THEATER: Stephen Belber, whose Tape was made into a riveting film by Richard Linkater, unveils his latest opus, A Small, Melodramatic Story at The Public Theater. Previews start tonight so there are no reviews yet, but the synopsis is intriguing: “In Washington, D.C., a widow struggles to figure out whether life is worth re-engaging with. In her path are the 1968 riots, the first Gulf War, the Freedom of Information Act, and herself. There's also an archivist named Keith, a cop named Perry, and a kid named Cleo. And finally there's the question of just how much about anything do we really need to know." more ›

READING: READINGS: Looks like literary talent might just be genetic - 26-year-old Owen King, son of best-selling spookmaster Stephen King, has a collection of a novella and short stories out and is reading tonight at the Astor Place Barnes & Noble. We're All in This Together has been called "compelling" and "imaginative", and having a famous father can't hurt, right? - Krissa Corbett Cavouras more ›

EVENT: The only thing better than a tag sale is a swap sale. It's pretty much like going through a friends closet and taking what you fancy. Tonight, free up some of your own closet space and bring down all the clothes you want to get rid of to Thrift On! Others will do the same, and you'll likely go home with some goodies to fill up all that newly found closet space of yours. more ›

ART: The 10th annual Tribeca art walk is this weekend. Toast, the Tribeca Open Artist Studio Tour, is a free, self-guided tour of approximately 100 artists' studios throughout Tribeca. Talk to the artists in their own spaces, and of course - check out their art while you're at it. more ›

Since it's obviously National Hangover Week and no one does hangovers better than New York artists, it's a rather slow week (again!) in readings and literary events. Next week looks like it's picking up a fair bit, though, and we're excited about several events, so tune in next Tuesday. more ›

voice. Gothamist can’t remember such a wacky review since she favored us with her thoughts on Candace Bushnell’s Trading Up, said thoughts taking the form of a memo from Elle Woods to Bushnell’s protagonist. (Seriously, read it. It’s crazy.) While it’s hard to say that Michi’s grasp of voice is absolutely secure—however many tokens of authenticity are included to assure you that yes, like you, Michiko Kakutani has totally seen Legally Blonde and knows her Catcher in the Rye—we do like seeing things mixed up a bit. Especially since this treatment seems to be reserved for drubbings, it’s less dreary than a full-on dismembering of the book (though probably no more pleasant for the author). more ›

Ladies, watch out for your gentlemen; gentlemen, don’t think that pliant lady you just met will keep your hankering for spanking a secret…the Washingtonienne has hit NYC. We walked into our local bookstore Saturday evening only to be visually assaulted by the bazoombas on her book jacket (which we totally didn’t want to put up here, but we are told that some people respond well to assault of this nature…sigh). According to the Post, the lady herself, Jessica Cutler, is looking for an apartment in Manhattan, and Gawker stalked her through the aisles of the Whole Foods at Union Square. Guess when you're being sued, you need your organic fruits and veggies more than ever! more ›

- And, fine, if you're going to be a baby and stay at home, go to Zap2It for TV listings
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Amy Sohn, Novelist/ Journalist more ›

How telling is it that although I'm currently trying to read Stendhal's The Red and the Black, I've read two less-than-Stendhal books to keep the mind going? (Good in Bed, The Club Dumas) And I am excited that Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty went on sale this week? Second Helpings is the sequel to Sloppy Firsts, about this brainy New Jersey high schooler, Jessica Darling. The writing's a little precious and sometimes tries too hard to be trendy and sometimes it seems like a book for the model teenager (A-student, athlete, etc), but it becomes subverted as Jessica goes through the usual teen trials (boys, catty girls). Jessica doesn't take herself too seriously even though she's miserable at times, and Megan McCafferty injects such a great tone and spirit into the book. I totally identified with the idea that smart girls do get dizzy over the usual things, and for that, I don't feel silly that it's a book aimed at teenage girls. more ›