11:00 AM – Storytelling at NAAM
Northwest African American Museum
Children of all ages are invited to experience the art of storytelling and the power of stories with a featured guest.
[LINK]

12:00 PM – Rachael Brownell: Mommy Doesn’t Drink Here Anymore: Getting Through the First Year of Sobriety
Elliott Bay Book Co.
“Brownell has an easy, readable style and a simple message. There is no glowing happy ending, just the reality that life must be faced one day at a time. This work will appeal to readers who like memoirs about ordinary people overcoming difficult life problems; individuals who find 12-step and recovery literature helpful will also be interested in this personal journey.”—Crystal Renfro for Reed Business Information
[LINK]

12:30 PM – Jane Goodall: Hope for Animals and Their World: How Endangered Species Are Being Rescued from the Brink
Theo Chocolate
Legendary activist, scientist, and UN representative Dr. Jane Goodall will be in Seattle to share her new book. Tickets are $50, and include a copy of the book, Theo chocolate, and a $10 donation to the Jane Goodall Institute.
[LINK]

5:00 PM – Cecile Andrews & John DeGraaf: Less is More: Embracing Simplicity for a Healthy Planet, a Caring Economy, and Lasting Happiness
Elliott Bay Book Co.
“We’re destroying the planet, undermining happiness, and clinging to an unsustainable economy. Our obsessive pursuit of wealth isn’t working. But there’s another way. Less can be More. Throughout history wise people have argued that we need to live more simply – that only by limiting outer wealth can we have inner wealth.With Less is More, editors Cecile Andrews and Wanda Urbanska have compiled a compelling collection of works by people who have been writing about Simplicity for decades, including:… and many more. These thinkers bring us a new vision of Less: less stuff, less work, less stress, less debt. A life with Less becomes a life of More: more time, more satisfaction, more balance, more security. When we have too much, we savor nothing. When we choose less, we regain our life and can think and feel deeply. Ultimately, a life of less connects us with one true source of happiness: being part of a caring community.” –Book jacket
[LINK]

7:30 AM – Mark Tye Turner: Notes from a 12 Man: A Truly Biased History of the Seattle Seahawks
Elliott Bay Book Co.
“The Seattle Seahawks retired number 12 in honor of the “Twelfth Man” — those fans who remained devoted no matter what. Written as a series of small essays and lists, with the same sly humor author Mark Turner brought to his scripts for “Talk Soup” and “Blind Date, ” this passionate “fan-oir” covers the team’s highlights, lowlights, and everything in between. Themed sections include “In the Beginning,” “Pop Goes the Culture,” “Transitions,” and recurring chapters that offer play-by-play reportage and analysis of notable victories and notorious losses.” – Publisher’s summary
[LINK]

7:00 PM – Lorrie More: A Gate at the Stairs
SPL Central Library Microsoft Auditorium
“Moore knits together the shadow of 9/11 and a young girl’s bumpy coming-of-age in this luminous, heart-wrenchingly wry novel—the author’s first in 15 years. Tassie Keltjin, 20, a smalltown girl weathering a clumsy college year in ‘the Athens of the Midwest,’ is taken on as prospective nanny … In a parallel tale, Tassie lands a lover … Moore’s graceful prose considers serious emotional and political issues with low-key clarity and poignancy, while generous flashes of wit … endow this stellar novel with great heart.” – Publishers Weekly
[LINK]

7:00 PM – Ted Falcon, Don MacKenzie, Jamal Rahman: Getting to the Heart of Interfaith: The Eye-Opening, Hope-Filled Friendship of a Rabbi, Pastor and Sheikh!
Barnes & Noble University Village
Exactly what it sounds like.
[LINK]

7:30 PM – Staged Reading : Roses in the Water
Richard Hugo House
Staged reading of the play by La’Chris Jordan.
[LINK]

11:00 AM – Storytelling at NAAM
Northwest African American Museum
Children of all ages are invited to experience the art of storytelling and the power of stories with a featured guest.
[LINK]

7:00 PM – Cecile Andrews & J. Kingston Pierce: Book Release Party
Santoro’s Books
“Let’s celebrate the release of two very impressive books from our neighborhood authors with an informal gathering at our store. Enjoy wine, light appetizers and a chance to meet our local talent.” -Santoro’s
[LINK]

7:00 PM – Cheap Beer and Prose: Reading
Richard Hugo House
Featuring Ryan Boudinot, Cienna Madrid, Mary Purdy and David Schmader. Hosted by Charla Grenz.
[LINK]

7:00 PM – Zachary Schomburg & Sandy Florian: Reading
Pilot Books
The poets will read and sign, if asked nicely. Poets also appreciate food bribes, because they are impoverished and hungry. Please, think of the poets!
[LINK]

7:30 PM – Frank Bruni: Born Round: The Secret History of a Full-Time Eater
Elliott Bay Book Co.
“Outgoing New York Times restaurant critic Bruni admits he was even a baby bulimic in his extraordinary memoir about a lifelong battle with weight problems … Through adolescence, puberty, and into college, Bruni oscillated from gluttonous binges to adult bulimia … While Bruni includes such entertaining bits as the campaign trail seen through a Weight Watchers lens, and ample meals from his years as the Times restaurant critic, in the end, his is a powerful, honest book about desire, shame, identity, and self-image.” – Publishers Weekly
[LINK]

7:30 PM – Thomas Frank: The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Ruined Government, Enriched Themselves, and Beggared the Nation
Town Hall Seattle
This is a great, great book; just because Bush is out of office, doesn’t mean we should forget the lessons of that administration. If anything, it is more important that we understand what happened in order to prevent the recurrence: “Thomas Frank is back with another hunk of dynamite. The Wrecking Crew should monopolize political conversation this year. It’s the first book to effectively tie the ruin and corruption of conservative governance back to the ‘conservative movement building’ of the 1970s, and before that, the business crusade against good government going back at least to the 1890s.” – Salon.com
[LINK]

12:00 PM – Timothy Hallinan: Breathing Water
Seattle Mystery Bookshop
Somebody named “Poke Rafferty” is offered the opportunity to write a biography of a Thai bigwig. Mayhem ensues.
[LINK]

1:00 PM – David Ellis: The Hidden Man
Seattle Mystery Bookshop
A 30-year-old crime comes to attorney Jason Kolarich’s attention when the leading suspect is murdered.
[LINK]

7:30 PM – Alison Gopnic: The Philosophical Baby
Town Hall Seattle
Gopnic argues that the average infant has more cognitive ability than a baked potato, which demonstrates that she’s never met my nephews.
[LINK]

7:30 PM – Amir D. Aczel: Uranium Wars: The Scientific Rivalry That Created the Nuclear Age
Elliott Bay Book Co.
“A concise and cogent review of one of the most exhilarating, yet fearsome, eras in the history of scientific discovery. Aczel sharply profiles the brilliant—and often conflicted—men and women who led us into the nuclear age.” – Marcia Bartasiak
[LINK]

7:30 PM – Stage Fright: Open Mic
Richard Hugo House
Monthly open mike for writers 14-24.
[LINK]

7:00 PM – Katherine Whitcomb: Lamp of Letters
Richard Hugo House
Poetry reading and book signing, with guests Dennis Caswell and Sharon Cumberland.
[LINK]

7:30 PM – Rev. Arthur Simon: The Rising of Bread for the World: An Outcry of Citizens Against Hunger
Elliott Bay Book Co.
Rev. Simon is no relation to the singer/songwriter, but is the brother of the late Senator. Which is irrelevant to this appearance. Oh, and everyone’s favorite pro-marijuana activist will also be there: “Internationally-recognized (and locally-based) travel writer and activist Rick Steves will introduce Rev. Simon here this evening, and participate in the conversation. In addition to his many insightful travel guides, he is recently the author of Travel as a Political Act.” –EBB
[LINK]

*
7:30 PM – T.R. Reid: The Healing of America
Town Hall Seattle, Downstairs
“According to the World Health Organization, the United States, the richest country in the world, ranks 37th overall on healthcare costs, quality, and coverage. As politicians, providers and just plain folks debate how to reform America’s healthcare system, NPR commentator and author T.R. Reid took a more global view: He visited successful healthcare systems around the world, examining why other countries have better, fairer, and cheaper healthcare than we do – and looking for ideas we could use. In his new book, The Healing of America, Reid concludes that one key lesson is that most foreign countries do not use socialized medicine. Japan has 99 percent private hospitals and 5,000 health-insurance companies, for example, but provides universal coverage and excellent care for less than half what we spend per capita. Presented as part of the Future of Health Lecture Series with University Book Store.” (Town Hall)
[LINK]

12:00 PM – Vampires and Robots: Kevin Emerson, Daniel Wilson
Bumbershoot
[LINK]

1:45 PM – Manic D Press at 25
Bumbershoot
[LINK]

3:30 PM – Writers of LOST w/ Jeff Jensen
Bumbershoot
[LINK]

5:45 PM – Seattle Noir
Bumbershoot
[LINK]

7:30 PM – Night Shift: A Story and Six Songs
Bumbershoot
[LINK]

7:45 PM – Youth Speaks Seattle w/ Staceyann Chin and Prometheus Brown
Bumbershoot
[LINK]

Bumbershoot program, 1993, courtesy of the Seattle Municipal Archives. From our Flickr pool.

12:00 PM – Christian Lander: Stuff White People Like
Bumbershoot
[LINK]

1:45 PM – Spencer Moody: The Enablers Have Spoken and You’re Fine
Bumbershoot
[LINK]

2:00 PM – ReAct Theatre: The House in Town
Elliott Bay Book Co.
“Elliott Bay’s Tenth Annual Staged Play Reading Series continues with a Seattle premiere reading presentation of Richard Greenberg’s recent Broadway play, The House in Town. The time is New Year’s Eve, 1929, and a Jewish department store tycoon and his shiksa wife bid their last few party guests with a parting wish: “A better year ahead.” But, as that pivotal year begins, the shadow of the enormous new apartment complex under construction looms over their home. The shadow also portends Wall Street’s impending collapse, and the growing strain upon the couple’s marriage. Don’t miss this extraordinary play.” –EBB
[LINK]

3:30 PM – SE Hinton
Bumbershoot
[LINK]

3:45 PM – Melvin Van Peebles
Bumbershoot
[LINK]

5:45 PM – Zak Smith: We Did Porn
Bumbershoot
[LINK]

7:30 PM: iLL-Literacy
Bumbershoot
[LINK]

8:15 PM – David Cross
Bumbershoot
[LINK]

They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. This is one of the worst covers I have ever seen.

12:00 PM – Neil Low: Sign of the Dragon
Seattle Mystery Bookshop
“…a maelstrom of revenge, tested loyalties, corruption and violence” (SMB) set in Seattle during the ’40s.
[LINK]

12:00 PM – Tom Douglas & Kathleen Flynn: F is for Food
Bumbershoot
[LINK]

2:00 PM – Steve Gritton: The Trouble with Sisters and Robots
Barnes & Noble Pacific Place
“Meet and greet Steve Gritton, local author, teacher and professional goofball. Steve will be reading and signing his newest title The Trouble with Sisters and Robots in support of Harborview Pediatric Literacy Project!” –B&N
[LINK]

2:00 PM – Writers in the Schools: Youngheads vs. Oldheads
Bumbershoot
[LINK]

3:30 PM – The Great Northwest: Jess Walter, Kerry Cohen, Kevin Sampsell
Bumbershoot
[LINK]

5:15 PM – McSweeney’s New Fiction
Bumbershoot
[LINK]

7:30 PM – Speak, Poet! Tara hardy, Jack McCarthy, Danny Sherrard
Bumbershoot
[LINK]

12:00 PM – Aaron Elkins: Skull Duggery
Seattle Mystery Bookshop
#16 in the Edgar-winning series about “Bone Detective” Gideon Oliver.
[LINK]

4:30 PM – Shauna James Ahern: Gluten-Free Girl: How I Found the Food That Loves Me Back… & How You Can, Too
Queen Anne Farmers Market
Chef demo by Mr Ahern, followed by book signing by Ms Ahern.
[LINK]

7:00 PM – Mary Lou Sanelli: Among Friends: A Memoir of One Woman’s Expectations, Disappointments, Regrets & Discoveries While Searching for Friends-For-Life
Fremont Place Books
The title depresses me.
[LINK]

7:00 PM – Sibyl James: Pistols & Hearts
Fremont Place Books
Poetry reading about travelling in Mexico. The title delights me!
[LINK]

Moe!

7:30 PM – Patrick Galbraith: The Otaku Encyclopedia: An Insider’s Guide to the Subculture of Cool Japan
Elliott Bay Book Co.
I did an interview with Patrick HERE. I love the subversive nature of fan cultures, and Patrick has a great perspective, being both a fan and a scholar.
[LINK]

***
EDITED: Mary Lou Sanelli & Sibyl James will actually be at Fremont Place Books tomorrow, Thursday 09/03. My apologies for the error. I’ve been thoroughly chastised with a wet noodle.