MONDAY

The perniciousness of apartheid, as well as its utter inanity, is well distilled in the person of Sandra Laing. While born to white parents, her darker complexion caused authorities to classify her as black at age nine, then white again at age eleven. For people too casually comfortable with discrimination, Judith Stone’s account of Laing’s life, When She Was White: The True Story of a Family Divided by Race [in South Africa], is a powerful reminder that anyone can end up on the wrong side of the fence. Olsson’s, 1307 19th St. NW., 7 p.m.

TUESDAY

Clint Bolick heads to the always decadent environs of the Cato Institute to discuss his book, David’s Hammer: The Case for an Activist Judiciary. Maybe he’ll point out that those who are quickest to decry an activist judiciary are also the ones most bent on ensuring we get saddled with one. 1000 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, at noon. For reservations call (202) 789-5229.

WEDNESDAY

Fresh off his appearance on The Colbert Report, author Jabari Asim comes to town to discuss his latest effort, The N Word: Who Can Say It, Who Shouldn’t, and Why. We recommend that anyone who still thinks “niggardly” is a racial slur attend. Vertigo Books, 7346 Baltimore Ave., College Park., 7 p.m.

Filed Under: baltimore, Baltimore Ave, books, cato institute, Colbert, colbert report, college, College Park, David, Jabari Asim, jabariasim, Massachusetts, Massachusetts avenue, people, race, south africa, thankyouforsmoking, the colbert report, The N, The N Word, thenword, True Story, vertigo books, vertigobooks, Who Can Say It, Who Shouldn, whocansayit, whoshouldn,