Coach House Books returns to Calgary this week with the launch of two new novels: Cara Hedley’s Twenty Miles delves into a rowdy locker room of women’s hockey, while Jessica Westhead’s Pulpy & Midge is a deadpan satire of office life. Join the two talented lady literati at McNally Robinson on November 8, 7 p.m.

Want to know more about Canada’s first prime minister? Look no further than Richard Gwyn’s new book, The Man Who Made Us, volume one in an elaborate biography of Sir John A. MacDonald. Grab a slice of history at Pages Books on November 8, 7:30 p.m.

Before Ted Jaleta became an Olympic-class runner, he spent years suffering in an African jail and a refugee camp. In Never Give Up: Ted Jaleta’s Inspiring Story, he describes his escape from adversity. He reads at McNally Robinson on November 9, 5 p.m.

Bill Phipps and Carolyn Pogue are a powerhouse husband-wife team who shatter stereotypes of spirituality. In A Cause for Hope, Phipps takes a sweeping look at the devastating problems that face our modern world, but offers a token of optimism by turning his gaze to the world’s rich library of spirituality. In A World of Faith, Pogue breaks down nine of the world’s main religions for teens, introducing them to multiple faiths and opening the dialogue on diverse traditions. Phipps and Pogue launch their books at the Scarboro United Church (134 Scarboro Ave. S.W.) on November 9, 7:30 p.m.

Every Sunday night, playwright Eugene Stickland hosts Works in Progress, a new literary salon that explores the writing process by inviting guest writers to dialogue with their peers. There’s a new guest every week, so if you’re interested in writing, mosey on over to Juilliard Restaurant (105 237 8th Ave. S.E.) at 7 p.m. To make the deal sweeter, Eugene will be behind the bar, slinging your drinks.

Who better to dish out curling advice than an inductee to the Curling Hall of Fame? Colleen Jones knows her way around a curling sheet, and she shares her insider knowledge in Curling Secrets, a how-to guide with photography by Tim Krochak. For a lesson in sweeping, head over to McNally Robinson on November 14, 6 p.m.

Writing the Land: Alberta through its Poets includes a veritable who’s who of local poets, including Allan Boss, Marlene Dean, Rosemary Griebel, Vivian Hansen, Barbara Janusz, Jeananne Kathol Kirwin, Stuart Ian McKay, Andy Michaelson, Bob Stallworthy and Tom Wayman. Check out this cavalcade of Alberta writers at Pages Books on November 14, 7:30 p.m.

A. Mary Murphy’s debut poetry collection, Shattered Fanatics, is a sensual exploration of a woman’s life, going all the way back to childhood. Her launch hits McNally Robinson on November 15, 7 p.m.

In 1973, Jan Wong, a devoted Maoist, travelled to China as one of only two Westerners permitted to study at the Beijing University. When a young stranger asked for her help to get to the United States, she reported him immediately. Three decades later, Wong returns to a transformed China, with its Kentucky Fried Chicken and trendy condo complexes, to reconnect with the woman whose life she destroyed. Wong launches her intense autobiography at the Memorial Park Library on November 15, 7 p.m.

In Parlance, Toronto author Suzanne Zelazo breaks down parental influences, like the “maternal” Virginia Woolf or the “paternal” Leonard Cohen. Check out her exultant display of linguistic prowess at Pages Books on November 15, 7:30 p.m.