Fiction

• “Big Fish” by Daniel Wallace | Release date: October 1998 | This story of a man’s life, told from father to son, was adapted into a film by Tim Burton.
• “The Moon and the Other” by John Kessel | Release date: April 2017 | This matriarchal utopia is set on the moon and is on the brink of a destructive civil war.

Expand your worldview

• “27 Views of Raleigh” by Wilton Barnhardt | Release date: September 2013 | Written by 27 writers, this prose and poetry book focuses on NC’s capital city.
• “Native Places: Drawing as a Way to See” by Frank Harmon | Release date: September 2018 | This Raleigh architect paired watercolor sketches with mini-essays about the delight found in ordinary places.

Personal stories

• “Calypso” by David Sedaris | Release date: May 2018 | These humorous essays discuss middle age, mortality, and David’s experience growing up in Raleigh.
• “Mergers and Acquisitions” by Cate Doty | Release date: May 2021 | This memoir takes readers behind-the-scenes of the weddings section of The New York Times.

• Beer & Banjos | Tue., Oct. 18 | 6:30 p.m. | Raleigh Times Bar, 14 East Hargett Street, Raleigh | Free | Enjoy a live acoustic performance by indie-pop duo Stray Local.
• Don’t Be a Killjoy Open Mic | Tue., Oct. 18 | 8 p.m. | Killjoy, 116 North West Street, Raleigh | Free | Local comedian Helen Wildy hosts this open mic night.

• Tree Talk: Tree Planting Tips | Wed., Oct. 19 | 12:30 p.m. | Virtual | Free | A local arborist will describe tree planting tips to help ensure your tree has the best chance of surviving once installed.

• Hidden Harry Potter Film Talk | Thu., Oct. 20 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Virtual | Free | Learn about the secrets behind Harry Potter films.
• Tarot, Toast, and Ghost | Thu., Oct. 20 | 5-9 p.m. | Unlikely Professionals, 212 East Franklin Street , Raleigh | Free | Get in the spooky spirit with tarot readings, mystery beer specials, and a horror flick.
• Raleigh Fashion Fest | Thu., Oct. 20 | 5-9 p.m. | Fenton, 855 Cary Towne Blvd, Cary | $0.00 - $95.00 | Watch fashion shows + shop local boutiques to support The Women’s Center.

• Hippo Campus | Fri., Oct. 21 | 7 p.m. | The Ritz, 2820 Industrial Drive, Raleigh | $25.00 | The indie-rock band will perform with support from Chai.

• Experience a deep-ocean environment with cinema-scale projections
• See artifacts and specimens from Cameron’s journey
• Discover the shipwrecks of the Titanic and the Bismarck
• Learn about the technology behind underwater recording, lighting, and communication
• See film and costume props from “The Abyss” and “Titanic”

• 58º | Sunny | 0% chance of rain ☀️

• Local chef Ashley Christensen is opening a third BB’s Crispy Chicken location on Fri., Oct. 21. The newest fast-casual restaurant located in Cary’s Parkside Town Commons will serve dishes like fried chicken sandwiches, cheese curds, and milkshakes. 🧀 (Triangle Business Journal)

• Sheet Metal Technologies — a 53-year-old manufacturing company in Raleigh — has been bought out by investment startup Rise Capital. The new investors say that the deal will create ~150 new local jobs. 💼 (Triangle Business Journal)

• Multiple GoFundMe pages have been started to support the victims and families affected by last week’s mass shooting. Funds raised will go toward things like medical bills and memorial services. Links to donation pages. (The News & Observer)

• Healing Transitions is hosting its second annual Art of Recovery fundraiser on Wed., Oct. 26 at Dix Park’s Chapel. The event will feature artwork by local artists and musicians who are in recovery or have been impacted by addition. 🎨

• Wake County EMS is hosting free CPR classes as part of Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month. Choose from one of two classes at the Emergency Services Education Center (221 S. Rogers Ln.) on Sat., Oct. 29 to learn how you can help save a life. Register.

• It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Wake County is hosting 45-minute education sessions about breast cancer risk factors, community resources, self exams, and more. The next session is at Shaw University on Thurs., Oct. 27. Learn more.
• The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period is here, which means it’s time to ask yourself a big question: keep your coverage, or change it? Fidelity Medicare Services can help. Fidelity’s licensed Medicare advisors provide customized advice based on your situation — and if you choose a new plan, they’ll help you enroll.*

• Have you ever seen a parade of ducks downtown? It’s probably LaQuisha, Otis, Donald, and Rodney, led by owner Tyler Allen. Discover the story of Raleigh’s Duck Man. 🦆 (The News & Observer)

• Did you know we want to see your artwork on our products? We’re looking for freelance graphic designers in Raleigh to work with us through our online retail store, and yes, you’d be getting paid for it. First, let’s get to know each other.

• When Sam + Josh Davis found out their family was growing yet again, they knew their home needed to grow with it. “It was getting hard to imagine how we were going to have three teenagers in there.” Here’s the real estate move they made next.*

• Want glowy, model-off-duty skin? Try this serum by responsible luxury beauty brand MERIT (that one you’ve seen all over Instagram recently). It contains hyaluronic acid + niacinamide to instantly hydrate and plump skin for a healthy glow that’s lightweight and layerable under makeup. Bonus: Free bag with first purchase.*

• Everyone should love their smile. Enter: SmileDirectClub, the easiest way to straighten your teeth in just 4-6 months — for 60% less than Invisalign or braces. Your results are guaranteed for life, and getting started is easy with their free, 30-second smile assessment. 🦷 *

• Sip on fall-inspired cocktails + roast marshmallows over the fire at The Parlor at Heights House.
• Peruse art in the completely reimagined People’s Collection at the NCMA, then take in fall foliage around the Museum Park.
• Select the perfect pumpkin to carve together.
• Feast on fried foods + play carnival games at the NC State Fair.
• Try the limited-edition Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Rolls at Raleigh Rolls in Morgan Street Food Hall.
• Visit a local orchard to pick your own apples + celebrate the harvest with a drink from Raleigh’s first cidery.