THURSDAY 7/8
IAN CALDWELL AND DUSTIN THOMASON
The Rule of Four is a thriller, soon to be unbearably popular. Third Place Books, 17171 Bothell Way NE, 366-3333, 7 pm, free.
KAYA McLAREN
On the Divinity of Second Chances is, according to press materials, about a woman and “her spirit guide, her reclusive brother, and a bunch of armed tap dancers.” Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 South Main St, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free. (Also July 11 at Queen Anne Books, 1811 Queen Anne Ave N, 283-5624, 3 pm, free.)
FRIDAY 7/9
DEB CALETTI
The Queen of Everything is a novel. Third Place Books, 366-3333, 6 pm, free.
* GEORGE HAGEN
I haven’t read Hagen’s debut novel, The Laments, but it’s getting a ton of praise, including from people like Roddy Doyle, who says it’s “hugely entertaining and very, very funny.” A sentence, at random: “Christmas in the Persian Gulf was an oddity practiced with fierce determination by the English.” Another: “Mary’s breasts ached.” What’s more, the cover is beautiful. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
BORIS ZEMTOV
The Merry Baker of Riga: An American Entrepreneur Ventures into Eastern Europe is a travelogue. Ravenna Third Place Books, 6504 20th Ave, 525-2347, 7:30 pm, free.
SATURDAY 7/10
MOTHER CLARE WATTS
Giving Birth to God: A Woman’s Path to Enlightenment is about, so say the press materials, Clare Watts’ “journey through religions and traditions to come to a place of a spiritually rich life that is also one based in the world.” No word on where else a life might be based. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 3 pm, free.
TODD LEWAN
The Last Run: A True Story of Rescue and Redemption on the Alaska Seas is about a 79-year-old schooner. Third Place Books, 366-3333, 6 pm, free.
G. M. FORD
Red Tide is a mystery about destruction, annihilation, death, and other happy topics. Seattle Mystery Bookshop, 117 Cherry St, 587-5737, noon, free. (Also on July 14 at Third Place Books, 366-3333, 7 pm, free.)
JANET LEE CAREY
The Double Life of Zoe Flynn is a children’s book by the author of Molly’s Fire and Wenny Has Wings. Parkplace Books, 348 Parkplace Center, Kirkland, 425-828-6546, 2 pm, free.
SUNDAY 7/11
“KIMBERLY AKIMBO”
A staged reading of David Lindsay-Abaire’s play. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 2 pm, free.
DAVID BOYER
Kings and Queens: Queers at the Prom is a book of reporting about gay, lesbian, and bisexual teenagers, who, well, brought the wrong kind of dates to their proms. Boyer’s writing on this topic began in 1997, with a piece for Might magazine. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 4:30 pm, free.
MONDAY 7/12
MARY POTTER ENGEL
Strangers and Sojourners: Stories from the Lowcountry is a collection of linked pieces. Third Place Books, 366-3333, 7 pm, free.
JUDITH RYAN HENDRICKS
Hendricks’ novel Isabel’s Daughter begins: “The first time I saw my mother was the night she died. The second time was at a party in Santa Fe.” Queen Anne Books, 283-5624, 7 pm, free.
ANTHONY B. CHAN
Perpetually Cool: The Many Lives of Anna May Wong is a biography of the Chinese-American actress whose work has been exhibited and studied at places like the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
FLOATING BRIDGE PRESS
An evening of poetry in celebration of the press’ anthology Pontoon 6. Contributors Clifford Paul Fetters, Thomas Aslin, Joseph Powell, Shannon Borg, Leonard Orr, and Gregory Hischak read. Ravenna Third Place Books, 525-2347, 7:30 pm, free.
TUESDAY 7/13
MARK BITTNER
The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill is about the author’s unlikely (some have said “profound”) relationship with a bunch of birds in San Francisco. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
* WALTER MOSLEY
“Like James Sallis, Walter Mosley is a descendant of Chester Himes, whose most famous mystery, A Rage in Harlem, was made into a bad movie. Unlike Himes, Mosley’s most famous novel, Devil in a Blue Dress, was made into an excellent movie. None of Sallis’ mystery novels have been made into movies, but he has written a great biography of Himes (Chester Himes: A Life), whose mysteries, like Mosley’s mysteries, are mazes that reveal at their centers a racial fact of American life. ” (Charles Mudede) Seattle Mystery Bookshop, 587-5737, noon, free. (Also at Jackson Street Books, 2301 S Jackson St, Suite 210, 324-7000, 7 pm, free; and on July 14 at Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.)
JOHN KESSEL AND JAMES PATRICK
The two science-fiction writers (authors of Stories for Men and Think Like a Dinosaur, respectively) read and talk about their work. UW Campus, Kane Hall, Walker-Ames Room, 634-3400 for more info, 7:30 pm, free.
WEDNESDAY 7/14
GARY FERGUSON
The Great Divide: The Rocky Mountains in the American Mind is about our collective and specific relationships to the only interesting feature of Middle America. University Book Store, 4326 University Way NE, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.
JOHN DOUGLAS MARSHALL
The P-I book critic talks about his book Place of Learning, Place of Dreams: A History of the Seattle Public Library. Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 2700 NE University Village, 517-4107, 7 pm, free.
POETRY/OPEN MICS
HOMELAND–Words. So many words. Tuesdays at 7 pm. Caffe Vita, 1005 E Pike St, 709-4440, free.
POETSWEST–Sundays at 7 pm. Penny Cafe, 1707 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. Spot’s Chai House, 5463 Leary Ave NW, 297-2424, free.
SEATTLE POETRY SLAM–Open mic and slam with Karen Finneyfrock. Wednesdays at 8 pm. Capitol Hill Arts Center, 1621 12th Ave, 388-0500, $5.
SEATTLE SPIT–Queer spoken word. First Thursday of every month at 8:30 pm. Wildrose, 1021 E Pike St, 369-2471, free.
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–Poetry reading. Fourth Friday of every month at 7:15 pm. Lottie Motts Coffee Shop, 4900 Rainier Ave S, 725-8199, free.
