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Joshua A. Douglas

Powell's City of Books 1005 W Burnside Street, Portland, OR, United States

In contrast to the anxiety surrounding our voting system, with stories about voter suppression and manipulation, there are actually quite a few positive initiatives toward voting rights reform. Professor Joshua A. Douglas, an expert on our electoral system, examines these encouraging developments in his inspiring new book about how regular Americans are working to take back their democracy, one community at a time. Told through the narratives of those working on positive voting rights reforms, Vote for US (Prometheus) includes chapters on expanding voter eligibility, easing voter registration rules, making voting more convenient, enhancing accessibility at the polls, providing voters with more choices, finding ways to comply with voter ID rules, giving redistricting back to the voters, pushing back on big money through local and…

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Free

Juggalo Country

Powell's City of Books 1005 W Burnside Street, Portland, OR, United States

The Insane Clown Posse calls itself "the most hated band in the world," but with 11 million albums sold, the horrorcore hip hop duo from Detroit is a widespread music phenomenon with a cult following. Juggalo Country (Microcosm) is the story of Craven Rock's journey to their annual festival, the Gathering of the Juggalos, where legions of fans in clown makeup come together to attend this family reunion-like event and enjoy musical celebrities, feats of wrestling, debauchery, and most of all, a supportive, tight-knit community. Rock's reporting casts a light on the many contradictions and perils of Juggalodom, sensitively handling questions of gender, health, religion, and what it means to be part of something. Part festival-goer's journal, part music history, part investigative report, part social…

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Free

Oregon Wine: A Deep-Rooted History

Powell's City of Books 1005 W Burnside Street, Portland, OR, United States

The history of winemaking in Oregon is steeped in legends so well-known they've become gospel, but reality is even more fascinating. In Scott Stursa’s Oregon Wine: A Deep-Rooted History (History Press), discover the truth about who opened the state's first commercial winery and the real origin of Willamette Valley's famed Pinot Noir. Learn about Portland's daring Italian Americans, who kept home wineries during Prohibition, and the flourishing agriculture that contributed to the popularity of fruit wine. From the 19th-century winemakers through the modern industry that now includes more than 700 wineries, places like HillCrest and The Eyrie have been serving Oregonians for a half century. Uncover the forgotten roots of Oregon wine and raise a glass to its prosperous future.

Free

Longreads Club: Behind the Lines in Syria, Part One

Rose City Book Pub 1329 NE Fremont, Portland, OR, United States

READ THE ARTICLE: https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/06/behind-the-lines-syria-part-one/ This blockbuster investigation from Mother Jones on the United States' involvement in Syria was released in two parts, each of which takes about an hour to read. We're going to read the first part for this meeting and the second part for the next meeting on the 21st. Join the Longreads Club where we explore a long-form article focused on global topics. No membership or registration required. Just read the article, show up, and join the discussion!

Free

Reading: Mary Lea Carroll: Saint Everywhere

Annie Bloom's Books 7834 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR, United States

Annie Bloom's welcomes California author Mary Lea Carroll to read from her book Saint Everywhere. While visiting Siena, Italy, Mary Lea Carroll grew fascinated with the remarkable story of St. Catherine of Siena and made a resolution: Whenever she was lucky enough to travel, if a shrine dedicated to a female saint was nearby, she'd visit it and learn about her. What started as a hobby grew into a journey she never expected, one rich with challenges and cappuccinos, doubts and inspiration, glasses of wine with strangers and moments of transcendence. Over eight quests, Carroll takes readers along with her as she seeks to learn something from a few great women of history, while looking for ways to be a better citizen of the world.…

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Free

Hilary Kearney

Powell's City of Books 1005 W Burnside Street, Portland, OR, United States

At the heart of every beehive is a queen bee. Since her well-being is linked to the well-being of the entire colony, the ability to find her among the residents of the hive is an essential beekeeping skill. In QueenSpotting (Storey), experienced beekeeper and professional “swarm catcher” Hilary Kearney challenges readers to “spot the queen” with 48 fold-out visual puzzles — vivid up-close photos of the queen hidden among her many subjects. QueenSpotting celebrates the unique, fascinating life of the queen bee and chronicles royal hive happenings such as The Virgin Death Match, The Nuptual Flight — when the queen mates with a cloud of male drones high in the air — and the dramatic Exodus of the Swarm from the hive.

Free

Jay Wexler, Our Non-Christian Nation

Rose City Book Pub 1329 NE Fremont, Portland, OR, United States

Join me as I talk about my new book, Our Non-Christian Nation. Free, open to all, and no RSVP required. I will sign books and also draw a picture of your favorite fruit or vegetable saying something idiotic, if you want. Less and less Christian demographically, America is now home to an ever-larger number of people who say they identify with no religion at all. These non-Christians have increasingly been demanding their full participation in public life, bringing their arguments all the way to the Supreme Court. The law is on their side, but that doesn't mean that their attempts are not met with suspicion or outright hostility. In Our Non-Christian Nation, Jay Wexler travels the country to engage the non-Christians who have called on…

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Free

Anthony McCann in Conversation With Leah Sottile

Powell's City of Books 1005 W Burnside Street, Portland, OR, United States

In 2016, a group of armed, divinely inspired right-wing protestors led by Ammon Bundy occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in the high desert of eastern Oregon. Encamped in the shadowlands of the republic, insisting that the federal government had no right to own public land, the occupiers were seen by a divided country as either dangerous extremists dressed up as cowboys, or as heroes insisting on restoring the rule of the Constitution. From the occupation’s beginnings, to the trials of the occupiers in federal court and their tumultuous aftermaths, Anthony McCann’s Shadowlands (Bloomsbury) is a clarifying, exhilarating story of a nation facing an uncertain future and a murky past in a time of great collective reckoning. Gathering into its vortex the realities of social…

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Free

Back Fence PDX: Summer 2019: Intro to Storytelling

Literary Arts 925 SW Washington Street, Portland, OR, United States

Master the art of live true personal storytelling, to get in on the fun on stage at The Moth, Back Fence PDX, or any of the storytelling shows in town. In this three week intro course, you will learn the basics of story construction using the five-part story arc, and how to use themes to choose your details and hone the right tone. You will also get the goods on how to deliver your best performance onstage. This class culminates in a live storytelling show, where you’ll tell your story before a live audience and have your story recorded as an audio file for you to keep. Mindy Nettifee, MA is one of the producers of Back Fence PDX and host for the Moth. She…

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$175

Voices of a People’s History: A Movement of Movements

Revolution Hall 1300 SE Stark St, Portland, OR, United States

Voices of a People’s History celebrates diverse movement leaders by sharing their stories, in their own words. Leaders of today perform readings of notable speeches and essays from inspiring figures past and present. It's a radically-empowering opportunity to hear the echoes of history in the modern day. Voices is the biggest night of the year for OPAL, and brings us closer together while strengthening our resolve to fight for racial, social and economic justice. Featuring Performances By Portland City Commissioner JoAnn Hardesty Gresham City Councilor Eddy Morales, Founder, East County Rising Paul Lumley, Executive Director, Native American Youth and Family Center Reyna Lopez, Executive Director, Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN) Ana del Rocio, Executive Director, Oregon Futures Lab and ColorPAC Nakisha Nathan, Executive…

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$25 – $50
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