Michael G. West said an 11th century Japanese Buddhist text provided him with a creative spark for his new novel.

Baseball inspires storytellers, as Jim Kaplan demonstrates in his engaging new book of essays Clearing the Bases: A Veteran Sportswriter on the National Pastime.

MIT biochemist Dr. Kevin Esvelt will speak about genetic editing on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Katharine Cornell Theatre.

In John Merrow’s new book, Addicted to Reform: A 12-Step Program to Rescue Public Education, the author describes what he sees as a society hooked on school reform.

When he was 10 author Amor Towles put a note in a bottle that read something like “if this makes it to China . . . please write back.”

With cheers, laughter and sighs, Billy Collins was welcomed back to Featherstone Center for the Arts Tuesday.