Literopolis: A Weekly Round-up of Portland Literary Events, Dec. 1-6

Monday, December 01, 2014

Emily Goldman, GoLocalPDX Contributor

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After a relative dearth of events the previous week due to Thanksgiving, it's back to business as usual.

First and foremost this coming week on Sunday is the Oregon Historical Society's 47th annual Holiday Cheer event, a gargantuan book sale and signing event featuring over 80 local authors. Each author has been published this past year and will be selling copies of those titles throughout the event. At the link you can find the entire list of participating authors and their 2014 titles. Anyone who attends is practically guaranteed to find th perfect book with which to gift someone for the holidays. noon-4 pm, 1200 SW Park Ave., FREE

And now for the rest:

On Monday, local author C.B. Bernard will be at Another Read Through reading from his book Chasing Alaska, an Oregon Book Award finalist in 2014. Part-travelogue, part historical narrative, the book tells two stories, that of the author's personal explorations through the Alaskan wilderness and the history of a distant relative and earlier explorer of Alaska named Captain Joe Bernard. 7 – 8:15 pm, 3932 N Mississippi Ave., FREE

Annie Bloom's Books will be hosting a reading and signing event on Tuesday for best-selling thriller author Phillip Margolin on the release date of his latest book Woman With a Gun. The event will take place at the next-door restaurant O'Connor's Vault. 7 pm, 7850 SW Capitol Hwy, FREE

Phillip Margolin will also be giving another reading at Powell's at Cedar Hills the very next day on Wednesday. 7 pm, 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., FREE

Also on Tuesday, the Lesbian Book Group at Another Read Through will be discussing contemporary romance novel Etched in Shadows by KG MacGregor. All readers are welcome. 7 - 8:15 pm, 3932 N Mississippi ave., FREE

On Wednesday, authors J.D. Chandler and J.B. Fischer will be delving into Portland's history and seeking to uncover the truth behind three murders in their book Portland on the Take about the mid-20th century Portland's civic corruption. 7:30 pm, 1005 W Burnside St., FREE

On Thursday, here’s your chance to see Carey Elwes in person, otherwise known as Westley or the Dread Pirate Roberts. He will be at Powell’s at Cedar Hills presenting his new book As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of Princess Bride, a first person account and behind-the-scenes look at the making of one of the most iconic cult classic films. 7 pm, 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd, FREE

Also on Thursday, Late Night Library will be hosting poetry reading featuring Natalie Diaz and Brynn Saito at Literary Arts. 7 pm, 925 SW Washington St., $5 suggested donation.

On Saturday, Reading Frenzy will be hosting a reading and signing with Bruce Pavitt, the co-founder of the indie record label Sub Pop and the author of a new anthology titled Sub Pop USA: The Subterranean Pop Music Anthology, 1980-1988. There will be an after-party next door at Beacon Sound with the DJ known as Selector Dub Narcotic. Reading at 3628 N Mississippi Ave., after-party at 3636 N Mississippi Ave., FREE

Also on Saturday, there will be a book launch event at Another Read Through for local author Tracy Manaster's debut novel You Could Be Home By Now about the drama and hijinks of one retirement community near Tuscon, Arizona. 5 - 6 pm, 3932 N Mississippi Ave., FREE

On Sunday, Powell's City of Books will be hosting Mallory Ortberg, one of the funniest and sharpest writers on the internet. The co-creator of the website The Toast will be presenting her debut book Texts From Jane Eyre, a compilation of an earlier online series featuring hilariously on-point text conversations between favorite literary characters. 7:30 pm, 1005 W Burnside St., FREE

And finally, Portland Poetry Slam will be held at its usual time and place on Sunday at Glyph Cafe & Arts Space. 5 – 7 pm, 804 NW Couch St., $5 donation recommended.

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