Results tagged “elliottbaybookco”

Though this is Chandler Burr's first novel, he is also the author of three other non-fiction books: The Perfect Scent, The Emperor of Scent, and A Separate Creation. And if you're smelling sensing a particular theme, you're on the right track--Burr has been the The New York Times scent critic since August '06.

We'll preface this review by saying that we absolutely loved Ali Sethi's debut novel The Wish Maker. The fact that he is only 24 years old and could produce such a well-written, excellent debut novel is just outstanding.

STILL TRUCKIN': Sonic Youth's new album going to try the Block Party again, so this is about as good as it gets for people like us. Three Imaginary Girls co-hosts the event with Hannah Levin, Gainsbourg's co-owner.

THE BIG SHOW: Tonight is the official opening gala of the 2009 Seattle International Film Festival. The film showing is , a wacky British satire of contemporary politics, with a talented ensemble cast including James Gandolfini, who (except for Gandolfini) are expected to be in attendance at the gala tonight. For non-members, you can get in for $50, which gets you into the movie (at the Paramount) as well as a couple drink tickets and some hors d'oeuvres. For $100, you can access to the open bar. And for $200, you get the first-born child of one of Swaziland's most well-regarded actors.

ELECTIONEERING: Do you make all your voting decisions based on the enthusiastic support of aging rock musicians? If so, tonight's your night, with the likes of Krist Novoselic, Dave Dederer, and Kim Thayil turning out at the Croc to support the electoral efforts of Dow Constantine to become the new King County Exec. Music will be provided, and there's a special VIP treatment if you can cough up $100 for a donation.

THE SECRETS OF CHANGE: According to this website, Rikki Ducornet is "a being unchained, transcendent as a mythical angel." That's probably placing the po-mo writer and poet on bit of a pedestal, but it's true--at least in the sense that Ducornet is more than a little "out there." She reads from her book of short, surrealist stories, The One Marvelous Thing, at the Elliott Bay Book Co. tonight.

The trio of authors Akashic's showcasing includes the novelists Felicia Luna Lemus and Joe Meno, neither of whom we've read and therefore can't comment on. But trust us--it's worth going for Chris Abani alone. An exiled Nigerian playwright and novelist, Abani was such a thorn in the military regime's side that they even tried to assassinate him in London (prompting his move to the US, where he currently teaches at UCLA).

POLITICS: Young Republicans meetup. "Can't be any more boring than Drinking Liberally, can it?" asks Seattlest Seth. "Six of one, half dozen of the other," we reply.

BOOKS: Dave "Mr. McSweeney's" Eggers' latest is titled What is the What: The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng. Mr. Deng himself--a survivor of the Darfur shitstorm--discusses his life tonight. Bring tissue.

OPEN MIKE: What can you have in common with John Moe, Charles Frazier, and Jen Marlowe? You, too, can read from your work at Elliott Bay Books. Last Wednesday of the month is always open mike night at Elliott Bay.

>>>University Temple United Methodist Church, 7:30pm. Religious believers can be co-opted, argues distinguished biologist and secular humanist E.O. Wilson in his talk "The Creation: A Meeting of Science and Religion." Blah blah salvation of biodiversity blah glory of nature blah work together. We dislike this automatic Religion-and-Science connection ("Ballet and Groundskeeping: A New Unity"), but he's a smartie. Could be worth it. .

Despite several intriguing suggestions in our "Where Do You Sell Your Used Books?" post from last week, we opted to sell our 70-or-so books at good ol' Elliott Bay Book Co.

Where: the used book section of Elliott Bay Book Co.

The holidays are over (except for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, of course), so authors are starting to make their way to Seattle again, ready to read excerpts and sign autographs so that you'll be tempted to buy their latest title. Here's a cheat sheet for the week in book tours.

Monday Nov. 28

John Hodgman, Writer, has offered up fascinating insights into himself for our sister publication, Gothamist. He's created smarty-pants user-generated content for McSweeney's and This American Life. And Mr. Hodgman, Writer, has published a book, The Areas of My Expertise, in which he makes up a bunch of facts. (Like that's not a contradiction in terms. Did you think no one would notice, Mr. Hodgman? Must you lie to us to be funny?)

No comments, just schedules. (Because we're lazy, that's why.)

When's the last time you attended a reading by a genuine, MacArthur-certified genius? Tonight's your chance -- local author and Science Fiction Museum board member Octavia Butler will read from Fledgling, her first novel in 7 years, at 7:30 at Elliott Bay Book Co.

Full name: Judith Ann Jance

Now that Independence Day weekend has come and gone, Seattlest has gotten all that nasty "freedom" and "liberty" and "love for one's country" out of our system---so it's back to cynicism as usual. With that in mind, it's the perfect time to hit up Elliott Bay Book Company for the reading/signing tonight by politically-minded cartoonist Ward Sutton. Ward lived in Seattle from '91 to '95, when he illustrated posters for local bands (of the grunge variety, no doubt). He's back in town this evening promoting his new book o' comics entitled Sutton Impact: The Political Cartoons of Ward Sutton. This is his first-ever collection, culled from his weekly strip in the Village Voice, as well as works created for the New York Times, The Nation, Mother Jones, The New Republic, TV Guide, and other hippie commie pinko rags. In fact, his book features the following warning:

The Attorney General has found that reading Sutton Impact may be hazardous to your unquestioning devotion to the Bush administration, the Religious Right, and the Media Industrial Complex.