Two open mics and two super-fancy readings to choose from today.

First, at the Elliott Bay Book Company, Lijia Zhang, whose name I envy, is reading from “Socialism is Great!” A Worker’s Memoir of the New China. It’s a well-written memoir, complete with lots of delicious writing about food—though some good novelists can’t write about food to save their lives, I say never trust a memoirist who can’t make you hungry—and painfully depressing work parties celebrating the sixty-second anniversary of communism in China.

And second, at Town Hall, Mary Roach (author of the wonderful Stiff) is reading from Bonk, which is all about sex. It’s a really funny book, with lots of trips around the world to visit penis doctors and groups of men who build fucking machines for fun and a very thorough investigation of the Kinsey archives. Thrillingly, there’ll be a Powerpoint presentation, also.

If neither of these readings interest you—even though they should interest you—you can consult the full readings calendar to check out this week’s upcoming readings.