Reading Room

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23

Author Mark Salzman’s initial reluctance to teach at a detention center for high-risk juvenile offenders was overcome by his students’ intelligence, candor and strength. In True Notebooks, Mr. Salzman chronicles his first years teaching at the prison and introduces the reader to his students through their own words. Join him as he discusses his powerful and heartfelt new book. 7 p.m., at Barnes & Noble Chelsea.

Marina Sitrin will discuss Autonomous Social Movements in Argentina. The autonomous movements in Argentina clearly state they do not want to “take power.” Most in the movements also say that they are not anti-power and are not creating a dual power. This despite hundreds of micro enterprises, a parallel economy that at certain moments encompassed 8 million people, as well as hundreds of factories and communities that are meeting their own necessities. Many claim that “another power” is being created. What does this mean? Is how we conceptualize and talk about power important? 7 p.m., Bluestockings Bookstore, $5.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24

Ayelet Waldman will read from her book, Daughter’s Keeper. The author will be available to answer questions and sign books after the event. In Daughter’s Keeper, Waldman, a former public defender and author of the Mommy Track mystery series, presents a powerful tale about a woman who finds herself facing mandatory jail time for a drug crime she did not commit. 7 p.m., Housing Works Used Books Café.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 27

America 24/7 is a collaborative work by thousands of photographers who were sent out across the country to create a visual time capsule of the United States. The book celebrates our lives, captures our pride, and presents an honest look at the faces and facades of our people. Join contributing photographers Andy Levin, Yoni Brook, Lori Grinker, Philip Greenberg and Kristen Ashburn as they discuss the project and sign copies of the book. 7 p.m., at Barnes & Noble Chelsea.

Sean Hepburn Ferrer discusses Audrey Hepburn. Audrey’s son remembers her “elegant spirit.” Hepburn’s son (with actor Mel Ferrer) shows his mother as a compassionate, emotional woman who searched for and offered love above all. He traces the roots of his mother’s longing in her experiences with her distant father and the destruction of her native Belgium during WWII. Via photos and stories, he notes how Hepburn aimed to live an everyday family life of home, school and holidays. Hepburn Ferrer also details her extraordinary movie career and the tireless work Hepburn did for charity. 6:30 p.m., Border’s Bookstore Park Avenue.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28

Documentary filmmaker and best-selling author Michael Wood focuses his attention on the greatest writer of the English language in Shakespeare. Looking at the playwright as a product of his place and time – a period of great upheaval marked by murderous plots and purges of the Elizabethan police state, Mr. Wood gives us a brilliant piece of historical investigative journalism. 7 p.m., at Barnes & Noble Chelsea.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29

Poets Robert Minhinnick and Phillip Levine join a celebration of Dylan Thomas’s work sponsored by the Welsh Book Council. The two poets and admirers of Thomas’ will read some of his best-loved poems. 7 p.m., at Barnes & Noble Chelsea.

Revolutionary Potluck Discussion on power hosted by Organizing for Popular Power NYC. How do anti-authoritarians approach the question of political power? How might we transform oppressive forms of power into liberatory forms? In an attempt to bridge the gap between presenter and audience, all inspired are invited to prepare a 3-5 minute piece to be presented at the beginning of the event. Participants are asked that these presentations be well thought out and prepared in advance, and that any references that are not totally common knowledge be explained. After the presentations we will open things up to everyone for a facilitated discussion. 7 p.m., Bluestockings Bookstore, free.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30

Not For Tourists, publisher of the NFT Guide to New York City and City Hunt, is behind a scavenger hunt to benefit the Housing Works. Participants in the scavenger hunt will get a free copy of the 2004 Not For Tourists guide and the teams will use the NFTs and City Hunt clues to track down exciting locations in SoHo and the Village. At each location teams will have to accomplish an assigned mission in order to receive the next clue. The fastest team to find all of their locations and fulfill all of their missions will win prizes. 6 p.m., Housing Works Used Books Café, minimum donation is $25 per person, and $80 for a team of four people.

Rick Whitaker, the “Wittgensein and Freud quoting” street hustler, is a voracious reader who has written reviews for The New York Times and The Washington Post. Tonight he discusses his new book, The First Time I Met Frank O’Hara in which he discusses the books that have influenced his life. Frank O’Hara, Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson and David Wojnarowicz top the list. 7 p.m., at Barnes & Noble Chelsea.

Reading from A Phat Death (Or The Last Days of Noir Soul), the much-anticipated new installment in the Nina Halligan mystery series by Norman Kelley. Nina takes the music industry by storm; no music mogul nor sinister hip-hop star is left standing. Outspoken novelist and social critic Norman Kelley has been in the eye of many intellectual storms in 2003, but no storm matches that of Nina Halligan, Kelley’s private investigator with a finger always on her trigger. In A Phat Death, Nina sets her sites on those, black and white, who continue America’s tradition of pimping race for profit. 7 p.m., Bluestockings Bookstore, free.

VENUES:

Barnes and Noble:

Union Square, 33 E. 17th St.,

212 253 0810, barnesandnoble.com

Chelsea, 6th Ave. at 22nd St.,

212 727 1227 , barnesandnoble.com

Bluestockings Bookstore, 172 Allen St.

212 777 6028; bluestockings.com

Creative Visions Books, 548 Hudson St., two blocks above Christopher St.,

212 645 7573, creativevisionbooks.com

Housing Works Used Books Café,

126 Crosby St., 212 334 3324,

housingworks.org/usedbookcafe

Dance Theatre Workshop,

219 West 19th St.

212 924 0077, www.dtw.org

The Corner Bookstore,

1313 Madison Ave. (at 93rd Street),

212 831 3554

We also publish: