THURSDAY 1/15

* Paul Ash & Marissa Madrigal
The local publisher and graphic designer Paul Ash, of Sniffy Linings press, presents a his brand new book What I Think About When I Go To The Job, which interconnects four monologues Ash has been performing over the last three years. Joining him will be Madrigal, a one-time party girl who got knocked up, had the kid, and wrote a book about it: 8lb Gorilla. Reading Frenzy, 921 SW Oak, 274-1449, 7 pm, free

William Stafford Birthday Celebration and Reading
It feels like we've been celebrating William Stafford to some capacity for about 10 years now. We're not complaining, of course--the dude was a great poet, what can you do? We're just saying, is all... U.S. Bank meeting room, Central Library, 801 SW 10th Ave, 988-5471, 7 pm, free


FRIDAY 1/16

Jeanne Lutz
Lutz is either brilliant or flippin' crazy (or possibly both). Bored with her life, she up and joined the Merchant Marines, where she was assigned as the only woman to a crew of 29 men. Her ocean adventures are chronicled in her memoir Changing Course, which she'll read from and sign this evening. Barnes & Nobel, Lloyd Center, 1317 Lloyd Center, 249-0800, 7 pm, free


SUNDAY 1/18

* The Perpetual Motion Roadshow
The burgeoning, literary, multimedia/punk performance train blows through town once again, this time featuring the talents of "online crooner" Jack Saturn, "ninja poetess" Cynthia Gould, and "science fiction soundscaper" E. Belew. Those are awful descriptions, but the event will be a fun time nonetheless. Reading Frenzy, 921 SW Oak, 274-1449, 7 pm, free


MONDAY

* Literature in Performance
One of Portland's best actresses, Quigley Provost-Landrum, will present tonight's installment of the monthly series Literature in Performance: a reading of poetry and prose in honor of MLK, Jr. Borders-Downtown, 708 SW 3rd Ave, 221-9814, 7 pm, free

Jizo Bodhisattva
Buddhist author Jan Chozen Bays presents this resource book about ol' Jizo, the ultimate Buddhist role model. Bays presents a slide show tonight. Powell's Books on Hawthorne, 3723 SE Hawthorne Blvd, 238-1668, 7:30 pm, free


TUESDAY 1/20

Kim Stafford
The late William's son shares from a new collection he has edited of his father's work: Every War Has Two Losers: William Stafford on Peace and War. Looking Glass Bookstore, 318 SW Taylor, 227-4760, 7 pm, free

* The Dog Lover's Guide to Dating
That's right, fellow bestiality practicers, here's your chance to finally hit the hay with the canine of your dreams... What...? Speak up, I can't hear you...? Uh huh... Uh huh... Really...? Oh... I see... . Heh. Let's try this one more time: Oregonian pet columnist Deborah Wood presents tips on how dog owners can get dates with their fellow humans who also have dogs. That is all. Powell's-Beaverton, 8725 SW Cascade Ave, 643-3131, 7 pm, free


WEDNESDAY 1/21

Craig Ryan
Former Oregonian book critic and PSU professor Ryan's new book Magnificent Failure is actually not a chronicle of my love life, but an account of the man who set the altitude record for lighter-than-air flight. Literary Arts Council, at PSU's Smith Center, 1825 SW Broadway, 725-5666, 8 pm, $8

* Mark Kurlansky
The prolific historian Kurlansky has published THREE books over the last two years, ranging from the weirdly specific (Salt: A World History) to the just plain weird (Cod: A Biography of the Fish the Changed the World), to the totally vague (1968: The Year That Rocked the World). Clearly, the guy has a fetish for random things that have somehow affected the world. He'll discuss 1968 tonight. Portland Arts & Lectures, at First Congregational Church, 1126 SW Park, 227-2583, 7:30 pm, $12

Sandra Scofield
The former National Book Award finalist presents a memoir, Occasions of Sin, about living with her mother's terminal illness at the age of 17. Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St., 228-4651, 7:30, free