THURSDAY 3/30

RUTH REICHL

The famous food critic reads from Garlic and Sapphires. A copy of it (plus drinks and "lite eats") comes with the price of admission. Palace Ballroom, 2100 Fifth Ave, 634-3400, 7 pm, $50.

PAMELA SAMUELS-YOUNG

She wrote two novels while working as a corporate lawyer for Toyota. Her talk tonight is called "How to Write a Novel Despite Your Day Job." Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, 322-7030, 7 pm, free.

MARK KURLANSKY

The author of Salt and other books reads from The Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell. Third Place Books, 17171 Bothell Way NE, 366-3333, 7 pm, free.

CAROLYNE WRIGHT, DAVID WAGONER

Wright reads from her poetry collection A Change of Maps. Wagoner reads from his collection Good Morning and Good Night. Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 S Main St, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, price.

FRIDAY 3/31

WEBSTER TARPLEY

9/11 Synthetic Terror: Made in the USA is about terrorism, dictatorships, etc. Third Place Books, 366-3333, 6:30 pm, free.

TOM TOMORROW

The comic artist's new collection is Hell in a Handbasket: Dispatches from the Country Formerly Known as America. Michael Moore is among his fans. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 6 pm, price.

MEG MULLINS

The Rug Merchant is a novel about an Iranian immigrant. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 8 pm, price.

SATURDAY 4/1

LILLIAS BEVER, KEVIN CRAFT

Bever reads from her award-winning collection of poems Bellini in Istanbul. Craft reads from his debut collection, Solar Prominence. Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 S Main St, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.

ERICA JONG

The famous novelist (Fear of Flying) reads from Seducing the Demon, a book about writing. University Book Store, 4326 University Way NE, 634-3400, 4 pm, free.

WEBSTER GRIFFIN TARPLEY, BARRY ZWICKER

The two writers talk about 9/11. UW Campus, HUB Auditorium, 634-3400, 6 pm, $15.

KAREN HARTER

Where Mercy Flows is a debut novel. Third Place Books, 366-3333, 6:30 pm, free.

SUNDAY 4/2

ZAK SALLY

Sally (the author, zine publisher, and bassist in the band Low) reads from his graphic narrative Recidivist. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 2 pm, free.

PAUL DIAMOND, TYLER McMAHON

The coeditors talk about their book Surfing's Greatest Misadventures: Dropping in on the Unexpected. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 4 pm, free.

MONDAY 4/3

ED ABINGTON, JONATHAN JACOBY

The Middle East policy wonks talk about Palestine and Israel. Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave, 441-5910, 7 pm, $15.

DAVID EDMONDS

The author of Wittgenstein's Poker and Bobby Fisher Goes to War reads from his new book Rousseau's Dog: Two Great Thinkers at War in the Age of Enlightenment. University Book Store, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.

JENNIFER WORRICK

Girl Group Confidential is "a guidebook for the chick-lit lifestyle." Third Place Books, 366-3333, 7 pm, free. (Also on 4/4 at University Book Store, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.)

JODI PICOULT

The Tenth Circle is a novel about a comic artist whose daughter gets raped. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free. (Also on 4/4 at Third Place Books, 366-3333, 7 pm, free.)

TUESDAY 4/4

TAMAR KATRIEL

The researcher of Israeli culture gives a talk called "On Cultural Ways of Speaking." Explaining the lecture, Katriel says: ""By drawing on ethnographic studies of ways of speaking, the talk will demonstrate the value of a sustained, historically sensitive and contextually diverse exploration of speech patterns as a form of cultural inquiry." Sentences like that make my brain turn to foam. UW Campus, Kane Hall 110, 634-3400, 6:30 pm, free.

LISA SEE

Amy Tan calls See's novel Snow Flower and the Secret Fan "so mesmerizing that the pages float away." Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave, 7 pm, free.

SUSAN STRAIGHT

A Million Nightingales is a novel set in 19th-century Louisiana. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.

TONY HOAGLAND

The poet (his most recent collection is What Narcissism Means to Me) talks about his life and work. Intiman Theatre, 201 Mercer St, 621-2230, 7:30 pm, $18.

WEDNESDAY 4/5

PETER ROSS, ROBERT DUFF

Ross is a marine mammal toxicologist. Duff works for the state's department of health. They will talk about toxins in the mammals of Puget Sound including orcas, seals, and humans. Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave, 441-5910, 7 pm, $15.

MARY DAHEIM

The Alpine Recluse is a novel involving fire, death, marriage, stock fraud, and budding romance. Third Place Books, 366-3333, 7 pm, free.

EDITH WHARTON

Wharton rises from the dead and reads from her novel The House of Mirth. Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave, 216-0833, www.spl.org, 7 pm, free.

JAVIER SIERRA

The Secret Supper is an historical novel about religion and art, including da Vinci's The Last Supper. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.

SHALOM AUSLANDER, BERNARD COOPER

The Jewish writers, both of whom have been on This American Life, read. Auslander is the author of a debut collection of stories, Beware of God. (Funny title.) Cooper is the author of The Bill from My Father, a memoir ("a glorious cornucopia of love and pain," as Alice Sebold describes it). Tractor Tavern, 5213 Ballard Ave NW, 888-621-2230, $8, 7:30 pm, 21+.

POETRY/OPEN MICS

ELLIOTT BAY OPEN MIKE NIGHT: Signup at 7, reading at 7:30 pm. Last Wednesday of the month. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, free.

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

POETSWEST: Featured readers and an open mic. Saturdays at 6 pm. Epilogue Books, 2005 NW Market St, 682-1268, free.

RED SKY POETRY THEATER: Featured readers and an open mic. 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. Spots Chai House, 5463 Leary Ave NW, 297-2424, free.

SEATTLE POETRY SLAM: Every Tuesday at 8 pm. Mirabeau Room, 529 Queen Anne Ave N, 650-2869, $4.

STAGE FRIGHT: Youth open mic. Fourth Wednesday of every month at 7 pm. Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, 322-7030, free.

TAKE A POEM INTO YOUR HEART: Featured readers. Fourth Friday of every month at 7 pm, signup at 6:45 pm. Bookworm Exchange, 4860 Rainier Ave, 722-6633, free.

SEATTLE SPIT: Featured readers and an open mic. First Thursday of every month at 8:30 pm. The Wild Rose, 1021 E Pike St, free.

TUESDAYS AT THE CABARET: An evening of poetry, comedy, and prose on the second Tuesday of every month. Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, $5.