THURSDAY 3/18

Lewis Richmond
The downtown Powell's has FIVE pretty prestigious readings this week, starting tonight with Richmond. The best-selling Buddhist author will share his new one A Whole Life's Work. Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St., 228-4651, 7:30 pm

* Arctic Quest
We all know the Arctic Refuge is in danger from big money oil honchos, but have any of us traveled 700 miles by raft and foot to report on it and photograph the gorgeous, threatened landscape? No, but guess who has: the author of this book, Chad Kister. He'll give a slide show this evening. Powell's Travel Store, 701 SW 6th Ave, 228-1108, 5:30 pm, free


FRIDAY 3/19

Annunciation of Francesca Dunn
Mental illness is all the rage in the literary world right now. Author Janis Hallowell presents her addition to the mix, the story of a homeless man who thinks a teenage diner employee is the Virgin Mary. We think she just wanted an excuse to use the word "annunciation." Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St., 228-4651, 7:30 pm


SATURDAY 3/20

* Karen Armstrong
Armstrong writes smartly about spirituality. Her new book The Spiral Staircase: My Climb Out of Darkness chronicles her 1969 exit from a Roman Catholic convent. Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St., 228-4651, 7:30 pm, free


SUNDAY 3/21

Mark Turpin & Joseph Millar
Two poets get their poetry on. Millar has a book coming out next year. Turpin builds houses as his day job. Mountain Writers Center, 3624 SE Milwaukie, 236-4854, 7 pm, $3


MONDAY 3/22

Waterborne
First time novelist Bruce Murkoff presents this Depression-era novel about the construction of the Hoover Dam. Powell's Books on Hawthorne, 3723 SE Hawthorne Blvd, 238-1668, 7:30 pm, free


TUESDAY 3/23

Phillip Margolin
One of Portland's most nationally popular authors throws a launch party for his newest thriller Sleeping Beauty. Annie Bloom's Books, 7834 SW Capitol Hwy, 246-0053, 7:30 pm, free

Stew Albert
Stew Albert has written a memoir about growing up Jewish in Brooklyn, and being friends with John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Allen Ginsberg, and Timothy Leary. With that list in mind, the book is fittingly titled: Who the Hell is Stew Albert?. Broadway Books, 1714 NE Broadway, 284-1726, 7 pm, free

* George Pelecanos
Fans of Pelecanos' superbly drawn P.I. character Derek Strange, will dig his prequel to those books, Hard Revolution, which begins with the detective as a young man and smalltime crook in 1959. Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St., 228-4651, 7:30 pm, free


WEDNESDAY 3/24

* Positively 5th Street
For most writers, it's a dream come true to get a fat advance on a story from a magazine as prestigious as Harper's. When James McManus got his, to cover the World Series of Poker, he promptly blew the entire wad in a severely misguided attempt to win the tournament. The gamble still paid off, however, as McManus most likely received an even fatter advance from Picador Books to write this book about the experience. Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St., 228-4651, 7:30 pm, free