TODAY

• The author of “Riverside Park: The Splendid Sliver,” Edward Grimm, appears at Barnes & Noble Booksellers at 2289 Broadway beginning at 7 p.m. Free. 212-362-8835

• The Microfinance Working Group presents the sixth annual Careers in Microfinance Conference between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. at the offices of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton on the 39th floor of One Liberty Plaza. The cost is $25. Contact: sipa.microfinance@gmail.com

TOMORROW

• The Weatherhead East Asian Institute and the APEC Study Center present a Brown Bag Lecture with an associate professor of history at Louisiana State University, Margherita Zanasi, titled “Market, Morality, and Modern Economics in Late-Imperial and Republican China,” between 12 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. in room 918 of the International Affairs Building on Columbia University’s main campus. Free. Contact: cb2469@columbia.edu

•The Financial Planning Association of New York hosts “Living Large in NYC,” an investing seminar to help city dwellers get the most value for their money, beginningat5:30 p.m. at the Science, Industry, and Business Library at 188 Madison Ave. Free. Contact: (212) 592-7000

WEDNESDAY

• The chairman of the Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke, presents his semiannual monetary report to Congress. His testimony continues Thursday.

• The New York Public Library hosts an international organization of public speaking clubs, Toastmasters, to help attendees master public speaking in their careers beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Science, Industry, and Business Library at 188 Madison Ave. Free. Contact: (212) 592-7000

• The author of “Make the Impossible Possible: One Man’s Crusade to Inspire Others to Dream Bigger and Achieve the Extraordinary,” Bill Strickland, speaks at the Japan Society, 333 E. 47th St., beginning at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $10. Please go to japansociety.org to purchase tickets.

THURSDAY

• Kenneth Cole Productions, Sotheby’s, Revlon, iStar Financial, and Virgin Media are scheduled to report their fourth-quarter earnings.

• The author of “In Other Words: Artists Talk About Life and Work,” Anthony DeCurtis, speaks with hip-hop artist Mos Def at the 92nd Street Y beginning at 8 p.m. The cost is $26. Please go to 92y.org to purchase tickets.

FRIDAY

• The Program in Economic Policy Management hosts a panel called “From Sub-Prime to Prime-Time: A Debate on the Current Financial Crisis” between 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. in room 702 of Hamilton Hall on Columbia University’s main campus. Free. Contact: dw23@columbia.edu

vhendrickson@nysun.com