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Portland Monthly

Books & Talks

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Jan 7–10

Baron Vaughn at the Doug Fir, Miz Kitty in her Parlour, Federale gets spaghetti (western), and First Thursday brings memories of war and Warhol.

01/07/2016 By Ramona DeNies and Sylvia Randall-Muñoz

BOOKS

Literary Arts Announces Oregon Book Awards Shortlists

What were the best books published by writers from Oregon last year? Literary Arts weighs in with its shortlist for the Oregon Book Awards, with writers from Ashland to Eugene, and plenty of Portland represented.

01/06/2016 By Fiona McCann

DANCE

What Does It Take to Dance The Nutcracker? This Oregon Writer Can Tell You

Author Lauren Kessler reflects on a year of the ballet in her latest book about dance, dreams, and sheer determination. She tells Portland Monthly what it's like to have your childhood dream come true (after 40 years).

12/22/2015 By Emma Mannheimer

LONG STORY SHORT

Ruth Wariner’s Harrowing Survival Story

Her mother’s fourth child and her father’s 39th, Ruth Wariner’s incredible life story begins in a polygamist Mormon colony in Chihuahua, Mexico.

12/21/2015 By Fiona McCann

FILM

Portland Writer Daniel H. Wilson's Sci-Fi Vision Nets Major Movie Deal—Again

First there was Robopocalypse, with DreamWorks snapping up the movie rights and Steven Spielberg signing on to direct. Now local writer Daniel H. Wilson has done it again, with a major deal with Fox for his still-unfinished novel Avtomat.

12/17/2015 By Fiona McCann

BOOKS AND TALKS

Ursula K. Le Guin’s World-Conquering Year

Catch Portland’s sci-fi pathbreaker reading from her new book of poetry this week at Mississippi’s Another Read Through, and then read our profile of Portland’s literary dragon for a reminder of why she’s breathing fire.

12/14/2015 By Fiona McCann

INTERVIEW

Q&A with Roger Porter: Eating Words Is a Feast of Reading

A new anthology of food writing, coedited by former Portland food critic Roger J. Porter, is an epic collection of food tales by familiar and surprising writers.

12/04/2015 By Karen Brooks

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

7 Local Gifts for the Arts Aficionado

Books, tickets, records, and art! We've got all you need for the culture buff in your life.

12/03/2015 By Ramona DeNies and Fiona McCann

COMICS

The Comics Artist Who Was So Self-Obsessed, He Made a Book About It

Sina Grace bares all in his new memoir about family, sexuality, the pettiness of youth, and owning all of it. We caught up with the LA-based comics artist to find out about why he decided to put everything out there.

12/03/2015 By Brandon Staley

MUSIC

Listen to the Decemberists Playing Tunes From Their Beds

The Portland-made online festival Bedstock is back, with a lineup of over 40 musicians and writers playing tunes and reading books from their beds for sick kids.

12/01/2015 By Fiona McCann

Popular Content

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    The Ursula K. Le Guin Cat Book You’ve Been Waiting For

    The 5 Ursula K. Le Guin Books You Need to Read, According to Her Son

    Must-Visit Portland Indie Bookstores

    What We Talk About When We Talk About Hanya

BOOKS

Meet Cheryl Strayed’s New Literary Love

Margaret Malone’s new debut short story collection People Like You has already been hailed by a slew of literary luminaries. We caught up with the Portland author to talk about big writers and little worlds.

11/25/2015 By Fiona McCann

BOOKS

Take a Peek Inside One Portland Uber Driver’s Diary

Uber driver Tom Vandel teamed up with artist Karen Wippich for an illustrated insider’s look into life behind the wheel.

11/24/2015 By Emma Mannheimer

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Nov 19–22

SNL's Tim Meadows, Melissa Etheridge, AND the very jazzy Hugh Masakela! Plus, we go "wild" at an art auction, step up for Riverdance, and get handsy at a puppet slam.

11/19/2015 By Ramona DeNies and Brandon Staley

ART ALL OVER

Broaden Your Horizons: Art Offerings Outside the City Limits

City saturated? These six arts organizations and venues outside the Portland area will have you thinking twice about staying put all winter.

11/19/2015 By Brandon Staley

NEW BOOKS

Portlandness: This Is Not Your Grandpa's Cultural Atlas

A new book from two PSU geographers maps redlining and city chickens, strip clubs and street emotions.

11/17/2015 By Ramona DeNies

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Nov 12–15

Rainn Wilson's bassoon, Jenny Lawson's loony raccoon, Eugene Mirman teaches us Russian, plus Sturgill Simpson, Sara Evans, and even a conference with "secret knowledge." It's your weekend, Portland!

11/12/2015 By Ramona DeNies and Megan Haverman

BOOKS

Wordstock: What We Thought

We came, we queued, we loathed it, we loved it: Portland Monthly's arts team—and some festival attendees—give their verdict on this year’s festival.

11/10/2015 By Fiona McCann and Ramona DeNies

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Nov 6–8

Drew Barrymore and a Wordstock legion have books for you this weekend! Also, Rachmaninoff, Artists Rep's Orlando, and Here We Go Magic.

11/05/2015 By Ramona DeNies

BOOKS AND TALKS

Writer John Irving on Religion, Reading, and Returning to Portland

He appeared at the first Wordstock, and ten years later he’s back for its relaunch. We spoke to the World According to Garp author about his new book, Portland, and what he’d like to say to Shakespeare.

10/29/2015 By Fiona McCann

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Oct 29–Nov 1

Boo! The Oregon Symphony gets scary, alongside Shakey Graves, horror improv at the Brody Theater, the Decemberists' Jenny Conlee, and a wild piano ride with the ghost of Fats Waller.

10/29/2015 By Ramona DeNies and Megan Haverman

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