Treasures and oddities

To celebrate its 150th anniversary, Yale University’s Peabody Museum of Natural History has published two books, one a narrative history of the explorations and discoveries behind the museum’s collection, the other a catalog that includes many of the museum’s most unique treasures.

In “House of Lost Worlds: Dinosaurs, Dynasties, and the Story of Life on Earth’’ (Yale University), science writer Richard Coniff chronicles science’s ongoing coming-of-age story, as one discovery and analysis gives way to the next. “Exploration and Discovery: Treasures of the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History’’ is a companion to the exhibit “Treasures of the Peabody: 150 Years of Exploration and Discovery’’ on view through Jan. 8. This picture book by David K. Skelly and Thomas J. Near, with photographs by Robert Lorenz, features highlights of the museum’s 13 million items, including a brontosaurus skeleton and a new species of African monkey that came to light in 2007.

Papercuts anthology

Papercuts J.P. is marking its one-year anniversary with a book. “The Papercuts Anthology: What Happened Here’’ features fiction, nonfiction, and poetry by authors who visited the store in Jamaica Plain. They include Randy Susan Meyers, Paul Tremblay, and Jennifer Tseng. The book, being published Tuesday, is edited by store staffer Katie Eelman and owner Kate Layte. They will host a champagne toast and reading at 6 p.m. Friday at the store.

Game, set, match

For her hit 2003 novel, “The Devil Wears Prada’’ (Doubleday), Lauren Weisberger drew on the time she spent as an assistant to Vogue editor Anna Wintour. To research her new novel, “The Singles Game’’ (Simon and Schuster), out Tuesday, she got backstage access to Wimbledon and the US Open and studied the glamorous side of the tennis world. Weisberger, a Connecticut resident and recreational tennis player, has long been a fan of Alice and Olivia’s clothes and so is Charlotte “Charlie’’ Silver, the tennis prodigy at the center of “The Singles Game.’’ Determined to become a champion, Charlie hires a new coach, gets a makeover, and allows a fashion consultant to select her clothes. Wouldn’t you know there’s an Alice and Olivia skirt that looks perfect on her? The Alice and Olivia store, 166 Newbury St., is returning the compliment and will host a book signing for Weisberger at 6 p.m. on July 26.

Getting lit

On Thursday, the Boston Literary District launches its weekly “Get Lit After Work’’ with a talk by Kate Bolick, author of “Spinster: Making a Life of One’s Own’’ (Broadway). The author events, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Aug. 18, will take place at Faneuil Hall Marketplace, just outside the Cheers bar.

On Aug. 11, national poetry slam champion Regie Gibson will present an evening of spoken word accompanied by a three-piece band. Will he include his poem that begins “hey, boston! i dig you. no, I big dig you.’’? Let’s hope so.

Also in the series are novelists Jennifer Haigh and Michelle Hoover and memoirists Howard Axelrod and Val Wang.

David Gullette, a longtime fixture of Boston’s theater community, will close the series with a selection of poetry and prose inspired by fishing. The schedule is at www.bostonlitdistrict.org.

Coming out

¦ “The Black Widow’’ by Daniel Silva (Harper)

¦ “The Devourers’’ by Indra Das (Del Rey)

¦ “Siracusa’’ by Delia Ephron (Blue Rider)

Jan Gardner can be reached by JanLGardner@yahoo.com.