Sunday, July 20, 1pm and 3pm, Spectacle Island Visitor Center Christopher Klein, Discovering the Boston Harbor Islands Monday, July 21, 7pm, Brookline Booksmith @ The Coolidge Corner Theatre Susan Quinn with an introduction by Howard Zinn Furious Improvisations: How the WPA and a Cast of Thousands Made High Art Out of Desperate Times *Tuesday, July 22, 7pm, Porter Square Books Steve Almond Not That You Asked David Blair, Ascension Days Tuesday, July 22, 7pm, Harvard......

National Poetry Month may be over, but that doesn't mean it's time for you to put away the books. It's dreary out right now, but warmer weather should be just around the corner, enabling you to crack a book in the great outdoors. Our lovely local bookstores are bringing us bunches of great readings in May. Big names like Fareed Zakaria, Mike Gravel, and Howard Zinn will discuss politics, while Brookline native BabaWawa returns to......

Get your think on this week with readings about sex, war, and politics. A couple of big names come to town to discuss these big concepts. Cokie Roberts will talk about ladies of liberty on Wednesday and Howard Zinn presents a graphic adaptation of People's History at the Brattle on Thursday. The Zinn event is sold out, sadly, but maybe you can flash your red star tattoos to gain admittance? Mary Roach, Bonk: The Curious......

Thespians stopped by Boston this week to read for the miniseries that will be based on BU professor and left-wing darling Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States. And here's what happens when an intellectual heavyweight's work gets mixed up with this thing we call pop culture: --Somehow, it just doesn't seem right to call noted author Howard Zinn the "Zinn-Meister." It makes us think of the SNL skit with Rob Schneider at......

Birthdays The King's birthday is today! All hail Elvis! Dick's Last Resort, where they tend to celebrate everything Elvis, will be hosting a birthday bash including an Elvis Impersonator contest and a jelly-donut eating contest. Faneuil Hall. 6:00 pm. And keep looking for a post on what to eat tonight in honor of the king … Politics If you see some lost-looking drunk people in suits, it's either campaign workers or reporters who have gotten......