Barbara Ehrenreich at Willamette University

SALEM— Barbara Ehrenreich, journalist and the author of the million-copy bestseller “Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America” and the New York Times bestseller “Bait and Switch: The (Futile) Pursuit of the American Dream,” will deliver the fall Atkinson Lecture at Willamette University at 8 p.m. Thursday in Smith Auditorium.

Her lecture will focus on her latest book, “Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy.”

Tickets for the general public are $10 at the Information Desk in University Center.

A book signing in Smith will follow her lecture.

Oregon authors read to raise money for hunger

The 14th annual Magic Barrel benefit features art displays, jazz performances, food and Oregon authors, including Craig Lesley.

The event is at 7 p.m. Friday at The Majestic Theatre, 115 S.W. Second St., Corvallis.

New this year will be an auction for a limited edition print by local artist Yuji Hiratsuka. Funds raised at the event go directly to Linn-Benton Food Share to help relieve hunger in the mid-Willamette Valley.

This year’s roster of authors includes one of Oregon’s most well-known writers, Craig Lesley, author of the novels “Winterkill,” “Riversong” and other works. Other readers include Paul Turner, owner of Corvallis’ Darkside Cinema; marathon runner and Japanese translator Clinton Morrison, who chronicles his adventures in the new book “Running the Seven Continents;” OSU English professor Marjorie Sandor; Wendy Madar, who penned a mystery novel under the nom de plume “Ashna Graves,” Eugene poets Ralph Salisury and Ingrid Wendt, and memoirist Gail Wells author of “The Little Lucky: A Family Geography.” Emcee for the evening will be OSU English professor and Oregon Book Award winner Tracy Daugherty.

Live music by the Xtet starts a half hour before the show begins and again after the readings. For more information, see www.magic

barrel.org. Admission is a suggested donation of $7 at the door.

For every dollar raised, Linn-Benton Food Share will purchase and distribute 15 pounds of food for the hungry in the local area. For more information, call Gregg Kleiner at 753-8080.

Author Kittredge to give reading at OSU

Award-winning novelist, essayist and Oregon State University alumnus William Kittredge will give a reading in the first floor rotunda of the Valley Library at 7:30 p.m. Thursday as part of the OSU Visiting Writer’s Series.

In honor of Kittredge and to celebrate the OSU’s literary legacy, there will be a dedication ceremony at 3 p.m. the same day. The new faculty lounge in the English Department’s Moreland Hall will be named in Kittredge’s honor.

The reading is sponsored by the OSU Visiting Writers Series through the OSU English Department, The Valley Library and The Office of the Provost.

Sci-fi author comes to Corvallis Library

Corvallis-Benton County Public Library hosts science-fiction author PJ Haarsma in the main meeting room of the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, 645 N.W. Monroe Ave. The event is at 7 p.m. Wednesday in celebration of Teen Read Week.

Haarsma is the author of the science fiction series “The Softwire,” written for young readers. The Softwire was selected as one of the New York Public Library’s Books for the Teen Age 2007. Haarsma also discusses how books become movies, how online games are built, and the creation of alien art.

For more information, contact the library at 766-6794 or online at www.thebestlibrary.net.

Albany book sale kicks off Thursday

The Friends of the Albany Library used book sale is coming to the Linn County Fair & Expo Center, 3700 Knox Butte Road.

The event is from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

For more information, call 917-7580.

Staff reports