These readings have been confirmed as of press time. Because of last week's tragedy, we recommend that you call ahead before attending an event. Due to problems with air travel, several major book tours have been canceled indefinitely.


Thursday 9/20


SARAH MANGOLD & ROBERTA OLSON

The world is big, the world is small, and Sarah Mangold is the author of Blood and Substitutes and the forthcoming Household Mechanics. Olson has written the recently published chapbook, All These Fair and Flagrant Things. Open Books, 2414 N 45th Street, 633-0811, 7:30 pm, free.


JOYCE WEATHERFORD

Seattle expatriate Weatherford returns from California to read from her debut novel, which is about a woman working to save the family ranch from debt and disputes. This bonanza is curiously titled Heart of the Beast. Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 S Main, 624-6400, 5:30 pm, free.


ARTHUR BRADFORD and JONATHAN AMES

Bradford's new book of stories, Dogwalker, has received praise from the Three Daves of Pop Lit--Eggers, Sedaris, and Foster Wallace--the last of whom calls it "a book that's like being able to have lunch with the part of you that dreams at night." Ames appears with Bradford to push Bradford's paperback release of last year's What's Not to Love?: The Adventures of a Mildly Perverted Young Writer. The New York Times Book Review says, "There is a light beauty to the ephemeral, a beauty Ames conjures up in countless joyous scatological and ejaculatory moments." No comment. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6400, 7:30 pm, free.


Friday 9/21


* NATALIE SCHOEN

Schoen reads from her new novel Ghosts, a story set in "crazy, permissive, post-WWII Italy." Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, 322-7030, 7:30 pm, free.


LAURA L. SMITH, Ph.D., and CHARLES H. ELLIOTT, Ph.D.

Two shrinks co-wrote a book called Hollow Kids: Recapturing the Soul of a Generation Lost to the Self-Esteem Myth. The doctors point out that we shouldn't give kids too much self-esteem, since "nothing exceeds the rage of a threatened narcissist." Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6400, 5:30 pm, free.


* IAIN SINCLAIR

Sinclair reads from his U.S. fiction debut, Landor's Tower, which is about some valley in Wales. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6400, 7:30 pm, free.


Saturday 9/22


* THE POLLACK/HODGMAN INTERVIEWS

America's most renowned unpaid English-language humorist, Pollack, talks with his former literary agent and occasional McSweeney's columnist, Hodgman, about fine literature, cured meats, a childhood in Arizona, how to write prose for money, living with unusual facial hair, agents who break their promises, and other interesting topics. Richard Hugo House, 8 pm, 322-7030, $4 members/$6 public.


* MARK ANDERSEN

Andersen and his punk-rock cohort Mark Jenkins have collaborated to produce "an unblinking, deeply knowledgeable inside account of the conflicting ideologies and external pressures that have continually threatened Washington, D.C.'s punk community, which has nevertheless flourished for more than 20 years," according to Entertainment Weekly. It probably won't mean much to anyone else, but it's a must-read for fans of D.C. punk outfits like Fugazi and Minor Threat. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6400, 7 pm, free.


JUDY CARTER

Author of The Comedy Bible, Carter will graciously give a free "comedy workship" along with her book signing at Giggles Comedy Club. If folks like it, they can take her full-scale "Intensive Workshop" at 10:30 the next morning for $75. Here is a sample from her new book: "Wrong way: 'My wife is such a bitch.' Better way: 'My wife ran off with my best friend. What a bitch.' Best way: 'My wife ran off with my best friend. How could I be so stupid? I should have known!'" Giggles Comedy Club, 5220 Roosevelt Way NE, 526-5653, 1 pm, free.


Monday 9/24


RUFUS GOODWIN

A former Vatican correspondent has written a novel on "the inversion of the American dream as experienced by Crusty, his haphazard homeless anti-hero." Secret Garden Bookshop, 2214 NW Market Street, 789-5006, 7 pm, free. Also on Tues Sept 25 at Barnes & Noble, University Village, 517-4107, 7 pm, free.


DAVID JAMES DUNCAN

The author of The River Why pulls a Fiona Apple with his new book, which he has titled My Story As Told By Water: Confessions, Druidic Rants, Reflections, Bird-Watchings, Fish-Stalkings, Visions, Songs, and Prayers Refracting Lights from Living Rivers, in the Age of the Industrial Dark. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6400, 7:30 pm, free.


Tuesday 9/25


KATHLEEN MEYER

Kathleen Meyer moved from Manhattan to rural Montana, where she liked it more; she wrote a book about skunks and bears and running around barefoot like a nature nutter. This book is called Barefoot Hearted: A Wild Life Among Wildlife. Meyer is also the author of the "perennially popular" How to Shit in the Woods: An Environmentally Sound Approach to a Lost Art. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6400, 5:30 pm, free.


* DOUGLAS COUPLAND

Celebrated Canuck reads from his new book, All Families Are Psychotic. The title is proof that Coupland was the Tolstoy of the '90s. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6400, 7:30 pm, free.


* JOAN DIDION

See Stranger Suggests. Benaroya Hall's Nordstrom Recital Hall, 7:30 pm, $15. Tickets available via Elliott Bay Book Company (624-6400) and Seattle Arts & Lectures. For more information, call 621-2230, or visit www.lectures.org.


Wednesday 9/26


TOMIE dePAOLA

Prolific children's author Tomie dePaola will read and sign his newest books, The Holy Twins and Meet the Barkers... Secret Garden Bookshop, 2214 NW Market (Ballard), 789-5006, 10 am, free.


DUFF WILSON

The Seattle Times' crackerjack investigative reporter and Pulitzer Prize finalist Duff Wilson reads from his first book, Fateful Harvest: The True Story of a Small Town, a Global Industry, and a Toxic Secret. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6400, 7:30 pm, free.


JENNIFER HAHN

Bellingham's Jennifer Hahn presents her account of a 750-mile solo kayak trip from Ketchikan to home, during which she braved wolves, whales, storms, and drunken fishermen. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6400, 7:30 pm, free.


POETRY/OPEN MICS

* EAST INDIA TRADING CO.--Mon at 7:30 pm; sign-up at 7 pm; Coffee Messiah, 1554 E Olive Way, 208-1188, free.

* POETRY ANDANTE--Thurs at 7:30 pm; Cafe Allegro, 4002 University Way NE, 634-2310, free.

RE-BIRTH--Thurs at 7:30 pm; Zodiac Cafe, 605 E Broadway, 720-4502, free.

RED SKY POETRY THEATER--Featured reader is Joe Keppler. Sun at 7 pm, Globe Cafe, 1531 14th Ave, 324-8815, free.

SEATTLE POETRY SLAM--Open mic, open slam with a $25 cash-money prize, and a freestyle jazz/spoken-word forum after the show. 21+ only, Wed at 9 pm; Sit & Spin, 2219 4th Ave, 441-9484, $4.

* STAGEFRIGHT--Open mic by youth for youth--ages 14-24. Richard Hugo House, 1643 11th Ave, 322-7030, 7 pm, free.