Literopolis: A Weekly Round-up Of Portland Literary Events

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Monday, September 29, 2014

Deborah Reeves, GoLocalPDX Contributor

It's almost October, which means the First Thursday of the month is on its way. There are always a couple of literary events dotted among the art galleries and museums of Old Town and The Pearl. This week, if you time it right, three events are within walking distance of each other and, for the bookish among you, should make for a very pleasant First Thursday of the fall. 

Start or end your evening with Glyph and "Entitled: A Group Art Show," in which seven writers present original work inpired by the pieces in the show. Twenty-six artists have created 52 visual art pieces picked at random from a hat.

Implicit in the work is the question: How does a title affect a piece of art if the title itself is the inspiration? The writers investigating these ideas, and more, are J. David Osborne, Barry Graham, Rios de la Luz, Lisa MoonCat Miller, Lisa Alber, Alex Bogartz, and Johnny Shaw. The event is 5-9 p.m., 804 NW Couch St. Free (Each original art work is priced at $50.)  

After that, take a moment to pass through Powell's and the Basil Hallward Gallery upstairs where comic book legend Farel Dalrymple's work will be on show in October. His science fiction graphic novel, "The Wrenchie," explores loneliness and the uncertainty of growing up. 6:30 p.m., 1005 W. Burnside St. Free

A couple of blocks west of Burnside, Literary Arts hosts the only Portland reading for this year's Jack Straw Writers, a Washington-based program that helps writers develop their skills in the medium of live and recorded audio. The theme for the evening is "Family Secrets." 7-8:30 p.m., 925 SW Washington St. Free

And a little further field on Thursday, Annie Bloom's Books hosts Jeffrey Shaffer if you're in that neck of the woods. Shaffer's 'Who Am I Today?' is a collection of observations and thoughts on topics as varied as the aging process, telephone etiquette, and the politically correct treatment of ants. 7 p.m., 7834 SW Capitol Hwy, Free

Also happening in Portland this week: 

Monday: Glyph hosts a double poetry book launch for Donna Prinzmetal's revisionist fairy tale "Snow White, When No One Was Looking" and Oregon Book Award winner Penelope Scambly Schott's "How I Became a Historian." 5-7 p.m., 804 NW Couch St. Free http://www.glyphpdx.com/events/reading-donna-prinzmetal-penelope-scambly-schott/

Also on Monday, Broadway Books celebrates Ann Hedreen's memoir, "Her Beautiful Brain' (She Writes Press), which explores the author's experience of her mother's Alzheimer's diagnosis. 7 p.m., 1714 NE Broadway Street, Free

Tuesday: Alix Christie will read from her novel, "Gutenberg's Apprentice," at the wonderfully apt C.C. Stern Type Foundry: Museum of Metal Typography. Annie Blooms Books is the off-site bookseller for the evening. 7:30 p.m., 8900 NE Vancouver Way, Free

Wednesday evening, Naomi Klein presents what may be her most important book to date, and certainly the mort urgent: "This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs the Climate." 7 p.m., Powell's Cedar Hills Crossing, 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd. Free

A new week, a new reading-series. Word Warriors makes its debut with readings by eight Portland poets at Common Grounds Coffee House on Wednesday. See Facebook for author details. 7 p.m., 4321 SE Hawthorne Blvd. Free

Friday: Local authors Carl Adamshick, Sarah Bartlett, and Jenny Drai will read at Ristretto Roasters. 7:30 p.m., 555 NE Couch St. Free

Saturday: Glyph hosts Spare Room Reading Series with poets Steve McCaffery and Karen MacCormack. 4 p.m., 804 NW Couch St. $5 suggested donation 

Later on Saturday, Bone Tax Press hosts a release party for its latest chapbook, "WRITING IN ALL CAPS IS THE BREATH MINT OF THE SOUL," by CAConrad, who will read along with special guests Emily Kendal Frey, Robert Duncan Gray, and Carl Adamshick at Ford Food & Drink. 7 p.m., SE 11th and Division, Free

Sunday: Design Week Portland 2014 presents "Perspectives On The Evolving Book Object." The discussion will center on the processes of bookmaking and collecting as forms of curating a visual library and collective memory. See Facebook for further details. 1 p.m., The Cleaners at the Ace Hotel, 1022 SW Stark St. $5-$20 sliding-scale donations appreciated. 

Also on Sunday Literary Arts presents "There's Murder in The Game: A Discussion of Sports and the American Soul with Steve Almond and Jon Raymond." See Facebook for details on what's sure to be a rousing discussion, moderated by Paul Martone, executive director of Late Night Library. 1 p.m., 925 SW Washington St. Free

Portland Poetry Slam continues at Glyph on Sunday. 7pm, 804 NW Couch St. $5 suggested donation. See Facebook for more information. 

Deborah Reeves is an Irish writer, happy to call Portland home after many years of traveling. An avid reader, she blogs about books and writing at deborahrosereeves.com. You can reach her @debrosereeves on Twitter. 

Banner Photo Credit: ginnerobot via Compfight cc

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