This Week in Calendar

Monday

Martin Rubin reviews “The Sea Lady” by Margaret Drabble.

Tuesday

David L. Ulin reviews “The Thumpin’: How Rahm Emanuel and the Democrats Learned to Be Ruthless and Ended the Republican Revolution” by Naftali Bendavid.

Wednesday

Tim Rutten reviews “Presence: Stories” by Arthur Miller.

Friday

Susan Salter Reynolds reviews “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life” by Barbara Kingsolver.

Saturday

Janice Nimura reviews “Ghostwalk” by Rebecca Stott.

On the Web

This week at latimes.com/books, we launch Sonja Bolle’s column on books for young readers, Word Play. Children’s literature is a broad territory to cover, and to get things rolling, Bolle looks at four very different books -- Natalie Babbitt’s “Jack Plank Tells Tales,” Daniel Pinkwater’s “The Neddiad,” Melvin Burgess’ “Sara’s Face” and Jeremy Tankard’s “Grumpy Bird” -- that are, nonetheless, linked by their authors’ attention to storytelling technique.

Also on the Web, please look for an extended version of Nick Owchar’s conversation with novelist Richard Flanagan, as well as Jacket Copy for the latest in book news and notes. And as always, you’ll find our expanded bestseller lists and Book Calendar, with a comprehensive listing of local literary events.