Wednesday November 4top

Word and Image/Word as Image

From the Nuremberg Chronicle to pop art, Francisco de Goya to Jenny Holzer, the Portland Art Museum's Word and Image/Word as Image tracks over 500 years of, well, words somehow wrapped up in images. Most works—by Goya, Roy Lichtenstein, Edgar Heap and others—seem designed to evoke (and provoke) social commentary via language. Others, like Ed Ruscha's Drops, simply explore the aesthetic of text. Portland Art Museum, 1219 SW Park Ave., 226-0973. 10 am-5 pm Tuesday-Wednesday and Saturday, 10 am-8 pm Thursday-Friday, noon-5 pm Sunday. $12, free for members and children under 17. Map

Jonathan Safran Foer

The author of Everything Is Illuminated and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close comes to Powell’s to read from his first work of nonfiction, Eating Animals. On the brink of fatherhood, Foer battles with his morals and his appetite when he decides whether or not to raise his child as a vegetarian. You'll probably be standing behind 1,000 adoring hipsters for this one, so wear comfortable shoes. Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St., 228-4651. 7:30 pm. Free. Map

Thursday November 5top

Hells Canyon Preservation Council

Love nature? Love beer? The Hells Canyon Preservation Council is having a little celebration over some post-work brewskies to share stories about Oregon’s outdoors and to admire wilderness photographer Larry Olson’s new art of Wallowa County. Grow your mountain-man beard, bring your carabiner and get down on some Lucky Lab ale while reminiscing about the good ol’ days of camping without your fussy girlfriend. Lucky Labrador Brew Pub, 915 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 236-3555. 5 pm. Free. Map

Lydia Davis

World-renowned author Davis will speak as part of Portland Arts and Lectures to an almost-sold-out crowd. Even if you haven’t read the volume of Proust that she translated, go and see her just for the sheer fact that she did it. Also, pick up a copy of her new Collected Works, which The New Yorker called “a body of work unique in American writing.” Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway., 248-4335. 7:30 pm. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com. $30. Map

Friday November 6top

Debbie Wooten

Stand-up comedian Wooten will talk about her incredible life in Southside Chicago during the 1960s. And when I say incredible, I mean it: She survived polio as an infant, met Martin Luther King Jr. at the height of his fame and won a national Toastmasters competition. Her talk will be funny and uplifting. Plus, all proceeds go directly to the new Thirteen Salmon Family Center shelter. This is definitely more inspirational than another Friday night at the bar. First Unitarian Church, 1011 SW 12th Ave., 725-3307. 7:30 pm. $10-$20. Map

Mary Ann Hoberman

Looking for something to take the kiddies to? The U.S. children’s poet laureate comes to read from her new book, The Tree That Time Built, an anthology of 100 poems that encourage environmental awareness. The illustrator, Linda Winston, will also be there. A perfect rainy-day activity for all the Northwest granola mamas and papas. Barnes and Noble, Clackamas Town Center, 12000 SE 82nd Ave., 786-3464. 7 pm. Free. Map

Saturday November 7top

Female Force: Stephenie Meyer

If Stephenie Meyer doesn’t already completely freak you out, go learn a little more about her from the authors of the graphic novel based on her life. That’s right. You read that correctly. The creator of the unconscionably successful Twilight series is now a character in the “Female Force” comics series, alongside Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton. Of course! Because they all have so much in common! Borders-Tigard, 7227 SW Bridgeport Road., 968-7576. 1-3 pm. Free. Map

Project Censored 2010

Are you one of those guys who's convinced the moon landing was fake and JFK was murdered by aliens? You are not alone! Project Censored gives your paranoia an upgrade when editors Peter Philips and Mickey Huff discuss the top 25 news stories censored by the mainstream media. Proceeds benefit KBOO Community Radio. Go to find out what Obama has been keeping a secret. First Unitarian Church, 1011 SW 12th Ave., 725-3307. 5 pm. $5-$15 donation. Map

Sunday November 8top

Trans/a/scend Benefit Show

Portland’s art scene gets a little sexier at Someday Lounge. Portland Suspension Society, Miss Germany, CJ and the Dolls, and copious amounts of booze all come together to raise money for a transgender person’s surgery. Lots of dance music, raffle prizes and weird activities await you and you friends. (You’ll want to leave your mom at home for this one.) Someday Lounge, 125 NW 5th Ave., 248-1030. 8 pm. $10. Map

Tuesday November 10top

Carlos Reyes

If you missed him at Wordstock last month, now is your chance! Local poet Reyes will read from his new collection of poetry, The Book of Shadows, and answer your adoring questions after. "Adoring" is an understatement: Portland loves this guy, and you should too. Broadway Books, 1714 NE Broadway., 284-1726. 7 pm. Free. Map

Stay Happy Hour

Hobnob with authors and nosh on Clyde Common happy-hour eats and drinks at Stay Happy Hour, a semi-regular get-together hosted by Publication Studio—Clear Cut Press co-founder Matthew Stadler’s newest project. This time around Bruce Benderson, author of the “Rabelaisian send-up” of Northwestern life, Pacific Agony, and Semiotexte editor-in-chief Hedi El Khoti talk about print rights and pirating. Ace Cleaners, 403 SW 10th Ave., . 6 pm. Free entry; regular happy-hour menu prices. More info at publicationstudio.biz. Map