THURSDAY 1/6SUSAN ZWINGERZwinger's passion in The Last Wild Edge: One Woman's Journey from the Arctic Circle to the Olympic Rain Forest sometimes leads her to leaden flights of metaphor, but her subject matter is nothing if not personal, combined with a naturalist's pointillist sense of detail. Central Public Library, 1000 Fourth Ave, Lee Auditorium, 386-4636, 7 pm, free.FRIDAY 1/7LARRY LAURENCESeattle poet Larry Laurence reads from his debut collection, Life of the Bones to Come described by Judith Roche as "prayers of beauty and pain." Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 S Main St, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.

SUNDAY 1/9JON STRONGBOW, MILO DUKEA book release party celebrating works by two Seattle surrealists: A Walkabout Seattle, a 96-page flip book in comic book format, and The Book of Orpheus, a graphic novelette featuring woodcut illustrations. Pistil Books & News, 1013 E Pike, 325-5401, 7 pm, free.MURIEL NELSON, GARY THOMPSON, DEBORAH WOODARDThree poets with books out on Bear Star Press, read from their work: Muriel Nelson from Part Song; Thompson from On John Muir's Trail; Woodard from The Orphan Conducts the Dovehouse Orchestra. Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 S Main St, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.

MONDAY 1/10ELIZABETH MCCRACKEN, ANN PATCHETTMcCracken and Patchett are two young novelists working out of the contemporary literary sentimental genre, producing books populated by quirky characters. The two authors, friends and both graduates of the Iowa Writers' Workshop, read and discuss their work tonight as part of the Seattle Arts & Lectures series. 5th Avenue Theater, 1308 5th Ave, 621-2230, 7:30 pm, $7.50-$18.MARY V. DEARBORNDearborn takes on a tetchy subject with her unauthorized literary biography of Norman Mailer, Mailer: A Biography, tackling both his love of the spotlight and his misogyny alongside his immense talent, in a well-received feminist critique. Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 S Main St, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.

TUESDAY 1/11DAVID LASKINLaskin moves from writing weather books to a study of literary history in New York: partisans, marriage, politics, and betrayal among the New York intellectuals. Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 S Main St, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.

WEDNESDAY 1/12KATHERINE MARTINTestimonies of risk taking populate Portland writer Katherine Martin's collection Women of Courage: Inspiring Stories from the Women Who Lived Them, including real-life accounts from Isabel Allende, Sen. Patty Murray, Rita Dove, and more. Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 S Main St, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.

OPEN MICNote 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.

THURSDAY 1/6665Count the days no more -- 665 is back, reconfigured by Salon Productions. This open mic is hosted by Sarah Sharp, with featured readers adding to the equation. Four Angels Cafe, 1400 14th Ave at Union, 264-5139, 7:30 sign-up, free.

SPOKEN WORDEach and every Thursday, this venerable Pioneer Square venue spotlights music, poetry, and comedy. Pioneer Square Saloon, 73 Yesler Way, 624-6444, 8:30 pm, free.

TUESDAY 1/11HOMELANDHosted by Circus and friends, "Seattle's own Little Bohemia" emerges from a hiatus transformed. The Globe Cafe, 1531 14th Ave at Pike, 264-5139, 7:30 sign-up, free.

WEDNESDAY 1/12SEATTLE POETRY SLAMWith a new venue and a new night, Seattle's biggest poetry slam is alive and kickin'. Tonight, Mekeisha Madden visits from Detroit, plus an open slam. Rupert's, 309 First Ave S, 628-7703, www.seattlepoetryslam.org, 9 pm, $3.