Recent Stories with tag literature

Tomorrow is the last day of National Novel Writing Month. Seattle's team, the Hydrophobic Ducks, is still in first place with a total word count of 49,289,518. Los Angeles, Germany, London, and New York City fill out the rest of the top five. I'll have the full wrap on Wednesday, after my hands quit cramping.

In the meantime, and if you're not participating, maybe you could read a book or something.

11/29/10 3 p.m. Barnes & Noble U-Village
Carolyn Douglas
Storytime
Rescheduled due to snow. Children's stories with anchor Douglas.

11/29/10 6 p.m. Pilot Books
Writer's Group
"New exercises every week. Come prepared to write and discuss." Aye, Cap'n!

11/29/10 7 p.m. Elliott Bay Book Company
Jack Shoemaker
presenting the work of Gary Snyder
Counterpoint Press editor Shoemaker presents reissues of Snyder's work, with a screening of a documentary about the poet.

11/29/10 7:30 p.m. Town Hall Seattle
Antonio Damasio
Self Comes to Mind: Constructing The Conscious Brain
"...my head I'd be scratchin', while my thoughts were busy hatchin', if I only had a brain."

11/30/10 10 a.m. Barnes & Noble U-Village
Interagency Academy with Jordan Babineaux
Poetry Reading
The Seahawks player reads poetry with students from IA. Fabu.

11/30/10 6:30 p.m. UW Campus, Kane Hall, Room 120
Wes Jackson
Consulting the Genius of the Place
Jackson will be discussing "The Need of a 50-Year Farm Bill and What it Might Look Like".

11/30/10 7 p.m. Secret Garden Books
Molly Coxe
Benjamin and Bumper to the Rescue
Ultimate Tuesday reading with the author.

11/30/10 7 p.m. Elliott Bay Book Company
Nancy Medwell
Eternal Moments
The Seattle-based artist presents her new book of photos.

11/30/10 7:30 p.m. Town Hall Seattle
Fen Montaigne
Fraser's Penguins: A Journey to the Future in Antarctica
Our friends in feathered formal-wear are in grave danger! Send help.... (more)

You should be going to BlogsGiving, tonight. In other news, after last week's multiple cancellations, I feel compelled to remind readers to please call to confirm an event, before you pay for parking. 'Tis the season for canceled and delayed flights, snow storms and black ice.

11/15/10 2 p.m. Secret Garden Books
Seattle Children's Theatre
Lyle the Crocodile
The Secret Garden Bookshop teams up with Seattle Children's Theatre to bring books to life.

11/15/10 6 p.m. Columbia City Theatre
BlogsGiving
A Benefit for Northwest Harvest
If I weren't dying of the influenza, I would be here.

11/15/10 6 p.m. Pilot Books
Writer's Group
"New exercises every week. Come prepared to write and discuss." Aye, Cap'n!

11/15/10 7 p.m. Elliott Bay Book Company
Justin Spring & Wendy Moffatt
A Great Unrecorded History: A New Life of E.M. Forster / Secret Historian: The Life and Times of Samuel Steward, Professor, Tattoo Artist, and Sexual Renegade
Two great books about notable and noteworthy queers; one famous, the other infamous.

11/15/10 7 p.m. UW Bookstore
Kim O'Donnel
The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook: Vegetarian Recipes Carnivores Will Devour
Vegetarian cooking for carnivores. Don't ask me, I just work here.

11/15/10 7 p.m. Richard Hugo House
Rose Alley Press
Group Reading
Elizabeth Austen, Lana Hechtman Ayers, Oliver de la Paz, Nashira Priester, Belle Randall, Amy Schrader, Michael Dylan Welch, and others.

11/15/10 7 p.m. UW Johnson Hall, Room 102
Steven Simon
The Sixth Crisis: Iran, Israel, America, and the Rumors of War
"Exploring the three aspects of Israel-Iran-U.S. crisis, The Sixth Crisis provides the first full account of the situation since President Barack Obama took office, presenting a comprehensive look at the complex diplomacy underway to temper Iran's nuclear program and its implications on international security." - UW

11/15/10 7:30 p.m. Town Hall Seattle
Christopher Wills
Darwinian Tourist:Viewing The World Through Evolutionary Eyes
"From the underwater life of Indonesia's Lambeh Strait to an earthquake off the island of Yap, Wills demonstrates how ecology and evolution have interacted to create our world." - Town Hall

11/15/10 8 p.m. Pilot Books
Caitlyn McGehee, Emily Wittenhagen, & Zac Fulton
Group Reading ...

This weeks literary events include visits from Kat Von D of High Voltage Tattoo; the revered Armistead Maupin with his newest Tale of the City; and many people talking about food. What to eat, what not to eat, why one should or should not be vegan... screw 'em all and go have a burger. Moo!

11/08/10 6 p.m. Barnes & Noble U-Village
Kat Von D
Tattoo Chronicles
Best known to sofa surfers for the Miami Ink & L.A. Ink reality shows, Kat Von D is one of the finest portrait tattooists currently working. She's also funny as hell, has terrible taste in men, and is totally hot. Ahem.

11/08/10 6 p.m. Pilot Books
Writer's Group
"New exercises every week. Come prepared to write and discuss." Aye, Cap'n!

11/08/10 6:30 p.m. Secret Garden Books
Laurie Halse Anderson
Forge
The sequel to Chains.

11/08/10 7 p.m. Seattle Public Library
Andrew Lam
East Eats West: Writing in Two Hemispheres
Mmmmm. Pho. I could totally go for some Pho, right now. Or fish ball noodle soup. That would be good. I really like the vegetarian Pho at Long Provincial, though. Pill Hill for fish balls or downtown for tofu and squid-on-a-stick? It's all so difficult.

11/08/10 7 p.m. Elliott Bay Book Company
Mark Kurlansky
Edible Stories: A Novel in Sixteen Parts
You know you want to go: "A delicious and delectable novel by an award-winning food writer that leaves you wanting more." - Kirkus Reviews

11/08/10 7 p.m. UW Bookstore
William Dietrich
The Final Forest: The Battle for the Last Great Trees of the Pacific Northwest
Dietrich offers the shocking theory that national natural resource policy is messed up. No, really?... (more)

Even famous authors aren't famous faces. Unlike Britney Spears or Brad Pitt, the average writer can walk through a crowd of fans and not be recognized by a single person. For most authors, that is considered a perk, not a problem.

Authorial anonymity may be on its way to the boneyard, though. Last month, literary news website GalleyCat threw down the gauntlet and asked "Should authors dance?" initiating a drive to get a writer on the TV reality show Dancing with the Stars.

Inspired by the successful campaign to get Betty White on SNL, GalleyCat launched a Facebook petition, and the votes are in: Claire Cook, author of seven novels, is the winner. GalleyCat will send a final version of the petition to the producers of Dancing with the Stars, along with our best wishes. Seriously, Ms. Cook has got to be a better choice for a guest star than Bristol Palin.

Speaking of famous faces, 80's heart-throb Andrew McCarthy, once known for brat pack movies like Pretty in Pink and St. Elmo's Fire, has won 2010 Travel Journalist of the Year in the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition. McCarthy has made quite a career in journalism, appearing in Slate, The Atlantic, and National Geographic Traveler.

Famehound Tucker Max, who was in town last week promoting Assholes Finish First, got a boost this week when San Francisco bookstore Books, Inc. featured his title in a Halloween end-row display, under the heading "Oh, the horror!" (See photo.) I couldn't agree more. Author Mike Adamick is the shutterbug who shared the joy with the Interwebs, bless his heart.... (more)

After, lo, these many months, I am finally getting my act together to post upcoming readings, signings, and various related bookish events for those with an interest in such things. Assuming Michael (our brave and noble editor, long may he reign, huzzah!) approves, I will post every Monday. (Perhaps a bit of flattery will ease the way.)

This week starts off with the long-awaited opening of ticket sales for Hugo House's 2010-2011 literary series, and closes out with beers, steers, and queers at Elliott Bay Books. Okay, I lied about two out of three of that last. I think. "Who knows?" she said whimsically, and then proceeded to spend the rest of the evening referring to herself in third-person.

Monday, August 16th

12 a.m. Hugo House
Hugo House Literary Series
Tickets for the fourth season go on sale today. Get 'em while they're hot! Featured authors include Nancy Rawles, Stacey Levine, Laura Love, and many others that I shall not list here. The season starts with Under the Influence on October 15, 2010, followed by Mother Knows Best on November 19, 2010. The series continues on February 18, 2011 with Brief Encounters, i.e. Hugo House: The Musical, and concludes with Born in the U.S.A. on March 18, 2011. Season ticket buyers will save $5/event: what a deal!

1 p.m. Seattle Mystery Bookshop
Carl Hiaasen
Star Island
Hiaasen's books populate U.S. airport and hotel news stands like triffids. It must stop. 

7 p.m. Cafe Racer
Gillian Gaar
Return of the King: Elvis Presley's Great Comeback
Gaar joins Cafe Racer in a "death day" luau in honor of The Pelvis. Rather morbid, if you ask me, not that anyone did.

7 p.m. The Red Door
Charles Bukowski's Birthday Party
Obviously the writer will not be present, unless something very unusual happens before 7 p.m.

7 p.m. University Bookstore, U-District
Carl Hiaasen
Star Island
Fans will be pleased to know that Hiaasen will sign up to six books per person.... (more)