 7:30 p.m.

Friendship Heights Village Center

4433 S. Park Ave.
Chevy Chase, MD

JANE SMILEY PRIVATE LIFE (Knopf $26.95)
Ms. Smiley was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1992 for A Thousand Acres. In 2001, she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. She received the PEN USA Lifetime Achievement Award for Literature in 2006. She will present her riveting new novel that traverses, from the 1880s to World War II, the intimate landscape of one woman's inner world: of the little girl within the hopeful bride, of the young woman filled with yearning, and of the faithful wife who comes to harbor a dangerous secret. It is also a heartbreaking portrait of marriage and the mysteries that endure even in lives lived side by side. A masterly, unforgettable novel from one of our finest storytellers. Sign up in advance for this FREE event by calling the Village Center at 301-656-2797.

Tuesday, September 28, 6 p.m.

The George Town Club
1530 Wisconsin Avenue, NW         
LAWRENCE K. PETTIT

IF YOU LIVE BY THE SWORD: Politics in the Making and Unmaking of a University President (iUniverse $27.95)

Dr. Pettit has served as legislative assistant to U.S. Senators James E. Murray and Lee Metcalf and on the staff of the American Council on Education. He was chair of political science at Montana State University, President of Southern Illinois University, and President of Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Attendees will receive drinks, hors d'oeuvres, and a signed copy of Lawrence K. Pettit's book. $150 admission includes a $50 tax deductible donation to Reading is Fundamental (RIF). Contact Isabelle Garcia, Controller, The George Town Club, 202-333-9330.

Saturday, September 25, 2:30 p.m.

Circle Wine & Spirits

5501 Connecticut Ave, NW

LIDIA MATTICCHIO BASTIANICH & TANYA BASTIANICH MANUALI

LIDIA COOKS FROM THE HEART OF ITALY: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipes (Knopf, $35)

Join us for a wine tasting and booksigning with Lidia Bastianich, host of PBS favorite Lidia's Italy. Questions? Please call 202-966-0600.

Thursday, September 30, 6 p.m.

Perry's Restaurant
1811 Columbia Road, NW
ARI WEINZWEIG
ZINGERMAN'S GUIDE TO BETTER BACON (Zingerman's Press, $29.99)
James Beard award-winner Ari Weinzweig guides you on a personal tour of bacon's long and curious history. Rebecca Powers of Hour Detroit Magazine says, "Some books whet a thirst for knowledge. This one stirs a gnawing hunger for meat … Weinzweig's ode to bacon offers . . . folksy writing, food lore, trivia, and 42 recipes," so you can put your new-found bacon expertise to use right away! Ari will also talk about his forthcoming book, Zingerman's Guide to Good Leading, Part 1: A Lapsed Anarchist's Approach to Building a Great Business.

Tuesday, October 5, 7 p.m.

Sixth & I Historic Synagogue
600 I Street, NW
Metro: Gallery Place/Chinatown
MARK BITTMAN
THE FOOD MATTERS COOKBOOK: Lose Weight and Heal the Planet with More Than 500 Recipes (Simon & Schuster, $35)

Mark Bittman, the author of the weekly New York Times column, "The Minimalist," offers over 500 recipes for fresh, delicious dishes that rely largely on fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The book also discusses why food matters to our health and to that of the planet. There’s information on what ingredients are best and how to buy seasonally, responsibly, and sustainably.
Tickets are $12, or receive 2 FREE tickets with the purchase of the book ($35) through Sixth & I. Questions? Please call 202-408-3100.

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CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE WEEK
(20% off through 09/29/2010)

While Calvin the starling’s brothers, sisters, and 67,432 cousins investigate worms and test their wings, Calvin is at the library with his beak buried in a book. When the seasons change, the starlings prepare to migrate. Calvin has read about migration, but he hasn’t found time for flying lessons. Fortunately, his relatives rig a way to bring Calvin along, and luckily for them, Calvin’s knowledge gleaned from his reading saves the flock from an approaching hurricane. Jennifer Berne’s CALVIN CAN’T FLY: The Story of a Bookworm Birdie (Sterling, $14.95) is a celebration of reading, and cartoonist Keith Bendis’s witty illustrations totally captivate. This is a must for emergent readers and all who love books. Ages 4-7 - Mary Alice Garber

Read about - and buy - more of our favorite books for children and teens by clicking here. 

Teachers - from pre-school through grade 12 - and school and public librarians are eligible for Politics and Prose's educator's discount program.  To qualify for a 20% discount on books purchased for your classroom or library and a 10% discount on personal purchases, please bring a current ID for the 2010-2011 academic year to the children's and teens' department to update your file.

Please join us for Storytime on Mondays at 10:30 a.m., BearSong, the Guitar Man, is back after several years' hiatus, leading stories, songs, finger plays, and more for children from birth to 4 years old and their caregivers.

For upcoming events and more from the Children and Teens' Department, click here.

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