THURSDAY 12/7

Brandon Sanderson, David Farland, & L. E. Modesitt
From the Powell's website: "Three modern masters of fantasy/sci-fi team up for their newest releases. Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn: The Final Empire asks, What if the hero of prophecy fails? The fifth novel in David Farland's Runelords series, Sons of the Oak, picks up eight years after the events of Lair of Bones. In Soarer's Choice, L. E. Modesitt, Jr. concludes his Corean Chronicles series with a thunderous, satisfying climax." Oooh—and this event takes place directly next door to the Bullies Anonymous meeting? How unfortunate. Powell's at Cedar Hills Crossing, 3415 SW Cedar Hills, Beaverton, 228-4651, 7 pm, free

Santa Claws
If you're between the ages of four and eight, hop in your car and come on down for a reading from this goulish, monsteriffic Christmas tale! Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside, 228-4651, 7:30 pm, free

SATURDAY 12/9

From Boise With Love
Spare Room Reading Series returns with a program of writing from our beautiful red state sister to the east. Things kick off with poet J. Reuben Appleman, who is currently producing the feature film, Chemistry. Next up are poets Adrian Kien and Erich Schweikher, and then Tyler McMahon, editor of the lit-mag Cold-Drill, is going to bring it all home for you. Concordia Coffee House, 2909 NE Alberta, 7:30 pm, free

TUESDAY 12/12

Leaving Microsoft to Change the World
Hmm. I thought I was going to make fun of this book and of Microsoft, but alas, I am not. When Microsoft exec John Wood made a business trip to the Himalayas in the '90s, he was dismayed at the tiny number of books in a school library. So what did Wood do? Quit Microsoft, sent 1.2 million books over, started 2,600 libraries and 200 schools, and sent 1,700 girls to school on scholarship. And to think I was going to make fun of a billionaire who got rich off of putty-colored computers? I'm a jerk. Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside, 228-4651, 7:30 pm, free