THURSDAY

Robert Ferrigno
Professional gamblers are cool, especially ones that eventually became mystery writers. Ferrigno is one of these. Friends of Mystery, at the NW Cultural Center, 1819 NW Everett, 241-0759, 7:30 pm, free

Stringtown
The popular Pacific Northwest magazine of creative writing celebrates itself with readings from Matt Briggs, Steve Cleveland, Elizabeth McLagan, and more. Powell's Books on Hawthorne, 3723 SE Hawthorne Blvd, 238-1668, 7:30 pm, free

Bill Maher
He's not speaking or reading, but only signing, so my little bit about how Maher is worth seeing because he had the guts to say some really controversial shit about the 9/11 terrorist attacks on national television is irrelevant. If you want to wait an hour to watch someone write their name in your book, though, then by all means get in line for this one. Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St, 228-4651, 5 pm, free

David Biespiel & Michele Glazer
Biespiel's poetry is light and airy. Glazer is a highly imaginative poet who plays with form a lot, shifting from prose poetry to verse with ease. PSU, Smith Memorial Center, 1620 SW Park, 725-5666, 7:30 pm, free


SATURDAY

Long Stitch Bookbinding
A three-hour workshop which will explain the process and advantage of the long stitch method of bookbinding. Independent Publishing Resource Center, 917 SW Oak Street, #218, 827-0249, 1 pm, $15-30


MONDAY

The Last Noel
It's got a cheesy title, but this book by Michael Malone has an intriguing premise: a black dude and white chick fall in love in a small Southern town. The catch is that both were born on Christmas day. Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St, 228-4651, 7:30 pm, free

The Letters of Samuel Beckett
Few writers in the English language inspire as much intellectual pseudo-speak as Beckett does. Here, Dan Gunn, professor of literature at the American University of Paris, lectures on Beckett's letter writing, and how it relates to his amazing playwriting. Reed College, Vollum Lecture Hall, 3203 SE Woodstock, 777-7755, 4:30 pm, free


TUESDAY

Elmer McCurdy
Mark Svenvold will share his fascinating-sounding book about a western outlaw named Elmer who dies during a botched train robbery. His corpse is then mummified and taken on a circuit of freak shows, circuses, and funeral homes. Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St, 228-4651, 7:30 pm, free