CURATORS’ CHAT

The first 50 guests at a reading and discussion tonight of Mary Kay Zuravleff’s novel “The Bowl Is Already Broken” (Farrar, Straus and Giroux) receive a complimentary sake martini. Ms. Zuravleff, whose protagonist is the acting director of the National Museum of Asian Art, is joined by a panel of experts to discuss the role of the curator. Participants include a former Asian-art curator at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, Joan Cummins; a former president of the National Association of Dealers in Ancient, Oriental, and Primitive Art, Peter Marks, and the chief curator of the Asian Art at the Brooklyn Museum, Amy Poster.NewYorkTimes writer Deborah Solomon moderates the talk, which is hosted by the chief curator of Rubin Museum of Art, Caron Smith. Tonight, 7 p.m., Rubin Museum of Art, 150 W. 17th St., between Sixth and Seventh avenues, 212-620-5000, free with museum admission, $7 general, $5 seniors, students, artists, and residents of 10011 and 10001 Zip codes.

ALL OVER THE PLACE

Roving journalist Susan Orlean discusses some of the stories gathered in her essay collection “My Kind of Place” (Random House). Her work for the New Yorker has allowed Ms. Orlean to explore the African underground music scene in Paris, the World Taxidermy Championships in Springfield, Ill., and a fertility ceremony in Bhutan. Tonight, 7 p.m., American Museum of Natural History, Kaufmann Theater, 79th Street and Central Park West, 212-769-5200, $15.

KOPPEL ON ‘NIGHTLINE’

Ted Koppel and the executive producer of “Nightline,” Tom Bettag, discuss the show as it approaches its 25th anniversary. CNN analyst Jeff Greenfield moderates the talk, which serves as the annual William S. Paley Lecture. Monday, 6-7:30 p.m., Museum of Television & Radio, 25 W. 52nd St., be tween Fifth and Sixth avenues, 212-621-6600, $15 general, $12 members.

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