Stephen Sondheim
Queens College’s LeFrak Concert Hall; 12/6 at 7 p.m.; 61-98 153rd St., at Reeves Ave.; 718-997-4646
New York’s Frank Rich interviews the master composer and lyricist, whose second collection of lyrics and commentary, covering 1981 to 2011, is titled Look, I Made a Hat.
Steve Earle, Wesley Stace (John Wesley Harding), and Josh Ritter
Celeste Bartos Forum, The New York Public Library; 12/6 at 7 p.m.; Fifth Ave. at 42nd St.; 212-930-0730
It’s a night of song and talk when the three musician-authors meet up to discuss how music and fiction inspire each other. Also, hopefully, tips on scheduling lives to fit it all in.
“Happy Ending Music and Reading Series”
Joe’s Pub; 12/7 at 7 p.m.; 425 Lafayette St., nr. Astor Pl.; 212-539-8777
The whimsical ongoing series where participants must also take a risk onstage continues with readings by author and critic Walter Kirn (Thumbsucker, Up in the Air) and journalist and novelist Jesse Browner (Everything Happens Today), with music by Mark Eitzel and live cartooning by Michael Arthur.
Thalia Book Club: Jeffrey Eugenides
Symphony Space; 12/7 at 7:30 p.m.; 2537 Broadway., at 95th St.; 212-864-5400
The author of Middlesex and The Virgin Suicides reads from his much buzzed-about new novel, The Marriage Plot. Tickets are super sold out, but they’ll be releasing a limited number on the day of the event, so get in line early.
John Heilemann, Joe Scarborough, and Tom Brokaw
92nd Street Y; 12/7 at 8 p.m.; 1395 Lexington Ave., nr. 92nd St., 212-415-5500
New York’s national-affairs editor talks about the 2012 election with Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough and Tom Brokaw, former anchor and the author of The Time of Our Lives: A Conversation About America, who we also recently found out wants to be buried with a bottle of lemon vodka. Layers!
Group Reading: “Best Music Writing 2011”
powerHouse Books; 12/6 at 7 p.m.; 37 Main St., nr. Water St., Dumbo; 212-604-9074
An assemblage of minds from the annual compilation of superlative journalism, this year edited by The New Yorker’s Alex Ross. Readers for a marathon evening include Franklin Bruno, Jeremy Denk, Nancy Griffin, Wendy Lesser, Kelefa Sanneh, and our own near and dear music critic, Nitsuh Abebe.