~Mason Cooley

Readings, signings, and other things vaguely literary for Wednesday, October 22, 2008—
* Author Richard Farr will be at the SPL Douglass-Truth Branch at 6:30 PM to read from Emperors of the Ice: A True Story of Disaster and Survival in the Antarctic, 1910-13. It really is about penguins. Who doesn’t love penguins? Penguins are awesome!

* The Montlake Branch hosts Deborah Rohan, author of The Olive Grove: A Palestinian Story. Rohan will read and sign from 6:30 – 7:45 PM.

* For children and their dependents, local authors Kathryn Galbraith and Deb Lund will drop by the Ballard Branch to share their newest picture books. 6:30 – 7:30 PM.

* The SPL Central Library will honor the winners of the Washington Center for the Book’s 2008 Washington State Book Awards at 7:00 PM in the Microsoft Auditorium (Level 1). 2008 marks the 42nd year of the awards. This year’s winners are Matt Ruff in Fiction, for Bad Monkeys; Samuel Green in Poetry, for The Grace of Necessity; Coll Thrush in History/Biography, for Native Seattle: Histories from the Crossing-Over Place; David R. Montgomery in General Nonfiction, for Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations; George Shannon (w/ Laura Dronzek, illus.) and Sherman Alexie share the Scandiuzzi Children’s Book Award.

* Frightening and bizarre Food Network host Sandra Lee is making the rounds with her Semi-Homemade books. She’ll sign copies at the Women’s University Club at 7:00 PM.

* At 7:30 PM, Town Hall Seattle will feature Russell Shorto, author of Descartes’ Bones: A Skeletal History of the Conflict Between Faith and Religion in the Great Hall. Shorto traces the current “culture war” between science and faith back to Rene Descartes’ Discourse on Method. Downstairs, David Zirin will be promoting A People’s History of Sports in the United States. As usual, $5 at the door, or via www.brownpapertickets.com.

* Elliott Bay Books has Jonathan Carroll in-store at 7:30 PM to read and sign his new novel, The Ghost in Love. Library Journal Review says The Ghost in Love is an “occasionally scary, often luminous work of unconventional fantasy.” The description reminds me of A. F. Rützy’s End Credits , only with a dog. And luminous, instead of funny. Anyway, I’m looking forward to comparing the two.