Two Lawrence poets to read at the Raven

Lawrence poets Ed Tato and Jason Ryberg will give a poetry reading at 8 p.m. Friday at the Raven Bookstore, 6 E. Seventh St.

Tato’s new book of poetry is called “True Stories from la Cosa Nostra.” Ryberg’s most recently published collection is titled “Open Letter (To the Dark Gods of the Ancient World).”

The event is free and open to the public.

Godzilla enthusiast to sign new book

Kansas University history professor Bill Tsutsui will autograph copies of “Godzilla On My Mind: Fifty Years of the King of Monsters” from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Oread Books in the Kansas Union.

The signing is free and open to the public.

In addition to Tsutsui’s book, which was published this month, Oread Books will offer a selection of titles on related topics as well as Godzilla DVDs, film poster reproductions and other items.

The event precedes “In Godzilla’s Footsteps: Japanese Pop Culture Icons on the Global Stage,” a three-day conference and film festival that begins Thursday and marks the culmination of a two-month series of Lawrence events commemorating the 1954 release of the first Godzilla film.