MONDAY:
George Lakoff, a linguist and cognitive scientist, will make an appearance at Politics and Prose to talk about his book, The Political Mind: Why You Can’t Understand 21st-Century American Politics with an 18th-Century Brain. We can tell you why: With an 18th century brain, you’d be dead. We be smart. 7 p.m.

Author Stephanie Klein will be at the Olsson’s in Dupont Circle to discuss and sign copies of Moose: A Memoir of Fat Camp. 7 p.m.

TUESDAY:
No plans this Tuesday? We recommend an evening with Chuck Palahniuk at the Avalon Theater. He’ll appear in an on-stage interview moderated by The Dead Travel Fast author Eric Nuzum, as well as read from and discuss his new book, Snuff. You can’t go wrong with that. Question number one: “Mr. Palahniuk, why are you so awesome?” $30. 8 p.m.

Dalia Sofer will be at Politics and Prose to discuss her first novel, The Septembers of Shiraz, the story of an Iranian Jewish family after the fall of the Shah in 1979. 7 p.m.