When David Sedaris read at Benaroya Hall on May 9, he couldn't stop praising Tim Johnston's debut short-story collection, Irish Girl. He said the stories were dark enough to make you lose your faith in humanity, but that the writing was beautiful enough to renew it again. He told his audience to come to Johnston's upcoming reading, and then he said, "I want you to buy [Irish Girl] before you buy any of my books. It's so much better than any of my books." Are you going to say no to David Fucking Sedaris? I didn't think so. (Elliott Bay Book Company, 1521 10th Ave, 624-6600. 7 pm, free.)