FftB Thursday: Poetry Award, Spies, Civil War

Headlining Fall for the Book on Thursday is poet Claudia Rankine accepting the inaugural Busboys & Poets Award. The award is to be given annually to a distinguished poet and serves as a tribute to Langston Hughes, who worked as a busboy while developing his own poetry.

Rankine is the author of four poetry collections. , is awarded the inaugural Busboys & Poets Award,  A short reception precedes the presentation. The award is sponsored by Busboys & Poets, the Washington, DC area restaurants, bookstores, fair trade markets, and gathering places.

The presentation takes place at 7:30 p.m. at the Harris Theatre.

Here's the rest of the schedule:

• Merri Lisa Johnson, who wrote "Girl in Need of a Tourniquet," discusses her "borderline personality disorder," how it has affected her life and relationships, and how she has been able to accept her condition and embark on a soul-searching healing process. Noon, at the Johnson Center Cinema.

• Science Historian Larrie Ferreiro tells of an early Eighteenth Century effort to measure the Earth’s equator. Noon, at Johnson Center Room 116.

• Mason history professor Christopher Hamner discusses the American soldier. Noon, at Dewberry Hall North, Johnson Center.

• Religious Scholar Mehdi Aminrazavi talks about ancient and modern-day Islam. 1:30 p.m. at Dewberry Hall North, Johnson Center.

• Mason associate professor of social work Carol Cleaveland, University of Maryland professor of anthropology Judith Freidenberg and Mason professor of folklore studies Debra Lattanzi Shutika discuss immigration in the United States. 1:30 p.m. at Johnson Center Cinema.

• Poet Karenne Wood discusses reclaiming and revitalizing indigenous Native American language and culture. 1:30 p.m. at Johnson Center, Room 116.

• Poets R. Dwayne Betts, Martha Collins, Fanny Howe, Claudia Rankine and Natasha Trethewey talk about using poetry to make sense of racial identity. 3 p.m. at Johnson Center Cinema.

• In her book, "Flyboys Over Hampton Roads," Amy Waters Yarsinske tells the story of the Virginia-based training camp whose pilots and planes flew in World War I. 3 p.m. at Johnson Center, Room 116. Also at 7 p.m. at All Saints Church, 9300 Stonewall Road, Manassas, VA 20110.

• Short story writer Matt Bell reads from his debut short story collection, and novelist Jess Walter reads from his 9/11 novel "The Zero." 4:30 p.m. at SUB II, Rooms 3, 4, 5.

• Virginia author Alma Katsu reads from her debut novel, "The Taker." 4:30 p.m. at Dewberry Hall North, Johnson Center.

• Annabel Lyon discusses her first historical novel, "The Golden Mean." 4:30 p.m. at Research I, Room 163.

• Ariel Sabar, Peter Manseau, E. Ethelbert Miller and critic Marcela Valdes discuss the significance of the autobiography as a form of literature. 6 p.m. at Student Union Building, Rooms 3, 4, 5.

• Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Natasha Trethewey discusses her recent non-fiction, "Beyond Katrina," and her upcoming poetry collection. A short reception follows Trethewey’s reading. 6 p.m. at Harris Theatre.

• Robert Wallace, the former director of the CIA’s Office of Technical Service, discusses his book, "Spycraft: The Secret History of the CIA’s Spytechs from Communism to Al-Qaeda." 6 p.m. at Johnson Center Meeting Room G.

• Ric Edelman shares his tips and tricks for saving, spending, and earning your way to financial freedom. 7 p.m. at Research I, Room 163.

• Frances and Ginger Park, authors of the memoir "Chocolate Chocolate" and co-owners of the Washington, D.C. boutique of the same name, share stories about family, friends, writing and chocolate. 7 p.m. at Burke Centre Library, 5935 Freds Oak Road, Burke, Va.

• Dwayne Renal Sims, discusses his book that looks at Negro League baseball during a time of segregation. 7 p.m. at Alexandria Black History Museum. 902 Wythe Street, Alexandria, Va.

• Author and photographer Teju Cole discusses Open City, a brooding stream-of-consciousness novel about a Nigerian immigrant named Julius and his ruminations. 7:30 p.m. at the Waddell Theater, Northern Virginia Community College—Loudoun, 1000 Harry Flood Byrd Highway, Sterling, Va.

• Civil War Historian James Swanson discusses his new book "Bloody Crimes: The Funeral of Abraham Lincoln and the Chase for Jefferson Davis." 7 p.m. at Dewberry Hall South

• With newly released works of fiction, short-story writers Matt Bell and Amelia Gray, and novelist Michael Kimball discuss fiction today in the festival's Breakthrough Fiction Panel. 8 p.m. at Student Union Building II, Room# 3, 4, 5.

Information from FFtB's website.