If you’re based here or near this fantastic City of ours, City Arts & Lectures has unveiled a dynamite lineup for the rest of this year. On September 2, Fresh Air host Terry Gross will be in town, though sadly without Gene Simmons.

On October 1, there will be Larry David.

On October 1, one of my favorite California writers, T.C. Boyle, will be here to plug The Inner Circle, his bio-fiction involving Dr. Alfred Kinsey.

On October 11, Joyce Carol Oates will be here to talk about the sixteen books she’s published this year. She may even write on stage.

Stephen Elliott, fresh off of his Elegant Variation fame, will be talking with Smashing Pumpkin Billy Corgan on October 12.

Angels in America playwright Tony Kushner will be in town on October 18. Then there’s Cynthia Ozick on October 26 and Shelley Berman on October 28.

Daniel Handler will be talking with Jonathan Lethem on November 8.

I’m particularly excited about historian Joseph Ellis, whose American Sphinx is a must-read for anyone coping with presidential legacy in our decidedly unpresidential age, on November 10. He’ll be plugging His Excellency, his new bio on George Washington.

Robert Hass will be here to talk with Paul Muldoon and Kay Ryan on November 15.

The eminent scientist Richard Dawkins will be here on November 16.

Dave Eggers will talk with Roddy Doyle, presumably about how overrated Joyce is, on November 17.

The big white-suited man himself, Tom Wolfe, will be here with his latest bigass novel, I Am Charlotte Simmons, on November 18.

Local playwright/monologuist Josh Kornbluth is locked in for November 30.

And on December 6, Vendela Vida, Andrew Sean Greer and ZZ Packer are lined up for a three-way discussion.

This is one of the best line-ups I’ve seen from City Arts & Lectures in years. Rest assured, it’s likely that these good folks will be taking most of my money.