LAUREN GLEN DUNLAP

Dunlap's And I, Francis: The Life of Francis of Assisi in Work and Image is a fictionalization of key events in the life of the patron saint of animals and ecology, with illustrations by Kathleen Fruge-Brown. Third Place Books, 17171 Bothell Way NE, phone, 7 pm, free.

*FRANK HUYLER, M.D.

Huyler is a poet and emergency room medic whose debut collection of personal essays, The Blood of Strangers: Stories from Emergency Medicine, grants readers an insider's glimpse of action at the scalpel's edge. "Dr. Huyler's intense book," writes novelist Paul Auster, "treats of only the most important matters: life and death. His prose is nearly invisible, and therefore it allows us to see what he is talking about. And once we see it, we are not likely to forget it. This is a young writer with a big mind--and an even bigger heart." University Bookstore, 4326 University Way NE , 634-3400, 7 pm, free.

LOS NORTEÑOS

Don't be afraid--we're all gonna die someday. The local collective of Latino performance artists and writers known as Los Norteños give their annual presentation in celebration of Dia de Los Muertos (the Day of the Dead). The theme of this year's jubilant fiesta for the dearly departed is "Dancing on Graves: Unmasking Death." Scheduled to perform are troupe members Kathleen Alcal, Flor Fernandez Barros, Raul Sanchez, Marta Sanchez, Jaime Gallardo, and Cindy Williams Guiterrez, among others. Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 S Main, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free (no tickets required).

BRUCE BEASLEY

Beasley, a professor of English at Western Washington University, reads from and signs his new collection of poetry, Signs and Abominations. Open Books, 2414 N 45th St, 633-0811, 7:30 pm, free.

*DEREK HAYES

When I was a young lad attending elementary school in dreary central Minnesota, there were few things I looked forward to more than a good slide show. Hayes, a local map collector, has assembled over 320 original maps of this region in his new book, Historical Atlas of the Pacific Northwest. Some of his maps date back four centuries! That's going to be one hell of a slide show. Sponsored by University Bookstore. Museum of History and Industry, 2700 24th Ave E, 634-3400, 7 pm, free with museum admission.

*LEONARD GARMENT

This is just the sort of book that causes Stranger news editor Josh Feit to mess his pants for joy: In Search of Deep Throat documents Garment's recent attempts to uncover the secret identity of the infamous Watergate source. Borders, 1501 Fourth Ave, 662-7625, 1 pm, free.

*RITA O'HARE

Sinn Fein's representative to the United States will discuss her party's "Role in the Northern Ireland Peace Process" in a lecture sponsored by the World Affairs Council. Washington Athletic Club, 1325 Sixth Ave, 441-5910, noon (luncheon), $40 non-members/$32 members.

SAM HAMILL

In Crossing the Yellow River: Three Hundred Poems from the Chinese, Hamill--a celebrated poet and translator--has anthologized the work of over 50 Chinese poets, some dating to as early as 100 B.C.E. "Anyone who writes poetry, or who cares about it, must have this book," says novelist/poet Jim Harrison. "It is one of the essential works of our time." Elliott Bay Book Company, 7:30 pm, advance free tickets available at store.

LOUISE MARLEY

Reading and signing by the author of The Glass Harmonica--a fanciful tale about Benjamin Franklin's favorite see-through mouth harp--and featuring a performance by W. W. Zeitler, a REAL GLASS HARMONICA PLAYER. University Bookstore, 7 pm, free.

SHELBY SCATES

Scates, a long-time political reporter for the Seattle P-I, reads from her new memoir, War and Politics by Other Means. Third Place Books, 6:30 pm, free.

JENNIFER BAUMGARDNER & AMY RICHARDS

Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls will be on hand to introduce this extra-special event--a reading and signing by the "third wave" co-authors of Manifesta: Young Women, Feminism, and the Future. University Bookstore, 7 pm, free.

RABBI TIRZAH FIRESTONE

Rabbi Firestone lectures on "The Future of the Jewish Community: The Challenge of Pluralism." Stroum Jewish Community Center, Northend Facility, 8606 35th Ave NE, 232-7115, 7:30 pm, free.

CLAIRE DAVIS

According to Tacoma-based novelist David Long, Davis' debut novel, Winter Range, "moves with an elemental force... her writing has tensile strength, a quirky grace, wise humor." Yeah, yeah... but does it ROCK!?! Elliott Bay Book Company, 5 pm, advance free tickets available at store.

BILL HOLM

In his new book Eccentric Islands, Minnesota writer Holm "mixes keen you-are-there observations with profound bits of homespun philosophizing, and never once does he sound a false note. The result is a pleasure for islomanes, and for anyone who appreciates good writing" (Kirkus Review). Elliott Bay Book Company, 7:30 pm, advance free tickets available at store.

JAZZ & POETRY

Eleventh Hour Productions presents this totally beat evening of recitation and improv, featuring poetry readings by Vince Balestri, Greta Nintzel, and Pamela Moore Dione, and accompanying musical performances by local jazz great Michael Bisio and the band Disjunkt (Tony Grasso, Rik Wright, Simon Grant). Hosted by KPLU's Paul Nelson (with "a very special secret guest"). Rainier Valley Cultural Center, 3515 S Alaska St, 725-1650, 8 pm, $5/$3 members.

TERRY MARTIN & SUSAN MOON

Moon (Wishboats) and Martin (The Telling Signs), two poets from central Washington, will read from their recently published collections. Elliott Bay Book Company, 4 pm, advance free tickets available at store.

*JOYCE GOLDSTEIN

Goldstein is the author of the kosheriffic cookbook, Sephardic Flavors: Jewish Cooking of the Mediterranean. Note: This event is listed as both a book signing and a wine tasting. Don't miss it! Stroum Jewish Community Center, Mercer Island Facility, 3801 E Mercer Way, 232-7115, 11 am, free.

SEAN BENTLEY, PAUL HUNTER, & SUSAN MARTINEZ

Featured reading by three poets, plus open mic. Wit's End Bookstore & Tea Shop, 770 N 34th St, 682-1268, 7 pm, free.

DEBORAH BERGMAN

Author of The Knitting Goddess speaks on the craft that has become "the hippest new hobby for celebrities and trendsetters around the world." Seriously. Third Place Books, 7 pm, free.

*GEOFFREY O'GARA

O'Gara's book, What You See in Clear Water: Life on the Wind River Reservation, is a journalistic account of his life among the Shoshone and Arapaho of Wyoming. "The American West is an arid empire," writes William Kittredge, "water means survival, its allocation is of enormous consequences. [What You See...] is a close look at the particularities of a hundred years of tangled Native American and whiteman history and problem-solving in a Wyoming watershed. This is a terrific book by a writer patient and sympathetic enough to air all the complex issues, the triumphs and failures, without judging anyone...." Elliott Bay Book Company, 7:30 pm, advance free tickets available at store.

*DAVID SIBLEY

Well, you know how I feel about slide shows by now, and this one promises to be a real doozy. Bird-loving painter Silbey has collected over 6,500 of his wild life illustrations for this new book, National Audubon Society's Silbey Guide to Birds. University Bookstore, 7 pm, free.

ELECTION DAY

When you go to punch out that little chit today, keep in mind these words from the late, great H. L. Mencken: "Under democracy, one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule--and both commonly succeed, and are right."

CARL COON

Career diplomat Coon reads from Cultural Wars in the Global Village, called "an ambitious effort to understand the broad trends of social evolution, at a time of perplexing and accelerating historical change," by Zbigniew Brzezinski, National Security Advisor under President Jimmy Carter. Third Place Books, 7 pm, free.

*JEANETTE WINTERSON

The fabulous Gore Vidal once called Winterson "the most interesting writer I have read in 20 years." Her provocative books include such cutting-edge classics as The Passion, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, Sexing the Cherry, as well as the recently-published The PowerBook. This award-winning author will be appearing at two scheduled events today: first, a book signing at University Bookstore, noon, free; then a reading at Benaroya Hall, 200 University, 621-2230, 7:30 pm, $7.50-$18 (Seattle Arts & Lectures six-part series tickets are also available).

*URSULA LEGUIN

Beloved and prolific fantasy writer LeGuin reads from and signs her latest novel in the "Hainish" cycle, The Telling. "She can lift fiction to the level of poetry and compress it to the density of allegory," writes Jonathan Lethem. "In The Telling she does both, gorgeously." Kane Hall, UW Campus, 634-3400, 7 pm, tickets required (available gratis at University Bookstore).

OTTO LANG

Lang is a veteran filmmaker (Call Northside 777) and television director (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.) whose new book, Around the World in 90 Years, is a photographic travelogue of his life and times. "Otto's camera is like a Stradivarius violin in the hands of a great violinist," says Gerard Schwarz. "His insightful and poetic commentary help make this marvelous book an extraordinary achievement." Elliott Bay Book Company, 7:30 pm, advance free tickets available at store.