Bookslut.com, which is based out of Chicago, has readings at the Hopleaf in Andersonville about once a month (sometimes more, as you can see). I'll be there next week.

This page isn't updated, but the upcoming dates are on the right:

http://www.bookslut.com/readings.html

Wow, spooky. I have another reading April 18th at Quimby's in Wicker Park. With me will be Eckhard Gerdes, D.Harlan Wilson and Andersen Prunty. Find out about Bizarro fiction here people read from fun, dangerous and thought provoking books.

July 10th is Bizarro fiction night at Quimby' s. Though I have a personal stake in this, I still think it's worth knowing. It will be a chance to meet four authors writing in a weird, cool, intense new genre and expand your mind.

don't forget about the printer's row book fair this weekend! (and also the blues fest, but that isn't exactly reading-related...)

I missed Elizabeth Cran last time around. Thanks for the head's up.

must be nice to live in chicago. i have a fantasy about that city. my dad left there in 1940 in search of a mother who abandoned him as a baby. while finding her in this small town in ohio he also found my mother and she gave birth to me in 41. i want to visit MELROSE PLACE,ILL his birthplace and spend time there with my wife of 40 years. i have 2 books bout chicago which will help me in my visit-LITERARY CHICAGO by greg holden and AN UNSENTIMENTAL EDUCATION-writers and chicago edited by molly mcquade. the first book is more of a travel guide and the 2nd one has interesting stories by chicago writers. i live near toledo ohio and we rarely have great writers visit here.

Jennifer 8 Lee, author of the Fortune Cookie Chronicles and Goodreads author, and Pat Rosal, author of My American Kundiman and winner of 2007 Global Filipino Literary Award, will be speaking at the Jane Addams Hull House on April 17. The event is free but reservations are recommended. I added the event to the Chicago Readers event listings.

a.j. jacobs ("the know-it-all" and "the year of living biblically") will be at fourth presbyterian church (michigan ave at chestnut) on april 30 at 7 pm.

After I posted, I saw that Annie had already posted the Pico Iyer event in the general events category that is posted under the Explore tab. I need to check that section out more often. Posting as events in the group calendar is a great reminder for future readings.

these are great to know about. please feel free to add them as events, too!

Pico Iyer is going to be speaking at the Harold Washington Library on Wednesday, April 16 at 6:00. Perfect for me since I just started his new book "The Open Road: The Global Journey of the 14th Dalai Lama."

Those sound great. I understand they're trying to sell books but it bothers me that Women and Children First makes you buy the book to attend the events since one of the reasons to attend is to figure out if you want to read the new book. And if you're already a fan, you may have already purchased the book. I missed Barbara Kingslover last year because I had purchased a copy of her book before I even knew about the event. I'll probably miss these too since I'm not ready to commit to purchasing either of these books. Plus, I've seen Isabelle Allende twice before, both times for free.

On April 8th and 9th, Jhumpa Lahiri and Isabel Allende will be speaking, respectively, at the Swedish American Museum. Both readings are sponsored by Women and Children First.

More info here: www.womenandchildrenfirst.com/NASApp/sto...

Click on the "events" tab to learn more about these and other upcoming events.

Any good upcoming readings that anyone thinks we should know about? I try to keep up through Time Out but am constantly missing readings I don't hear about until it's too late.

I saw that Amy Bloom is reading at the Newberry Library next Tuesday. Tickets are $8 and can be purchased at http://www.nextbook.org/localprograms/ch...

I've only read some of her early short stories but am considering it.

Also, Mary Oliver is going to be at the Art Institute on Wednesday, April 2. http://www.poetrycenter.org/reading/inde... Tickets are $10 or free for members.

Anything else good coming up in the next couple of months?