Five authors and one Smartypants in six days

So many authors in town this week  — and something free going on every SINGLE night at the Central Library. Here’s a quick event round-up:

• Monday: Russell Banks reads from his newest novel Lost Memory of Skin, which a Booklist review described as “intrepidly inquisitive, magnificently compassionate, and darkly funny novel of private and societal illusions, maladies, and truths.” (See yesterday’s Seattle Times review, too.) Banks will always occupy a big part of my heart, since his novel The Sweet Hereafter launched what became Seattle Reads. Sweet Hereafter was my first Banks’ novel, and I’ve not been disappointed since. I love him even more since he guest blogged for us here last week. The event is at 7 p.m.; details here.

  

• Tuesday: Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis discuss their debut children’s novel, Wildwood. And yes, it’s Colin Meloy of The Decemberists. And yes, Carson Ellis is his wife as well as the designer of their album covers. I can put all that aside and still get excited about this novel, which is getting all kinds of terrific reviews from my friends as well as a wonderful review in The Stranger. The event is at 7 p.m.; details here, and it’s a good idea to get free Brown Paper Tickets in advance.
• Wednesday: Craig Thompson reads from his newest graphic novel, Habibi.  You know Thompson for Blankets, and from everything I heard you’re going to want to get a copy of Habibi. Publishers Weekly said that the book is “a lushly epic love story that’s both inspiring and heartbreaking…In addition to richly detailed story panels, the gorgeous Arabic ornamental calligraphy makes each page an individual work of art.” The event is at 7 p.m.; details here.
• Thursday: Seattle Men’s Chorus presents “Eat, Pray, Pant.” And in case the title isn’t enough to get you there, here’s a bit more: Captain Smartypants, a small ensemble from the Men’s Chorus, takes a hilarious look at some favorite books, like The Valley of the Dolls and The Shining, and even The Velveteen Rabbit. The Pants event is at 6 p.m.; details here.
• Friday: Scott Westerfeld reads from Goliath, the final book in the Leviathan series, in a city-wide celebration of a wildly successful Steampunk Summer. If you don’t know about Steampunk Summer, here’s a super quick recap: Teen readers around Seattle followed clues on our Push to Talk blog to find a hidden steampunk book by Westerfeld or Cherie Priest; after reading the book, a teen would hide it somewhere new and post a clue for the next reader. It was fantastic — and that’s why we’re celebrating. Steampunk costumes optional. The event is at 7 p.m.; doors at 6:30 p.m.; details here.
• Saturday: Art Spiegelman will discuss his book, MetaMaus: A Look Inside a Modern Classic, Maus with Nancy Pearl — and what a way to wind up a week of incredible talent (we’re talking to you, Nancy Pearl; just realized I should have headlined this post “Six authors … “). This new book examines Spiegelman’s Maus: A Survivor’s Tale, the unforgettable two-volume graphic novel about the Holocaust. The event is at 7 p.m.; doors at 6:30 p.m. details here.

All six of these incredible — and FREE — events are at the Central Library. If you drive downtown, make it easy on yourself and just park in the garage under the library (enter on Spring Street, between Fourth and Fifth Avenues) where parking is just $5 after 5 p.m.