Lorrie Moore

Tue., Sept. 22, 7:30 p.m., $14, Free Library, Central Branch, 1901 Vine St., 215-686-5322, freelibrary.org.

by Nancy Armstrong

reading/signing

Reading Lorrie Moore is a little bit like being socked in the stomach again and again — every page knocks the wind out of you at least once. It's not an entirely unpleasant feeling, though; Moore's odd sensibilities and unique approach to storytelling are weirdly captivating. You have no idea what a character is going to do next, what the big reveal might be or how she'll wrap it up, but you don't really care because her command of language is mesmerizing. The Gate at the Stairs (Knopf, $25.95), her first book in 10 years, is no exception, a coming-of-age tale that sucker-punches the reader at every turn — not in a mean way, but almost apologetically.