Literati Roundups: Poetry, Burroughs, and your high school diaries

We know we've mentioned it before, but Gothamist can't get enough of Cringe. Not strictly a literary event, it's nonetheless amusing how literary we thought we were in our teens, which is half the comedy of Cringe, where people read from their high school diaries and journals about how totally misunderstood they were, and also their new hairdo. Cringe is happening, tonight (5/3), at Freddy's Back Room and Bar (Dean Street and 6th Ave in Brooklyn), starting at 8:30PM but it fills up really quickly, so show up early.

Also tonight, at the Barnes and Noble at Union Square, Augusten Burroughs reads from his latest collection of essays, Possible Side Effects. The reading starts at 7PM.

On Saturday, 5/6, head down to McNally Robinson (Prince St. between Lafayette and Mulberry) to hear poets Ron Slate and Linda Gregg in an evening of poetry, hosted by National Book Critics Circle President John Freeman. That starts at 6:30PM.

Monday night (5/8) should really find you at KGB Bar (85 E 4th St) to hear a reading from Gary Shteyngart and Clay McLeod Chapman. Both guys, we can say from personal experience, are engaging and hilarious readers and between them and the inexpensive drinking to be had at KGB, consider this a starred event. It starts at 7PM.

And finally, next Tuesday (5/9) brings us The Nation's 2006 Poetry Contest Winners at the 92nd St Y (E. 92nd St and Lexington). It'll cost you $17 but it promises to be a night of Future Greats. That starts at 8:15PM.