THURSDAY 4/5
ALAN FURST
A former resident of Bainbridge Island and assistant for the Seattle Arts Commission, Furst returns to Seattle by way of Paris and Long Island to read from his latest novel of intrigue, Kingdom of Shadows. Seattle Public Library, 1000 Fourth Ave, 624-6600, 7 pm, free.
PONTOON POETRY READING
Featured reading by contributors to the fourth edition of Pontoon literary journal, including E. Hank Buchmann, Joseph Green, Alicia Hokanson, Tina Schumann, and Judith Skillman. Open Books, 2414 N 45th St, 633-0811, 7:30 pm, free.
JACK PRELUTSKY
Family-oriented presentation by award-winning poet and author of It’s Raining Pigs & Noodles. Green Lake Library, 7364 E Green Lake Drive N, 386-4103, 10:30 am, free.
FRIDAY 4/6
KATE C. DUNCAN
Duncan, an art historian, discusses and signs her new book, 1001 Curious Things: Ye Olde Curiosity Shop and Native American Art, a historical overview of the Seattle curio shop that has been in business for over a century. University Bookstore, 4326 University Way NE, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.
*DAVE EGGERS
Fancy-pantsed memoirist and McSweeney’s editor visits Seattle. See Stranger Suggests. Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 S Main, 624-6600, $5 (two per customer, available at store).
*FOURTH ANNUAL GINSBERG MARATHON
Yearly celebration of the classic work of late Beat poet Allen Ginsberg, featuring readings by Anne Waldman and Andrew Shelling. SPLAB!, 14 S Division, Auburn, 253-735-MEAT, 8 pm, $10 suggested donation (call for reservations).
JACK PRELUTSKY
See Thursday listing. Columbia Library, 4721 Rainier Ave S, 386-4103, 1 pm, free.
SATURDAY 4/7
*LYNN MARTIN
Martin, a poet residing in Gig Harbor, Washington, will read from her debut poetry collection, Blue Bowl. “Arising from a sequence of great losses,” writes Noelle Oxenhandler, “[these] poems walk straight into the deepest sorrow… [and] face to face with the most terrifying state of not knowing, they expand outward to the farthest rim of affirmation.” Elliott Bay Book Company, 7:30 pm, tickets required (available free at store).
*ANIMAL RIGHTS 101
A full day of workshops and lectures about animal rights, co-sponsored by P.A.W.S, Earthsave Seattle, Northwest Animal Rights Network, and the Humane Society. Featuring a discussion by Roger Fouts, author of Next of Kin: My Conversations with Chimpanzees. Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave, 425-787-2500, 9 am, tickets required.
KATE C. DUNCAN
See Friday listing. Elliott Bay Book Company, 4 pm, tickets required (available free at store).
CANDACE ROBB
Booksigning by the author of A Trust Betrayed, a historical thriller set in medieval Scotland. Seattle Mystery Bookshop, 117 Cherry St, 587-5737, noon, free.
SUNDAY 4/8
*ELLIOTT BAY POETRY & PROSE
The fine folks at Elliott Bay Books step bravely from behind the cash register in order to grace us with passages of their very own prose and poetry. Elliott Bay Book Company, 1 pm, free.
TWO WOMEN, ONE GUITAR
Pam Houston (author of the best-selling Cowboys Are My Weakness) and Nerissa Nields (of folk rock band the Nields) join forces on stage in this rare literary/musical performance. Third Place Books, 7:30 pm, $10 (tickets available at Third Place Books and Elliott Bay Book Company).
RICHARD RAPPORT, M.D.
Local doctor turned writer reads from his new biography, Physician: The Life of Paul Beeson. Elliott Bay Book Company, 4 pm, tickets required (available free at store).
THREE POETS & AN OPEN MIC
Tonight’s featured readers are Lee Shouten, J. Clayton Thompson, and Jane Winslow. Hosted by Ken Shiovitz. Wit’s End Bookstore & Tea Shop, 770 N 34th St, 682-1268, 7 pm, free.
MONDAY 4/9
*ADRIENNE RICH
Rich–author of more than 15 poetry collections as well as a recent recipient of the Lannan Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award–visits Seattle to read from her latest prose collection, Arts of the Possible: Essays and Conversations. See Stranger Suggests. Town Hall, 7:30 pm, $5 (tickets available at Elliott Bay Book Company).
RICHARD BERNSTEIN
Bernstein, a book critic for The New York Times, will read from his new book, Ultimate Journey: Retracing the Path of an Ancient Buddhist Monk Who Crossed Asia in Search of Enlightenment, which Richard Holbrooke called “a hugely entertaining travel adventure.” Elliott Bay Book Company, 7:30 pm, tickets required (available free at store).
JOHN D’AGATA
Annie Dillard calls D’Agata’s debut collection of essays, Halls of Fame, “a daring, utterly original book by a young writer of rare intelligence and artistry.” Communications Building, Room 226, UW Campus, 543-2247, 11:30 am, free.
EAST INDIA TRADING COMPANY
All ages poetry, prose, and spoken word open mic. Coffee Messiah, 1554 E Olive Way, 208-1188, 7 pm, free.
RADICAL WOMEN STUDY GROUP
Everyone is welcome to join in this weekly discussion of The Radical Women Manifesto. School of Social Work, 4101 15th Ave NE, 722-6057, 7 pm, free.
TUESDAY 4/10
JAN MAHER
Reading and signing by the author of Heaven, Indiana. University Bookstore, 7 pm, free.
*STEVEN SHAVIRO
See Stranger Suggests. Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, 322-7030, 7:30 pm, $7.
MARGARET WEIS & TRACY HICKMAN
Reading and signing by the authors of Dragons of a Lost Star, a sequel to the N. Y. Times-bestselling Dragons of a Fallen Sun. Kane Hall, UW Campus, 634-3400, 7 pm, tickets required (available free at store).
DAVID CHADWICK
Chadwick’s new book, To Shine One Corner of the World, is a collection of stories of great Zen teacher Shunryu Suzuki. Elliott Bay Book Company, 5:30 pm, tickets required (available free at store).
*ROBERT HASS
Hass, former U. S. Poet Laureate and author of Sun Under Wood, makes two special appearances today as part of the King County Library System’s celebration of National Poetry Month. Burien Library, 14700 Sixth SW, Burien, 425-369-3318, 3 pm, free; and Kirkland Performance Center, 350 Kirkland Ave, 425-369-3318, 7:30 pm, free.
DR. ANDREW NEWBERG
Newberg, a neuroscientist at the University of Pennsylvania, discusses his latest book, Why God Won’t Go Away, an examination of the biological basis for the religious impulse. East/West Bookshop, 6500 Roosevelt Way NE, 523-3726, 7 pm, free.
WEDNESDAY 4/11
*LAWRENCE FERLINGHETTI
Ferlinghetti is: the author of A Coney Island of the Mind, a seminal work of Beat poetry that was originally published in 1956 and has sold over a million copies worldwide; owner/operator of San Francisco’s City Lights Books and City Lights Publishing; a translator, playwright and novelist; a painter; and recipient of a lifetime achievement award from the National Book Critics Circle. Now 82 years-of-age, this is his first visit to Seattle in 40 years, where he will read from his latest poetry collection, How to Paint Sunlight. Meany Hall, UW campus, 282-2677, 7:30 pm, $5 suggested donation.
ANNE NIVAT
Discussion and booksigning by the author of Chienne de Guerre: A Woman Reporter Behind the Lines of War in Chechnya, a war journal that recently won France’s prestigious Albert Londres prize. Kane Hall, Room 220, UW campus, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.
VICTORIA BRUCE
Volcanist Bruce will read from and sign her new book, No Apparent Danger, the story of two disastrous eruptions in Columbia. University Bookstore, 7 pm, free.
MARY SHARRATT
Booklist calls Sharratt’s debut novel, Summit Avenue, “sensuous and deeply moving,” a story that “explores traditional roles for women and their mythic counterparts.” Elliott Bay Book Company, 5:30 pm, tickets required (available free at store).
GURCHARAN DAS
Das is a New Delhi-based venture capitalist whose most recent book is India Unbound. Elliott Bay Book Company, 7:30 pm, tickets required (available free at store).
ROBERT WRIGLEY
Wrigley’s latest collection of verse, Reign of Snakes, won the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award in 2000. Parrington Forum, UW campus, 543-9865, 7:30 pm, free.
STAGE FRIGHT YOUTH OPEN MIC
An open reading for authors between the ages of 14-24. Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, 322-7030, 7 pm, free.