J.D. Salinger, the famous author of The Catcher in the Rye once said, “What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn't happen much, though.”

While it may be true you don’t often get to call up your favorite author, the folks at the Thurber House want you to get close to great authors through their Evenings with Authors program. For each program, a featured author reads from his or her most recent work and then talks about the process of writing. You’re sure to think of a million questions, which you can then ask during the evening’s question and answer session.

This Thursday at 7:30 p.m., author Suzanne Berne will visit Columbus to read from her latest work. The Dogs of Littlefield. Berne is also the author of A Perfect Arrangement and A Crime in the Neighborhood, which won the prestigious Orange Prize. Berne’s work offer satire, well-developed characters and social commentary, usually set in the modern-day suburb.

Evening with Authors events are held at the Columbus Museum of Art. Tickets are $20 ($18 for students and seniors). If you want a more in-depth time with the author, sign up for the Author’s Table, where a limited number of guests dine with the author at the Thurber House prior to the evening’s program. You’ll get reserved seating at the event and get your book signed ahead of time.

To purchase tickets for the Suzanne Berne event, click here. And for more information on the fall season, click here.