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It's a packed day today, including a book about a mountaineer and four other events I'm going to tell you all about.

Carl Hiaasen reads at Seattle Mystery Bookshop and University Book Store. Hiaasen is a fun, funny crime writer who does very good dialogue. That said, his newest one, Star Island, does not look like his best. It's about a paparazzo and a celebrity named "Cherry Pye."

Fremont Place Books is throwing a birthday party for Charles Bukowski tonight at The Red Door, with readings of poems and stories by Bukowski. It's not Bukowski's fault that thousands of twenty-year-old men become assholes when they read his stuff; you shouldn't hold those drunk douchebags against him.

And Cafe Racer is hosting an Elvis Death Day Tribute. Elvis died 33 years ago, and the cafe is kicking the Week of Mourning off with a party featuring a reading from local author Gillian Garr, who wrote a book about Elvis in the (1968-ish) comeback period.

The full readings calendar, including the next week or so, is here. And if you're planning on staying in and you're looking for personalized book recommendations, feel free to tell me the books you like and ask me what to read next over at Questionland.