Literary Events

Send your Literary Events for the JANUARY issue of AGENDA by Dec. 15 to: AGENDA, 220 S. Main St. Ann Arbor. MI 48104.

1 Sunday    Rhythm Writers: Shaman Drum Bookshop 2 pm, 315 S. State St. Micro-workshop on "Where Poems Come From" by LAURENCE W. THOMAS. Featured writers are IRV BARAT, a Canadian poet known for his humor and keen insight, and CHARLES ZWINAK who says one of the reasons he writes poetry is "Once when I was 10, I rolled out of bed and could not walk. " Open Mic at 3:30 pm. Music, munchies, even prose. Donatjons accepted. (810) 652-8568. "Kerry Tales- Time for Toys & Mother Goose": Kerrytown Shops 2pm. Workbench, 2nd floor children's furniture, 410 N. Fourth Ave. Mother Goose, TRUDY BULKLEY, entertains with rhymes, riddles & good fun. 769-31 15 2 Monday Reading: Guild House Writers Series 8:30 pm, 802 Monroe. With lyrical style Detroit poet, ARIA. Also featuring MONICA POPE, organizer of Monroe's Sole Hole Poets. 913-4574.

3 Tuesday   Drop-ln Storytime: West Branch Library 9:30-10am, Westgate Shopping Center. Stories and songs geared for ages 3 and up. 994-1674.  Drop-In Storytime: A2 District Library 4-4:30 pm, Youth Dept., 343 S. 5th Ave. Stories about snow and winter geared for ages 3 and up. 994-2345. Reading: Green Room & EMU 7:30 pm, Intermedia Gallery, McKinney Union, EMU, Ypsi. Graduating Creative Writing M.A. students, HEATHER SWEENEY and GARY LINTON, will read fiction and poetry. 482-9774. Ann Arbor Poetry Slam: Heidelberg 8 pm,The Heidelberg Club Above, 215 N. Main. Featuring RAY McNIECE, an artist known for his poetry, music, storytelling, acting and video work. Open mic, $3 cover. 426-3451.

4 Wednesday   Drop-ln Storytime: Loving Branch Library 9:30-10 am. Stories and songs geared for ages 3 and up. 994-2353. Drop-ln Storytime: A2 District Library 6:30-7 pm (see 3 Tue). Reading: Borden Books 7:30 pm, 612 E. Liberty. ROY F. BAUMEISTER will read and sign copies of his new book, "Evil: Inside Human Violence and Cruelty." The author takes evidence from psychology, criminology, anthropology, sociology, etc. to provide insights on the "whys" of evil through current and historical examples. 668-7652. Reading: Shaman Drum Bookshop 8 pm, 315 S. State. Internationally bestselling author JAMES ELLROY reads from his new book, "My Dark Places." Here he tells his own tragic autobiography. In 1958 when Ellroy was ten years oíd his mother was murdered, her body left on a roadway. Her murderer was never found. Her son became a radically provocative writer of crime novels. Reception to follow. 662-7407.

5 Thursday    Drop-ln Storytime: Northeast Branch Library 9:30-10 am, Plymouth Mall. Stories and songs geared for ages 3 and up. 996-3180. Harlem Renaissance Reading: Borders Books & Links, inc.7:30pm,612 E. Liberty. Inspired by the University Musical Society's production of "The Harlem Nutcracker," Borders Books will present a multi-media evening for adults on this exciting period. DR. HAZEL TURNER will read and talk about the works of LANGSTON HUGHES; DR. SHIRLEY JENKINS-PHELPS will talk about the art of AARON DOUGLAS; and KELLIE M. WINGO will present and talk about her video "The Artistic Influence and Contribution of DR. EVA JESSYE, Harlem Renaissance Artist, to the Ann Arbor, Mich. Community." 668-7652. Reading: Shaman Drum Bookshop 8 pm, 315 S. State. SHIRLEY GEOK-LIN LIM reads from "Among the White Moon Faces: An Asian-American Memoir of Homelands." The book lays bare her life in colonized and war-torn Malaysia, her immigration to the U.S., and her struggles to find a voice as a writer and Asian American. Reception to follow. 662-7407.

6 Friday    Reading: Shaman Drum Bookshop 8 pm, 315 S. State St. MICHAEL ERIC DYSON reads from his new book "Race Rules: Navigating the Color Line." This former welfare father, Baptist minister and Professor of Communications Studies is best known for his passion for popular culture and commitment to urban youth. 662-7407. Reading: The Mark Webster Reading Series 8 pm. West Conference Rm., Rackham Hall. Featuring the fiction of JOHN FULTON and the poetry of TASHA ANTONELLO, both 2nd-year students in U-M's MFA Creative Writing Program. Reception to follow. 764-6296. Tribute to Jim Gustafson - First Fridays: Galerie Jacques 9 pm, 616 Wesley. A Tribute to beloved Detroit poet Jim Gustafson. With KEN MIKOLOWSKI, SARAH PETERS, DENNIS TEICHMAN, MICK VRANICH, CHRISTINE MONHOLLEN, GLEN MANNISTO, DEREK MILLER.MARK GRAFE,THOM JUREK, RON ALLEN, and MAURICE GREENIA, JR. 665-9889.

7 Saturday    Harlem Renaissance Children's Hour: Borders Books and Links, lnc.11 am. 612 E. Liberty. Program: "Lift Every Voice and Sing," a talk about the song and the man who wrote the lyrics, JAMES WELDON JOHNSON will present the opportunity to learn or relearn an important part of our history and African-American heritage. With DR. NORA MARTIN and DOLORES ANDERSON. 668-7652. Reception & Book Signing: Shaman Drum Bookshop 1-3 pm, 315 S. State St. NORMAN G. FINKLESTEIN will be on hand to celebrate the publication of his new book, "The Rise and Fall of Palestine: A Personal Account of the Intifada." The book focuses on the daily lives of a Christian Palestinian family from two Refugee Camps. 662-7407. Reading: Shaman Drum Bookshop 8 pm,315 S.State GEORGE RABASA will read from his new book of short stories, "Glass Houses," and JONIS AGEE will read from her new work. "Glass Houses," Rabasa's first book, brings together stories of people striving for safety and security who fall vulnerable to unexpected disruptions. 662-7407.

9 Monday    Reception & Book Signing: Shaman Drum Bookshop 4-6 pm, 315 S. State Reception for California state senator TOM HAYDEN to celebrate his new book, "The Lost Gospel of the Earth: A Call for Renewing Nature, Spirit, and Politics." The book articulates a call for reclaiming the ecological wisdom of Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism and Native Traditions for the 21st century. 662-7407. Reading: Guild House Writers Series 8:30 pm, 802 Monroe. Featured are the complex, emotion-filled works of Community High School student LAURA ANDERSON, and poems associated with urban upheaval, chïldren and race by Hamtramck writer, HEATHER BOTTORFF. 913-4574.

10 Tuesday    Drop-ln Storytime: West Branch Library 9:30-10 am (see 3 Tue). Booked for Lunch: A2 District Library 12:10-1 pm.Multi-Purpose Room, 343 S. 5th Ave. Discuss the writer's craft with nationally-known bestselling mystery and western author, LOREN ESTLEMAN. 994-2352. Drop-ln Storytimes: A2 District Library 4-4:30 pm, Youth Dept., 343 S. 5th Ave. Nighttime stories geared for ages 3 and up. 994-2345. Reception & Book Signing: Shaman Drum Bookshop 4-6 pm, 315 S. State. In 1983, U-M Anthropologist VAL DANIEL "walked into the ashes and mortal residue" of the violence that had occurred in his homeland of Sri Lanka. His planned project, the study of two women's folksongs as ethnohistory, was immediately displaced by his feelings of responsibility to recount the horrors he witnessed there. He will be on hand to sign copies of the result, his new book, "Charred Lullabies: Chapters in an Anthropology of Violence." 662-7407. "Word of Mouth": The Green Room 9 pm, 206 W. Michigan Ave., Ypsi. This monthly (2nd Tue) multimedia series tonight features poets JOE MATUZAK and SARA GROSKY and music by ABDURRAHMAN BARIS. 482-9774 .

11 Wednesday    Drop-ln Storytime: Loving Branch Library 9:30-10 am (see 4 Wed) Drop-ln Storytimes: A2 District Library 6:30-7 pm (see 10 Wed) Book Discussion: A2 District Library 7-9 pm, Multi-Purpose Room, 343 S. 5th Ave. DR. DEBORAH GRAYSON will lead a discussion of the Harlem Renaissance work, "The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man," by JAMES WENDALL JOHNSON. 994-2333. Fiction Writing Workshop 7:30 pm, call for location. Action-writer, editor and teacher, JOSHUA HENKIN, will lead a free sample fiction-writing workshop. Discussion will focus on plot and structure, character, dialogue, tone, voice and suspense. 761-9865 Reading & Book Signing : Borders Books 7:30 pm, 612 E. Liberty. Five Detroit News Reporters put together "A Legacy of Champions," the history of U-M football. Some or all of the writers- BOB WOJNOWSKI , JOHN BACON, ANGELIQUE CHENGELIS, CHRIS McCOSKY and JOE FALLS- will be there to field questions. 668-7652.

12 Thursday   Drop-ln Storytime: Northeast Branch Library 9:30-10 am (see 5 Thu)

13 Friday    Publication Celebration: Shaman Drum Bookshop 4-6 pm, 315 S. State. U-M Professors, IRA KONIGSBERG and LAURENCE GOLDSTEIN will present their co-edited book "The Movies: Texts, Receptions, Exposures." Both men are professors of English and Konigsberg is also professor of Film/Video Studies. Their book describes in deep-focus detail and from a variety of perspectives , the history, art, and technology of motion pictures through visual art and writing. 662-7407. Reading & Book Signing: Borders Books 7:30 pm, 612 E. Liberty. DON CANHAM will be on hand for a Q & A session about his book "From the Inside: A Half-Century of Michigan Athletics," the story of his 50 years from athlete to athletic director and how U-M rose to become a major contender in intercollegiate athletics. 668-7652.

14 Saturday    Children's Hour: Borders Books 11 am, 612 E. Liberty. ANNETTE BOWMAN will be in the guise of the Winter Fairy to teil stories about the fun of the holiday season. 668-7652. Readings from the Harlem Renaissance: A2 District Library & Links, Inc. 2-4 pm, Main Library, Multi -Purpose Room, 343 S. 5th Ave. Poetry and readings from this vital era, as well as personal stories by members of the A2 Chapter of the Links, Inc. (a professional women's organization engaged in educational and intercultural activities). 994-2333. Slide Presentation: Shaman Drum Bookshop 8 pm, 315 S. State. This summer KARL POHRT, Shaman Drum's owner and founder, traveled with Dordogne cave-drawing expert and EMU Professor, CLAYTON ESHLEMAN to Paleolithic cave sites in France. Come see the slides of the drawings and hear the two men talk about the history of the sites. "They are wildly beautiful, and they rekindle in the viewer a sharp sense of wonder about our place in the larger scheme of things," says Pohrt. 662-7407.

16 Monday    Reading: Guild House Wríters Series 8:30 pm, 802 Monroe. JERRY MEREDITH will share his clever series of greeting cards and poet PAMELA GOLDEN will read her free verse. 913-4574 .

22 Sunday   Reading & Book Signing: Michigan Theater & Borders Books 1-3 pm, Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty. GARRISON KEILLOR and JENNY LIND NILLSON wíl! be signing copies of their new book, "The Sandy Bottom Orchestra." This is a children's story about Rachel Green and her eccentric parents. Her mother crusades against bad grammar and her father críes when he hears classcal music. Rachel fears that she is becoming a nerd due to their influence. The book tells the story of how she grows up and grows away from childhood. 668-7652