BOOKISH: Titillating morning coffee with the Queen of Pop

POSTED: Tuesday, October 18, 2011, 4:00 PM

Filed Under: Arts Books

Each week, Francesca Crozier-Fitzgerald puts together a rundown of book-centric events that’ll keep you “lit” like a son-of-a-gun all week long.

[Tuesday]

➤ Writer’s Anonymous

Are you strangely obsessed with having your writing critiqued? Do you get a rush from red lines or a stomach tickle when an editor advises you to re-work your character development? Come share these literary endorphins at this book club each Tuesday, you sick, sick son of a gun. 7 p.m., free, Barnes & Noble, 1805 Walnut St., 215-665-0716, barnesandnoble.com.

[Wednesday]

➤ Strictly Philly

While joining a book club during the late-fall and winter months is a great idea in itself, this one is particularly neat because it features local authors. This month’s mystery series will host D.H. Dublin, Merry Jones, and Solomon Jones (pictured). 7-8 p.m., Cheltenham Arts Center, 439 Asbourne Road, Cheltenham, $10, 215-379-4660, cheltenhamarts.org.

[Thursday]

➤ The New Jim Crow

I imagine if you were told “There are more African-Americans under correctional control today ... than were enslaved in 1850” you’d feel inclined to research and write about the issue. Professor and author, Michelle Alexander, from the Moritz College of Law at Ohio State University, certainly felt the need to do so in her new book, The New Jim Crow. She confronts the racially disproportionate statistics for incarcerated individuals and dissects the discrimination that occurs in post-incarceration. 7 p.m., free, Temple Performing Arts Center, 1837 N. Broad St., 800-298-4200, thebaptisttemple.org.

[Friday]

➤ Sex sells, Until It’s Banned

On this day in 1992, Queen of Pop, Madonna, released her explicit pornographic coffee table book, Sex, and sold 150,000 U.S. copies in one day. Soon after its release, Madonna was added to People’s “25 Most Intriguing People In The World" list. In addition to the fact the photographs and ideas depicted in the book might create an unpleasant morning-coffee experience, the book was deemed offensive and went out of print later that year. You may be able to find it in a local used bookstore, on Amazon or bribe an older gay neighbor to let you borrow his. Coffee time, price will vary by seller, behind closed doors.

[Saturday]

➤ Used Books are the New New Books

Yes, this is a used book sale, but it is designed for children. So, for God’s sake, pull yourself out of the gutter and stop looking for Madonna’s forbidden picture book! Held at The Miquon School, the sale’s selection will be sure to follow their progressive tradition of education that promotes imagination and independent learning development. There will be pumpkins for the kids and mums for the mums. 11 a.m.-3 p.m., The Miquon School, 2025 Harts Lane, Conshohocken, 610-828-1231, miquon.org.

[Sunday]

➤ Responsible Planning for Mischief Night

There are only seven days until Mischief Night, which means it’s time to get the creative juices flowing. Ding Dong Ditch, T-P trees and burning bags of poop (don’t put it out with your boots!) are old news, so it's time for something new. New ways to piss off the neighbors will come flowing if you sit down to read Paul Melniczek’s, Mischief Night, a compilation of creepy short-story selections. One-sitting, free, couch in a room with plenty of lighting.

[Monday]

➤ Learning to Write the “Hard Stuff”

New York City may be recognized as the preferred playground of the Beats, thanks to the poetry slam café’s throughout the Bowery and renowned spoken-word parlors like the Nuyorican Café. Philadelphia’s young poets of Brave New Voices weren't all that concerned about reputation, however, when it slammed a big apple right down their neighbor's throat this past July. Come formally meet and celebrate this great win for Philadelphia with a reading by the members of Brave New Voices. 7-8:30 p.m., $10-$30, 408 S. Broad, Suzanne Roberts Theatre, ticketleap.com.

Have a lit event you'd like featured in an upcoming Bookish? Email Franesca at francesca@citypaper.net.

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Featuring everything from event roundups to concert reviews and sex talk, City Paper's Critical Mass is a space for off-the-wall coverage of Philly's A&E scene.

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