LibraryThing Local

1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Mony Lach will be signing her autobiography, The Chapters of My Life.

Lecture to be held in Duncan Hall, McMurtry Auditorium. Reception to follow. Free & open to the public,

SECOND WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH Shadow Pages Book Club will focus on stories from the dark side. It's not limited to any one genre, but will cover a variety of stories with an otherworldly flavor. *Fallen by Erin McCarthy.

Brazos is proud to host A.J. Jacobs for what should be an interesting reading and signing, as Jacobs discusses his book The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible.Jacobs, a New York Jewish agnostic, decides to follow the laws and rules of the Bible, ... (more)beginning with the Old Testament, for one year. (He actually adds some bonus days and makes it a 381-day year.) He starts by growing a beard and we are with him through every itchy moment. Jacobs is borderline OCD, at least as he describes himself; obsessing over possible dangers to his son, germs, literal interpretation of Bible verses, etc. He enlists the aid of counselors along the way; Jewish rabbis, Christians of every stripe, friends and neighbors.

Noon to 2:00 p.m. KBB welcomes back Dr. Donald Frazier, minister and author of Greek Nuggets From the Gospel Goldmine, as he signs his his new book The Prodigal Spouse.

2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Patty Henderson will be signing Gift of Deception. Buy a book to enter the drawing for a door price valued at $100.00! Author Bio: There is a definite southern twang to my tales, and I paint my stories with an Arkansan pen that is hard to put down. I tend to see things in a ... (more)simple way, tainted with life's bumps and baggage, but with endless hope and aspirations of love and mystery. I have a life full of laughter, love and challenges and am blessed with three wonderful children who are young adults and who have taught me that you're never too old to learn, grow, be, and do whatever your heart desires. I hope you find, within the covers of my books, intrigue, a touch of insanity, tenderness and passion sprinkled with love and a curiosity to find what is around the next corner.

THIRD MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides.

Duncan Hall, McMurtry Auditorium. Free & open to the public, reception to follow.

This talk is part of the lecture series "Museums and the Medical Humanities: The Arts of Transformation" coordinated by the HRC Collaborative Research fellow Marcia Brennan. Contact Marcia Brennan at mbrennan@rice.edu.

Diesel Bookstore is proud to welcome back Irvine Welsh, the bestselling author of Trainspotting as he presents his newest book, Crime. As Welsh's very first novel set in the U.S., CRIME is a shocking and gripping story about the corruption and abuse of the human soul, and the possibilities for redemption.

Diesel Bookstore is proud to welcome back Irvine Welsh, the bestselling author of Trainspotting as he presents his newest book, Crime. As Welsh's very first novel set in the U.S., CRIME is a shocking and gripping story about the corruption and abuse of the human soul, and the possibilities for redemption.

Called "the zaniest bestseller of the year," by the Boston Globe, Cathcart and Klein's Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar...: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes has been a breakout bestseller ever since "The Philosophy Guys" did their schtick on NPR's Weekend Edition. Plato and a Platypus hit bestseller ... (more)lists in The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and USA TODAY among other publications.Lively, original, and powerfully informative, the book is a not-so-reverent crash course through the great philosophical thinkers and traditions, from Metaphysics to Logic. Don't really understand the concept of teleology? Wait until you hear the one about the Jewish grandmother walking down the street with her two grandsons. ("The doctor is five. The lawyer is seven," she explains.) And you don't need to read Sartre to understand Existentialism: Lenny, caught in bed with his best friend's wife and asked, "What are you doing here?" suavely replies, "Everybody's gotta be somewhere.

The Progressive Forum presents Markos Moulitsas Zúniga, founder and editor of Daily Kos, the most widely read political blog in the world with an astounding 14 to 25 million unique visitors a month. Zúniga is a pioneer in transforming the internet into a major force in America politics, engaging previously ... (more)disillusioned voters in record numbers and launching a movement towards a more authentic, populist democracy. He is releasing a new book at this event, Taking On the System: Rules for Radical Change in a Digital Era, which Brazos Bookstore will sell after the program. To buy tickets or for more information, click here.

FOURTH TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH *Sweet Talk by Susan Mallery.

Join us for Brazos Bookstore's Emerging Writers Series as Kathleen Kent reads from and signs her first novel based on her own family history, The Heretic's Daughter, which gives a fresh look at the Salem witch trials from the perspective of a ten-year-old girl.Calvin Crosby of Books, Inc., in San Francisco, ... (more)says of The Heretic's Daughter in the IndieNext List: "This is a novel of family, of mothers and daughters, and of the Salem witch trials told from such an intimate perspective you can smell the hearth and feel the cold of a New England winter. The Heretic's Daughter is enveloping and rich in historic detail and tone -- a beautifully written masterpiece.

Brazos is proud to present John Zogby, author of The Way We'll Be: The Zogby Report on the Transformation of the American Dream. Location and more information TBA.

FIRST THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH *Killing Floor by Lee Child.

Join Brazos on the release date of best-selling author R.A. Salvatore's The Pirate King for a special reading and signing.

SECOND WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH Shadow Pages Book Club will focus on stories from the dark side. It's not limited to any one genre, but will cover a variety of stories with an otherworldly flavor. *Nightwalker by Jocelyn Drake.

When Cajun artist George Rodrigue began his series of Blue Dog paintings in 1984, he had no idea that they would consume the greater part of his life for over two decades, and that the mysterious Blue Dog -- inspired by his studio dog–turned-model, Tiffany, and the Cajun loup-garou folk legend -- would ... (more)become a wildly popular international icon as well.Blue Dog Speaks is the first book to prominently emphasize Rodrigue’s painting titles, one of the most important elements in the creation of a Blue Dog painting, alongside the works. Rodrigue uses Blue Dog painting titles to provide insight -- whether humorous or nostalgic or sad -- into the human condition. In an introduction, Rodrigue reveals how an idea that originated in childhood tales has now grown far beyond; his Blue Dogs have moved beyond Louisiana into formerly uncharted territory and now express larger concepts about contemporary life.Brazos is pleased to present George Rodrigue for a talk and demo painting, followed by a signing. (Please note: Rodrigue is unable to sign postcards, posters, or any items other than books.)

Jana Kohl is the author of A Rare Breed of Love: The True Story of Baby and the Mission She Inspired to Help Dogs Everywhere. Join Brazos, Golden Retriever Rescue of Houston, Scout's Honor Rescue, Inc., and Boxer Rescue to celebrate A Rare Breed of Love. Baby will be joining Jana Kohl on tour, and we're ... (more)excited to set up the rescue organizations on our sidewalk so customers and dogs can mingle.

William Patrick will read from and sign the book he co-authored with John T. Cacioppo, Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection. For more information on the book and authors, visit their website at www.scienceofloneliness.com.

Save the date for the SPA Annual Fall Luncheon on Tuesday, October 14, 2008. You won’t want to miss guest authors Ruthanna Hopper (daughter of legendary actor Dennis Hopper) and Amanda Goldberg (daughter of famed film producer Leonard Goldberg) as they serve up delicious tales about growing up on the ... (more)red carpet through the eyes of “Lola,” their precocious protagonist in Celebutantes. “Hollywood during the glitter, glamour, and hype of Oscar week forms the backdrop for the adventures of Lola Santisi, the daughter of Hollywood royalty, and her friends, Kate, a Hollywood talent agent, and Cricket, a struggling model and actress,” says MTV.com.For more information, call SPA at 713.632.8103.

The Houston Public Library Foodies present John DeMers, author of Follow the Smoke: 14,783 Miles of Great Texas Barbecue.

Join Diesel Bookstore for a green event with Van Jones, author of Green Collar Economy! ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Van Jones is the founder and president of Green For All, based in Oakland. The mission is to help build an inclusive, green economy - strong enough to lift millions of people out of poverty. Van ... (more)is a tireless advocate, championing "green-collar jobs and opportunities" for disadvantaged people. He is committed to creating "green pathways out of poverty," while greatly expanding the coalition fighting global warming. He's worked to combine solutions to America's two biggest problems: social inequality and environmental destruction. Under the slogan "green-collar jobs, not jails," he is calling for green economic development in urban America. As an advocate for the toughest urban constituencies and causes, he has won many honors, which include the 1998 Reebok International Human Rights Award, the international Ashoka Fellowship, selection as a World Economic Forum "Young Global Leader," and the Rockefeller Foundation "Next Generation Leadership" Fellowship. He's also served on the boards of numerous national environmental organizations. Presently, he is a board member of the National Apollo Alliance, which advocates for clean energy jobs. He is also a founding board member of 1Sky, a national coalition working to avert catastrophic climate change. In 2007, Van helped the City of Oakland pass a "Green Jobs Corps" proposal; the City allocated funds to train Oakland residents in eco-friendly "green-collar jobs." At the national level, Van worked successfully in 2007 with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), U.S. Rep. Hilda Solis (D-CA), U.S. Rep. John Tierney (D-MASS) to pass the Green Jobs Act of 2007. That path-breaking, historic legislation authorized $125 million in funding to train 35,000 people a year in "green-collar jobs." Van is also a co-founder of a new national coalition that promotes the idea of a national "Clean Energy Jobs Corps." This multi-billion-dollar federal initiative would put hundreds of thousands of people to work rewiring and retrofitting the energy infrastructure of the United States. In 2005, Van produced the "Social Equity Track" for the United Nations' World Environment Day celebration. UNWED 2005 drew dozens of mayors from around the world to San Francisco, where they developed policies promoting the concept of "Green Cities." In 1996, Van co-founded (with Diana Frappier) the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, now located in Oakland, California. Named for an unsung civil rights heroine, the award-winning Center promotes alternatives to violence and incarceration. The Center, for which Van serves as board president, incubated Green For All in 2007 and spun it off in 2008. His many media appearances includes the popular Peabody award-winning show, The Colbert Report.

Join Diesel Bookstore for a green event with Van Jones, author of Green Collar Economy! ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Van Jones is the founder and president of Green For All, based in Oakland. The mission is to help build an inclusive, green economy - strong enough to lift millions of people out of poverty. Van ... (more)is a tireless advocate, championing "green-collar jobs and opportunities" for disadvantaged people. He is committed to creating "green pathways out of poverty," while greatly expanding the coalition fighting global warming. He's worked to combine solutions to America's two biggest problems: social inequality and environmental destruction. Under the slogan "green-collar jobs, not jails," he is calling for green economic development in urban America. As an advocate for the toughest urban constituencies and causes, he has won many honors, which include the 1998 Reebok International Human Rights Award, the international Ashoka Fellowship, selection as a World Economic Forum "Young Global Leader," and the Rockefeller Foundation "Next Generation Leadership" Fellowship. He's also served on the boards of numerous national environmental organizations. Presently, he is a board member of the National Apollo Alliance, which advocates for clean energy jobs. He is also a founding board member of 1Sky, a national coalition working to avert catastrophic climate change. In 2007, Van helped the City of Oakland pass a "Green Jobs Corps" proposal; the City allocated funds to train Oakland residents in eco-friendly "green-collar jobs." At the national level, Van worked successfully in 2007 with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), U.S. Rep. Hilda Solis (D-CA), U.S. Rep. John Tierney (D-MASS) to pass the Green Jobs Act of 2007. That path-breaking, historic legislation authorized $125 million in funding to train 35,000 people a year in "green-collar jobs." Van is also a co-founder of a new national coalition that promotes the idea of a national "Clean Energy Jobs Corps." This multi-billion-dollar federal initiative would put hundreds of thousands of people to work rewiring and retrofitting the energy infrastructure of the United States. In 2005, Van produced the "Social Equity Track" for the United Nations' World Environment Day celebration. UNWED 2005 drew dozens of mayors from around the world to San Francisco, where they developed policies promoting the concept of "Green Cities." In 1996, Van co-founded (with Diana Frappier) the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, now located in Oakland, California. Named for an unsung civil rights heroine, the award-winning Center promotes alternatives to violence and incarceration. The Center, for which Van serves as board president, incubated Green For All in 2007 and spun it off in 2008. His many media appearances includes the popular Peabody award-winning show, The Colbert Report.

The Rice Cherry Reading Series presents Hannah Tinti to read from and sign her book, The Good Thief.From Lyn Roberts at Square Books in Oxford, MS: "Ren, one of many orphans at Saint Anthony's Orphanage for boys, is approaching the age when he will be conscripted into the army. A swaggering Benjamin ... (more)Nab appears and claims Ren as his long-lost brother. But, as soon as they are on the way, it is clear that Benjamin Nab is not anything he seems to be. Tinti has written a wonderful, compelling novel.

Join Clare Langley-Hawthorne at Diesel Bookstore as she presents the second book in her fantastic new historical mystery series! Featuring the strong, outspoken, intelligent and sassy Ursula Marlow, THE SERPENT AND THE SCORPION is a thrilling story of scandal and betrayal that's richly detailed and ... (more)action-packed. ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Clare Langley-Hawthorne was raised in England and Australia. She practiced law in Melbourne until 1995 when she emigrated moved to the United States and began work as a health economist. Clare has since put her pursuit of a PhD on hold to focus on her career as a writer. She lives in the San Francisco bay area with her husband and twin sons. This is her second novel. For more information, visit her web site at www.clarelangleyhawthorne.com

Join Clare Langley-Hawthorne at Diesel Bookstore as she presents the second book in her fantastic new historical mystery series! Featuring the strong, outspoken, intelligent and sassy Ursula Marlow, THE SERPENT AND THE SCORPION is a thrilling story of scandal and betrayal that's richly detailed and ... (more)action-packed. ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Clare Langley-Hawthorne was raised in England and Australia. She practiced law in Melbourne until 1995 when she emigrated moved to the United States and began work as a health economist. Clare has since put her pursuit of a PhD on hold to focus on her career as a writer. She lives in the San Francisco bay area with her husband and twin sons. This is her second novel. For more information, visit her web site at www.clarelangleyhawthorne.com

Andrew Porter grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the youngest of three children. He received his B.A. in English from Vassar College and an M.F.A. in Fiction Writing from the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop. He is the author of the short story collection, The Theory of Light and Matter, which ... (more)won the 2007 Flannery O’Connor Award in Short Fiction and will be published in Fall 2008. He is also the recipient of numerous fellowships and awards, including the 2004 W.K. Rose Fellowship in the Creative Arts from Vassar College, a James Michener-Paul Engle Fellowship from the James Michener/Copernicus Foundation, an Iowa Teaching/Writing Fellowship from the University of Iowa, a Tennesee Williams Scholarship from the Sewanee’ Writers’ Conference, a Residency Fellowship from the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation, the Glenna Luschei Award and a Pushcart Prize. His fiction has appeared in One Story, Epoch, The Ontario Review, Prairie Schooner, The Antioch Review, StoryQuarterly, The Threepenny Review, Others Voices, Story and The Pushcart Prize Anthology, among others. He has also had his work read on NPR’s “Selected Shorts” and selected as one of the 100 Distinguished Stories of 2007 by Best American Short Stories. Currently, Andrew lives in San Antonio, where he is an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at Trinity University. Brazos is honored to present Andrew Porter for a reading and signing of The Theory of Light and Matter.

THIRD MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH The Doctor's Wife by Elizabeth Brundage.

Join the Progressive Forum and get the insider’s view before the election from Eleanor Clift, popular Newsweek contributing editor. She's also a panelist on the nationally syndicated show on PBS, The McLaughlin Group, and a political analyst for the Fox News Network. One of America’s favorite people, ... (more)she has played herself in several films, Independence Day, Murder at 1600, and Dave, as well as the CBS series, Murphy Brown.Clift will also discuss being a women in a male dominated Washington, what the last few years have meant to American history, and finding strength and perspective while losing her husband to cancer and using in-home hospice care. Her books include Madam President: Shattering the Last Glass Ceiling (2000), War Without Blood: The Art of Politics (1996), and Two Weeks of Life: A Memoir of Love, Death, and Politics (March 2008). Booksale after the lecture by Brazos Bookstore. For tickets and more information visit The Progressive Forum online.

Never before has Buffett spent countless hours responding to a writer’s questions, talking, giving complete access to his wife, children, friends, and business associates—opening his files, recalling his childhood. It was an act of courage, as The Snowball makes immensely clear. Being human, his ... (more)own life, like most lives, has been a mix of strengths and frailties. Yet notable though his wealth may be, Buffett’s legacy will not be his ranking on the scorecard of wealth; it will be his principles and ideas that have enriched people’s lives. This book tells you why Warren Buffett is the most fascinating American success story of our time.Author Alice Schroeder was a noted insurance industry analyst and writer who was a managing director at Morgan Stanley. She first met Warren Buffett when she published research on Berkshire Hathaway; her grasp of the subject and insight so impressed him that he offered her access to his files and to himself. Their friendship and mutual respect make her ideally positioned to write the The Snowball. Ms. Schroeder was born in Texas, and she earned an undergraduate degree and her MBA at the University of Texas at Austin before moving east to work in finance. She is a former CPA and lives in Connecticut with her husband.

Join Brazos at the Baker Institute for a reading and signing with Hooman Majd, author of The Ayatollah Begs to Differ: The Paradox of Modern Iran. “A witty, timely perspective on the nation posing the greatest challenge to our next President. Travel writing often makes for easy reading at the expense ... (more)of relevant information, which gets lost in the details. Not so with The Ayatollah Begs to Differ.” —Bill White, mayor of Houston and U.S. secretary of energy under President Clinton

DIESEL, A Bookstore is excited to welcome legendary surfer, Laird Hamilton to the store! He'll share more from his highly anticipated book, Force of Nature, and open a window into the unique physical regimens, mental strategies, and spiritual beliefs that has allowed him to do what he loves, while being ... (more)surrounded by family and radiating peak health and fitness.

Join Brazos Bookstore's First Wednesday Book Club for a discussion of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.

FIRST THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH *Tell No One by Harlan Coben.

The Rice Cherry Reading Series presents poet Martha Collins for a reading and signing. The Cherry Reading Series is sponsored by the Rice English Department. Brazos is proud to provide a venue for this up-and-coming series.

DIESEL, A Bookstore in Malibu is excited to welcome legendary surfer and Malibu resident, Laird Hamilton to the store! As one of the most famous big-wave surfers today, Laird is known for his physical and mental toughness when out on the waves, and has achieved worldwide fame for his accomplishments. He'll ... (more)be joining us to discuss and share from his highly anticipated book, Force of Nature, and open a window into the unique physical regimens, mental strategies, and spiritual beliefs that has allowed him to do what he loves, while being surrounded by family and radiating peak health and fitness. We'll see you there!

THIRD MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides.

Brazos presents Katherine Neville to read from and sign her new book, The Fire.

Brush up on your knowledge about the Dead Sea Scrolls before the exhibit comes to the Houston Museum of Natural Science. The Dead Sea Scrolls Foundation and Brazos Bookstore present Dr. Weston Fields for a reading and signing the week before the exhibit opens.

FIRST THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH *Deck the Halls by Mary Higgins Clark.

FOURTH TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH *Queen of Dragons by Shana Abe.

Rabih Alameddine, author of The Hakawati, will be the featured speaker at the Poets and Writers Ball. More info TBA.