this week in literature

NAKED LUNCH AT 50

Controversial tome is celebrating its golden anniversary

Poetry Project

131 East Tenth St. at Second Ave.

Admission: $8

212-674-0910

Wednesday, October 7 Celebration of the golden anniversary of William S. Burroughs’s classic novel, with a group reading by Eric Andersen, John Giorno, Jan Herman, Thurston Moore, Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, Simon Pettet, Jürgen Ploog, Anne Waldman, Nick Zedd, and others, Sanctuary, 8:00

William S. Burroughs set a new standard with NAKED LUNCH

School of Visual Arts / Columbia University

Multiple locations

Admission: free

http://www.schoolofvisualarts.edu

Thursday, October 8 The Children of Burroughs: The Legacy of NAKED LUNCH on New York Artists, with panelists Robert Fitterman, Lytle Shaw, Jurgen Ploog, and Penny Arcade, Elmer Holmes Bobst Library, third floor, 70 Washington Square South, moderated by Marvin J. Taylor, 6:30

Friday, October 9 Fifty Years of Naked Lunch: From the Interzone to the Archive…. and Back, all-day conference, Columbia University Faculty House, 64 Morningside Drive, 1:00 – 6:00

Friday, October 9 Fifty Years of Naked Lunch: From the Interzone to the Archive…. and Back, reception and exhibition viewing, Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Butler Library, sith floor, 535 West 114th Street, 6:00

Saturday, October 10 NAKED LUNCH at 50, with readings by Anne Waldman, Eric Andersen, and Michael McClure, live music curated by Hal Willner, and screenings of WORDS OF ADVICE: WILLIAM S. BURROUGHS ON THE ROAD (Lars Movin & Steen Rasmussen), THE BEAT HOTEL (Alan Govenar), JAPANESE SANDMAN (Ed Buhr), and NOVA EXPRESS (Andre Perkowski), SVA Theatre, 333 West 23rd, 3:30-8:30

GREAT MIDDLE GRADE READS!

Nova Ren Suma will be part of special gathering at Books of Wonder

Books of Wonder

16 West 18th St. between Fifth & Sixth Aves.

Sunday, October 11, free, 1:00 – 3:00

212-989-3270

http://www.booksofwonder.com

As advertised, Books of Wonder has one great lineup on October 11, with brief talks and signings by Richard Peck (A SEASON OF GIFTS), Ann M. Martin (EVERYTHING FOR A DOG), Lauren Myracle (LUV YA BUNCHES), Michael D. Beil (THE RED BLAZER GIRLS), Gitty Daneshvari (SCHOOL OF FEAR), Peter Howe (WAGGIT AGAIN), Matt Phelan (THE STORM IN THE BARN), and Nova Ren Suma (DANI NOIR). We have to admit that we’re especially looking forward to Suma’s chat, and not just because she’s an FOT (friend of twi-ny) but because we’ve read her debut novel and it is nothing short of terrific.

THE NEW YORKER FESTIVAL

Multiple locations

October 16-18

http://www.newyorker.com/festival

While many events in this year’s celebration of all things literature, better known as the New Yorker Festival (and the more pretentious the better), are already sold out, below is a list of events for which tickets are still available, at least as of October 7. But you better hurry!

Friday, October 16 Paired Readings by New Yorker Writers: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Yiyun Li, (le) poisson rouge, $25, 7:00

Friday, October 16 Paired Readings by New Yorker Writers: David Bezmozgis and Jonathan Franzen, Cedar Lake Theatre, $25, 7:00

Friday, October 16 Paired Readings by New Yorker Writers: T. Coraghessan Boyle and Mary Gaitskill, Angel Orensanz Foundation, $25, 7:00

Friday, October 16 Paired Readings by New Yorker Writers: Joshua Ferris and Aleksandar Hemon, (le) poisson rouge, $25, 9:30

Friday, October 16 Paired Readings by New Yorker Writers: Jonathan Lethem and Colson Whitehead, Directors Guild Theatre, $25, 9:30

Friday, October 16 Paired Readings by New Yorker Writers: George Saunders and Gary Shteyngart, Cedar Lake Theatre, $25, 9:30

Friday, October 16 Brooklyn Playlist: A Special Concert Featuring Bands from the County of Kings, with Dirty Projectors, House of Ladosha, Jubilee, and Liturgy, curated by Sasha Frere-Jones and Kelefa Sanneh, the Bell House, $25, 8:00

Saturday, October 17 In Conversation With: Annie Proulx interviewed by Deborah Treisman, Florence Gould Hall, $27, 10:00 am

Saturday, October 17 In Conversation With: Stanley Tucci Interviewed by Michael Specter, Acura at Stage37, $27, 1:00

Saturday, October 17 Tyler Perry interviewed by Henry Finder, Cedar Lake Theatre, $27, 4:00

Saturday, October 17 Henri-Georges Clouzot’s QUAI DES ORFÈVRES, with Anthony Lane, Directors Guild Theatre, $20, 1:30

Saturday, October 17 Jean-Luc Godard’s KING LEAR, with Richard Brody, Directors Guild Theatre, $20, 5:00

Saturday, October 17 The Music Biz: Remixing the industry, with Jace Clayton, Josh Deutsch, Melvin Gibbs, Danny Goldberg, and Livia Tortella, moderated by Sasha Frere-Jones, Cedar Lake Theatre, $27, 1:00

Saturday, October 17 Early Shift: Loudon Wainwright III talks with Susan Morrison: A Conversation with Music, the Bell House, $35, 7:30

Saturday, October 17 Ian Hunter and Graham Parker talk with Ben Greenman: A Conversation with Music, (le) poisson rouge, $35, 7:30

Saturday, October 17 Steve Earle talks with John Seabrook: A Conversation with Music, (le) poisson rouge, $35, 10:00

Saturday, October 17 About Town: Tailing Tilley, Galway Hooker, $15, 11:00 am

Saturday, October 17 Radical Opera: Sonic Youth, with Lisa Bielawa, Nico Muhly, Peter Sellars, and Rufus Wainwright, moderated by Alex Ross, City Winery, $35, 3:00

NEW YORK: THE BIG CITY AND ITS LITTLE NEIGHBORHOODS

Our primary goal at twi-ny is to introduce native New Yorkers as well as tourists to cool spots and great things to do across the five boroughs. While we’re transitioning to our new format — one we hope you’ll find easier to use and exciting to explore — we had to decide what to broadcast on our re-opening day. Actually, the choice was not that hard once we perused the brand-new book NEW YORK: THE BIG CITY AND ITS LITTLE NEIGHBORHOODS (Rizzoli Universe, September 2009, $25). Native New Yorkers Naomi Fertitta and Paul Aresu take readers on a series of fun adventures through many parts of the city in this beautiful book, winding their way through ethnic neighborhoods large and small, both well known and well under the radar. They head out into such local enclaves as Bay Ridge’s Little Beirut, Woodlawn’s Little Ireland, East Harlem’s Little Mexico, Flushing’s New Chinatown, and Tompkinsville’s Little Sri Lanka. Along the way they reveal all kinds of small treasures — including some of our favorite gems, such as Lomzynianka in Greenpoint’s Little Poland, Myers of Keswick in Greenwich Village’s Little Britain, Aji Ichiban in Downtown’s Chinatown, Fort Tryon Park in Washington Heights’ Little Dominican Republic, and Mombar in Astoria’s Little Egypt.

Naomi Fertitta and Paul Aresu celebrate the release of their book at the Museum of the City of New York (photo by twi-ny/mdr)

While Fertitta gives some history to each location and recommends places to eat and shop and unique spots to visit, Aresu snaps wonderful pictures, sometimes arranged several on one page and other times unfolding across colorful spreads. His photos of the Mahayana Buddhist Temple, Nio’s Trinidad Roti and Bakery, Mombar, and Butala Emporium are particularly striking. “One of the best things about New York City,” Fertitta writes, “is that you can turn a corner and find yourself in a whole different world.” THE BIG CITY AND ITS LITTLE NEIGHBORHOODS will introduce you to twenty such worlds, lovingly described in words and pictures. Fertitta and Aresu had never met prior to working together on this two-year project. At the book’s recent release party at the Museum of the City of New York, they looked like they’ve become the best of friends, expressing to us the sadness they felt after visiting their final destination. Well, there are a lot more neighborhoods out there; perhaps there is more to come?