This week, you’ll find readings by journalists on journalists, and a rock-star novelist comes to town.

Jan. 11
Alicia C. Shepard, Woodward and Bernstein: Life in the Shadow of Watergate. The journalist and American University professor discusses and signs copies of her post-Nixon portrait of the legendary duo. 6:30 p.m. Cleveland Park Branch Library, Connecticut and Macomb Streets. N.W., 202-282-3080.

Marianne Kamp, The New Woman in Uzbekistan: Islam, Modernity and Unveiling Under Communism. Kamp, a Kluge Fellow, lectures on the lives of Uzbek women before and after the 1917 Russian Revolution. 12 p.m. Library of Congress’s Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 1st St. S.E.

Gail Pressberg, The Promise and Politics of Stem Cell Research. Pressberg discusses her book’s of-the-moment topic: how controversial-but-promising science affects politics. 7 p.m. Olsson’s Books and Music, 418 7th St. N.W., 202-638-7610.

Jan. 12
E.L. Doctorow, a National Book Award-winner and author of Billy Bathgate, City of God and The March, reads from a selection of his works, followed by a reception and book-signing. 8 p.m. Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 E. Capitol Street S.E. 202-544-7077 or www.penfaulkner.org.

Jan. 13
Antoinette Lee, Worthy of the Nation. With the late Frederick Gutheim, Lee co-authored the original 1977 book about urban planning, Washington’s in particular. Now she has updated the volume with observations on the city’s last 30 years of architectural evolution. 6 p.m. Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. N.W., 202-364-1919.

Jan. 18
Gene Roberts and Hank Klibanoff, The Race Beat: The Press, the Civil Rights Struggle and the Awakening of a Nation. The veteran reporters discuss how journalists helped America wake up to the injustices of racial segregation. 7:30 p.m. Olsson’s Books and Records, 2111 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Va., 703-525-4227

Compiled by Emily Heil.  Future book events may be sent to This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it