Charles Simic, the fifteenth poet laureate of the United States (2007-2008), has published numerous collections of poems, among them, "My Noiseless Entourage;" "Selected Poems: 1963-2003," for which he received the 2005 International Griffin Poetry Prize; "The Voice at 3:00 AM: Selected Late and New Poems;" and "The World Doesn’t End: Prose Poems," for which he received the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. His most recent book is "The Renegade: Writings on Poetry and a Few Other Things" (2009).

In conversation with Alice Quinn

The Emerging Writers Reading Series showcases the students of the NYU graduate Creative Writing Program, and features established writers as special guests.

Rivka Galchen is the author of the acclaimed novel, "Atmospheric Disturbances," which has been translated into over a dozen languages. Her essays and stories have appeared in "Zoetrope," "The Believer," "The New Yorker," "Scientific American," and "The New York Times."

Eric Bogosian reads from his new novel, "Perforated Heart." He is the author of two other novels, several films, and numerous award-winning works for the theater including “Talk Radio.” On television, he currently co-stars as Captain Danny Ross on the long running series “Law and Order: CI.” Introduction by Marcelle Clements. (Photo © Steve Appleford).

Kevin Wilson is the author of his debut story collection, "Tunneling to the Center of the Earth" (Ecco/Harper Perennial, 2009), and teaches at The University of the South. In conversation with Darin Strauss.

Celebrating 15 years, The Rona Jaffe Foundation provides support to women writers in the early stages of their writing careers.

Dara Wier’s many poetry collections include "Remnants of Hannah," "Reverse Rapture," and "Hat on a Pond." Wier’s newest title is "Selected Poems" (Wave Books, September 2009). In conversation with Rob Casper.

Co-sponsored by the Poetry Society of America

The Friday Happy Hour series features readings and refreshments on select Fridays at 5pm.

Forrest Gander’s recent books include the novel "As a Friend," the book of poems "Eye Against Eye," and the translation "Firefly Under the Tongue: Selected Poems of Coral Bracho" (a PEN Translation Prize Finalist).

Lance Phillips has published two books of poetry, "Corpus Socius" and "Cur aliquid vidi," and a book of experimental autobiography, "Imposture Notebook." Introduction by Matthew Rohrer. (Photo: Forrest Gander © Denny Moers)

The evening features readings by the magazine’s executive editors: the poet Matthew Rohrer, author of five poetry collections, most recently "A Plate of Chicken," and fiction writer Darin Strauss, author of "Chang and Eng," "The Real McCoy," and "More than it Hurts You" (newly released in paperback). Suggested donation at door garners one-year subscription and raffle ticket for door prizes including signed books.

Mary Gaitskill is the author of the novels "Two Girls, Fat and Thin" and "Veronica," nominated for the 2005 National Book Award, as well as the story collections "Bad Behavior" and "Because They Wanted To," nominated for the PEN/Faulkner Award in 1998. Her new story collection is titled "Don’t Cry" (Pantheon, 2009). (Photo © Hillary Harvey)

The Friday Happy Hour series features readings and refreshments on select Fridays at 5pm.

Kim Addonizio’s third poetry collection, "Tell Me," was a National Book Award Finalist. Her latest books are "Lucifer at the Starlite" and "Ordinary Genius: A Guide for the Poet Within."

Mark Bibbins is the author of "The Dance of No Hard Feelings" (Copper Canyon Press, 2009) and the Lambda Award-winning "Sky Lounge." His poems have appeared in many journals and anthologies, including two editions of "The Best American Poetry."

Breyten Breytenbach is a poet, novelist, memoirist, essayist, and visual artist. In 1994 Breytenbach received the Alan Paton Award for "Return to Paradise." He won the prestigious Hertzog Prize for Poetry for "Papierblom" in 1999, and again in 2008 for "Die Windvanger" (Windcatcher). His two new titles are "Intimate Stranger" and "Notes from the Middle World," both published in September 2009. He is the Distinguished Global Professor at the NYU Creative Writing Program.

The Friday Happy Hour series features readings and refreshments on select Fridays at 5pm.

This event features contributors to the inaugural anthology published by Tightrope Books, introduced by series editor Molly Peacock.

E. L. Doctorow reads from his new novel, "Homer and Langley" (Random House, September 2009). His other novels include "The March," "City of God," "The Waterworks," "Welcome to Hard Times," "The Book of Daniel," "Ragtime," "Loon Lake," "Lives of the Poets," "World’s Fair," and "Billy Bathgate." Among his honors are the National Book Award, three National Book Critics Circle Awards, two PEN/Faulkner awards, and the presidentially conferred National Humanities Medal. Doctorow holds the Lewis and Loretta Glucksman Chair of English and American Letters at NYU. With a special introduction by Jonathan Safran Foer.

The Emerging Writers Reading Series showcases the students of the NYU graduate Creative Writing Program, and features established writers as special guests.

Mark Doty, the only American poet to have won Great Britain’s T. S. Eliot Prize, is the author of six books of poems. His most recent collection, "Fire to Fire: New and Selected Poems," won the 2008 National Book Award.

Rae Armantrout’s most recent book of poetry, "Versed," is a finalist for the 2009 National Book Award in poetry. Her many other books include "Collected Prose," "Up to Speed," and "Veil: New and Selected Poems."

Bernadette Mayer is the author of numerous books of poetry and prose, including "Midwinter Day" and "The Bernadette Mayer Reader." Her most recent collection is "Poetry State Forest." Introduction by Matthew Rohrer

This reading features five contributors to the anthology of essays, "My Diva: 65 Gay Men on the Women Who Inspire Them." Hosted by editor Michael Montlack. (Photo: Paul Lisicky)

John Wray is the author of the novels "The Right Hand of Sleep" and "Canaan’s Tongue." He wrote much of his acclaimed new novel "Lowboy," published in March 2009, inside the New York City subway system. In conversation with Darin Strauss.

The Friday Happy Hour series features readings and refreshments on select Fridays at 5pm.

On this evening, recent contributors to the literary magazine "Agriculture Reader" read from their poetry and fiction. Hosted by journal editors Justin Taylor and Jeremy Schmall.

Considered one of Slovenia's greatest living poets, Tomaz Salamun is the author of many poetry collections, most recently "There's the Hand and There's the Arid Chair." Introduced by Matthew Rohrer.

Acclaimed poet Carolyn Forché will read as the editor and literary executor of Daniel Simko’s new posthumous poetry collection, "The Arrival."

Tom Healy is the author of "What the Right Hand Knows" (Four Way Books, October 2009), his debut collection of poems. His poems and essays have appeared in "The Paris Review," "Yale Review," "Tin House," "Salmagundi," and other journals.

The Emerging Writers Reading Series showcases the students of the NYU graduate Creative Writing Program, and features established writers as special guests. Readings

Gary Shteyngart was born in Leningrad in 1972, and came to the United States seven years later. He is the author of the novels "Absurdistan" and "The Russian Debutante’s Handbook." "Absurdistan" was chosen as one of the ten best books of the year by "The New York Times Book Review." "The Russian Debutante’s Handbook" won the National Jewish Book Award for Fiction. (Photo © Marion Ettlinger)

Nick Flynn’s memoir, "Another Bullshit Night in Suck City" won the PEN/Martha Albrand Award. He is also the author of two books of poetry, "Some Ether" and "Blind Huber." His new memoir, "The Ticking is the Bomb," is forthcoming from W. W. Norton in January 2010. In conversation with Deborah Landau.

Co-sponsored by the Poetry Society of America

Jayne Anne Phillips is the author of two story collections and four novels. Her latest novel, the critically acclaimed "Lark and Termite," is a 2009 National Book Award finalist in fiction. Her other awards include a Guggenheim Fellowship, two National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships, and a National Book Critics Circle Award nomination. In conversation with Darin Strauss.

The Friday Happy Hour series features readings and refreshments on select Fridays at 5pm.

Denise Duhamel's most recent poetry titles are "Ka-Ching!," "Two and Two Mille et un Sentiments," and "Queen for a Day: Selected and New Poems."

Jill Bialosky’s collections of poems are "Subterranean," "The End of Desire," and most recently, "Intruder." She is also the author of the novels "House Under Snow" and "The Life Room."

John Ashbery’s many poetry collections include "Notes from the Air: Selected Later Poems," which was awarded the 2008 International Griffin Poetry Prize, and a book of new poems, "Planisphere" (Ecco, December 2009). His "Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror" won the three major American prizes: the Pulitzer, the National Book Award, and the National Book Critics Circle Award, and an early book, "Some Trees," was selected by W.H. Auden for the Yale Younger Poets Series. The winner of many other prizes and awards, he has received two Guggenheim Fellowships and was a MacArthur Fellow from 1985 to 1990. (Photo © Lynn Davis)

Anne Carson, along with her artistic collaborator Robert Currie and guest performers, presents a new interactive performance piece at the Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House. Carson is a classics scholar and the author of many books of poetry, prose, essays, and translation, including "Plainwater," "Autobiography of Red," "The Beauty of the Husband," "If Not, Winter: Fragments of Sappho," "Decreation," and "An Oresteia: Agamemmon by Aiskhylos; Elektra by Sophokles; Orestes by Euripides." Her awards and honors include a Guggenheim fellowship and the MacArthur Award. Carson joins the NYU faculty this year as Distinguished Poet-in-Residence.

Reservations recommended. Starting December 1 you may contact the Creative Writing Program at 212-998-8816; creative.writing@nyu.edu

Undergraduate NYU Creative Writing students read their original poetry and prose.

Michael Thomas is the author of "Man Gone Down" (Grove Atlantic), which won the prestigious 2009 IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and was selected as one of "The New York Times Book Review's" top five novels of the year. "The Broken King," a memoir about four generations of men in his family, will be published by Grove Atlantic in February 2010.

Colum McCann is the author of two collections of short stories and five novels, including "This Side of Darkness," "Dancer," and "Zoli," all of which were international bestsellers. His celebrated new novel, "Let the Great World Spin," is a finalist for a 2009 National Book Award in fiction.

Timothy Donnelly is the author of "Twenty-seven Props for a Production of Eine Lebenszeit" (Grove, 2003). His poems have appeared in "Harper's," "The Nation," "Ploughshares," and elsewhere. He is a poetry editor for "Boston Review."

Hosted by journal editors Christopher Cox and Dan Chiasson

The Emerging Writers Reading Series showcases the students of the NYU graduate Creative Writing Program, and features established writers as special guests.

Matt Hart is the author of the poetry collections "Who’s Who Vivid" and the forthcoming title "You Are Mist." He is the editor of the literary journal, "Forklift, Ohio."