THURSDAY 1/8
When the Messenger is Hot
Elizabeth Crane promotes the paperback release of her collection of short stories about self-absorbed, promiscuous female urbanites. Powell’s City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St., 228-4651, 7:30 pm, free
Sini Anderson
Sini Anderson of Sister Spit throws down some spoken word/multimedia performance with musical backing by Le Tigre’s Johanna Fateman and Team Dresch’s Kaia Wilson. Should be vicious, yo. Nocturnal, 1800 E Burnside, 239-5900, 8 pm
FRIDAY 1/9
* Eric Slade
La Palabra has been having sporadic lectures as part of a series it calls Colloquial Quadrivium. Tonight catch local filmmaker Slade, who will speak and present his documentary on the activist Harry Hay, who started the country’s first gay rights organization. And when it’s over, you’ll still have plenty of time to get drunk! La Palabra Cafe-Press, 4810 NE Garfield, 7 pm, $5-10
Anthony Swofford
The author of Jarhead reads in Portland for perhaps the 5,000th time, this time to promote the paperback release of his memoir of the Gulf War. Powell’s City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St., 228-4651, 7:30, free
SATURDAY 1/10
* Wild Fermentation
One man’s rot is another man’s gourmet cuisine. Today Sandor Ellix Katz, author of Wild Fermentation, talks about his book and offers a free sauerkraut and kimchi-making workshop with various live-culture foods. Live-culture sauerkraut… mmm MM. People’s Co-Op, 3029 SE 21st, , noon – 1:30 pm, free
Meg Cabot
After penning several novels about an unlikely teenage princess livin’ large in NYC, Cabot has turned her attention to loftier pursuits, like her new novel Boy Meets Girl, about a pretty young lady who falls hard for a spoiled, wealthy attorney. Powell’s-Beaverton, 8725 SW Cascade Ave, 643-3131, 5 pm, free
SUNDAY 1/11
* 1421: The Year China Discovered America
A former British submarine commander, Gavin Menzies, has posed a theory in this new book that has flustered historians everywhere. Could it be, asks Menzies, that a fleet of Chinese teak junks actually “discovered” America in 1421, decades before that great Indian slayer Columbus? Powell’s City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St., 228-4651, 7:30 pm, free
Jules Boykoff & Kaia Sand
The Spare Room kicks off 2004 with two editors of the political/arts zine Tangent. Boykoff also has been published in periodicals like The Poker and Pom2, while Sand has a new book of poetry out called Interval. Spare Room, at Pacific Crest Community School, 3624 SE Milwaukie, 236-0867, 7:30 pm , $5 suggested donation
MONDAY 1/12
Jennifer Grotz
The one-time Portlander Grotz returns from her Ph.D. studies in Houston to share from her critically acclaimed book of poetry Cusp. PSU, Smith Memorial Center, 1620 SW Park, 725-5666, 7:30 pm, $8
* The Five Biggest Lies Bush Told About Iraq
See review this issue. Powell’s Books on Hawthorne, 3723 SE Hawthorne Blvd, 238-1668, 7:30 pm, free
* Portland Independent Press Experiment
Schmooze with authors and editors from local lit. mags 2 Gyrlz Quarterly, Gobshite Quarterly, Motion Sickness, and the rad Pinball Publishing’s Eye Rhyme. Powell’s City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St., 228-4651, 7:30 pm, free
TUESDAY 1/13
Nikki Giovanni
One of our most important African American poets, Giovanni presents The Collected Works of Nikki Giovanni, a best-of book that compiles poems from her first seven volumes. Powell’s City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St., 228-4651, 7:30 pm, free
Jeanne Marie Lutz
Multnomah Library’s Writers Talking series presents Lutz, who is either brilliant or flippin’ crazy. 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. U.S. Bank meeting room, Central Library, 801 SW 10th Ave, 988-5471, 7 pm, free
WEDNESDAY 1/14
* Billy Collins
The most popular and accessible poet in America will draw an enormous crowd. Get your tickets now. Literary Arts, at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, SW Broadway and Main, 227-2583, 7:30 pm, $15-24