Joelle Fraser
Reed begins its annual visiting writers series with Fraser, author of the much raved-about feminist memoir, The Territory of Men, amongst other things. Reed College, Psychology Auditorium, 3203 SE Woodstock, 777-7591, 8 pm, free
Richard M. Brodsky
The title of Brodsky's new book, Jodi: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told seems intolerable, but the story it tells is actually quite interesting. Turns out Brodsky fell in love with a woman, got married, had three kids, remembered he was gay, started going around with men again, and picked up HIV at the ripe old age of 40. Intense. Barnes & Noble, Lloyd Center, 1317 Lloyd Center, 249-0845, 7 pm, free
Alan Cumming
The flamboyant and charismatic movie star, screenwriter, and director is apparently also a novelist. His new book, Tommy's Tale tells the tale of Tommy, a flamboyant and charismatic guy in London who wants stop sinning and raise a kid. Powell's, 1005 W Burnside St, 228-4651, 5 pm, free
Jane Kirkpatrick
Kirkpatrick's new book recounts the rip-roaring saga of Marie Dorion, the first mother to cross the Rocky Mountains and remain in the Northwest. Powell's Books on Hawthorne, 3723 SE Hawthorne Blvd, 238-1668, 7:30 pm, free
William Kittredge
The beloved writer of the southwest reads from his latest book, Southwestern Homelands, a tour of the territory between Santa Fe and Arizona, where tumbleweeds blow, cacti kiss the evening sky, and strip malled out urban sprawl ravages desert expanse. Powell's, 1005 W Burnside St, 228-4651, 7 pm, Free
Chuck Palaniuk
Portland's literary pop powerhouse darling is back with a new one. Powell's, 1005 W Burnside St, 228-4651, 7 pm, Free
The Dream Machine
M. Mitchell Waldrop wrote this account of the life of J.C.R. Licklider, a psychologist who, in 1962, was one of the first to envision a world where computers would become a medium of expression, an inspiration to creativity, and a gateway to other universes. Powell's Technical books, 33 NW Park Ave, 228-3906, 7 pm, free
Amy Schutzer & Carol Guess
Two lesbian writers read from books about being lesbians. Schutzer's book, Undertow is a very lyrical and unique account of a romance. The challenge of Guess' book, Gaslight, will be to distinguish it from the 573 other lesbian memoirs that are currently on the shelves right now. Central Library, 801 SW 10th Ave, 988-5234, 7 pm, free
H.W. Brands
In his new book, The Age of Gold, Brands chronicles the influx of greedy whoremongers that scrambled to and forever sullied that wondrous place after gold was discovered in the American River. Powell's, 1005 W Burnside St, 228-4651, 7:30 pm, free