By Laurie Hertzel

You might not know the work of Glenway Wescott, who died in 1987. But at one time he was as well known as Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Born in Kewaskum, Wis., and raised on a farm, Wescott lived most of his life in New York City and Paris, writing short stories and novels, hanging out with Katherine Anne Porter and Somerset Maugham. Most of his books have been out of print for years.

Now the University of Wisconsin Press has reprinted "Goodbye, Wisconsin," a collection of his short stories published in 1928, when he was at the height of his career.

Also ...

Poets Robert Bly and Robert Hedin will read from the poetry of Olav Hauge on Saturday as part of the Twin Cities Book Festival. The free festival will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Minneapolis Community and Technical College, 1501 Hennepin Av. S., Minneapolis. Hauge is a 20th-century Norwegian poet whose work Bly and Hedin have translated. The result is "The Dream We Carry: Selected and Last Poems of Olav Hauge," to be published in November by Copper Canyon Press. Bly and Hedin will also give a reading at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 24 at the Anderson Center, 163 Tower View Dr., Red Wing, Minn.

• Charles Baxter, Deborah Keenan, Wang Ping and Doug Hoverson will be at the Central Library in downtown St. Paul at 2 p.m. today for a conversation moderated by Mary Ann Grossmann of the Pioneer Press. It's the second in a series of conversations with winners of the 2008 Minnesota Book Awards.

• Neil Gaiman will read his new book, "The Graveyard Book," from cover to cover at 7 p.m. Wednesday at St. Paul's United Church of Christ, 900 Summit Av. A video of the reading will be posted on Thursday at www.mousecircus.com. The free event is sponsored by the Red Balloon Bookshop.

• The Friends of the St. Paul Public Library are sponsoring an evening of Irish music and poetry at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Central Library in downtown St. Paul. Poets Daniel Tobin, Ethna McKiernan, James Liddy, Eamonn Wall and others will read from their work. A trio, led by two-button accordion master Paddy O'Brien, will perform. To register, call 651-222-3242.

• The Taunton Press has published an appealing look at cabins written by a Minneapolis architect. "Cabinology: A Handbook to Your Private Hideaway," by Dale Mulfinger (250 pages, $25) is great dream material for anyone who longs for a little -- or more elaborate -- place Up North. There will be a book-signing at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11 at Common Good Books, 165 Western Av. N., St. Paul.

Laurie Hertzel • lhertzel@startribune.com