Speaking Tour: 9/14 - 9/19

They're talking; are you listening? Here's the round-up on speakers of note.

Thursday, September 14
>Town Hall fielder's choice: at 7:00pm, rabble-rouser Jim Hightower ($10) on sustainable communities, or at 7:30pm, Irwin Redlener ($5) on what’s wrong with our approach to preventing and responding to mega-disasters.

>Elliott Bay. 8:00pm. Jennifer Gilmore reads from her debut novel, "Golden Country," about the Jewish Immigrant Experience Project. Free, our hand to God!

Friday, September 15
>Third Place Books, 6:30pm. Finally, someone's not afraid to raise the subject of fly-fishing in Seattle. That someone is Steve Raymond. Free.

>Elliott Bay, 7:30pm. Clifford Chase reads from his novel, "Winkie," which has been called a cross between Kafka's "The Trial" and "The Velveteen Rabbit." (Is that legal?) Free.

Saturday, September 16
>Town Hall, 7:00pm. Amy "Democracy NOW!" Goodman going on about reclaiming the media or something. Look for glowing coverage on FOX News. $15.

>Third Place Books, 6:30pm. Lolly Winston reads from "Happiness Sold Separately," a novel about infertility and infidelity. There's a joke there somewhere. Free.

>Elliott Bay, 6:30pm. Ryan Boudinot, who has been touted by the Stranger, reads from his story collection, "The Littlest Hitler," which title alone explains the Stranger-touting. Free.

Sunday, September 17
>Third Place Books, 5:30pm. Alan freaking Alda reads from his how-not-to memoir, "Never Have Your Dog Stuffed." 2 tickets free with purchase of said laff-filled tome, paperback ed.

Monday, September 18
>Downtown Library, 7:00pm. Edward P. Jones, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Known World," reads from his new collection of stories, "All Aunt Hagar's Children." (Nothing to do with the Hagar of comics.) Free.

>Ballard Library, 7:00pm. Aging sentimentalist filmmaker Nora Ephron talks with Warren Etheredge about romantic comedy and confesses that was her ad the guy from LJ put on CL -- just bummed it's too late to work it into her current essay collection, "I Feel Bad About My Neck." Free.

>Elliott Bay, 7:30pm. Rock(et) journalist Charles R. Cross reads from his "Room Full of Mirrors: A Biography of Jimi Hendrix." The P-I says the book is "sometimes disturbing," so go with someone you love. Free.

>Third Place Books, 7:30pm. Dog-lovers will not want to miss "For the Love of a Dog," by Patricia McConnell. Learn how to interpret your dog's "tongue flicks." Apparently this sort of thing is still legal in Washington. Free. Now sit!

Tuesday, September 19
>Third Place Books, 7:00pm. Dave Barry (yeah, that Dave Barry) and Ridley Pearson have a new children's book out. It's also National Talk Like a Pirate Day, so be ready for that. Aye, it's free for adults and anklebiters alike.

>Elliott Bay, 7:30pm. John Stauber sets out to angry up your blood with "The Best War Ever: Lies, Damned Lies, and the Mess in Iraq." Do we even need to mention the Noam Chomsky blurb? Free, but you come out with blood on your hands.