what about this weekend

Reading:

If you were looking ideas for holiday presents, there’s nothing better than a good book. Hugo Schwyzer has some great ideas for non-fiction books on gender and sexuality. 

Aza Nafisi, a best-selling author who wrote "Reading Lolita in Tehran," is back with her second book “Things I’ve Been Silent About: Memories” and gives us details of her family stories and her life growing up in Iran (more info via Washingtonian).

Nora Ephron, author of several books and screenwriter of films like "When Harry Met Sally" has a hilarious new memoir out called "I Remember Nothing: And Other Reflections," a collection of essays spanning her life from her days as a young journalist to her later divorce and her day-to-day observations at age 69 (via Amazon).

Lauren Hillenbrand’s latest, "Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption," is the latest follow-up to her best-selling "Seabiscuit." Hillenbrand’s struggle with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome was detailed in the November issue of Elle, and knowing her daily struggles makes her second novel/future screenplay that much more of an accomplishment (via Amazon).

Events:

In 2011, GlobalGirl Media is launching "GlobalGirl Media Academies and Bureaus in the Middle East." They aim "to help young women who come from disadvantaged and challenged communities to start having access, resources and training necessary to produce new media content." For more information and to get involved, click here.

Do not miss the Activist Awards Grassroots Gala! Come and celebrate with DC activists’ hard work and success in creating a better and more peaceful world (more info here).

New Yorkers, keep this on your calendars: join Abbi Crutchfield and Jen Dziura (of Ladybits Comedy) when they host F-WORD: FEMINISM, FUNNY & FEARLESS at Angels & Kings next week. Feminists AND stand-up comedy? We must be dreaming! (via Feminist.org).