A unique series for sophisticated writers, readers, and eaters, Eat, Drink & Be Literary brings major contemporary authors to BAMcafé for intimate dinners, entertaining readings, and engaging discussions. Each evening begins with a sumptuous buffet prepared by BAMcafé’s acclaimed executive chef, Tim Sullivan, served with select wines and accompanied by live music. Following dinner, authors read from and are interviewed about their work, take questions from the audience, and sign books to conclude an evening of candid glimpses into the creative process and the rich writings it yields. The event begins at 6:30pm; doors open at 6pm.

Friends of BAM may purchase tickets to Eat, Drink & Be Literary events starting Nov 9. This season’s author’s include: Wallace Shawn, E.L. Doctorow, Lynn Nottage, and Sam Shepard.

Check out the full author schedule after the jump.

Thu, Jan 7 at 6:30pm
Wallace Shawn

Thu, Jan 21 at 6:30pm
E.L. Doctorow

Thu, Feb 11 at 6:30pm
Lynn Nottage

Thu, Mar 11 at 6:30pm
Sam Lipsyte

Thu, Apr 8 at 6:30pm
Colm Tóibín

Thu, Apr 22 at 6:30pm
Joshua Ferris

Thu, May 6 at 6:30pm
Jayne Anne Phillips

Thu, Jun 3 at 6:30pm
Sam Shepard

As a kid, I was a huge MAD Magazine fan, so having Al Jaffee show up in my backyard is something of a dream come true for my 10 year old self. Aside from the famed creator of the “fold-in”, the KingCon Comic & Animation Convention at the Brooklyn Lyceum will play host to a number of well known artists this weekend (Nov 7-8) including: Harvey Pekar, Jonathan Ames, Denny O’Neil (Batman and Green Lantern), Brian Wood (Local and DMZ, Peter Kuper (Spy vs. Spy) and many other talented folks (I’ve never really heard of). Even if your not deep into comics, for $7 (or $10 for a weekend pass), this convention seems like it’s worth checking out just for the “headliners” (I just wish I didn’t have all my old MAD magazines in storage!).

View the weekend panel schedule here and the full list of guests over here.

Eugene Mirman’s new comedy album, the provocatively titled, God Is a Twelve-Year-Old Boy with Asperger’s, came out this Tuesday (Oct 6) on Sub Pop records. To celebrate his new record’s release, he had a CD launch party in Somervile, MA on Tuesday where he rented a limo for his fans “so they [could] get home easily and, of course, because it’s stupid.” (Umm, no CD release party in NYC. Hey Eugene, how about showing us New Yorkers a little love for once?)

If you live in New York, and you still feel slighted by the whole Boston thing, you can catch Eugene this Sunday and on most Sundays after that at Union Hall for the weekly Tearing The Veil of Maya comedy show which he usually hosts (sometimes with Michael Showalter). This week’s show features Dave Hill, Eugene Mirman, John Mulaney and probably one or two other surprises. (Tickets are $7 at the door.)

In other Brooklyn comedy news, after their first successful show last may, comedy is returning to BAM on Saturday with the second free Comedy Night at BAMcafé.

On Saturday, October 10, Comedy Night, will feature some of New York’s most hilarious comedians including: Tom Shillue (Comedy Central Presents: Tom Shillue, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, The Daily Show), Pete Holmes (Comedy Central, VH1, The Daily Show), our very first returning comic, Kumail Nanjiani (Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Comedy Central’s Michael & Michael, UCB), Gabe Liedman (Gabe & Jenny, UCB), and hosted by the hysterical Chris Griggs (TVLand, NY Underground Comedy Festival).

(Word to the wise, get there early, I didn’t get in last time. Apparently, comedy in Fort Greene is something of a novelty.)

Other upcoming comedy/variety shows (Oct 10-18):
Sat, 10/10 Radio Happy Hour at LPR w/ Tunde Adebimpe and Kumail Nanjiani
Sun, 10/11 The Greg Johnson Show at Pianos
Sun 10/11 Tearing The Veil of Maya at Union Hall
Mon, 10/12 Tell All Your Friends at Lolita Bar w/ The Daily Show’s David Javerbaum, Dan Allen, Liam McEneaney, Jena Friendman, Alan Lebetkin & More!
Mon, 10/12 Whiplash! at UCB w/ Leo Allen
Tue, 10/13 Punch Up Your Life w/ Jessi Klein, Pete Holmes, Matt Goldich, Matt McCarthy, Ali Waller & Special Guest (Listen to Jessi’s recent story on the Moth podcast.)
Tue, 10/13 Punchline Mag Show at Comix w/ Janeane Garofalo, Lewis Black, Ted Alexandro, Todd Barry, Christian Finnegan
Tue, 10/13 IndigNATION at Comix with Joe DeRosa
Tue, 10/13 NY Moth StorySLAM “Enemies” at The Nuyorican Poets Café ($7 Tickets)
Wed, 10/14 Big Terrific at Cameo Gallery w/ Max Silvestri, Gabe & Jenny
Wed, 10/14 Risk! at Joe’s Pub w/ Kevin Allison of The State, Zak Orth, Melanie Hamlett, Christian Finnegan & Michelle Walson (This deserves its own writeup.)
Thu, Oct 15 Comedy Below Canal at 92Y Tribeca w/ Wyatt Cenac, John Oliver, Hannibal Buress, Che Grand, DJ Car Stereo (Wars)
Thu 10/15 Comedy As A Second Language at Kabin
Fri, 10/16 Moth Mainstage “Tales Out Of School: New Yorker Writers on Life at the Magazine” at City Winery Hosted by: Andy Borowitz. Stories by: Roger Angell, Adam Gopnik, Ariel Levy, Mark Singer, Judith Thurman
Sun, 10/18 Humor Revue at The Director’s Guild w/ Jenny Allen, Woody Allen, Noah Baumbach, Yoni Brenner, Ian Frazier, Patricia Marx, David Owen, Amy Ozols, Simon Rich, Paul Rudnick, George Saunders, Paul Simms, and Calvin Trillin. Hosted by David Remnick

No doubt I’m leaving some things out, but it’s pretty late and that’s all I can come up with right now.

Just a reminder that tickets for the 2009 New Yorker Festival go on sale today (Sep 18) via phone at 800-440-6974 and at www.newyorker.com/festival starting 12 noon ET.

PS Did you see that I recently got a shout out on NewYorker.com? My mother is so proud.

The “early” yet official 2009 New Yorker Festival schedule was released today and while there a lot of familiar faces (as always), I think this year’s lineup is a lot stronger than last year’s. Highlights of this year’s festival include: Mad Men panel with Matthew Weiner, Lee Clow, Steve Stoute, Brooklyn Playlist concert at The Bell House with Dirty Projectors, A Conversation with Music with and Neko Case and Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), Inside the Artist’s Studio with Chuck Close and Adam Gopnik, and the Humor Revue with Woody Allen, Noah Baumbach and a host of others. Tickets for The New Yorker Festival will go on sale at 12 noon ET on Friday, September 18, (the shows I just mentioned should sell out almost instantaneously).

View the entire 2009 New Yorker Festival schedule after the jump.

Friday | October 16

Fiction Night | Paired Readings by New Yorker Writers

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Yiyun Li
7 P.M. (Le) Poisson Rouge ($25)

David Bezmozgis and Jonathan Franzen
7 P.M. Cedar Lake Theatre ($25)

T. Coraghessan Boyle and Mary Gaitskill
7 P.M. Angel Orensanz Foundation ($25)

Daniyal Mueenuddin and Salman Rushdie
7 P.M. Directors Guild Theatre ($25)

Edwidge Danticat and Junot Diaz
9:30 P.M. Angel Orensanz Foundation ($25)

Joshua Ferris and Aleksander Hemon
9:30 P.M. (Le) Poisson Rouge ($25)

Jonathan Lethem and Colson Whitehead
9:30 P.M. Directors Guild Theatre ($25)

George Saunders and Gary Shteyngart
9:30 P.M. Cedar Lake Theatre ($25)

Brooklyn Playlist | A Special Concert Featuring Bands from the County of Kings

With Dirty Projectors, House of Ladosha, Jubilee, and Liturgy.
Curated by the New Yorker staff writers Sasha Frere-Jones and Kelefa Sanneh.
8 P.M. The Bell House ($25)

Take Out of School | New Yorker Writers on The New Yorker

The Moth and The New Yorker present an evening of stories about life at the magazine.
With Roger Angell, Adam Gopnik, Ariel Levy, Mark Singer, and Judith Thurman.
Hosted by Andy Borowitz.
8 P.M. City Winery ($40)

Saturday | October 17

Writers and Their Subjects

Ricky Jay and Mark Singer
1 P.M. City Winery ($27)

In Conversation With

Annie Proulx interviewed by Deborah Treisman
10 A.M. Florence Gould Hall ($27)

Rachel Maddow interviewed by Ariel Levy
10 A.M. Acura at Stage37 ($27)

Tyler Perry interviewed by Henry Finder
4 P.M. Cedar Lake Theatre ($27)

New Yorker Talks

Malcolm Gladwell | The Curious Case of Michael Vick
1 P.M. Florence Gould Hall ($27)

Simon Schama | Obama and History
4 P.M. Florence Gould Hall ($27)

Screen Gems | New Yorker Film Critics Present Overlooked Masterpieces

Alfred Hitchcock’s “Shadow of a Doubt”
With David Denby.
10 A.M. Directors Guild Theatre ($20)

Henri-Georges Clouzot’s “Quai des Orfevres”
With Anthony Lane.
1:30 P.M. Directors Guild Theatre ($20)

Jean-Luc Godard’s “King Lear”
With Richard Brody.
5 P.M. Directors Guild Theatre ($20)

Panels

New Math
With Nancy Flournoy, Bill James, Nate Silver, and Sudhir Venkatesh.
Moderated by Ben McGrath.
10 A.M. Cedar Lake Theatre ($27)

Mad Men
With Lee Clow, Steve Stoute, and Matthew Weiner. Moderated by Ken Auletta.
10 A.M. City Winery ($27)

The Music Biz
With Jace Clayton, Josh Deutsch, Melvin Gibbs, Danny Goldberg, and Livia Tortella.
Moderated by Sasha Frere-Jones.
1 P.M. Cedar Lake Theatre ($27)

The Political Scene
With Hendrik Hertzberg, Ryan Lizza, and Jane Mayer. Moderated by Dorothy Wickenden.
4 P.M. City Winery ($27)

Character Actors
With Christine Baranski, Joan Cusack, Luis Guzman, Richard Kind, and John Turturro.
Moderated by Nancy Franklin.
4 P.M. Acura at Stage37 ($27)

Early Shift

Loudon Wainwright III talks with Susan Morrison | A Conversation with Music
7:30 P.M. The Bell House ($35)

Wallace Shawn talks with John Lahr
7:30 P.M. City Winery ($35)

Ian Hunter and Graham Parker talk with Ben Greenman | A Conversation with Music
7:30 P.M. (Le) Poisson Rouge ($35)

Neko Case talks with Sasha Frere-Jones | A Conversation with Music
7:30 P.M. Acura at Stage37 ($25)

Saturday Night Sneak Preview

“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
After the screening, Kelefa Sanneh will talk with Sapphire and the film’s director, Lee Daniels.
8 P.M. Directors Guild Theatre ($27)

Late Shift

Jason Schwartzman talks with Richard Brody
10 P.M. The Bell House ($35)

James Franco talks with Lauren Collins
10 P.M. Cedar Lake Theatre ($35)

Tilda Swinton talks with Hilton Als
10 P.M. City Winery ($35)

Steve Earle talks with John Seabrook | A Conversation with Music
10 P.M. (Le) Poisson Rouge ($35)

Justin Vernon of Bon Iver talks with Sasha-Frere Jones | A Conversation with Music
10 P.M. Acura at Stage37 ($25)

Book Signings

(Please note the schedule of book signings at the bottom of this e-mail.)
12 noon to 6 P.M. McNally Jackson Books (Free)

Sunday | October 18

About Town

Tailing Tilley
A live, interactive game drawing on eighty-four years of New Yorker history.
11 A.M. Galway Hooker ($15)

Morning at the Frick
Peter Schjeldahl will lead a tour of the museum before public hours begin, followed by coffee and conversation.
11 A.M. Frick Collection ($60)

Come Hungry
Calvin Trillin will lead a tasting walk from Greenwich Village to Chinatown, concluding with a dim-sum feast.
11 A.M. Ticket buyers will be contacted concerning the starting point. ($100)

Strings Attached
Basil Twist will lead a tour of his studio and talk about the puppeteer’s art with Joan Acocella. Drinks will be served.
12 noon. Ticket buyers will be contacted concerning the location. ($60)

Inside the Artist’s Studio
Chuck Close will show his work and talk with Adam Gopnik at his studio. Drinks will be served.
12 noon. Ticket buyers will be contacted concerning the location. ($60)

Bottoms Up
Sam Calagione will demonstrate the beer-brewing process and discuss his work with Burkhard Bilger. Tastings, paired with meats and cheeses, will be served.
12 noon. The Gate ($50)

New Yorker Talks

James Surowiecki | Tomorrow Never Comes: Why We Procrastinate and How It Matters
11 A.M. City Winery ($27)

Atul Gawande | The Death of the Master Builder: A Story of Risk, Medicine, and Skyscrapers
1 P.M. Directors Guild Theatre ($27)

Kaffeeklatsch | New Yorker Writers and Artists Up Close

Heroes and Antiheroes
With Donald Antrim, A. M. Homes, George Saunders, and Gary Shteyngart.
Moderated by Cressida Leyshon.
10 A.M. Conde Nast Executive Dining Room ($15)

George Booth interviewed by David Owen
12 noon. Conde Nast Executive Dining Room ($15)

Our Far-Flung Correspondents
With David Grann, Elizabeth Kolbert, and Ian Parker. Moderated by Daniel Zalewski.
2 P.M. Conde Nast Executive Dining Room ($15)

Master Classes

Master Class: Cartooning
With Robert Mankoff.
10 A.M. Conde Nast Auditorium ($35)

Master Class: Photography
With Platon.
12 noon. Conde Nast Auditorium ($35)

Master Class: Copy Editing
With Ann Goldstein, Mary Norris, and Elizabeth Pearson-Griffiths.
2 P.M. Conde Nast Auditorium ($35)

Panels

Radical Opera
With Lisa Bielawa, Nico Muhly, Peter Sellars, and Rufus Wainwright. Moderated by Alex Ross.
3 P.M. City Winery ($35)

A Humor Revue

Shouts & Murmurs Live
With Jenny Allen, Woody Allen, Noah Baumbach, Yoni Brenner, Ian Frazier, Patricia Marx, David Owen, Amy Ozols, Simon Rich, Paul Rudnick, George Saunders, Paul Simms, and Calvin Trillin. Hosted by David Remnick.
4 P.M. Directors Guild Theatre ($35)

Book Signings

(Please note the schedule of book signings at the bottom of this e-mail.)
12 noon to 5 P.M. McNally Jackson Books (Free)

How to Purchase Tickets

Tickets for The New Yorker Festival will go on sale at 12 noon E.T. on Friday, September 18th. There are several ways to purchase tickets:

Online: Get tickets at newyorker.com/festival.

By phone: Call 800-440-6974.

At Ticket HQ: Ten per cent of tickets to all events will be available at Cedar Lake Theatre, at 547 West 26th Street (between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues).
Tickets will be sold on Friday, October 16th, from 12 noon to 4 P.M. First come, first served.

At the door: A limited number of tickets will be sold at the door to each event one hour before start time, with the exception of Morning at the Frick, Come Hungry, Strings Attached, Inside the Artist’s Studio, and Bottoms Up. First come, first served. Cash only.

Book Signings at McNally Jackson Books

SATURDAY | OCTOBER 17
12 noon
T. Coraghessan Boyle – “The Women”
Aleksandar Hemon – “Love and Obstacles”

1 P.M.
Junot Diaz – “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao”
Mary Gaitskill – “Don’t Cry”

2 P.M.
Annie Proulx – “Fine Just the Way It Is: Wyoming Stories 3″

3 P.M.
Malcolm Gladwell – “Outliers: The Story of Success”
Bill James – “The Bill James Gold Mine 2009″

4 P.M.
Paul Rudnick – “I Shudder: And Other Reactions to Life, Death, and New Jersey”
Wallace Shawn – “Essays”

5 P.M.
Robert Mankoff – “On the Money: The Economy in Cartoons, 1925-2009″

SUNDAY | OCTOBER 18
12 noon
Tad Friend – “Cheerful Money: Me, My Family, and the Last Days of Wasp Splendor”
David Grann – “The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon”

1 P.M.
John Cassidy – “How Markets Fail: The Economics of Rational Irrationality”
Paul Goldberger – “Why Architecture Matters” and “Building Up and Tearing Down:
Reflections on the Age of Architecture”

2 P.M.
Daniyal Mueenuddin – “In Other Rooms, Other Wonders”
Colson Whitehead – “Sag Harbor”

3 P.M.
Adam Gopnik – “Angels and Ages: A Short Book about Darwin, Lincoln, and Modern
Life”
Hendrik Hertzberg – “One Million”

4 P.M.
George Booth – “About Dogs”
Art Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly – “The TOON Treasury of Classic Children’s
Comics”

The 2009 program schedule will appear in the September 21st issue of The New Yorker, on newsstands September 14th. The Festival schedule will also be posted on the same date on newyorker.com/festival.

Here’s what we already “know” is on the schedule for this year’s New Yorker Festival:
James Franco
Wallace Shawn
Rachel Maddow
Rufus Wainwright
E. Annie Proulx
Matthew Weiner

…and here are the answers to the latest set of 2009 New Yorker Festival “blind items”.

Just Asking (Round Three)

Which indie-film actor once played a monarch in a movie directed by his cousin?
Jason Schwartzman

The New York Times called which political guru “perhaps the most unlikely media star to emerge” in the 2008 election season?
Nate Silver

Which single-named poet studied under Allen Ginsberg at Brooklyn College?
Sapphire (-via Drake)

UPDATE: Dave Itzkoff of the New York Times just reported that this year’s New Yorker Festival will also feature appearances by:

Woody Allen
Noah Baumbach
Paul Rudnick
Tyler Perry
Tilda Swinton
Ricky Jay, and
performances by Neko Case and Steve Earle [NYTimes.com]

Hey, it’s almost fall and the good news is that the bookshelves are about to become flush with new releases and the NYC bookstores are about to burst with authors again. Here’s a list of some September NYC Barnes & Noble and Borders Books events that I found interesting for one reason or another:

September 2009 at Barnes & Noble (NYC)
09/01 Wallace Shawn (Lincoln Triangle)
09/02 Po Bronson (USQ)
09/02 Tom Ridge (86th & Lex)
09/03 Jane Goodall in Conversation with Thane Maynard (USQ)
09/08 Sue Monk Kidd & Ann Kidd Taylor (USQ)
09/08 Kathy Griffin (Tribeca)
09/09 Amy Sohn (Tribeca!)
09/10 50 Cent, Robert Greene (Fifth Ave 12:30 PM)
09/11 Mo Willems (86th & Lex)
09/11 Juliette Binoche (Lincoln Triangle)
09/12 Randy Grim, Loretta Swit (86th & Lex 2:00 PM)
09/14 Nick Cave: Upstairs at the Square (USQ)
09/15 Lisa Lampanelli (Tribeca)
09/15 E. L. Doctorow (USQ)
09/15 LeBron James (Fifth Ave 12:30 PM)
09/15 Tiki and Ronde Barber (86th & Lex 1:00 PM)
09/16 Philippa Gregory (86th & Lex)
09/16 Paul Rudnick (Lincoln Triangle)
09/16 Serena Williams (Fifth Ave 12:30 PM)
09/21 Louis Masur (Tribeca)
09/21 Lorrie Moore (USQ)
09/22 Frank Bruni (Lincoln Triangle)
09/22 Robert Sabuda (Tribeca 4:00 PM)
09/22 Isabella Rossellini (Tribeca)
09/22 David Byrne (USQ)
09/23 Ralph Nader (USQ)
09/24 Craig Ferguson (USQ)
09/24 Anita Shreve (86th & Lex)
09/29 Nick Hornby (USQ)
09/29 Joyce Carol Oates (Lincoln Triangle)
09/29 Bob Gibson, Reggie Jackson (Fifth Ave 12:30 PM)
09/29 Jane Smiley (Lincoln Triangle)
09/29 Tad Friend (82nd & Bway)
09/30 Cornel West (USQ)
09/30 Garrison Keillor (Lincoln Triangle)

September 2009 at Borders Books (NYC)
09/08 Carl Capotorto with guest reader Edie Falco (TWC)
09/09 David Cross (TWC)
09/10 Coach John Calipari (Wall St)
09/16 Toni Morrison (TWC)
09/22 David Gray Performance (TWC)
09/23 Reggie Jackson & Bob Gibson (Wall St 12:00 PM)
09/24 Frank Bruni (Park Ave)
09/24 James Brown (Wall St 1:00 PM)
09/26 Tom Paxton & Peter Yarrow (TWC 2:00 PM)
09/29 Ron Paul (Wall St 12:00 PM)

The fourth annual Brooklyn Book Festival will take place on September 13, 2009 at Borough Hall Plaza, Borough Hall Courtroom, St. Francis Auditorium and The Brooklyn Historical Society. This free event includes readings, discussions, and panels with such literary, comedic and musical luminaries as: Jonathan Ames, Paul Auster, Russell Banks, Dominic Carter, David Cross, Jonathan Coulton, Edwidge Danticat, Lupe Fiasco, Mary Gaitskill, Ben Greenman, A.M. Homes, Siri Hustvedt, Naomi Klein, Chuck Klosterman, Jonathan Lethem, Leonard Lopate, Phillip Lopate, Norman Mailer, Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth), Oliver Sacks, DJ Spooky, Melvin Van Peebles, Colson Whitehead and Mo Willems just to name a few. Check out the massive free schedule of events after the jump.

BROOKLYN BOOK FESTIVAL 2009 PROGRAM PROGRAMMING AND VENUES SUBJECT TO CHANGE ALL EVENTS ARE FREE. PROGRAMS TAKING PLACE IN THE BROOKLYN BOROUGH HALL COURTROOM AND ST. FRANCIS COLLEGE AUDITORIUM ARE TICKETED FREE TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE ONE HOUR BEFORE THE PROGRAM BEGINS AT FESTIVAL INFORMATION BOOTHS ON THE PLAZA Borough Hall Courtroom (209 Joralemon Street)—TICKETS REQUIRED 10:00 a.m. The Legacies of John Updike and David Foster Wallace. Two titans of American literature—John Updike and David Foster Wallace—died this past year. This panel of distinguished critics will discuss their work, their deep differences, surprising similarities and enduring influence. Time magazine book critic Lev Grossman (The Magicians) and Salon book critic Laura Miller (The Magician’s Book). Moderated by David Ulin, editor of the Los Angeles Times Book Review. 11:00 a.m. The Writer’s Capital. From Experience to the Limits of Fiction. How does a writer get from day-to-day life to fiction, and how far can that writer take the reader into the imaginative realm? Is there a limit to what the reader will accept? Readings by novelists Paula Fox, Steven Millhauser (Dangerous Laughter), Bradford Morrow, and Roxana Robinson (Cost). Moderated by Harold Augenbraum, executive director, National Book Foundation. 12:00 p.m. Faux Society. Amy Sohn (Prospect Park West), Robert Dunn (Meet the Annas) and Laura Albert (Sarah) talk about the real people and fictional characters who inhabit the societies represented in their work.        1:00 p.m. Out of Step. Readings from three acclaimed novels that follow their characters through the cultural enclaves that form, challenge and sometimes dictate their lives. Featuring Colson Whitehead (Sag Harbor), H.M. Naqvi (Home Boy) and Achy Obejas (Ruins). Moderated by Brigid Hughes, A Public Space. 2:00 p.m. Satire and Comic Relief in 2009. Whatever else is down (the economy, the Republicans)—satire is up.  A conversation with authors Jeffery Rotter (The Unknown Knowns), Gary Shteyngart (Absurdistan), and Sloane Crosley (I Was Told There’d Be Cake). Moderated by New Yorker editor Ben Greenman (Super Worse). 3:00 p.m. Reality Prisms. Readings by Pete Hamill (North River), Jacqueline Bishop (Snapshots from Istanbul) and Esmeralda Santiago (The Turkish Lover), three authors who write from the heart of their life experiences. 4:00 p.m. Melvin Van Peebles. Filmmaker and author Melvin Van Peebles in conversation with TBA. 5:00 p.m. Writing Writers. A conversation with authors Christopher Sorrentino (Trance) and Michael Thomas (Man Gone Down), and moderated by Astra Taylor (film and book Examined Life), whose work takes contemporary thinkers out of the ivory tower to discuss philosophical matters in plain speak. The authors discuss what writing on writers might reveal about the creative impulse, the relationship between fact and imagination and the ethics of representation. Presented by BOMB magazine as part of BOMBLive!   Borough Hall Community Room (209 Joralemon Street) 10:00 a.m. In Search Of….Two wanderers, Daniel Asa Rose (Larry’s Kidney) and Michael J. Agovino (The Bookmaker), travel abroad and write memoirs about their life-changing adventures and misadventures seeking luck, love and body organs in foreign lands. 11:00 a.m. The Future of Literary Fiction. What are the challenges facing fiction writers during an economic recession and a volatile publishing landscape? How does the digitization of literature impact the creative process? What unexpected opportunities might present themselves? A panel discussion featuring T Cooper (Lipshitz Six, or Two Angry Blondes) and Keith Gessen (All the Sad Young Literary Men). 12:00 p.m. The Great Recession. Call it what you like—the downturn, the financial crisis, the mini-depression, the slump. Whatever you call it…is it over? Will its effects be felt long-term or soon forgotten? Featuring Justin Fox (The Myth of the Rational Market), Naomi Klein (The Shock Doctrine) and Kai Wright (Drifting Toward Love). Moderated by New York Daily News columnist Errol Lewis. 1:00 p.m. Literature in a Digital Age. Some say the “age of the book” is ending and a glorious new “digital era” is dawning. Others turn the page and keep reading. How do new forms of media affect our literary culture, and how do writers and publishers adapt to them? Featuring John Freeman (The Tyranny of Email), Dwight Garner (Read Me) and Sarah Schmelling (Ophelia Joined the Group Maidens Who Don’t Float: Classic Lit Signs On To Facebook). Moderated by Maud Newton, blogger of maudnewton.com. 2:00 p.m. Movin’ On Up. Three writers on the myth and reality of upward mobility. Featuring Gloria Browne-Marshall (Race, Law and American Society), Walter Kirn (Lost in the Meritocracy) and Lewis Lapham (editor, Lapham’s Quarterly). Moderated by Paul Tough (Whatever It Takes). 3:00 p.m. Onwards & Upwards.  An inspiring talk with Dominic Carter (No Momma’s Boy) and William D. Pointer Jr. (Pain to Power) discussing the power of living through painful experiences. 4:00 p.m. Independent Media Voices.  Radical radio, insurgent ’zines, the Fourth Estate and social networks old and new. Who and what is the independent media? Voices that stand out from the crowd? Defenders of a new way of thinking? A discussion about the challenges of forging a new media voice. Host of Democracy Now!, Amy Goodman (Standing Up to the Madness), Jessica Hopper (Hit it or Quit It, The Girls Guide to Rocking) and Pamela Newkirk (Letters From Black America).  5:00 p.m. Why Poetry Now? A panel giving poetry lovers, as well as those new to poetry or those who haven’t read poems in a long time, an opportunity to appreciate and enjoy the best of what’s being written today, featuring Staceyann Chin, Cornelius Eady, and Paul Muldoon. Moderated by Mary Gannon, Poets & Writers.     St. Francis Auditorium (180 Remsen Street)—TICKETS REQUIRED 11:00 p.m. Short Stories Stand Tall. A panel discussion exploring the advantages, tools and inspiration authors gain by writing shorter fiction. Featuring Jeffrey Renard Allen (Holding Pattern), Joan Silber and A.M. Homes (Things You Should Know). 12:00 p.m. Poetry, Pop, and Hip-Hop. A panel discussing how poets, songwriters and rappers push language in new and essential ways. Featuring Lupe Fiasco, musician and poet; Thurston Moore; Tracie Morris; and Matthew Zapruder (The Pajamaist). Moderated by Touré.  1:00 p.m. Norman Mailer. Author and journalist Pete Hamill and NYPL Live’s Paul Holdengräber join Norris Church Mailer to discuss the literary and journalistic legacy of Brooklyn’s own Norman Mailer.  2:00 p.m. Edwidge Danticat. Brooklyn Book Festival 2009 BoBi Literary Award winner Edwidge Danticat reads and discusses the themes of social history and culture that have influenced her short stories, novels and memoir in a conversation with Johnny Temple, publisher of Akashic Books and chair of the Brooklyn Literary Council, and Mitchell Kaplan, Miami Book Festival. 3:00 p.m. Literary Masters. Readings by three highly revered authors: Paul Auster (Man in the Dark), Russell Banks (The Reserve) and Francine Prose (Goldengrove). Introduced by Louisa Ermelino. 4:00 p.m. Writers on Unforgettable Friendships. Three frequent contributors to The New York Review of Books speak about an extraordinary relationship that has—somehow—made a lasting mark. Oliver Sacks on Francis Crick; Darryl Pinckney on Djuna Barnes and Anita Desai on Ruth Jhabvala. Robert Silvers, editor of The New York Review of Books, will introduce. 5:00 p.m. Jonathan Lethem and Mary Gaitskill in Conversation.  Moderated by Greg Cowles, senior editor at the New York Times Book Review.   St. Francis College Reading Room (180 Remsen Street) 10:00 a.m. Next Texts: Four Debut Novelists. The Brooklyn Book Festival presents readings from four of the finest debut novels of 2009. Featuring Marie Mockett (Picking Bones from Ash), Shanthi Sekaran (The Prayer Room), Marc Fitten (Valeria’s Last Stand) and Joanna Smith Rakoff (A Fortunate Age).  11:00 a.m. Anarchy of Youth. Readings from three novels starring young protagonists who wreak havoc on the world around them. Featuring Alberto Ferraras (B as in Beauty) and Marisha Pessl (Special Topics in Calamity Physics). 12:00 p.m. Real Surreal. Tao Lin (Shop Lifting from American Apparel), Yona Zeldis McDonough (Breaking the Bank), Nicholson Baker (The Anthologist) and Ben Marcus (Notable American Women) read from the minds of their characters. 1:00 p.m. Editor as Author: Discipline and Freedom. A discussion on the relationship that editors play in the lives of authors in today’s publishing world and the editor’s role and sensibility vs. the authorial process. Featuring four authors who have also worked as editors: Heidi Julavits (The Uses of Enchantment), Hannah Tinti (The Good Thief), Sarah Rainone (Love Will Tear Us Apart) and Donald Breckenridge (You are Here). 2:00 p.m. Los Angeles Times Festival of Books Presents. Los Angeles–based writers Nina Revoyr (Southland), Judith Freeman (The Long Embrace, Raymond Chandler and the Woman He Loved), and Richard Rayner (A Bright and Guilty Place) read and discuss their books. Moderated by LA Times Book Review editor David Ulin.  3:00 p.m. Doubt, Faith & Monsters. In the worlds of Steven Cleaver (Saving Erasmus), Victor Lavalle (Big Machine) and Fiona Maazel (Last Last Chance) the Angel of Death is in a washing machine, a band of paranormal investigators are in the woods and a lethal virus vanishes from a lab. 4:00 p.m. Faith & Fiction. If fiction is make believe and faith is must believe, can writers reconcile the absolutes of religion with the ambiguities of character and the relative truths of storytelling? Faith and Fiction with Benjamin Anastas, Rene Steinke and Chris Adrian, moderated by Bookforum editor, Albert Mobilio.   Brooklyn Historical Society (128 Pierrepont Street) 12:00 p.m. Believe it or Not. Three writers—the reporter who broke the Madoff story, a popular historian of a classic newspaper hoax and a chronicler of cults and conspiracies—on great scams and the public that loves to loathe them. Erin Arvedlund (Too Good to Be True), Arthur Goldwag (Cults, Conspiracies and Secret Societies) and Matthew Goodman (Sun and the Moon). Moderated by James Surowiecki (The Wisdom of Crowds). 1:00 p.m. Knickerbocker. Author Elizabeth Bradley will be joined by Phillip Lopate to discuss the lasting impact of Diedrich Knickerbocker, the imaginary historian who narrates Washington Irving’s A History of New York. 1:30 p.m. Interpreting Brooklyn. Three authors who used the collections of the Brooklyn Historical Society as inspiration present these works in progress: Elizabeth Gaffney and her novel about Brooklyn after World War II; Michael Schwartz and his one-man play on growing up in Coney Island; and Andres Vera Martinez, author of three graphic novels set in Brooklyn, past, present and future. 2:00 p.m. Life Stories. Three acclaimed memoirists talk about bad breaks, wise moves, tough choices—and turning life in all its messy glory into art on the page. Featuring Staceyann Chin (The Other Side of Paradise), Brad Kessler (Goat Song) and Sarah Manguso (The Two Kinds of Decay). Moderated by Brigid Hughes, editor of A Public Space. 3:00 p.m. Thicker than Water. Readings from outstanding novels that explore blood relations and complex, sometimes devastating, family dynamics. Featuring Elizabeth Nunez (Anna In-Between), Greg Ames (Buffalo Lockjaw) and Carolina de Robertis (The Invisible Mountain). Introduced by Malaika Adero. 4:00 p.m. Crime and Punishment. Readings from three of the most dangerous and compelling novels of 2009. Featuring Lou Manfredo (Rizzo’s War), Liz Balmaseda (Sweet Mary) and Marlon James (The Book of Night Women).  5:00 p.m. The Cult of the Amateur. Three professional amateurs—a radio host, a book critic and a writer—talk about what they love best: the fine art of improvisation, following their noses, chasing their curiosities as increasingly erudite students of life and avoiding the traps of so-called “expertise.” Featuring Leonard Lopate (The Leonard Lopate Show), Walton Muyumba (The Shadow and the Act) and Robert Sullivan (The Thoreau you Don’t Know). Main Stage (Borough Hall Plaza) 10:00 a.m. Ken Siegelman Tribute followed by Verbal Catalysts.  A tribute to the late Brooklyn poet laureate Ken Siegelman, followed by Urban Word NYC, whose top teen poets present individual and group slams. 11:00 a.m. Poetry Society of America Presents. A reading organized by PSA, the nation’s oldest poetry organization, featuring the country’s best bards: Anne Carson, Sonia Sanchez, Philip Schultz and Arthur Sze. Introduced by Alice Quinn. 12:00 p.m. Name that Author: A Literary Contest presented by the National Book Critics Circle. Features defending champ Brigid Hughes (A Public Space) and challengers David Haglund (PEN America), authors Steven G. Kellman (Redemption), Maureen N. McLane (Same Life), Geeta Sharma Jensen, Martha Southgate (Third Girl From the Left) and Craig Morgan Teicher (Publishers Weekly). Moderated by John Reed, The Brooklyn Rail. Judged by NBCC president Jane Ciabattari and Critical Mass blog chair Eric Banks. 1:00 p.m. Only the Dead. Readings of Brooklyn’s revered authors, from Walt Whitman to Frank McCourt, are performed by actors from Troupe. 2:00 p.m. Close to the Street. Three writers on urban life—its housing, its mass transit, its vibe—discuss how we make cities and how cities make us. Featuring Nelson George (City Kid), Alyssa Katz (Our Lot) and Tom Vanderbilt (Traffic). Moderated by Theodore Hamm, editor of The Brooklyn Rail. 3:00 p.m. Love: The Unstoppable Bestseller. A panel of romance authors discusses the longevity of the industry and how they keep readers coming back for more: Rochelle Alers (Man of Fate), Anna DePalo (The Billionaire in Penthouse B), Donna Hill (Temptation & Lies) and Sarah Wendell (Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches’ Guide to Romance Novels). 4:00 p.m. Obsessive Fun. Rabbis who write, gamers, comics and karaoke-ists. Authors Rabbi Simcha Weinstein (Shtick Shift: Jewish Humor in the 21st Century), Ethan Gilsdorf (Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks), Brian Raftery (Don’t Stop Believin’) and Eddie Sarfaty (Mental) let their obsessions entertain you. 5:00 p.m. Happy Ending Reading Series. One of the city’s most spirited and risk-taking reading series animates the Brooklyn Book Festival this year with Jonathan Ames (The Double Life is Twice as Good), David Cross (I Drink for a Reason) and Rakesh Satyal (Blue Boy). Hosted by Amanda Stern, music by Jonathan Coulton. International Stage (Borough Hall Plaza) 11:00 a.m. The International Graphic Novel. Three acclaimed graphic novelists who tackle big social and political themes in their work discuss what the form can accomplish, from an international and domestic perspective. Featuring Guy Delisle (The Burma Chronicles), Peter Kuper (Diario de Oaxaca: A Sketchbook Journal of Two Years in Mexico) and Sarah Glidden (How To Understand Israel In 60 Days Or Less). Moderated by Matt Madden. 12:00 p.m. Mahmoud Darwish: A Conversation. Five distinguished authors, Russell Banks, Michael Palmer, Breyten Breytenbach, Sinan Antoon and Fady Joudah, remember and respond to the life and work of the celebrated Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish (1941-2008). Moderated by Breyten Breytenbach. 1:00 p.m. Rasskazy: New Fiction from a New Russia. Celebrate the literature of post-Soviet Russia with readings from Rasskazy, the Tin House anthology of new Russian fiction, featuring readings by Francine Prose (Goldengrove), Dale Peck (Sprout), Anya Ulinich (Petropolis) and Vadim Yarmolinets (Led Zeppelin ‘Jericho 86-89’). Journalist Emily Gould will interview Rasskazy contributor Dmitry Danilov about Russia’s continually flourishing literary world. Presented by Pen American Center. 2:00 p.m. The Naked City: Urban Realism and the Global City in Fiction & Non-Fiction. A discussion exploring the gritty urban realism of the contemporary global city as seen through recent works of fiction and non-fiction about Delhi, New York and Mexico City. Featuring David Lida (First Stop in the New World), Meera Nair (Video) and Hirsh Sawhney (editor, Delhi Noir).  Moderated by Cheryl Harris Sharman (Nightshift NYC). 3:00 p.m. Secrets & Lies. Three leading international writers explore family secrets, identity crises and social connectedness in their works. With Rivka Galchen (Atmospheric Disturbances), Siri Hustvedt (The Sorrows of an American) and Valeria Parrella (For Grace Received, finalist for Italy’s Strega Prize). 4:00 p.m. Africa in the Age of Obama. A conversation about the current spotlight on African writing and culture, with Binyavanga Wainaina (Kenyan author and Director of the Chinua Achebe Center), Mohammed Naseehu Ali (Ghanaian musician and author of The Prophet of Zongo Street) and Breyten Breytenbach (South African poet, painter, author). Moderated by Rob Spillman, editor of Gods and Soldiers: The Penguin Anthology of Contemporary African Writing. 5:00 p.m. Philip Gourevitch, Rawi Hage, and Claire Messud in Conversation. Philip Gourevitch, editor of The Paris Review, longtime staff writer for The New Yorker and author of The Ballad of Abu Ghraib; Claire Messud (The Emperor’s Children); and Rawi Hage, Impac award-winning author of DeNiro’s Game and Cockroach, engage in a wide ranging exchange on their works, the international scene and the literary life. North Stage (Borough Hall Plaza) 10:00 a.m. Quotables. Join Troupe actors to test your knowledge of quotes and books in this interactive literary game with prizes for the audience. 11:00 a.m. The Truth About Parenting. Featuring Yvonne Bynoe (Who’s Your Mama), Ben George (The Book of Dads) and Lenore Skenazy (Free-Range Kids). Moderated by Laura Sinagra. 12:00 p.m. Reading to Kids. In conjunction with the 100th anniversary edition of The Best Children’s Books of the Year, Lisa Von Drasek, children’s librarian at the Bank Street College of Education, leads a discussion about reading to children along with children’s authors showcased in the Festival. 1:00 p.m. Feeding Love in NYC. Giulia Melucci (I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti), Michelle Maisto (The Gastronomy of Marriage) and Jonathon Deutsch (Gastropolis, Food & New York City) share culinary and romantic experiences. 2:00 p.m. Eye of the Book. Cynthia Maris Dantzic (100 New York Painters) and Jane Weissman (On the Wall: Four Decades of Community Murals in New York City) share their art books about NYC artists and murals. 2:30 p.m. Now and Then. Ellen Levitt (The Lost Synagogues of Brooklyn) and Elmer Sprague (Brooklyn Public Monuments) in discussion with borough historian Ron Schweiger. 3:00 p.m. American Food. Three writers discuss the past, present and future of what we eat. Featuring Mark Kurlansky (editor, The Food of a Younger Land), Jennifer 8. Lee (The Fortune Cookie Chronicles) and Liz Thorpe (The Cheese Chronicles). Moderated by “Serious Eats” blogger Ed Levine. 4:00 p.m. Sound Unbound: DJ Spooky and Toure. That Subliminal Kid (aka Paul D. Miller), the writer and composer whose work Terra Nova: Sinfonia Antarctica will be performed at BAM in December, will discuss the themes raised in his book Sound Unbound—about the concept of the remix in music, art, and literature—with Touré, writer, music journalist and television cultural correspondent. 5:00 p.m. Inside Music. From the Chicago avant garde to audiophile zealots to the New Weird America, three writers from across the musical spectrum explore how the world of music is connected to everything else: politics, ethnicity, technology, topography and culture. Featuring George E. Lewis (A Power Stronger Than Itself), Greg Milner (Perfecting Sound Forever) and Amanda Petrusich (It Still Moves). Moderated by Sukhdev Sandhu (Night Haunts).   Target Children’s Area (Borough Hall Plaza) The Target Children’s Area provides day-long literary activities for children ages 2-9 10:00a.m.        Troupe – Performs classic children’s books 10:30a.m.        Mo Willems 11:00a.m.        Alison Joseph/MaureenSullivan 11:30a.m.        Tom Tomorrow 12:00p.m.       Sahar Simmons 12:30p.m.       Victoria Kann 1:00p.m.         Nick Bruel 1:30p.m.         Judi Barrett 2:00p.m.         Christopher Myers 2:30p.m.         Randall & Peter de Seve 3:00p.m.         Ayun Halliday 3:30p.m.         Grace Lin 4:00p.m.         Paul O. Zelinsky 4:30p.m.         Troupe – Performs classic children’s books Youth Stoop (Borough Hall Plaza) The Youth Stoop provides day-long literary activities for youth ages 10-18 10:00 a.m. Brooklyn Next Lit Match Awards.  Come hear some of the most talented students writing in the borough who are the finalists in the “Brooklyn Next” borough-wide writing contest. Hosted by  Jamie Hector of The Wire. 11:00 p.m. Fantastical Journeys. Join award-winning middle grade authors and illustrators Kate DiCamillo (The Magician’s Elephant), Christopher Myers (Wings) and Michael Buckley (The Sisters Grimm) and step into a world of whimsical imagination where elephants guide, boys fly and humans and fairy-tale creatures live side by side. 12:00 p.m. Keeping it Honest. Coe Booth (Tyrell) and Matt de la Peña (Mexican White Boy) write books for teenagers that are smart and honest and never talk down to their audience. Join them as they talk about their work and about how they keep it real. 1:00 p.m. Breaking Through. Critically acclaimed authors Laurie Halse Anderson (Chains), Gayle Forman (If I Stay), and G.Neri (Surf Mules) discuss some of this year’s most talked about novels featuring teens forced to make difficult decisions under extraordinary—and less than favorable—circumstances. 2:00 p.m. Love and Longing. How far will you go for love and how far will love go for you? Ned Vizzini (Be More Chill), Aimee Friedman (Sea Change) and Anna Godbersen (The Luxe) reveal very different approaches to succeeding in love as they read and discuss their books.  3:00 p.m. Love, War and Adventures in Babysitting…Transforming Stories into Comics. How does a comic artist take a favorite story and make it new? Three new stars in the literary comics cosmos shine the light on their process, adapting award-winning fiction, found historical materials and one of the most popular teen series of all time into graphic novels. Raina Telgmeier (The Babysitters Club graphic novel series), Danica Novgorodoff (Refresh, Refresh) and George O’Connor (Journey into Mohawk Country). 4:00 p.m. Adventures in the Past. Critically acclaimed authors M.T. Anderson (The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing), Marilyn Nelson (The Freedom Business) and Margaret Peterson Haddix (Shadow Children and Missing series) take us into a thrilling tour of the past where King Edward V lives, and the eighteenth century comes alive with adventure—giving us a new understanding of race then and now. Moderated by Stacey Barney.   NEW YORK COMIC CON AT THE BROOKLYN BOOK FESTIVAL 11:00 a.m. Fact vs. Fiction in Action-Adventure Comics. Comics artists and writers Matt Loux, Fred van Lente, Chris Giarruso, Kevin Pyle and Barry Lyga discuss how they are inspired by real events, scientific research and even math and physics to come up with action-packed adventure stories. They give a behind-the-scenes look at the process of creating comics. For kids of all ages. Moderated by Alex Simmons. 12:00 p.m. Sci Fi and Fantasy in NYC. Is there anything hotter than sci-fi and fantasy right now? We don’t think so. Join authors S.C. Butler, Peter Brett, Anton Strout and Dave Roman as they discuss all that is paranormal in NYC. 1:00 p.m. Marvel Writers. How do they do it? Some of Marvel’s hottest writers talk about their work on your favorite comics. Moderated by Jim McCann. 2:00 p.m. Spotlight on Tom DeFalco, Phil Jimenez and Dennis O’Neil. Veteran artists Tom DeFalco, Phil Jimenez and Dennis O’Neil gather to speak about their common influences, current projects and the trends that are shaping the future. Moderated by Danny Fingeroth. 3:00 The ACT-I-VATE Renaissance. There is a comic book renaissance happening in Gowanus, Brooklyn, and members from both DEEP6 and XOXOs Studios, featuring Dean Haspiel, Mike Cavallaro, Tim Hamilton, Joe Infurnari, Simon Fraser, Molly Crabapple and Mike Dawson (among others) will discuss the genesis of ACT-I-VATE, their premier webcomix collective, and sneak-peek their upcoming print anthology, THE ACT-I-VATE PRIMER. Moderated by Jeff Newelt, who will also announce two new members to ACT-I-VATE. 4:00 p.m. Hip Hop Hearts Anime. A conversation on the cross-pollination of urban culture in Japan and hip hop into popular anime. Our group of anime fanatics, hip hop artists, activists and social entrepreneurs will come together based on their love for anime culture to discuss the good, the bad and the ugly of this cultural exchange and how it will stay with our youth in the years to come. 5:00 p.m. Toon Books “Benny and Penny” Readers Theater for Children. See one of the Toon Books come alive with a performance by Geoffrey Hayes and Leigh Stein. Pirates and princesses, sweet mice and monsters next door in a staged reading of the Toon “Benny and Penny” books, author Geoffrey Hayes and actress Leigh Stein bring comics to life! For kids of all ages.

The New Yorker Festival has put out a series of “Just Asking” posts which go a little ways towards revealing this year’s festival lineup. Here are my guesses at the “not-so” blind items that have been posted thus far:

Just Asking: Round One

Which author said that her most famous short story took twice as long to write as a novel “because I had to imagine my way into the minds of two uneducated, rough-spoken, uninformed young men”?
E. Annie Proulx

This creator of an Emmy Award-winning drama was once a contestant on “Jeopardy!” (Answer in the form of a question, please.)
Matthew Weiner

Which young movie actor pretended to have different accents—“Italian, Russian, Irish”—when he worked at a McDonald’s drive-thru?
James Franco

Just Asking: Round Two

Which television personality got her big break when she won a contest to be a radio host on WRNX, in Holyoke, Massachusetts?
Rachel Maddow

What actor and playwright once played a New Yorker theatre critic in a movie?
Anna Deavere Smith Wallace Shawn – Thanks MM!

Which singer-songwriter once said, “I’m one of those people that will probably look better and better as I get older—until I drop dead of beauty”?
Rufus Wainwright

All David Sedaris tour dates after the jump.

PS On a side note, I haven’t heard anything about a new book. When You Are Engulfed In Flames was released in paperback on June 2, 2009.

David Sedaris 2009-2010 Tour Dates
09/30/09 Pittsfield, MA. The Colonial Theatre
10/01/09 Buffalo, NY. University at Buffalo
10/02/09 Princeton, NJ. McCarter Theatre
10/03/09 Easton, PA. State Theatre Center for the Arts
10/04/09 Glenside (Philadelphia), PA. Keswick Theatre
10/05/09 New Haven, CT. Shubert Theatre
10/06/09 Burlington, VT. Burlington Memorial Auditorium
10/07/09 Washington, DC Lisner Auditorium, The George Washington University
10/08/09 Greensboro, NC War Memorial Auditorium
10/09/09 Birmingham, AL. Alys Robinson Stephens Performing Arts Center
10/10/09 Oxford, MS. Ford Center for the Performing Arts; University of Mississippi
10/11/09 Little Rock, AR. Connor Performing Arts Center
10/12/09 Tulsa, OK. Tulsa Performing Arts Center
10/13/09 Fayetteville AR. Walton Arts Center
10/14/09 Minneapolis, MN. State Theatre
10/15/09 Davenport, IA. Adler Theatre
10/16/09 Champaign, IL. Virginia Theatre
10/17/09 Columbus, OH. Palace Theatre
10/18/09 East Lansing, MI. Wharton Center for the Performing Arts
10/19/09 Stevens Point, WI. Laird Room, UW Stevens Point. Tickets go on sale 08/31/09 at www.uwsp.edu
10/20/09 Norfolk, VA. Chrysler Hall. Reading and signing. Ticketmaster presale starts Sep 9th with password FLAMES. Public sale starts Sep 14 at 10AM.
10/21/09 Kansas City, MO. Midland Theatre
10/22/09 Billings, MT. Alberta Bair Theatre
10/23/09 Missoula, MT. Wilma Theater
10/24/09 Salt Lake City, UT. Capitol Theatre
10/25/09 Sun Valley, ID. Sun Valley Center for the Arts
10/26/09 Denver, CO. Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre
10/27/09 Irvine, CA. Irvine Barclay Theatre
10/28/09 Carmel, CA. Sunset Center
10/29/09 San Rafael, CA. Marin Center
10/30/09 San Diego, CA. Zanzibar Cafe (Dinner)
10/30/09 San Diego, CA. Balboa Theatre (NYTimes Discount Password: NYTIMES)
10/31/09 Boise, ID. The Cabin presents at The Morrison Center
11/01/09 Vancouver, BC, Canada. The Centre
11/02/09 San Jose, CA. San Jose Center for the Performing Arts
11/05/09 Maui, Hawaii. Maui Arts & Cultural Center
11/06/09 Honolulu, Hawaii. Blaisdell Center
03/12/10 London, UK. Leicester Square Theatre
05/03/10 Santa Barbara, CA. Arlington Theatre
05/04/10 Long Beach, CA. Terrace Theater – Long Convention Center
05/05/10 Los Angeles, CA. Royce Hall – UCLA
05/07/10 Portland, OR. Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

I’ve been keeping track of these kind of events for a few years now and this is the first time I can recall Robert Redford doing a Q & A after a film (though he probably has done a few). In any event, ticketholders to the September 13, 2009 Redford: Film & Conversation screenings are invited to a panel discussion afterwards in the BAM Harvey Theater with Robert Redford and special guests.

On Sun, Sep 13, BAMcinematek presents Redford: Film & Conversation, four simultaneous screenings of Robert Redford classics followed by a panel discussion with Mr. Redford and special guests in the BAM Harvey Theater at 6pm.

Films to be screened:

Out of Africa
A sweeping romance that recounts the experiences of European colonists in Kenya during the early 1900s.

The Natural
A middle-aged baseball rookie leads a losing 1930s baseball team to victory with a magical talent and a bat forged from a lightning struck tree.

The Electric Horseman
A washed up rodeo star and corporate shill who, disillusioned with his life, steals a horse during a publicity stunt and heads into the desert to release it into the wild.

The Way We Were
Redford and Streisand are a pair of star-crossed lovers who meet in college: she’s a Marxist Jew and he’s a WASP-y jock with a knack for writing. More

UPDATE: The Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein will join Redford on the Q&A panel after the screening of All The President’s Men on September 12.

The Housing Works Bookstore Cafe just announced a bunch of new events for August and September, check out the schedule below:

Thursday, August 20, 2009 at 7:00pm
The Moth StorySLAM
Theme: Traps. Tickets $7 at the door. 7PM sign up, 7:30 show

Wednesday, August 26, 2009 at 7:00pm
Speed Shrinking Book Party and Free Headshrinking

Wednesday, September 02, 2009 at 7:00pm
Elvis Perkins (Performance) and Ra Ra Riot (DJ Set)
The Indie Rock Coloring Book Launch Party (Buy Tickets)

Sunday, September 20, 2009 at 11:00am
Laurie Berkner with special guest Susie Lampert
Tickets are $20 for adults and kids over 1. Babies on laps are free. (Buy Tickets)

Thursday, October 01, 2009 at 7:00pm
SPIN Presents Liner Notes with Salman Rushdie and Dredg
$25 and donation of a new or gently used book. Tickets go on sale here on August 24th.

Here’s a list of some August NYC Barnes & Noble events that I found interesting for one reason or another:

Barnes & Noble August 2009 Events
08/11/09 – James Schamus & Ang Lee (Lincoln Triangle)
08/11/09 – Richard Russo and Pat Conroy (Union Square)
08/11/09 – Marvel 70th Anniversary w/ Chris Claremont, Klaus Janson, Greg Pak, Joe Quesada & Fred Van Late (UES)
08/13/09 – David Browne in conversation w/ Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth
08/18/09 – Regina Spektor w/ Kurt Andersen (Upstairs at the Square)
08/19/09 – Toni Morrison in conversation w/ Michelle Norris (Union Square)
08/20/09 – Cast and Creators of HAIR (Lincoln Triangle)
08/24/09 – Daryl Hannah & Hilary Shephard (Lincoln Triangle)
08/24/09 – Rev Run & Justine Simmons (UES)
08/26/09 – Nina Garcia (Tribeca)

PS I know it’s already the 10th, but I actually don’t think I’ve missed anything significant yet.

I’ve been meaning to post about these events for a while, and unfortunately a lot of them are sold out already, including tonight’s “Planet Hip Hop” panel with ?uestlove, Bajah, Steve Stoute and Chuck D. For those of who can’t bear to miss out on an insightful interview with your favorite bookish celebrity, you can always check Craigslist for some floating extras and B&N often has free events with some of the same names.

WSJ Summer Scoops Live

Monday, August 10, 7:30 p.m. | Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse (Learn More)
Planet Hip Hop w/ Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson, rapper Bajah from Sierra Leone, entrepeneur Steve Stoute, and Chuck D

Monday, August 10, 7:30 p.m. | Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse (Learn More)
Mossberg, Moby, Music and More

Tuesday, August 18, 7:00 p.m. | Walter Reade Theater (Learn More)
pARTners: Stew and Heidi Rodewald, choreographer Bill T. Jones w/ Wendy Bounds

Times Talks Events

Aug 14, 2009 at 6:30 PM
A Conversation with Quentin Tarantino

Sep 9, 2009 at 6:30 PM
New York Novelist E.L. Doctorow

Sep 15, 2009 at 6:30 PM
“Half The Sky”: A Conversation with Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn

Oct 7, 2009 at 6:30 PM
A Conversation with Pedro Almodóvar and Penélope Cruz

Oct 9, 2009 at 6:30 PM
Bob Costas: Ultimate Sportscaster
at TimesCenter Hall – New York, NY

Oct 10, 2009 at 12:00 PM
The Barefoot Contessa featuring Ina Garten with Alex Witchel

Oct 10, 2009 at 2:00 PM
Some Like It Hot featuring Bobby Flay with Kim Severson

Oct 10, 2009 at 4:00 PM
Italian Modern featuring Giada De Laurentiis with Pete Wells

Oct 10, 2009 at 6:00 PM
On the Road featuring Anthony Bourdain with Frank Bruni

Oct 12, 2009 at 6:30 PM
An Evening with “Ugly Betty”

Oct 28, 2009 at 7:00 PM
A Conversation with Novelist John Irving

Nov 10, 2009 at 7:00 PM
A Conversation with Novelist Stephen King

New Yorker Festival
Ocotber 16-18, 2009
Various Venues Around NYC

The complete New Yorker Festival schedule will be announced in the September 21st issue of The New Yorker, on newsstands the week of September 14th. Tickets will go on sale Friday, September 18th.

On August 1, Dean & Britta are playing a free show at Celebrate Brooklyn! with Crystal Stilts opening. Dean and Britta’s set will consist of their newly created scores to Andy Warhol’s screen tests. The screen tests feature rarely seen black and white silent film portraits of Factory superstars, celebrities and anonymous teenagers.

Subjects include Nico, Lou Reed, Edie Sedgwick, Dennis Hopper, and more. Shot between 1964 and 1966 at Warhol’s Factory in NYC, these screen tests will be presented on NYC’s largest outdoor film screen with newly commissioned soundtracks performed by Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips (formerly of Luna and currently recording as Dean & Britta).

After the show, The Bell House will be hosting the official “Screen Tests” after party with special DJ sets, drink specials, and (I’m guessing) Dean & Britta.

A few days after the Celebrate Brooklyn! gig (Aug 4), Dean Wareham will be appearing at Union Hall as part of the Stories In High Fidelity reading series along with Rob Harvilla of the Village Voice, the author Dan Kennedy, and Mr. SIHF himself, Jason Gordon (Buy Tickets).

Finally, (and perhaps most significantly for some), the first three Galaxie 500 albums, Today, On Fire, and This Is Our Music are now available on vinyl and as high quality digital downloads at fierybreeze.com or Damon and Naomi’s website.

Vinyl editions are remastered by Alan Douches and Kramer at West West Side Music, cut by Kevin Gray at AcousTech, pressed to virgin vinyl at RTI, and packaged in old-fashioned tip-on style jackets at Stoughton. T-shirts are Fruit of the Loom. In the 80s, that’s all there was.

Downloads are either 320Kbps mp3 or Apple lossless
Videos are 480×320 mp4 files, and are compatible with iPods and iPhones.

The albums are avaialble in the following ways…
Individual LPs are available from Damon & Naomi’s website for $15 per album + shipping.
You can also buy packages containing the vinyl and including downloads either as mp3 or Apple lossless.

These packages can be bought from the Galaxie 500 online store…
$9.99 for digital download only
$24.99 per album for LP + digital download (+ shipping)
$69.99 for all three albums on LP + digital download (+ shipping)
$79.99 for all three albums on LP + digital download + T-shirt (+ shipping)

You can also add a T-shirt to any of the packages for an extra $10

The physical items will be shipped starting Monday July 6th

You can download Fourth of July for free in return for your email address. [Galaxie 500 MySpace]

A Galaxie 500 video, Damon & Naomi mp3, and a flyer for the Stories in High Fidelity reading series after the jump.