Monday, September 2nd: Variations of Labor Reading

See our Event of the Week column for more details. Town Hall Seattle, 1119 8th Ave., 652-4255, http://townhallseattle.org, 6 pm, $5.

Tuesday, September 3rd: Heartland Reading

Sarah Smarsh's memoir is everything that Hillbilly Elegy was supposed to be but wasn't. It uses Smarsh's own story of growing up in intergenerational poverty to exemplify everything that's gone wrong with America's economy. It's a beautifully written example of economics in action, and a damning indictment of America since the 1980s. Elliott Bay Book Company, 1521 10th Ave, 624-6600, http://elliottbaybook.com, 7 pm, free.

Wednesday, September 4th: Reading Through It Book Club

As the literary fall starts to heat up, consider taking a moment to join the official Seattle Review of Books book club to discuss Jill Lepore's brilliant, tiny book about embracing the complicated horrors and joys of American citizenship, This America: The Case for the Nation. Third Place Books Seward Park, 5041 Wilson Ave S, 474-2200, http://thirdplacebooks.com, 7 pm, free.

Thursday, September 5th: How to Prepare for Climate Change

Press info says this talk builds "on the recently released Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Global Warming of 1.5ºC Special Report and the 4th National Climate Assessment. Your host is Dr. Heidi A Roop, a local climate scientist who is trying to investigate ways out of this pickle we've gotten ourselves into. The Mountaineers, 7700 Sand Point Way NE, 7 pm, donations.

Friday, September 6th: Kochland Reading

Christopher Leonard took years to investigate the shady organizations that funded the Koch Brothers' multi-billion dollar crusade against the public good. Today, Leonard joins me for a conversation about how the Koches got rich, what they've done with the money, and what happens to the organization now that one of the brothers is dead. Town Hall Seattle, 1119 8th Ave., 652-4255, http://townhallseattle.org, 7:30 pm, $5.

Alternate Friday, September 6th: The Public Option Reading

Ganesh Sitaraman previously worked as a close economic adviser to Senator Elizabeth Warren. His latest book is an argument for public ownership of utilities and services as a way to strengthen the nation's communal wealth. Town Hall Seattle, 1119 8th Ave., 652-4255, http://townhallseattle.org, 7:30 pm, $5.

Saturday, September 7th: Suzan-Lori Parks

All afternoon and evening, the MacArthur "Genius" winner, playwright, novelist, and musician will be hosting short plays, Q&A sessions, and musical performances to celebrate the grand re-opening of Town Hall Seattle. Parks is an amazing performer as well as a captivating writer. Don't miss this one. Town Hall Seattle, 1119 8th Ave., 652-4255, http://townhallseattle.org, 2 pm, free.

Sunday, September 8th: Short Stories Live

Beloved local poet Claudia Castro Luna hosts an afternoon of Seattle-centric storytelling with authors including Tyrone Beason, Elissa Washuta, and Ramon Isao. Expect a few surprises, too. Town Hall Seattle, 1119 8th Ave., 652-4255, http://townhallseattle.org, 4 pm, $15.