At The Smithsonian Associates on Saturday, July 24, 2010.

Ken Jennings is the most successful Jeopardy! contestant of all time, with over $3,000,000 in winnings. He celebrates the world of trivia in his books, Brainiac and Ken Jennings’s Trivia Almanac (Random House). He shares the historical roots of trivia competitions, discusses his experiences during his record-breaking Jeopardy! run, and offers up a plethora of fun trivia facts.

At The Smithsonian Associates on Saturday, July 24, 2010.

If you can’t get enough trivia, Stan Newman’s book, 15,003 Answers: The Ultimate Trivia Encyclopedia (Random House, 2007) extensively covers the world of little known facts, from the number of hearts an octopus has to films with titles without any upper-case letters. Apply these facts to his book, Trivia Crosswords to Keep You Sharp (Puzzlewright, 2009), which features 50 themed puzzles to challenge even the biggest trivia nut.

At The Smithsonian Associates on Wednesday, August 4, 2010.

Mary Roach takes you on a trip into the science of life in space in her newest book, Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void (W.W. Norton & Company, 2010). Roach personally experienced some of the many space simulations used by scientists as they prepare to launch astronauts into space. From 17,000 mile an hour crash tests to zero gravity simulations, Roach make a surreal experience very real.

At The Smithsonian Associates on Tuesday, September 14, 2010.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright discusses her unique combination of statecraft and personal expression in her memoir, Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat’s Jewel Box (Harper, 2009). From the snake pin she wore in response to Iraqi press coverage to the zebra pin she donned in honor of her meeting with Nelson Mandela, Albright used her jewelry to send a message. The memoir combines stories about her many years of diplomatic service with images of hundreds of the pins in her collection. Many of these pins are currently on view in the Smithsonian Castle as part of the collection Read My Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection.

At The Smithsonian Associates on Wednesday, September 15, 2010.

Scientists have long struggled to create a unified theory that explains the universe, its creation, and our own existence in it. In his new book, A Tear at the Edge of Creation: A Radical New Vision for Life in an Imperfect Universe (Free Press, 2010), physicist Marcelo Gleiser suggests that no such theory exists. Instead, he posits that a series of complex, inexplicable imbalances combined to create the universe as we know it. Gleiser is the Appleton Professor of Natural Philosophy and a professor of physics and astronomy at Dartmouth College.

At The Smithsonian Associates on Wednesday, September 22, 2010.

In 1824, Europe was in the midst of tremendous upheaval in the wake of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. In this environment, Beethoven premiered his Symphony No. 9 in D Minor. Using this premiere as a starting point, music historian Harvey Sachs’ book, The Night: Beethoven and the World in 1824 (Random House, 2010), reviews the literary, artistic and social movements of the time and assesses the impact and legacy of Beethoven’s seminal work. Sachs, a 2010-11 fellow of the National Endowment for the Humanities, is a teacher at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.

At The Smithsonian Associates on Thursday, September 23, 2010.

Ted Leonsis shares his secrets to happiness in the book, The Business of Happiness (Regnery Press, 2010). Based on research, personal stories, and anecdotes from a wide range of celebrities, Leonsis offers concrete advice on how to become happier at work, at home, and in personal life. Leonsis is a serial entrepreneur, but is perhaps best-known in the D.C. area as the owner of the Washington Capitals and the Washington Wizards. The book is co-authored by John Buckley.

At The Smithsonian Associates on Wednesday, September 29, 2010.

Drawing from 300 years of history and an eclectic blend of international culinary traditions, lowcountry cuisine represents a truly unique facet of American regional cooking. Culinary historian Hoppin’ John Taylor traces the historical, geographical, and cultural foundations of this delicious cuisine in his cookbook, Hoppin’ John’s Lowcountry Cooking (Houghton Mifflin, 2000). Recipes include She-Crab Soup, Sweet Watermelon Pickles, and even a historical reprint of a recipe for Carolina Rice Bread.

At The Smithsonian Associates on Wednesday, September 29, 2010.

During his four years in office, President Jimmy Carter made daily entries in a personal diary, recording his thoughts, feelings, triumphs, and frustrations. He also reflected on the major events of his presidency, from the Camp David Accords and the restoration of diplomatic relations in China to the creation of new departments on the domestic side, including the Department of Energy and the Department of Education. These entries are now contained in his memoir, White House Diary (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2010), which provides a remarkably intimate portrait of President Carter’s White House experiences.

At The Smithsonian Associates on Friday, October 1, and Saturday, October 2, 2010.

Perfume experts Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez illuminate the art of fragrance in their book, Perfumes: The A-Z Guide (Penguin, 2009). From the heavenly to the odious, Turin and Sanchez describe and rank more than 1200 fragrances. They also discuss olfactory science, the history of perfume, general types of fragrances, and offer advice to consumers on how to choose a perfume. Turin is a biophysicist at MIT, chief technology officer for a fragrance molecule design company, and author of numerous articles on scent and science. Sanchez is a longtime perfume critic and writer.

At The Smithsonian Associates on Thursday, October 7, 2010.

In the 4th and 5th millennia B.C., the ancient city of Mendes became the center of worship and political power in the Nile Delta. Donald Redford, professor of classical and ancient Mediterranean studies at Pennsylvania State University, traces the history of this fascinating city, home to a mysterious cult dedicated to the worship of a lascivious ram-god. His book, City of Ram-Man: The Story of Ancient Mendes (Princeton University Press, 2010), provides a chronological and image-filled account of the rise and fall of the city.

At The Smithsonian Associates on Saturday, October 23, 2010.

Spanish colonists were initially disgusted by the strange Indian drink they encountered in the New World. However, chocolate rapidly became one of the most lucrative American exports as demand for it raged in Europe. George Washington University associate professor of history Marcy Norton examines the role chocolate played in both the Old and New Worlds in her book, Sacred Gifts, Profane Pleasures: A History of Tobacco and Chocolate in the Atlantic World (Cornell University Press, 2010).

At The Smithsonian Associates on Saturday, October 23, 2010.

Chocolate was used both for ritual purposes and for royal feasts in pre-Columbian America. Similarly, today chocolate is part of holiday celebrations and featured in both savory and sweet meals. In Chocolate in Mesoamerica: A Cultural History of Cacao (University Press of Florida, 2010), edited by Cameron L. McNeil, scholars assess the history and cultural significance of cacao in the Americas, from its earliest existence to its contemporary uses. McNeil is an assistant professor of anthropology at Lehman College, City University of New York.

At The Smithsonian Associates on Saturday, November 6, 2010.

Istanbul was the administrative and ceremonial center of the far-flung Ottoman Empire for 400 years, and it is home today to a dazzling array of cultural experiences and unique adventures. In addition to the famous Topkapi Palace, the private and public seat of the Ottoman Empire, Istanbul also houses the Florence Nightingale Museum, Turkish baths, Whirling Dervishes, and sprawling bazaars. From the lavish gardens to the hidden harems and modern museums, leading Turkish tour guide Serif Yenen provides a peek at this sumptuous bygone world in his book, Quick Guide Istanbul (Serif Yenen, 2009).

At The Smithsonian Associates on Tuesday, November 9, 2010.

Mickey Mantle was the first superstar of the television age. With his All-American looks and athletic prowess, Mantle came to represent America’s postwar optimism and seemingly limitless potential. Author Jane Leavy takes an in-depth look at the life of Number Seven in her new biography, The Last Boy: Mickey Mantle and the End of America’s Childhood (HarperCollins, 2010). Leavy is an award-winning former sportswriter and feature writer for The Washington Post.