Slog

The big event of the day is the Hugo House’s Zine Library grand re-opening celebration. I wrote about this yesterday, but it’s important enough that I’ll repeat myself: ZAPP is possibly the largest collection of zines in the world, and it finally has a little bit of organization, which is almost unthinkable. I’ve visited the new digs, and they’re really nice. It’s not quite as spacious as the old ZAPP, but it’s also not as prone to flooding, since it’s on the second floor. The party goes from 3 to 7 pm, and you should go check it out before coming to The Genius Awards. Zines are an important part of modern literary history, and it’s really interesting to watch them change in the face of the internet and blogs. Most zines nowadays are beautiful objects, many with silk-screening and fancy design. Go and take a look, really. It’s free.

At Elliott Bay Book Company this afternoon, Lily Koppel reads from The Red Leather Diary, which is about a red leather diary that Koppel finds and then delivers to its long-lost, 90-year-old author. Later in the day, California Representative Barbara Lee reads from Renegade for Peace & Justice, which is about her efforts in Congress to fight the Iraq War. Before you think, “This lady was Barack Obama before there was a Barack Obama,” Lee also voted against the use of force after September 11th. Which I think pretty much means she’s the biggest pacifist in Washington D.C. And that’s worth checking out.

And at Elliott Bay Book Company in the evening, John Witte reads from his new book of poems, Second Nature. He’s a very good poet whose work has appeared everywhere. You can preview one of his books of poetry, The Hurtling, at Google Books. But you shouldn’t go to this reading. You should come to the Genius Awards instead.

UPDATE: Commenter —MC writes:

Aw, Paul. No mention of the TYPHON signing tonight at the Fantagraphics Bookstore at 1201 S Vale St. in hip and fattening Georgetown? From six to nine, TYPHON editor Danny Hellman will sign copies of his groundbreaking new comics anthology, along with contributors D. J. Bryant, Dalton Webb, Pat Moriarity, Max Clotfelter, and Mark Campos. Hellman will present a multimedia cartoon performance and Moriarity will perform a short music set with his 10-year-old son Jack – as seen on Willie Nelson’s website! This event coincides with the colorful Georgetown Second Saturday Art Attack, featuring exciting visual and performing arts at 30 locations throughout the historic neighborhood. Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is located at 1201 S. Vale St. at Airport Way S., only minutes from downtown Seattle. Phone: 206.658.0110. Open daily 11:30 – 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00. Admission is always free to the public. And you didn’t say anything about it! Aw, but that’s all right, you’re a busy guy.

I apologize, —MC. That one slipped right by me.I don’t know some of the other names, but Campos, Webb, and Hellman are all excellent comics people and they should have had their spot on the calendar with a little green star next to them. Sorry to —MC and to Fantagraphics and to everyone involved with the reading. (But I’m still going to the Genius Awards.)

The full readings calendar, including the next week or so, is here.