THURSDAY 2/16

Graphic Novel Reading Club
Did you read The Authority Volume 1: Relentless? Dying to talk about it with other comic freaks? Here's your chance! Crow Bar, 3954 N Mississippi, 280-7099, 7 pm

Smashed: Story of a Drunken Girlhood
Koren Zailckas has written a first-person book about teen female binge drinking that's part Million Little Pieces drunkalogue, part sociological study of the "somebody should hold her hair back" phenomenon. Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside, 228-4651, 7:30 pm

FRIDAY 2/17

Chiasmus Press Reading
Check out four of Portland's most innovative, exciting authors: Lance Olsen, Doug Nufer, Jeanne Heuving, and R.M. Berry. Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside, 228-4651, 7:30

SATURDAY 2/18

Cacophony SPAM Poetry Night
Bring your favorite email spam to read, poetry-style, to the music of "didgeridoo groove band" Vivid Curve. How about this one: "You want to measure your penis but it is afraid of the ruler. With our Soft Viagra tabs it will remain hard and firm at least for 4 hours. Your neighbors lost their alarm-clock." Roots Brewing, 1520 SE 7th, 503-235-7668, 8 pm; registration 7:15-7:45 pm

MONDAY 2/20

And She Was
Author Cindy Dyson cribs a title from the Talking Heads in her book about a flakey woman who follows a deadbeat to Alaska, then gets caught up in the 18th century history of the native Aleut Indians. Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside, 228-4651, 7:30 pm

WEDNESDAY 2/22

Bad Poetry Night
The point here is to recite the worst poem for the longest time, while the crowd pelts you with fake rocks. The paradox, though, is that the "worst" poems are really the best ones in this setting, leading to a backfire of ironic intentions. Acme, 1305 SE 8th, 230-9020, 9 pm