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The Reading Life with Ken Foster and Alison Pelegrin

This week on The Reading Life:  Ken Foster talks about “City of Dogs: New York Dogs, Their Neighborhoods, and The People Who Love Them.” It's a great way to look at a city! Poet Alison Pelegrin reads from and discusses her most recent chapbook, “Our Lady of the Flood.”

Here’s what’s on tap in the literary life this week:

  • Poet Paul Benton reads from and signs “Luckland,” Sunday, October 7, at 3:30 p.m. at the Maple Leaf Bar.
  • Dacre Stoker, great grandson of Bram Stoker, and his coauthor J. D. Barker, discuss and sign “Dracul,” their prequel to “Dracula,” Tuesday, October 9, at 6 at Garden District Book Shop. with a multimedia presentation featuring images behind the research and including Bram Stoker’s personal notes and insight into the 101 missing pages from the original “Dracula” manuscript. 
  • The Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival presents “An Evening of Desire,” on Tuesday, October 9, a benefit inspired by the Pulitzer Prize winning playwright’s themes of desire and passion. Featured performers include Bryan Batt, Beth Bartley, Leslie Castay, Brenda Currin, Todd D’Amour, David Hoover, Nell Nolan and Francine Segal.The evening begins at 6:30 p.m.with a Cocktail Hour, followed by the performance  at 7:30 p.m. The event takes place at the WYES Kornman Performance Studio at 916 Navarre Ave. Tickets available at www.tennesseewilliams.net or by calling 504-581-1144.
  • Alex Beard signs his new children’s book, “The Lying King,” Wednesday, October 10, at 5 p.m. at Octavia Books.
  • Aaron Mahnke discusses and signs his book, “The World of Lore: Dreadful Places,” Wednesday, October 10, at 6 p.m. at Garden District Book Shop.
  • Three local thriller writers—Bill Loehfelm, author of “Let the Devil Out,” the latest in the Maureen Coughlin series, Barry Morgan, author of “Habana Intrigue,” and Erica Spindler, whose most recent book is “Fallen Five” -- discuss their work Thursday, October 11, at 7 p.m. at the East Bank Regional Library in Metairie.
  • Le Petit Theatre is partnering with Octavia Books for a Book Club, to be hosted by Christina Pellegrini and including special guests from each production. The first meeting is Sunday, October 14, at 1 p.m. at Le Petit Theater, and the book for discussion is “Pops: A Life of Louis Armstrong, “by Terry Teachout.
  • Poet Melinda Palacio reads from “Bird Forgiveness,” Sunday, October 14, at 3 p.m. at the Maple Leaf Bar.
  • Ken Foster and photographer Traer Scott discuss and sign “City of Dogs: New York Dogs, Their Neighborhoods, and the People Who Love Them.” Thursday, October 18 at 7 p.m. at Antenna Gallery, 3718 St. Claude Ave.
  • The Friends of the Jefferson Public Library will conduct its semi-annual Big Book Sale from Thursday, Oct. 18 to Sunday, Oct. 21 at the Pontchartrain Center, 4545 Williams Blvd. at the Lake, Kenner. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 18 to Oct. 20, and 12 noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 21. Proceeds benefit the Jefferson Parish Library.
  • The Louisiana Book Festival is coming up November 10 on the grounds of the State Capital in Baton Rouge, with a full day’s programming by Louisiana writers. An important offering is the series of WordShops for aspiring writers at the State Library Friday. November 9, with such well-known writers as Suzanne Hudson and Joe Formichella, Josh Wheeler, Jonathan Evison and Tessa Fontaine. Sign up now, as these fill up quickly. For information about fees and registration, go to Louisianabookfestival.org.
The Reading Life in 2010, Susan Larson was the book editor for The New Orleans Times-Picayune from 1988-2009. She has served on the boards of the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival and the New Orleans Public Library. She is the founder of the New Orleans chapter of the Women's National Book Association, which presents the annual Diana Pinckley Prizes for Crime Fiction.. In 2007, she received the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities lifetime achievement award for her contributions to the literary community. She is also the author of The Booklover's Guide to New Orleans. If you run into her in a local bookstore or library, she'll be happy to suggest something you should read. She thinks New Orleans is the best literary town in the world, and she reads about a book a day.