Esquire editor-at-large A.J. Jacobs turns his curiosity and subsequent humiliations into New York Times bestsellers. After delivering book reports on the two most daunting tomes in Western civilization—Encyclopedia Britannica (The Know-It-All) and the Bible (The Year of Living Biblically)—Jacobs collates some of his smaller experiments in The Guinea Pig Diaries. For some, 256 pages of stunts involving morality, marriage, and objectification might seem more like a guide to the care and feeding of an outsized ego. But perhaps due to experiences like posing nude for Mary-Louise Parker, Jacobs’ Diaries are delightfully unpretentious. —Hilary Crowe

Read the full City Lights pick here; deets below the jump.

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For many, Matt Ward is best known as one half of She & Him, the indie-folk duo Zooey Deschanel (the Ward’s other half in the band) foisted into the limelight last March. But to those who know better, M. Ward is the Fahey-following, finger-plucking guitar hero whose jaw-dropping performance Saturday night silenced the sold-out crowd at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue.

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…but do you know about the supporting band for her current tour, Wildbirds & Peacedrums?

If not, you should – combining minimalist folk, Bjork-like caterwauling vocals, unusual instrumentation (lots of kalimba and whatever that stringed contraption is in the photo above), and insanely propulsive percussion, this duo were a pleasant if slightly misplaced surprise at Nordic Jazz 08 last year. At that show atop the House of Sweden, Wilbirds & Peacedrums opened for folksy jazz group Kristian Blak & Yggdrasil. That was a odd pairing; the pairing with Lykke Li, on the other hand, is downright inspired. Both are kind of spastic and mostly high-energy indie pop, but in completely different ways that I expect will complement rather than conflict with each other.

Unfortunately the show tomorrow at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue is sold out, but if you’re going, get there early enough to see the openers.