The NYC literary scene is renowned for its diversity, creativity and wealth of writers. It’s produced legends like Herman Melville, William S. Burroughs and Jonathan Lethem, and more standouts appear everyday. This Sunday, take a trip over to Manhattan for the Downtown Literary Festival at McNally Jackson and Housing Works Bookstore Café. Celebrate The Paris Review’s 60th anniversary, with readings of selections from Jim Carroll’s Basketball Diaries; Anne Waldman’s poetry; and a live performance of Jack Kerouac’s 1968 Art of Fiction interview. Hear Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth/Chelsea Light Moving) and Nikolai Fraiture (The Strokes) tell stories about the best shows they’ve ever been to in NYC, and listen to stories about the NYC subway system from authors Luc Sante (Low Life, Kill All Your Darlings) and John Wray (Lowboy). Russian literary-themed cocktails like Crime and Punish-mints will be served afterward at Pravda at 7pm–the first 80 cocktails served come courtesy of HarperCollins.