Let's Go Out Tonight: Good-Bye, Manhattan — September 25, 2008

READINGS

SETTLE DOWN Last year, the 400th anniversary of the founding of the Jamestown settlement was marked by various celebrations throughout the country. Matthew Sharpe, in his novel "Jamestown" (Harcourt), which was released this past May, takes the idea of the settlement to a post-apocalyptic level: A group of survivors flees a ravaged Manhattan after the Chrysler Building suddenly collapses. They drive down I-95 to find shelter in southern Virginia — with plans to exploit local Native Americans and to find oil. The combination of modern and historical details continues throughout the book, as Pocahontas and John Smith make appearances, text- and instant messaging ensue, and psychologists run rampant. Mr. Sharpe talks about his novel tonight. 7:30 p.m., Freebird Books, 123 Columbia St., between Kane and Degraw streets, Red Hook, Brooklyn, 718-643-8484, free.

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