THURSDAY 4/19

Adriana Trigiani
Big Stone Gap. An old-fashioned story about a small town "spinster" in her 30s, surprised by turns of fate. Annie Bloom's Books, 7834 SW Capitol Hwy, 246-0053, 7:30 pm

Award Winners Book Group
Seamus Heaney's Beowulf. Borders Books and Music, 708 SW 3rd Ave, 220-5911, 7 pm

Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Book Group
Assuming the Position, by Rick Whitaker. Borders Books and Music, 708 SW 3rd Ave, 220-5911, 7 pm

Danzine
The long awaited new issue is here: lots of excellent info, the results of hard work, a worthwhile endeavor! Information on Hep-C, working as a dancer in the US and Canada, stripping, trade, and safety. Local writers, Ernest Truely, and cool art. This magazine is distributed world wide, produced right here in town. Look at Reading Frenzy, or order a copy. Danzine, po box 40207

Ted Cohen: The Phenomena of Jokes
Ever tried to explain a joke? Cohen brings philosophy to the standup arena, explaining the function of jokes, joke telling, and how some jokes work. Deep waters. Lewis & Clark College, 615 SW Palatine Hill Road, 224-8499, 7 pm

Joyride Press Showcase
A new local, small press! Celebrate with readings and books. Powell's Books on Hawthorne, 3723 SE Hawthorne Blvd, 238-1668, 7:30 pm

Christopher Hitchens
The Trial of Henry Kissinger. Ambition and ruthlessness resulting in murder and slaughter. Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St, 228-4651, 7:30 pm

Mi Moto Fidel
A three-month cycle ride through Cuba to "get to know the island's colorful, resourceful people in a time of poverty, political uncertainty, and painful transition." It's always been nice for the U.S. to have colorful, impoverished vacation-lands so close at hand. Powell's Travel Store, 701 SW 6th Ave, 228-1108, 7 pm

John J.G. Alexander
Author of Medieval Iluminators and Their Methods of Work, will talk about Medieval manuscript illumination. Psychology auditorium. Reed College, 3203 SE Woodstock Blvd, 522-9453, 5 pm


FRIDAY 4/20

Travis Culley
Bike Messengers and the Cult of Human Power. Actor turned bike messenger turned writer, transforming the job of bike messenger into "an American urban icon." Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St, 228-4651, 7:30 pm

Craig Lesley
Author of Storm Riders, and other books. Always a favorite. Twenty-Third Avenue Books, 1015 NW 23rd Ave, 224-6203, 7:30 pm


SATURDAY 4/21

Story Hour: Poetry for Young Readers
Scavenger Hunt! Annie Bloom's Books, 7834 SW Capitol Hwy, 246-0053, 11 am

Petrene Soames
The Essence of Self Healing: How to Bring Health And Happiness Into Your Life. Barnes & Noble, 1720 N Jantzen Beach, 283-2800, 2 pm

Petrene Soames
The Essence of Self-Healing: How to Bring Health and Happiness Into Your Life. Barnes & Noble, 1720 N Jantzen Beach, 283-2800, 2 pm

Comic Book Publishing Basics
Focus on the production of small press comic books. Brainstorming, production, tools, materials, and distribution. Learn from those who have gone before you. Independent Publishing Resource Center, 917 SW Oak Street, #218, 232-5673, 1-4 pm, $5/$10

William Kitterage & Garrett Kaoru Hongo
Two hard-hitting Oregon favorites. Nye Beach Writers' Series, Studio Theatre Performing Arts Center, 777 West Olive, (541) 574-7708, 7 pm, $6/$5

Sarah Vowell
NPR commentator with that squeaky little voice--a charming nightmare of a cartoon child's voice--who talks about everything from the everyday Apocalypse to sex, movie stars, and learning to drive. Roseland, 8 NW 6th Ave, 219-9929, 6 pm, $12.50

Rhonda Britten
Fearless Living: Live Without Excuses and Love Without Regret. Twenty-Third Avenue Books, 1015 NW 23rd Ave, 224-6203, 7:30 pm


MONDAY 4/23

Terry Gross
Sold out. Sponsored by Portland Arts & Lectures. Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, SW Broadway & Main.

Poemfest/Wm. Shakespeare's Birthday Party
Cake, coffee, and performance. Barnes & Noble Northeast (Lloyd Center), 1231 NE Broadway, 335-0201, 7 pm

Sue Bender
Stretching Lessons. Overcoming self-imposed limits and restricted vision of possibilities to actualize potential. Powell's Books on Hawthorne, 3723 SE Hawthorne Blvd, 238-1668

Nicholson Baker
Double Fold: Libraries and the Assault on Paper. Why do libraries cull and winnow? Why do they auction off what they're meant to preserve? Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St, 228-4651, 7:30 pm

* Jamica Kincaid
New Yorker contributor, author of fiction and nonfiction, Kincaid is very famous in the literary world. At PSU, she's the Nina Mae Kellogg Lecture featured speaker. The PSU English deptartment will also be giving out student awards. PSU, Smith Memorial Ballroom, 1825 SW Broadway, 3rd floor, 7 pm


TUESDAY 4/24

Media Literacy 101: How to Read to Your Television
Turn off the TV for one week, and see how your life changes. Really. Join Northwest Media Literacy Center 's discussion, lead by cinematographer Carl Davis, and take a closer look at the insidious messages of advertising. Annie Bloom's Books, 7834 SW Capitol Hwy, 246-0053, 7:30 pm

How To Publish Your Poetry
Dan Raphael and Cynthia Kimball tell you how. If you haven't already been published, here's the perfect way to bring National Poetry Month to a close. Borders Books and Music, 708 SW 3rd Ave, 220-5911, 7 pm

* Craig Lesley
Author of Storm Riders, a heart wrenching novel of raising a child with fetal alcohol syndrome. Broadway Books, 1714 NE Broadway, 284-1726, 7 pm

Comic Artists' Group
Feeling alone with your characters, your solitary striving, your junk food cravings? Eat cookies, meet comic book artists, work alongside pals, joint ventures and group projects. Independent Publishing Resource Center, 917 SW Oak Street, #218, 232-5673, 7-9 pm

Sandra Stone
Poetry, by the author of Cocktails with Bruegel at the Museum Cafe. Lewis & Clark College, 615 SW Palatine Hill Road, 224-8499

Ken McLeod
Buddhism tailored to Americans, fast-food style, free of its "original religious and cultural trappings." The author proudly says he's not a guru and has no meditation center. He's an author, re-marketing the concept of "Be Here Now." Powell's Books on Hawthorne, 3723 SE Hawthorne Blvd, 238-1668, 7:30 pm

Arlene Stein
The Stranger Next Door. In this sociological analysis of the OCA, Stein takes on the role of outsider and academic to show us just how backward some Oregonians might be. Unfortunately, all too often she presents ignorance as representative of the whole, as the way the state was going until California showed us how to live. Still, there's a lot to think about in this book in terms of the mechanics of manipulating fear in an economically, racially, and politically unstable community. Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St, 228-4651, 7:30 pm


WEDNESDAY 4/25

Barbara Blossom Ashmun
Ah, yes. Barbara Blossom here with her book, Garden Retreats: Creating an Outdoor Sanctuary. Annie Bloom's Books, 7834 SW Capitol Hwy, 246-0053, 7:30 pm

Portland Poetry Slam-A-Thon
Setting the stage for the "Tournament of Slampions," in May. Poets sign up at 7:30. Berbati's Pan, 231 SW Ankeny, 248-4579, 8 pm, $3

Karen Karbo
Generation X: Tales From the Second Wives Club. Always funny: a dynamic reader, insightful and real. Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St, 228-4651, 7:30 pm