THE RULES A former president of Amherst College, Peter Pouncey, reads from his first novel, “Rules for Old Men Waiting” (Random House). In it, a dying historian takes stock of his life and begins work on a cathartic short story about four soldiers in the trenches during World War I. Friday, 7:30 p.m., Barnes & Noble Upper West Side, 2289 Broadway at 82nd Street, 212-362-8835, free.

RECIPES FOR LIFE AND FOOD A pair of book signings in Harlem offer two varieties of recipes: Emma Etuk discusses and signs his self-help guide “Recipe for Success” (Emida International Publishers), which offers 21 tips for finding “peace, joy, satisfaction, and sufficient wealth.” (Friday, 6-8 p.m.).The next day, K. Kofi Moyo signs his recipes for success in preparing food, “Real Men Cook: Rites, Rituals, and Recipes for Living” (Fireside Books) (Saturday, 3:30 p.m.). Both signings: Hue-Man Bookstore, 2319 Frederick Douglass Boulevard at 125th Street, 212-665-7400, free.

WASTING AWAY Actor, playwright, and writer Eric Bogosian reads from his new novel “Wasted Beauty” (Simon & Schuster). It follows the converging paths of a 20-year-old girl working on an upstate apple farm and a middle-aged Jewish doctor in the suburbs. Sunday, 7 p.m., KGB Bar, 85 E. 4th St. at Second Avenue, 212-505-3360, free.

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