READINGS

THURSDAY 10/26

PETER & LENI GILLMAN

The authors of The Wildest Dream weigh in with their examination of whether George Mallory actually reached the summit of Mount Everest. Third Place Books, 17171 Lake Forest Way NE, 366-3333. 7 pm, free.

AHDAF SOUEIF

Soueif is an Egyptian writer currently based in London. Her latest novel, only recently published in the U.S. as a paperback original, was a finalist for the 1999 Booker Prize. Penelope Lively praised The Map of Love as “political fiction that is also unashamedly romantic,” and the London Independent called Soueif’s prose “rich with historical detail and debate.” See Bio Box. Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 S Main, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, advance free tickets available at store.

*JEAN & JOHN L. COMAROFF

The Comaroffs are both anthropologists at the University of Chicago, which, last time I checked, has one of the finest anthropology departments in the entire universe. Their new book, Alien Nation: Zombies, Immigrants, and Millennial Capitalism in South Africa, is the result of a year-long study of youth crisis and the “new moral order” in the former land of state-sanctioned apartheid. Kane Hall, UW Campus, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.

FRIDAY 10/27

*ADAM PARFREY & PETER SOTOS

Editor Parfrey and contributor Sotos (also of the industrial ruckus band White House) sign the second installment of the now-classic anthology of fringe essays about latter-day lust and disgust, Apocalypse Culture. Andrei Codrescu had this to say about volume two: “This is a black box of a book, spuming to the brim with the overly articulate paranoias of our age… the dark angels sit crowded on every page.” This event will also feature a SLIDE SHOW! Don’t miss it. See interview this issue. Confounded Books & Hypno Video, 3506 Fremont Ave N, 545-0744, 7 pm, free.

SHARON DOUBIAGO

San Francisco poet reads from her new collection of poems, Body & Soul. Gloria Steinem described Doubiago’s writing style as “sexual without submission, loving without loss of self, and free without rebellion.” Huh. Elliott Bay Book Company, 7:30 pm, advance free tickets available at store.

*HOWARD GARDNER

In his book The Disciplined Mind, Gardner–who revolutionized teaching with his theory of “multiple intelligences”–argues for a broad-based, humanistic education that is not rooted in the soul-crushing, factory-line system of standardized test and educational quotas currently supported by those dueling neo-con bozos Gore and Bush. Kane Hall, UW Campus, 7 pm, tickets required (available free at University Bookstore).

MARCIA BARTON & PESHA GERTLER

Barton and Gertler are the featured poets at this installment of North Seattle Community College’s “After Long Silence” reading series. Open mic to follow scheduled reading. North Seattle Community College, 9600 College Way N, 527-3709, 7:30 pm, free.

JAKE ESAU PERFORMS EDGAR ALLEN POE

Eeeeiiiiioooooaarrrggghhhh!!! Actor Esau performs his one-man show based on the tortured life and work of literature’s master of the macabre. Featuring recitations of such great psychological tales of brooding terror as The Pit and the Pendulum and The Masque of the Red Death. Borders, 1501 Fourth Ave, 622-4599, 6 pm, free.

SATURDAY 10/28

*ART WOLFE

Wolfe, an internationally acclaimed Seattle photographer, gives a slide presentation based on his new book, The Living Wild, a collection of photos of animals doing their thing in natural habitats. “The intensity, texture, and strange density of Art Wolfe’s photographs are truly astonishing,” says Peter Matthiessen. Elliott Bay Book Company, 4 pm, advance free tickets available at store.

DEREK SHEFFIELD

Sheffield–a former UW grad student currently teaching English at Wenatchee Valley College–reads from his debut poetry chapbook, A Mouthpiece of Thumbs. Elliott Bay Book Company, 7:30 pm, advance free tickets available at store.

*IRA GLASS

See Stranger Suggests. 5th Avenue Theatre, 1308 Fifth Ave, 621-2230, 7:30 pm, $7.50-$25.

DOUG ANDERSON & DARRELL KIRK

Informal reading by the co-founders of Klang. Rex, 542 #A First Ave S, 262-9831, 7 pm, free.

READING CIRCLES 2000

Poet and Hugo House Writer-in-Residence Joan Fiset moderates an informal reading and discussion based on the highfalutin topic of “erasure.” This event is open to the public. Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, 322-7030, 3-5 pm, free.

SUNDAY 10/29

JONATHAN ROSEN

Rosen, the author of The Talmud and The Internet: A Journey Between Worlds, will be appearing at three separate events today. The first is a reading to be held at Congregation Beth Shalom, 6800 35th Ave NE, 232-7115, 11 am, free; next will be a book signing at Tree of Life Judaica & Books, 2201 NE 65th St, 527-1130, 2 pm, free; and finally, another reading at the Stroum Jewish Community Center’s Mercer Island Facility, 3801 E Mercer Way, 232-7115, 4 pm, free.

DEBORAH KOFF-CHAPIN

Koff-Chapin is the creator of something called Soul Cards 2, which, as far as I can make out, is some sort of self-helpy collection of New Age healing devices. At any rate, Carolyn Myss, whoever she is, called the cards “incredible.” Like my Uncle Mortie always used to say, “Whatever melts your butter, baby.” Elliott Bay Book Company, 3 pm, advance free tickets available at store.

LAWRENCE BLOCK

Acclaimed mystery writer Block–called “a wonderfully agile writer” by Thomas Gaughan of Booklist–reads and signs his newest thriller, Hit List. Third Place Books, 5 pm, free.

MADELIN DEFREES

DeFrees is the featured reader at this installment of the Red Sky Poetry Theatre Reading Series, followed by an open mic (sign-up begins at 7 pm). Globe Cafe, 1531 14th Ave, 633-5647, 7:30 pm, free.

DAVID D. HOROWITZ, TINA SCHUMANN, & SANDRA G. SMITH

This event is listed as “Three Poets & Open Mike,” which is pretty much self-explanatory. Wit’s End Bookstore & Tea Shop, 770 N 34th St, 682-1268, 7 pm, free.

MONDAY 10/30

*ANNA DEAVERE SMITH

Smith–an actor, teacher, playwright, and activist–spent five years examining the manner of speech and tactics of those in positions of power, interviewing such political figures as Bill Clinton, George Bush, and Anita Hill. The results are compiled and analyzed in her new book, Talk to Me: Listening Between the Lines. Kane Hall, UW Campus, 634-3400, 7 pm, tickets required (available free at University Bookstore).

LAWRENCE BLOCK

See Sunday listing. Seattle Mystery Bookshop, 117 Cherry St, 587-5737, noon, free; and Elliott Bay Book Company, 5 pm, advance free tickets available at store.

DAVID BALDACCI

Baldacci reads from his latest, Wish You Well. Third Place Books, 7:30 pm, free.

TUESDAY 10/31

*FALL PLAY READING SERIES: NOAH PINEGAR

For the third installment of Elliott Bay’s Fall Play Reading Series, the Repertory Actors Theatre stages a spoken-word/dramatic performance of A Heart, A Soul & A Cup of Joe, a new work by Seattle playwright and director Pinegar. Elliott Bay Book Company, 7:30 pm, $5 suggested donation at the door.

BRIAN FROUD

Froud, author and illustrator of the popular coffee-table book Good Faeries, Bad Faeries, gives a special Halloween presentation of his newest creation, The Faeries’ Oracle, a fantasy-based treatment of the tarot. Borders, 3 pm, free; and University Bookstore, 4326 University Way NE , 634-3400, 5 pm, free.

DAN SIMMONS

Simmons, a Hugo Award-winning author, reads and signs from his new novel of suspense, Darwin’s Blade. University Bookstore, 7 pm, free.

ARON RODRIGUE

Rodrigue lectures on the subject of “Ladino Literary Culture in the Levant, 18th-20th Centuries.” Sponsored by the Stroum Jewish Community Center and Tree of Life Judaica & Books. Kane Hall, UW Campus, 232-7115, 7:30 pm, free.

WEDNESDAY 11/1

*AN EVENING WITH DAVID SEDARIS

The author of Naked and Me Talk Pretty One Day visits Pierce College. This event has already been SOLD OUT, but don’t let that stop you from travelling to Puyallup for the crazy tailgating scene that follows Sedaris wherever he goes. Pierce College, Puyallup, 253-840-8400, 7 pm, $10-$15.

MALACHY MCCOURT

McCourt, author of the bestselling memoir A Monk Swimming, reads from Singing My Him Song. University Bookstore, 7 pm, free.