Here's hoping that you already know about Lauren Groff's visit to the University of Minnesota--it's coming right up, and it's for a good cause. But the U has a number of notable literary events during these dark days of midwinter and you should know about them all.

First up, Groff (author of the widely celebrated "Fates & Furies") will read at 7 p.m. Feb. 2 (my calendar tells me that's in just a few hours!) at the McNamara Alumni Center, 200 Oak St. SE, Mpls. as part of the annual benefit for hunger relief. There's no admission charge but there is a suggested donation of $5, which will go to Second Harvest food shelf. This is the ninth annual hunger benefit, organized each year by author and UM faculty member Charles Baxter.

Next up is Bob Dylan. Not, sadly, in the flesh, but in the words. "I'm a Poet and I Know it: The LIterary Bob Dylan," a conversation on the recent Nobel laureate's work, will begin at 4 p.m. Feb. 9 in Room 207A of Lind Hall, 207 Church St. SE, Mpls.. Grad student Katelin Krieg, who will teach a summer session class on Dylan, will lead the discussion.

The annual first books event will begin at 7 p.m. March 9 at the Weisman Art Museum. MFA alums Kathleen Glasgow ("Girl in Pieces"), Andria Williams ("The Longest Night") and Ryo Yamaguchi ("The Refusal of Suitors") will read.

And, finally, Andrew Solomon will speak at Coffman Union Theater at 7:30 p.m. on April 13. Solomon is the author of "The Noonday Demon" and "Far From the Tree." His newest book is a collection of travel pieces, "Far and Away: Reporting from the Brink of Change."

All of the events are free and open to the public. But do bring that food shelf donation to the Groff event...