And if it's crowded all the better 'cause we know we're going to be up late

This week I lavished attention on the Brooklyn Book Festival, but here are two more literary happenings outside of New York you may be lucky enough to attend. Step right up:

Wisconsin Book Festival -- Madison, Oct. 7-11. Free, no tickets required except for Wendell Berry reading on the 11th, tickets at the door an hour ahead of time. Not to be missed: Lorrie Moore and Michael Perry (and Michael Perry's band), 7:30PM, Oct. 8; Harvey Pekar, 10AM, Oct. 10 (way fun to hear in person); aforementioned Berry, 4PM, Oct. 11. Plus there's a Friends of the UW-Madison Library book sale all weekend, including a $3-a-bag event on Saturday; bring your really, really big duffel bag. I could couch-crash with relatives for this!

Boston Book Festival -- for the first time ever, Oct. 24. Most events are free except the Boston Phoenix's party for BOSTON NOIR featuring Dennis Lehane ($15, tickets on the website). There isn't a schedule up yet, but we're bullish on Orhan Pamuk's keynote and a Richard Russo/ Michael Thomas/ Elinor Lipman panel on family. There's also an event called Writer Idol where an actor will read a page of your manuscript to judges who will offer suggestions -- sounds like a trainwreck! As a New Yorker now, my feelings for Boston are as inappropriately warm as my feelings as a mostly-Mac user for John Hodgman (who will also be there), but it sounds like much fun.