NBC news correspondent Martin Fletcher will speak at the Jewish Community Center in St. Paul this month to discuss his forthcoming novel, "The List," which is based on his family history. Fletcher is the author of two books of nonfiction -- a memoir, "Breaking News," and "Walking Israel," an account of his trip (by foot) from Lebanon to Gaza.

Fletcher has covered the Middle East for more than 20 years and has received the duPont Award, the Overseas Press Club award and the Edward R. Murrow Award, among others.

He'll speak at 1 p.m. Aug. 21 at the JCC, 1375 St. Paul Av., St. Paul. Admission is $10-$15. For more information, go to www.stpauljcc.org.

Also ...

• "Seeing Israeli and Jewish Dance," edited by Judith Brin Ingber, has been published by Wayne State University Press. Ingber is a performer, teacher and expert on Jewish dance. She teaches at the University of Minnesota. She'll sign books at 7 p.m. Sept. 15 at Birchbark Books, 2115 W. 21st St., Mpls.

• N.M. Kelby's latest novel, "White Truffles in Winter," will be published in November by W.W. Norton. Kelby lives in Minneapolis.

• Laura Erickson, birder extraordinaire, and Betsy Bowen, artist extraordinaire, have teamed up on a lovely picture/science book about owls, to be published this fall by University of Minnesota Press. "Twelve Owls" is a guide to the owls native to Minnesota. It follows Bowen's earlier nature book, "Big Belching Bog," with Phyllis Root.

• "Voyageur Skies: Weather and the Wilderness in Minnesota's National Park," a photo-studded book by photographer Don Breneman and climatologist Mark Seeley, has been published by Afton Historical Society Press. The authors will be interviewed on MPR at 11 a.m. Aug. 25.

• "The Mostly True Story of Jack," by Minneapolis writer Kelly Barnhill, has been published by Little, Brown. The young-adult novel is the story of a boy named Jack (OK, you probably got that already) who goes to Iowa to stay with his aunt and finds himself in the thick of all kinds of mysterious doings. She'll read from the book at 1 p.m. Aug. 20 at Uncle Hugo's, 2864 Chicago Av. S., Mpls.