Humanities Festival

The 17th annual Chicago Humanities Festival is a two-week party for thinkers and readers, a chance to go back to school for those of us who like the idea of school but not so much the time and financial commitment. A lot of events have already sold out, so here are our picks for the available shows to catch this weekend. Call 312-494-9509 for tickets, and visit www.chfestival.org for availability and cancellation updates.

Saturday 4

Robert Remini
UIC’s professor emeritus is now the official historian of the House of Representatives. His book, The House, is considered a defining account of the legislative body. Today, he’ll discuss how the House has handled war and conflict throughout its history. Newberry Library, 60 W Walton St between Dearborn and Clark Sts (312-255-3700). El: Red to Chicago. Bus: 22 Clark (24 hrs), 70 Division. 10am, $5.

Nicholas Lemann
The Columbia University School of Journalism dean discusses his new book, Redemption, a history of the ways in which freed blacks were denied their rights after the Civil War. Chicago History Museum. Chicago History Museum, 1601 N Clark St at North Ave (312-642-4600). El: Brown, Purple (rush hrs) to Sedgwick. Bus: 22 (24 hrs), 36, 72. 2:30pm, $5.

Daniel Dinello
In his book, Technophobia!, Dinello looked at the history of science fiction as harbinger. In his talk today, he’ll discuss the mad scientist archetype and how it relates to military-funded advancement and the moral responsibilities of scientists. Loyola University, Rubloff Auditorium, 25 E Pearson St at Wabash Ave (312-915-6112). El: Red to Chicago. Bus: 66 Chicago. 2pm, $5.

Sunday 5

Joyce Carol Oates
The Trib gives its 2006 literary prize to the ultraprolific Joyce Carol Oates, author of nearly 50 novels. Good God, 50 novels. Symphony Center, 220 S Michigan Ave between Adams St and Jackson Blvd (312-294-3000). El: Red, Blue to Jackson; Orange, Green, Brown, Pink, Purple (rush hrs) to Adams. Bus: 3, 6, 26, 145, 147, 151 (24 hrs). 10am, $15.

Women and Torture
Janis Karpinski, the commanding general of Abu Ghraib and author of One Woman’s Army, talks with Tara McKelvey, author of One of the Guys, and Karen Greenberg, coeditor of The Torture Papers. Ferguson Theater, 600 S Michigan Ave at Harrison St (312-663-1600). El: Red to Harrison. Bus: 1, 3, 4 (24 hrs), 6, 10, 14, 26, 28, 127, 145, 146. 11am, $5.

Yusef Komunyakaa
The Pulitzer-winning poet teams with Steppenwolf actor Tracy Letts to present his poetic monologue, The Autobiography of My Alter-Ego. Chicago Cultural Center, Claudia Cassidy Theater. 11:30am, $5.

Gary Snyder
Snyder is a Pulitzer Prize–winning poet and an acclaimed translator of Chinese and Japanese texts. As part of the Silk Road Chicago project, Snyder will talk about the influence of Asian images on his own work. Art Institute of Chicago, Fullerton Auditorium, 111 S Michigan Ave at Adams St (312-443-3600). El: Red, Blue to Jackson; Orange, Green, Pink, Brown, Purple (rush hrs) to Adams. Bus: 3, X3, 4 (24 hrs), X4, 14, 26, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 151 (24 hrs), 157. 12:30pm, $5.

Chicago Tribune Heartland Prize
This year the Trib honors best-selling author Louise Erdrich for her novel The Painted Drum, and historian Taylor Branch for the final installment in his Martin Luther King Jr. trilogy, At Canaan’s Edge. Symphony Center. 1pm, $15.

Operation Homecoming
Editor Andrew Carroll went over to Iraq on a National Endowment of the Arts grant and collaborated with soldiers to write down their experiences and collect them in a book, Operation Homecoming. Chicago vets join him onstage. Newberry Library, 3:30pm, $5.

Poems of Peace and War
A large cadre of high-profile poets— Gary Snyder, Jorie Graham, Yusef Komunyakaa, Brian Turner, Dunya Mikhail and Philip Metres—discuss and read poems related to bloodshed. Chicago History Museum. 3:30pm, $5.

Where Is War Hiding?
A panel comprising American poet Christopher Merrill, Senegalese novelist Ken Bugul, Uruguayan writer Rafael Courtoisie, Afghan author Partaw Naderi and Iraqi literary critic Fadhil Thamir discuss the ways art can address war. Loyola University, Rubloff Auditorium. 4:30pm, $5.