~Robert Musil

* UW Bookstore and United Methodist Church are probably proud as punch and pleased as peacocks to present Neil Gaiman tonight. Gaiman will be at University Temple at 7:00 PM to read and speak, and to sign his newest YA novel, The Graveyard Book. A literary cult figure, by now, Gaiman has written comics and graphic novels, S/F/Fantasy novels for adults and young adults, short stories, a TV miniseries, and several movie scripts. I’m pretty sure this event will be standing room only. LINK

* Also at 7:00 PM, Café Allegro pays tribute to Steve Goodman, by featuring author Clay Eals, author of Steve Goodman: Facing The Music. Eals will read from and sign copies of the biography, and local musicians Tom Colwell, Bruce Hanson, and Jef Jaisun will play selections from Goodman’s oeuvre. LINK

* Naomi Wolf began her career as a writer and activist as a feminist, but her scope has always been broader: to Wolf, women’s rights are civil rights and over the last decade she has developed into a powerful voice for democracy and patriotism, civil liberty and civic duty. Fearlessly passionate, relentlessly logical, Wolf takes the stage downstairs at Town Hall Seattle 7:30 – 9:00 PM tonight to talk about her latest book, Give Me Liberty: A Handbook for American Revolutionaries. $5. LINK

* Bay area poet Aaron Shurin is in town to promote what is arguably his best book, King of Shadows, a collection of 20 essays and meditations. Shurin writes of his development as a poet and gay man in a very specific time and place in America. Open Books in Wallingford, 7:30 PM. LINK

* Two more poets will be reading in town, this time at the Good Shepherd Center (Room 202) in Wallingford. Counterbalance Arts hosts a poetry reading by Paul Hunter and Kurt Olsson at 7:30 PM. $5 GA/ $3 Students. LINK