THURSDAY 7/7

MATTHEW KANGAS
The art critic reads from Epicenter: Essays on North American Art, an "illustrated collection of 42 essays on modern and contemporary art, with sections on Canadian art, art in public places, the New York School, art outside the center, late modernism, and more." Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 S Main St, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.

CAROL GUESS
Femme's Dictionary is a book of poems. University Book Store, 4326 University Way NE, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.

FRIDAY 7/8

KASSTEN ALONSO
Core: A Romance is "a wild ride inside the mind of a profoundly disturbed man as he descends into madness and violence," says James Frey. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 5 pm, free.

JIMMY MCDONOUGH
McDonough reads from Big Bosoms and Square Jaws: The Biography of Russ Meyer, King of the Sex Film. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.

SATURDAY 7/9

ANN BERGMAN, NANCY THALIA REYNOLDS
Bergman is the author of Out and About with Kids: Seattle. Reynolds is the author of Going Places: Alaska and the Yukon for Families. Third Place Books, 17171 Bothell Way NE, 366-3333, 6:30 pm, free.

NORAH O'NEILL
Flying Tigress is a memoir about flying cargo planes. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 2 pm, free.

JOHN HILDEBRAND
A Northern Front is a collection of essays about landscapes, people, animals, etc. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 4:30 pm, free.

WILL STAEGER
Painkiller is a thriller about a retired CIA operative. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.

SUNDAY 7/10

SYNCHRONICITY: AN INDIE PRESS SHOW
See Nightstand, p. 29. Crocodile Cafe, 2200 Second Ave, 441-5611, noon–4 pm, free.

MONDAY 7/11

MICHAEL CHOROST
Chorost talks about Rebuilt: How Becoming Part Computer Made Me More Human and what it's like to be part machine. University Book Store, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.

ROBERT JAMES WALLER
The Bridges of Madison County author reads from his new book, High Plains Tango. Third Place Books, 366-3333, 7 pm, free.

NATASHA RADOJCIC
You Don't Have to Live Here is "a cold-eyed, hot-blooded novel," according to David Gates. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.

TUESDAY 7/12

DAVID NEIWERT
Strawberry Days: How Internment Destroyed a Japanese American Community is about the history of Bellevue. University Book Store, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.

KEVIN SMOKLER
He's the editor of Bookmark Now: Writing in Unreaderly Times, a book of essays by Tom Bissell, Nell Freudenberger, and others. Third Place Books, 366-3333, 7 pm, free. (Also on 7/13 at University Book Store, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.)

CONNIE WILLIS
The sci-fi writer reads from and talks about her work. Experience Music Project, 325 Fifth Ave N, 724-3428, 7:30 pm, $4 general/$3 seniors and students.

PETER STARK
The Outside writer reads from At the Mercy of the River: An Exploration of the Last African Wilderness. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.

WEDNESDAY 7/13

STEVE RAYMOND
The fly fisherman reads from The Year of the Angler and the Year of the Trout: Tales of Fly Fishing, Rivers, the Environment, and Life. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 5 pm, free.

MICHELLE CLIFF
Free Enterprise, Cliff's 1993 novel, has just been reissued by City Lights. Says Susan Fromber Schaffer, "There are sections of this book so searing that they can only be compared to fire." Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.

POETRY/OPEN MICS

ELLIOTT BAY OPEN MIKE NIGHT—Signup at 7, reading at 7:30 pm. Last Wednesday of the month. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, free.

HOMELAND—Words. So many words. Tuesdays at 7 pm. Caffe Vita, 1005 E Pike St, 709-4440, free.

POETSWEST—Featured readers and an open mic. 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. Spots Chai House, 5463 Leary Ave NW, 297-2424, free.

SEATTLE POETRY SLAM—Every Tuesday at 8 pm. Mirabeau Room, 529 Queen Anne Ave N, 650-2869, $4.

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—Featured readers. Fourth Friday of every month at 7 pm, signup at 6:45 pm. Bookworm Exchange, 4860 Ranier Ave, 722-6633, free.