For complete listings, see www.seattleweekly.com

Pauline ChenFinal Exam: A Young Surgeon’s Reflections on Mortality is her medical memoir. Elliott Bay Book Co. 7:30 p.m. Wed. Feb. 7.

Tom Clavin Read how weather affected military history in his Halsey’s Typhoon: The True Story of a Fighting Admiral, an Epic Storm, and an Untold Rescue.University Book Store at Mill Creek Center, Bothell-Everett Highway & 153rd St. S.E., 425-385-3530. 7 p.m. Wed. Feb. 7.

Daveed Gartenstein-Ross Personal insight into a shadowy mindset in his memoir My Year Inside Radical Islam. University Book Store. 7 p.m. Wed. Feb. 7.

Thomas Graham, Jr. His lecture, “A World Free of Nuclear Weapons: Is It Possible?,” will be followed by a panel discussion. Room 210, Kane Hall, UW campus. 7 p.m. Wed. Feb. 7.

Peter Himmelman Songs and stories about family, sex, Judaism, and music. Sponsored by Nextbook. Tractor Tavern, 5213 Ballard Ave. N.W., 888-219-5222, www.nextbook.org. $6-$8. 7:30 p.m. Wed. Feb. 7.

Kylie Kwong Explaining the basics in her Simple Chinese Cooking. Third Place Books. 7 p.m. Wed. Feb. 7.

Jennifer Maier Readings from her new poetry collection Dark Alphabet. Art Center Gallery, Seattle Pacific University campus, 281-2036. 7:30 p.m. Wed. Feb. 7.

N. Scott Momaday Restoring Native American culture is discussed in his lecture “Origins: The Reinvention of the Sacred.” Co-sponsored by University Book Store. Room 130, Kane Hall, UW campus, www.grad.washington.edu/lectures/schedule.htm. 6:30 p.m. Wed. Feb. 7.

Suzan-Lori Parks SEE THE WIRE, WEDNESDAY.

Subtext Hugo House’s monthly experimental writing series continues with readings by Lindsay Hill and Chris Putnam. Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave., 322-7030. Donation. 7:30 p.m. Wed. Feb. 7.

Joel Tickner The benefits and risks of nanotechnology explored in this lecture. Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave., 360-331-7904, www.iceh.org. $10-$15. 6:30 p.m. Wed. Feb. 7.

Ruth Behar Her slideshow lecture “Looking at the Jews of Cuba” recounts her work with photojournalist Humberto Mayol. Room 120, Communications Bldg., UW campus. Free. 4 p.m. Thurs. Feb. 8.

Bruce Feiler His tour of Biblical sites in regions now torn by war recounted in Where God Was Born. Co-sponsored by University Book Store. University Temple United Methodist Church, 1415 N.E. 43rd St. 7 p.m. Thurs. Feb. 8.

Jim HarrisonReturning to Earth is his latest novel. Elliott Bay Book Co. 7:30 p.m. Thurs. Feb. 8.

Ralina Joseph This UW prof explores multiracialism in America through the lens of the census questionnaire in “Check All,” a lecture sponsored by the Simpson Foundation. Tallmadge Hamilton House, 5225 15th Ave. N.E. 1 p.m. Thurs. Feb. 8.

Eoin McNameeNavigator is his latest young-adult fantasy novel. University Book Store at Mill Creek Center, Bothell-Everett Highway & 153rd St. S.E., 425-385-3530. 7 p.m. Thurs. Feb. 8.

Kris Radish In her new novel, The Sunday List of Dreams, 58-year-old Connie Nixon resolves to take charge of her life. Third Place Books. 7 p.m. Thurs. Feb. 8.

Paisley Rekdal Reading from her third poetry collection, The Invention of the Kaleidoscope. Open Books, 2414 N. 45th St. 633-0811, www.openpoetrybooks.com. 7:30 p.m. Thurs. Feb. 8.

Steve Wilson A slideshow of images of Texas and the Olympic Peninsula from this photographer’s book A Natural Collection. Eagle Harbor Books, 157 Winslow Way E. (Bainbridge Island), 842-5332. 7:30 p.m. Thurs. Feb. 8.

Rene Denfeld Yet another reason to fear the different: All God’s Children: Inside the Dark and Violent World of Street Families examines a phenomenon begun in Portland. (Of course.) University Book Store. 7 p.m. Thurs. Feb. 8.

Robert GreerThe Fourth Perspective is his latest C.J. Floyd mystery. Seattle Mystery Bookshop, 117 Cherry St., 587-5737. Noon. Fri. Feb. 9.

Dean Kamen Having solved the world’s transportation problems with the invention of the Segway, Kamen now explores global clean-water issues. Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave., 652-4255. $5. 7:30 p.m. Fri. Feb. 9.

Kirby Larson Relating a 16-year-old’s adventures on a Montana homestead in Hattie Big Sky. Third Place Books. 6:30 p.m. Fri. Feb. 9.

Steven Levy How those little white rectangles came to run our lives (and why I still don’t have one) in The Perfect Thing: How the iPod Shuffles Commerce, Culture, and Coolness. University Book Store. 7 p.m. Fri. Feb. 9.

Dennis Rea The Seattle author of Live at the Forbidden City: Musical Encounters in China and Taiwan presents an audio travelogue of his experiences. Floating Leaves Teahouse, 2213 N.W. Market St. 7:30 p.m. Fri. Feb. 9.

Bringing Black History Into Focus A lecture, video, book discussion, and open-mike at this all-day event. Seattle Public Library, Rainier Beach branch, 9125 Rainier Ave. S., www.spl.org. 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Sat. Feb. 10.

Dino Day See a 40-million-year-old brontothere jaw being prepared for exhibit, among a feast of other activities and displays. The Burke Museum, N.E. 45th St. and 17th Ave. N.E., UW campus, 543-5590, www.burkemuseum.org. $5-$8 (kids 4 and under free). 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat. Feb. 10.

Yolande Matore Hoisington Why, given a cuisine based on cream sauces, don’t all French people weigh 350 pounds? This health counselor/psychologist tells you in “Healthy Eating the French Way.” Richmond Beach Library, 19601 21st Ave N.W., Shoreline, 546-3522. 2 p.m. Sat. Feb. 10.

Jayne Ann Krentz Her White Lies introduces a “level 10 para-sensitive,” i.e. a human lie detector. Third Place Books. 6:30 p.m. Sat. Feb. 10.

Mystery Book Exchange The old problem with mystery novels: do they bear rereading once you know whodunit? Trade ones you’ve enjoyed for new cases at Phinney Neighborhood Center, 6532 Phinney Ave. N., 783-2244. 10 a.m. Sat. Feb. 10.

Mary Lou Sanelli “Insightful gems,” says Knute Berger of her essay collection Falling Awake. Elliott Bay Book Co. 7:30 p.m. Sat. Feb. 10.

25 Years of Love & Rockets The pioneering alt-comic, and cornerstone Fantagraphics title, will be feted this weekend, with creators Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez on hand. Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery, 1201 S. Vale St., 658-0110, www.fantagraphics.com. Reception, 5 p.m. Sat. Feb. 10; panel discussion, 1 p.m. Sun. Feb. 11.

Allen Wyler Dead Head, in which a surgeon is kidnapped by terrorists, is his new thriller. Seattle Mystery Bookshop, 117 Cherry St., 587-5737. Noon. Sat. Feb. 10.

Palestine for Beginners “History, Context, and Understanding the Current Conflict” will be a presentation by Linda Bevis, Ed Mast, and Amin Odeh on a knotty topic, with Q&A to follow. Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church Jubilee Hall, 8900 35th Ave. N.E., 523-6776. 7:30 p.m. Sun. Feb. 11.

Ariel Meadow Stallings If her Offbeat Bride: Taffeta-Free Alternatives for Independent Brides means the death of the Chicken Dance forever, I’m so behind it. Eagle Harbor Books, 157 Winslow Way E. (Bainbridge Island), 842-5332. 3 p.m. Sun. Feb. 11.

Cecile Andrews The lifestyle-advice author of Slow is Beautiful makes her 117th bookstore appearance in the last eight weeks. University Book Store. 7 p.m. Mon. Feb. 12.

Ellen Charry A lecture entitled “God and the Art of Happiness.” Upper Gwinn Commons, Seattle Pacific University campus, 281-2723. 7:30 p.m. Mon. Feb. 12.

Douglas Isaac His Annals and Orals: Second in the Altered Biography Quartet “takes fabulist fiction to new extremes of the bizarre.” Elliott Bay Book Co. 7:30 p.m. Mon. Feb. 12.

Ralph Nader Crusading hero? Or the man responsible for our whole current mess? Famously unforthcoming about his personal life for decades, he now recalls his Connecticut upbringing as the son of Lebanese immigrants in The Seventeen Traditions. Third Place Books. 7 p.m. Mon. Feb. 12.

Sharon Beder The macro-economy’s effect on micro-environments discussed in her Free Market Missionaries: The Corporate Manipulation of Community Values. Fremont Place Books, 621 N. 35th St., 547-5970, www.fremontplacebooks.com. 7 p.m. Tues. Feb. 13.

Pete Dexter The columnist-turned-novelist collects his newspaper writings in Paper Trails. Elliott Bay Book Co. 7:30 p.m. Tues. Feb. 13.

Myra Goodman Tasty recipes for the culinary purist in her Food to Live By: The Earthbound Organic Farms Cookbook.University Book Store. 7 p.m. Tues. Feb. 13.

Rebecca Loudon & Ron Starr Reading from her Radish King and Navigate: Amelia Earhart’s Letters Home and his A Map by a Dim Lamp. Open Books, 2414 N. 45th St. 633-0811, www.openpoetrybooks.com. 7:30 p.m. Tues. Feb. 13.

One Foot on the Floor SEE THE WIRE, TUESDAY.

Amy Stewart Everything you ever wanted to know about FTD in her industry exposé Flower Confidential. Third Place Books. 7 p.m. Tues. Feb. 13; Elliott Bay Book Co. 7:30 p.m. Wed. Feb. 14.

Matthew Burtner In residence at UW Bothell, this composer presents “Computers, Music and the Environment,” 7:30 p.m. Wed. Feb. 14, and a panel on computing and music, 3:30 p.m. Thurs. Feb. 15. University of Washington, Bothell campus, 18115 Campus Way N.E., www.uwb.edu.

Byron Katie & Stephen Mitchell A Thousand Names for Joy: Living in Harmony with the Way Things Are is Katie’s take on Mitchell’s translation of the Tao Te Ching. Co-sponsored by University Book Store. Room 120, Kane Hall, UW campus. $5. 7:30 p.m. Wed. Feb. 14.

Kevin O’BrienKilling Spree is this Seattle author’s latest mystery. Seattle Mystery Bookshop, 117 Cherry St., 587-5737. Noon. Wed. Feb. 14.

Pop Culture Talks EMP’s new series opens with Disney theme park sound designer Joe Herrington and “Disney: The Music Behind the Magic.” Experience Music Project, 325 Fifth Ave. N., 770-2702, www.emplive.org. $5. 7 p.m. Wed. Feb. 14.

It’s About Time A reading series for beginning and experienced writers, with open-mike time and featured reader Tamara Sellman. Ravenna Third Place Books, 6504 20th Ave. N.E., 525-2347, www.itsaboutimewriters.homestead.com. 7:30 p.m. Thurs. Feb. 8.

Miz Floes’ Traveling Poetry Theater “Rhythmic Rhyme” is her open-mike and music night, Thursdays through March. Joanna’s Soul Café & Jazz Club, 2514 E. Cherry St., 279-7185, www.rhythmicrhyme.com. 8 p.m. Thurs. Feb. 8.

ProseWest Featured readers will be Anne-Marie Hackenberger and J. Andrew Rodriguez. Newberry Books, 561 N.E. Ravenna Blvd., 682-1268. 4 p.m. Sat. Feb. 10.

Take a Poem from Your Heart Curated & usually hosted by Christopher J. Jarmick, every second Saturday. Featured this week: Michael Dylan Welch, Dean Summers, and Carole MacRury. The Ugly Mug Coffee House, 11425 Rainier Ave. S., 772-3751, www.penwa.org. Discussion 5:30 p.m., open mike signup 6:45, readings begin at 7. Sat. Feb. 10.

Seattle Poetry Slam Billy Tuggle is the featured reader. TOST, 513 N. 36th St., www.poetryfestival.org. $5. Signup starts at 8 p.m. Tues. Feb. 13.

Venues: Elliott Bay Book Co. 101 S. Main St., 624-6600, www.elliottbaybook.com; Third Place Books 17171 Bothell Way N.E., 366-3333, www.thirdplacebooks.com; University Book Store 4326 University Way N.E., 634-3400, www.bookstore.washington.edu