BART BAXTER, JAMES GURLEY
Two fine poets published by Floating Bridge Press read in the civilized confines of the Poem Emporium. Open Books, 2414 N 45th St, 633-0811, 7:30 pm, free.
EDWIDGE DANTICAT
This rescheduling of Danticat's appearance offers fans of Danticat's precocious prose another opportunity to hear her read for the paperback release of The Farming of Bones. Danticat's stories of life in the Dominican Republic under the ethnic cleansing perpetrated by Trujillo are powerful political parables. Elliott Bay, 101 S Main St, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
DREW EMERY, ARLENE NAGANAWA, PRISCILLA TURNER
Seattle Arts Commission-approved writers read from new work in this series of free readings co-sponsored by the Hugo House. Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, 322-7030, 7:30 pm, free.
BRAIDEN REX-JOHNSON
Secrets of the normally opaque Pike Place Market are revealed by local writer Rex-Johnson, whose Inside the Pike Place Market: Exploring America's Favorite Farmer's Market joins the shelf with other classics like Pike Place Market Cookbook and Pike Place Market Seafood Cook-book. Borders, 1501 Fourth Ave, 622-4599, 6 pm, free.
JEAN MONAHAN
Monahan's sense of humor and taste for the offbeat shines through with beautiful and accessible poetry, collected in Believe It Or Not. Elliott Bay, 101 S Main St, 624-6600, 5 pm, free.
SANJAY NIGAM
Released to a storm of praise, Nigam's fiction debut, the novel The Snake Charmer, mesmerized critics. The New York Times described it as "engaging, light-as-a-feather," and "poignant, almost elegiac." Come decide for yourself. Elliott Bay, 101 S Main St, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
POE TRIBUTE
A Halloween tribute to Edgar Allen Poe on the 150th anniversary of his death features character actor Jake Esau reading selections of Poe's most significant works. Keep your ear against the wall and you may hear a heartbeat. Borders, 1501 Fourth Ave, 622-4599, 6 pm, free.
FALL EXTRAVAGANZA
Seattle Love of Life poetry series presents an evening of round-robin open mic, in the style of Nelson Bentley. Thirty advance sign-ups read one poem each. Call 789-4899 if you're interested in joining them. Barnes & Noble Books, University Village, 789-4899, 7 pm, free.
*TIM SANDERS, BELLE RANDALL, DERAN LUDD,
WALLY SHOUP
A frighteningly good lineup for Halloween from the Titlewave Reading Series, with anxiety-ridden Tim Sanders, the author of Stage Fright, Belle Randall, belle of the poetry collection Drop Dead Beautiful, and Deran Ludd, author of the apocalyptic No Aloha. Music will be provided by Wally Shoup. No need to go door to door -- all the treats are here. Titlewave Books, 7 Mercer St, 324-6379, 7:30 pm, free.
*WALTER MOSLEY
Presidential favorite Mosley's Easy Rawlins character shot him to national consciousness, but in his newest novels, Mosley has created a new character who is even more successful. Socrates Fortlow is an ex-con who becomes a scapegoat extraordinaire, attracting all blame within a five-block radius. In Walkin' the Dog, Fortlow crosses all sorts of fault lines, rendered in Mosley's straight-edged prose. Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 1634 19th Ave, free.
*LOS NORTE--OS
See Bio Box. Elliott Bay, 101 S Main St, 624-6600, 7 pm.
URSULA HEGI
Hegi's blessing from Oprah turned this Eastern Washington writer into a star, and her prose mostly warrants it. Her 1991 novel, Floating in My Mother's Palm, is a beautiful, floaty narrative that touches on the murky world of childhood. Her most recent book, Tearing the Silence: Being German in America, essays the question of German American identity, incorporating interviews with dozens of German Americans. (Note: Main floor is already sold out.) The 5th Ave Theatre, 1326 Fifth Ave, 621-2230, 7:30 pm, $7.50-$15.
ANNIE LEIBOWITZ
Featuring an essay by Susan Sontag, Leibowitz's book Women collects photo portraits of women such as Hilary Rodham Clinton, Eudora Welty, and Jodi Foster. The highly regarded Leibowitz will discuss and sign her book at this appearance. Bailey/Coy Books, 414 Broadway E, 323-8842, 7 pm, free.
DAVA SOBEL
Sobel took on the task of the first-ever English translation of Galileo's daughter's letters, written to the belabored astronomist during his trial before the Inquisition. The resulting fascinating work is Galileo's Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Silence, Faith and Love. Kane Hall 220, UW Campus, 634-3400, 7 pm, free (tickets).
FLAVIA ALAYA
Alaya's memoir, Under the Rose: A Confession, is based on the torrid events of a life that seems pulled from melodrama, but is written without melodrama. Alaya, 21 years old and on a scholarship in Italy, met the love of her life. He just happened to be a Catholic priest. Years and three children later, living in New York and estranged from her family, Alaya gave her lover an ultimatum. Elliott Bay, 101 S Main St, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
SONIA GOMEZ, LAURIE CONNER, MIRA SHIMABUKURO
Three excellent and adventurous local writers read from current work. Each has taken on the topics of ethnic and multi-ethnic identity, exile and the meanings of memory, and class consciousness, in powerful narratives that relate to regional issues and to very personal experiences. They will also discuss their work in a question and answer segment. Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, 322-7030, 7 pm, free.
MARY DEARBORN
Norman Mailer's drunken bouts, his irascible sexism, and his literary post-war importance all find a place in Dearborn's canonical biography, titled Mailer. Elliott Bay, 101 S Main St, 624-6600, 5 pm, free.
DAVA SOBEL
See listing for 11/2. Elliott Bay, 101 S Main St, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
*EDWARD SAID
Mr. Liminal Intellectual and father of discourse on postcolonialism makes a rare visit. He will read from his new memoir, Out of Place, a very personal account of his upbringing in the Middle East, and subsequent move to the U.S. This is a work that is sure to add to the understanding of one of our century's most important cultural critics. Town Hall, Eighth Ave & Seneca St, 652-4255, 7:30 pm, $5.
OPEN MIC
Note to regularly programmed open mics: The Stranger will list events only if we receive an announcement -- regular listings will be dropped unless we are notified that the events are in fact ongoing.
THE PEARL
Turn irritation into beauty: bring fiction, poetry, film, or drama. Every first Thursday celebrates Dead Poets. The Pearl, 4215 University Way NE, 547-3326, 8 pm, free.
SPOKEN WORD
Each and every Thursday, the venerable Pioneer Square venue spotlights music, poetry, and comedy. Pioneer Square Saloon, 73 Yesler Way, 624-6444, 8:30 pm, free.
RED SKY POETRY THEATER
Seattle's longest-running reading series turns 19 this season. Celebrate with an open mic, appropriately themed "Tales of the Macabre." Globe Cafe, 1531 14th off Pine, 633-5647, 7:30 pm, donation.
THIRD PLACE BOOKS OPEN MIC
A place to share poetry; all are welcome, but swear words are discouraged (it's a family bookstore, for Christ's sake). Third Place Books, 17171 Bothell Way NE, 366-3300, 7 pm, free.
SEATTLE POETRY SLAM
With a new venue and a new night, Seattle's biggest poetry slam is alive and kickin'. Tonight, Jim Bodeen, the editor of Blue Begonia Press, reads, followed open mic. Rupert's, 309 First Ave S, 628-7703, www.seattlepoetryslam.org, 9 pm, $3.
CATHARTICISM
Come to confess your sins, stay for a cookie. Open mic for poetry, stories, music, rants, and more. Tonight is the special "Birthday Show." Coffee Messiah, 1554 E Olive Way, 860-7377, 8:30 pm, free.
