Barbara Kingsolver is at Third Place Books tonight. The Lacuna is her first novel in a long time. Her publisher says it is about "an epic journey from the Mexico City of artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo to the America of Pearl Harbor, FDR, and J. Edgar Hoover." I haven't read it yet, obviously, but I will say that "Lacuna" is a beautiful word.

At the exact same time, at Elliott Bay Book Company, Mary Karr reads from her new book. Karr is one of the few memoirists who should always be allowed to write memoirs. The Liars Club and Cherry are both excellent. Karr's newest book, Lit is about being drunk.

And the Hugo House is hosting a reading titled "Visiting Hours." Visting Hours. Elizabeth Austen, who is a very intelligent writer who also produces poetry segments on KUOW, reads on the theme of "Visiting Hours" with awesome young novelist Benjamin Parzybok. (I really enjoyed Parzybok's debut novel Couch, and you can read my review here.) Parzybok and Austen are joined by an actor named Matt Smith and a singer named Molly Rose.

Any one of these three readings will be great.

The full readings calendar, including the next week or so, is here. And if you're planning on staying in and you're looking for personalized book recommendations, feel free to tell me the books you like and ask me what to read next over at Questionland.