9 Readings to Attend: From Mark Twain to Quintessential NY Stories

Rediscover the wonders of literary luminaries such as Mark Twain, Edgar Allan Poe and Marcel Proust at this season’s anticipated readings, and uncover new stories about our beloved New York as told by some of its greatest writers, including journalist Liz Smith, author Gay Talese and novelist Pete Hamill.

1. To honor of the release of “Autobiography: Volume 2” this October, the 92Y hosts Mark Twain Project and book editor Ben Griffin for an evening On Mark Twain. “Autobiography,” published in 2010 was an instant bestseller. When & Where: 2 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 11 at 92Y in Manhattan. $21

2. The writings of Edgar Allan Poe have frightened for more than 150 years. Attend an hour reading of Edgar Allan Poe’s most chilling tale, performed by Staten Island OutLOUD, a community-based organization, for Poe in the House of Morgan. When & Where: 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 11 at The Morgan Library and Museum in Manhattan. Free with museum admission of $18 for adults or $12 for seniors

3.  The author of “How Proust Can Change Your Life” and a leader of London’s The School of Life, Alain de Botton, discusses the first volume of Proust’s masterpiece “In Search of Lost Time,” which is arguably one of the most beloved books of our time. When & Where: 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 16 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan. $30

4. For the first time, the works of one of Sweden’s most prolific and acclaimed post-war writers Stig Dagerman, will be published in the U.S. Discover what literary critic Graham Greene describes as “beautiful objectivity” at A Swedish Literary Icon: The Writings of Stig Dagerman in America. When & Where: 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at Scandinavia House in Manhattan. Free

5. When journalist Abraham Cahan took over The Jewish Daily Forward in 1902 and over the next 50 years, he turned it into a national newspaper that changed American politics and helped shape the lives of millions of Jewish immigrants. Author of “The Rise of Abraham Cahan,” Seth Lipsky sits with Adam Kirsch, senior editor of The New Republic. When & Where: 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Lower Manhattan. $15

6. Drama critic, professor at Columbia University School of Journalism and author of “Wonder of Wonders: A Cultural History of Fiddler on the Roof” explores how Sholem Aleichem’s “Teyve the Milkman” was reborn on Broadway, becoming a cultural touchstone for people around the world. When & Where: 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 30 at The Museum of Jewish Heritage in lower Manhattan. $15

7. Join award-winning author Kevin Baker as he discusses his latest book “The Big Crowd,” which offers a peek into the politics and organized crime of the 1940s, shedding light on one of the first corrupt mayors in America. When & Where: 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 30 at the Tenement Museum in Manhattan. Free

8. Listen to never-before-shared stories of Liz Smith, Gay Talese, Pete Hamill and Calvin Trillin as they swap stories of early New York and divulge tales of the iconic magazines and newspapers they’ve been published in at New York Stories. When & Where: 5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3 at 92nd Street Y in Manhattan. $34

9. Witty, intelligent and insightful, author Nicholas A. Basbanes tells the oft-overlooked history of paper from his latest book “On Paper: The Everything of its Two-Thousand-Year History.” From its invention in China 2,000 years ago to its uses in medieval libraries to contemporary world’s paper currencies, Basbanes examines the role that paper has played in the lives of craftsmen, artists, diplomats, spies and historians. When & Where: 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 14 at The Strand bookstore in Manhattan. $15 Strand gift card or copy of the book

Which reading are your most excited about attending this season? Tell us in the Comments section below.