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W E D N E S D A Y

Sibyl James‘ arty series of prose-poems, The Adventures of Stout Mama, celebrates a certain breed of former flower-child who’s reached age 40 and entered college-professordom. The eponymous main character, an uninhibited soul, has a disinterest in monogamy, an affinity for C&W, and a pesky, Dylanlike tendency to number her dreams. And she’s not even stout—her nickname seems chosen more for punch iness than authenticity, like a lot of her stereotypical boho habits. There’s an autobiographical slant to James’ portrayal of her heroine, but despite the pretensions of eccentricity, these vignettes deserve credit for literary experimentation. James reads at 7:30 p.m. at Borders, 11500 Rockville Pike, Rockville. FREE. (301) 816-1067. (Nathalie op de Beeck)