The best book readings and things to do in New York this fall

In this rare public appearance, the prolific horror writer will be talking to someone who knows him well: fellow novelist (and son) Owen King.

Brooklynites both hip and tweedy clear their calendars for a new Lethem novel. His forthcoming book, Dissident Gardens (out Sept 10), rides the zeitgeist as it follows the lives of three generations of protesters—revolt is so hot right now, guys—and Lethem’s visit to his home borough for this talk is a big deal, since he now lives on the West Coast.

Like the two previous volumes in the poet and novelist’s dystopian trilogy—Oryx and Crake and The Year of the Flood—Atwood’s latest, MaddAddam (out Sept 3), imagines a postapocalyptic world that she believes just might be possible. For this event, Atwood will chat with fellow novelist Carl Hiaasen.

The NYC lit world takes over Downtown Brooklyn once again to throw itself the most civilized of parties. Among those in the massive crew of participating artists: Tom Wolfe, Sharon Olds, Art Spiegelman, Albert “Prodigy” Johnson (of Mobb Deep) and Meg Wolitzer. Visit brooklynbookfestival.org for details. Free.

Autobiographical performance aficionados and addicts will celebrate the publication of the new title The Moth: 50 True Stories—and this event at the NYPL should send them into the stratosphere. Founder George Dawes Green, Moth artistic director Catherine Burns and writer Andrew Solomon (Far from the Tree) perform and talk with the enthusiastic Paul Holdengräber about the evolution of the organization and the power of telling tales live.