The Odyssey Bookshop has invited award-winning author Lisa Carey to read and sign her latest novel, "Love in the Asylum." Witty and touching, Carey's book is a captivating tale of two people who find love when everything else is working against them. Carey is also the author of "The Mermaids Singing" and "In the Country of the Young." (Wed., April 28 at 7 p.m., Odyssey Bookshop, 9 College St., South Hadley, free admission.)
Make sure to catch Def Poet, Broadway veteran and former National Poetry Slam champion Marc Bamuthi Joseph today at UMass. Joseph will present poetry, life music and dance to document the perspective of a young single father during nine months of pregnancy. (Wed., April 28 at 9:30 p.m., Bowker Auditorium, UMass. Tickets $5 at www.newworldtheater.org.)
Amherst College is celebrating Caribbean Explosion 2004! Tomorrow, the Black Student Union, in conjunction with the Campus Center, will host a Caribbean-style carnival, complete with spicy foods and hot beats. Subtitled "It's a Carnival Baby," the event will feature a dance hall musical performance by the talented Shango Axe. All proceeds will go to support the Haitian Awareness Project. (Thurs., April 29 at 5 p.m., Keefe Campus Center.)
Enjoy a night of dancing and Puerto Rican fare at Springfield's Club Miami with the Hampshire College Children's Center's big spring fundraiser, Miami in May. The event includes a fun Hispanic dinner, drinks and a dance party. The proceeds from the night will go to support childcare for five-college students and faculty. (Sat., May 1 at 6 p.m., Club Miami, 1389 Liberty Street, Springfield, $35/ticket, $70/couple. For more information, contact Lynne Brill at 559-5706.)
How can it be Spring Weekend already? Amherst College will be holding its annual Spring Concert this Saturday night. Sponsored by the Amherst College Program Board, Talib Kweli and Common will be performing on one stage live at LeFrak Gymnasium. So this Saturday, put down your books and party it up! (Sat., May 1 at 8 p.m., LeFrak Gymnasium. Tickets $5 in advance or $8 at the door.)
Instead of wasting your money on the C-grade chick flicks that are out right now-i.e. "The Prince and Me" and "13 Going on 30"-stop by Blockbusters and rent "Love Actually," which was just released on DVD yesterday! Not only will you save money, but you'll be upping the chick flick experience immeasurably. Heart-warming and touching, "Love Actually" features an all-star cast including Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Keira Knightly, Liam Neeson and Emma Thompson. Any one of these huge names would be worth the watch, but putting them together turns this movie into an absolute must-see. If you missed this great movie the first time around, here's your chance!