THURSDAY 9/16



JON BOWERMASTER

The preposition-happy author of Over the Top of the World reads from his latest novel, Alone Against the Sea. Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 S Main St, 624-6600, 5:30 pm, free.

MARJANE SATRAPI

Persepolis 2 is about Iran. University Book Store, 4326 University Way NE, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.

TESS GERRITSEN

Body Double is a thriller. Seattle Mystery Bookshop, 117 Cherry St, 587-5737, noon, free (also at Third Place Books, 17171 Bothell Way NE, 366-3333, 7 pm, free).

ILYA KAMINSKY

A reading organized by the unbelievably pleasant editors of the local journal Cranky. Kaminsky is the featured reader, but there are tons of others, too. Seattle Art Museum, Nordstrom Lecture Hall, 100 University St, 7:30-9 pm, free; plus there will be music, a bar, and (undoubtedly) birds.

FRIDAY 9/17



FOOLSCAP VI

A bunch of fantasy writers and artists (George R. R. Martin, Raven Mimura, etc.) converge on this poor hotel. Sheraton Bellevue Hotel, 100 112th Ave NE, Bellevue, 425-455-3330, $26/$50 at the door, Fri-Sun Sept 17-19.

TERRY BROOKS

The fantasy author increases the eBay value of copies of High Druid of Shannara: Tanequil. Third Place Books, 366-3333, 6 pm, free.

MARGARET WEIS

Amber and Ashes is set in the Dragonlance universe, whatever that is. University Book Store, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.

STEPHANIE KALLOS

Broken for You is a novel. Ravenna Third Place, 6304 20th Ave NE, 525-2347, 7:30 pm, free.

KRIST NOVOSELIC AND MARK ANDERSON

The Nirvana guy and the activist read from and talk about their books: Of Grunge & Government: Let's Fix This Broken Democracy! and All the Power: Revolution Without Illusion, respectively. UW Kane Hall, Room 130, 634-3400, 7:30 pm, free.

ESI EDUGYAN

The Second Life of Samuel Tyne is a novel. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.

ATTACK OF THE POLITICAL CARTOONISTS

A bunch of local cartoonists (Dave Horsey, Eric Devericks, Milt Priggee, and others) talk about Attack of the Political Cartoonists: Insights and Assaults from Today's Editorial Cartoonists. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.

SATURDAY 9/18



ANNE ELIZABETH MOORE

Hey Kids, Buy This Book: A Radical Primer on Corporate Government and Governmental Propaganda and Artistic Activism for Short People is directed to children, not midgets. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 2 pm, free.

STEPHEN J. DUCAT

The Wimp Factor is about masculinity, fear of femininity, and holy wars. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 5 pm, free.

JENNIE SHORTRIDGE

Riding with the Queen is a novel. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.

* WHO'S FUNNIER: THE RIGHT OR THE LEFT?

Janeane Garofalo, Harry Shearer, Sherman Alexie, and The Stranger's political writer Sandeep Kaushik bloviate, crack jokes, and inform the masses. Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St, 682-0888, 8 pm, tickets $17.50-$75.00, registered voters receive a $5 discount per ticket.

SUNDAY 9/19



DAVE BARRY, RIDLEY PEARSON

They are the authors of Peter and the Starcatchers, which is for children. And yes, it's that Dave Barry. Third Place Books, 17171 Bothell Way NE, 366-3333, 2 pm, free.

ANNA BALINT

Horse Thief is a collection of short stories. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 3 pm, free.

MONDAY 9/20



NATALIE GOLDBERG

The author of Writing Down the Bones signs her new book, The Great Failure: A Bartender, A Monk and My Unlikely Path to Truth, which is missing a serial comma. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 5 pm, free (also University Book Store, 634-3400, 7 pm, free).

* LAWRENCE WESCHLER

The exceptionally smart writer and critic (Seeing Is Forgetting the Name of the Things One Sees) reads from and talks about Vermeer in Bosnia, a collection of recent (and quite good) essays. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.

PHILIP GOLD

The conservative gives a talk based on his new book, Take Back the Right: How the Neocons and the Religious Right Have Betrayed the Conservative Movement. Town Hall Seattle, 1119 Eighth Ave, 652-4255, 7:30 pm, $5.

TUESDAY 9/21



JOHN NICHOLS

Dick: The Man Who Is President is about Mr. Cheney. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 5:30 pm, free.

BRIAN DOHERTY

The Burning Man regular reads his book about the dusty hippie fest, This Is Burning Man. University Book Store, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.

DANIEL AMEN

His book is called Preventing Alzheimer's. To make a joke ("Don't forget!," etc.) would be in bad taste. Third Place Books, 366-3333, 7 pm free (also on Wed Sept 22 at University Book Store, 634-3400, 7 pm, free).

NEAL STEPHENSON

There are a lot of rules for this reading/signing of System of the World: Volume Three of the Baroque Cycle. For example: "If you want to tape this for your home-video collection, that's cool. Just make sure you do it from the audience, not the signing line." UW Kane Hall, Room 130, 634-3400, 7:30 pm, tickets required.

CINTRA WILSON

Mark Costello calls Colors Insulting to Nature "less a novel than a literary air strike on our culture." Hmm. Here's the first sentence: "The faces of the judges revealed, although they were trying to hide it, deep distaste for the fact that the thirteen-year-old girl in front of them had plucked eyebrows and false eyelashes." Here's another sentence (selected at random): "He wasn't sure what he wanted to be, exactly, but he felt strongly that he could be some kind of Player in the entertainment industry." Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 8 pm, free.

WEDNESDAY 9/22



PAMELA SACKETT

Saving the World Solo is a memoir. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 6 pm, free.

SARA DONATI

Fire Along the Sky is about the Northeast wilderness in the 19th century. Third Place Books, 366-3333, 7 pm, free.

AIMEE PHAN

We Should Never Meet is a collection of stories. Seattle Public Library, 2821 Beacon Ave S, 6247-6600, 7 pm, free.

* LESLEY HAZLETON, HEATHER DAY

Hazleton, author of Mary, gives a lecture called "'What's a Hymen For?' and Other Problems/Perils/Pleasures of Writing About the Virgin Mary." Day's lecture is called "What is 'Radical'?" Polestar Music Gallery, 1412 18th Ave, 7:30 pm, donations welcomed, www.seattleresearch-institute.org.

LAUREN KESSLER

Kessler reads from Clever Girl: Elizabeth Bentley, the Spy Who Ushered in the McCarthy Era. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 8 pm, free.

POETRY/OPEN MICS
HOMELAND--Words. So many words. Tuesdays at 7 pm. Caffe Vita, 1005 E Pike St, 709-4440, free.

OFF THE PAGE: A CELBRATION OF FEMINIST POETRY--Readings by local poets Linda Anderson, Amber Flame, Anitra Freemen, and others will explore the subject of women's lives, loves, health, homelessness, work, and activism. Fall-harvest supper, with vegetarian option available, at 6:30 pm for a $6.50 donation. Thursday Sept 16, 7:30 pm. New Freeway Hall, 5018 Rainier Ave S, 722-6057, free.

POETSWEST--Featuring Rebecca Louden and Peter Pereira on Sunday Sept 19 at 7 pm. Penny Cafe, 1707 NW Market St, 682-1268, free and Monday Sept 20 at Ravenna Third Place, 6504 20th Ave NE, 525-2347, free.

RED SKY POETRY THEATER--Featured reader this week: Gloria Burgess. Sundays at 7 pm. Globe Cafe, 1531 14th Ave, 547-4585, free.

SCRATCHING POST--Poetry open mic, all ages. Thursdays at 8 pm, signup at 7:30 pm. Mr. Spot's Chai House, 5463 Leary Ave NW, 297-2424, free.

SEATTLE POETRY SLAM--Open mic and slam with Karen Finneyfrock. Wednesdays at 8 pm. Capitol Hill Arts Center, 1621 12th Ave, 388-0500, $5.