Mark Doty

In the world of publishing, 2005 was the year of the dog — that dog being Marley, of the best-seller Marley & Me. But in 2007, there came another dog-centric best-seller, Mark Doty’s Dog Years, which People magazine called “Marley & Me for the cerebral.” A critical smash, it’s not a light book, to be sure. Instead of telling about cute canine antics, the autobiographical story tells the roles Doty’s dogs, the rambunctious Beau and the well-behaved Arden, played while Doty’s partner was dying of AIDS. But Doty is primarily a poet (he’s written eight books of verse), so in his hands even death, grief and despair become beautiful things. Doty will read from the book at the Houston Public Library today, which is an easy trip for him, since he’s also a professor at the University of Houston’s graduate writing program. 7 p.m. Central Public Library, 500 McKinney. For information, call 832-393-1313 or visit www.houstonlibrary.com. Free.
Thu., Sept. 4, 7 p.m., 2008