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The More or Less Definitive Guide to Self-Care

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

Some days you need a pick-me-up, some days you need a life preserver. “For most of us,” writes Anna Borges, “self-care is a wide spectrum of decisions and actions that soothe and fortify us against all the shit we deal with.” You may already practice some form of self-care, whether it’s taking an extra-long shower after a stressful day, splurging on a fancy dinner, or choosing Netflix over that friend-of-a-friend’s birthday party. But when life gets so overwhelming that you want to stay in bed, some more radical care is crucial to maintain your sanity. Borges’s The More or Less Definitive Guide to Self-Care (The Experiment) is here to help you exist in the world.

Free

True Crime Book Club

Books Around the Corner 40 NW 2nd Street, Gresham, OR, United States

The True Crime Book Club is led by the true crime aficionado Rachel Newton Cumley. We would like to extend an invitation to all of our mystery and thriller loving customers (RSVP is not required). Our book discussions aim to bring people together to talk about books in a safe and inviting atmosphere. Our meetings are lovely and inclusive; we invite you to attend. Come and enjoy a lively discussion about the chosen book with other readers. Join us for the January meeting of the True Crime Book Club. This month's pick is American Predator by Maureen Callahan. Ted Bundy. John Wayne Gacy. Jeffrey Dahmer. The names of notorious serial killers are usually well-known; they echo in the news and in public consciousness. But most…

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Free

Big Dreams, Daily Joys

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

Elise Blaha Cripe’s Big Dreams, Daily Joys (Chronicle) is an empowering guide to establishing healthy habits so that it's easy (and fun!) to accomplish long-term goals – filled with simple-to-follow techniques, rituals, and exercises for accomplishing day-to-day tasks and making progress on bigger goals. For those who feel overwhelmed by endless to-do lists and the stresses that come with daily life, Big Dreams, Daily Joys is an invaluable resource for anyone who is tackling a creative project, running their own business, or simply trying to manage time more efficiently.

Free

Chuck Palahniuk Booksigning

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

In his spellbinding blend of memoir and insight, Fight Club author Chuck Palahniuk shares stories and generous advice on what makes writing powerful and what makes for powerful writing. With advice grounded in years of careful study and a keenly observed life, Palahniuk combines practical advice and concrete examples from beloved classics, his own books, and a "kitchen-table MFA" culled from an evolving circle of beloved authors and artists, with anecdotes, postcards from the road, and much more. Clear-eyed, sensitive, and illuminating, Consider This (Grand Central) is Palahniuk's love letter to stories and storytellers, booksellers, and books themselves. Please note: This event is a booksigning only. A purchase of Consider This is required to join the signing line. Palahniuk will sign books from 12 to…

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Free

Cookbook Club: Baking Edition

Books Around the Corner 40 NW 2nd Street, Gresham, OR, United States

SIGN UP WILL OPEN ON TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 10TH Join us for a special baking edition of Cookbook Club this winter filled with good food and conversation with foodie and amateur chef, Stephanie Rose and your community. This is a potluck-style event with every attendee choosing a recipe from the cookbook to share with the group. The event is limited to 12 participants and purchase of the cookbook at Books Around the Corner confirms your place on the list. After the event is full we will form a waitlist. If you have any questions please email info@booksaroundthecorner.com We will be baking out of Bake From Scratch by Brian Hart Hoffman ($39.95) . Order your copy today. Prepayment required.

Free

A House on Stilts: Mothering in the Age of Opioid Addiction

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

A House on Stilts (University of Iowa) tells the story of one woman’s struggle to reclaim wholeness while mothering a son addicted to opioids. Paula Becker’s son Hunter was raised in a safe, nurturing home by his writer/historian mom and his physician father. He was a bright, curious child. And yet, addiction found him. More than 2.5 million Americans are addicted to opioids, some half-million of these to heroin. For many of them, their drug addiction leads to lives of demoralization, homelessness, and constant peril. Within this 10-year crucible, Becker is transformed by an excruciating, inescapable truth: the difference between what she can do and what she cannot do.

Free

Shea Serrano

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

Shea Serrano is back, and his new book, Movies (And Other Things) (Twelve), combines the fury of a John Wick shootout, the sly brilliance of Regina George holding court at a cafeteria table, and the sheer power of a Denzel monologue. Many, many things happen in Movies (And Other Things), some of which are funny, others of which are sad, a few of which are insightful, and all of which are handled with the type of care and dedication to the smallest details and pockets of pop culture that only a book by Shea Serrano can provide.

Free

Reading: Camille Virginia: The Offline Dating Method

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

Annie Bloom's welcomes Portland author Camille Virginia. The modern dating process is a mess - but it hasn't changed your innate desire for love and human connection. So rather than add to the exhausting narrative about the perils of digital dating, author Camille Virginia created a refreshing and powerful solution for it. In The Offline Dating Method, Virginia draws upon her transformation from a shy girl with social anxiety to a confident woman who's been asked out by nearly 300 men (from the Denver airport to the greeting card aisle of a drug store) without ever going online or using a dating app. Combining her own experiences with five years of teaching thousands of women across 100 different countries how to get the same results…

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Free

E.J. Koh in Conversation With Mary Szybist

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

The Magical Language of Others (Tin House) is a powerful, aching love story in letters, from mother to daughter. After living in America for over a decade, Eun Ji Koh’s parents return to South Korea for work, leaving 15-year-old Koh and her brother behind in California. Her mother writes letters, in Korean, over the years, seeking forgiveness and love – letters Koh cannot fully understand until she finds them years later in a box. Koh fearlessly grapples with forgiveness, reconciliation, legacy, and intergenerational trauma, arriving at insights that are essential reading for anyone who has ever had to balance love, longing, heartbreak, and joy. The Magical Language of Others weaves a profound tale of hard-won selfhood and our deep bonds to family, place, and language,…

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Free

I’m Not Surprised.

Chapel Theatre 4107 SE Harrison St, Milwaukie, OR, United States

Hey, champ! Thanks for checking out Telltale. This is a monthly curated storytelling event for people that like to get vulnerable and take no shit. We are into genuine connection, laughter, heartbreak, poignant moments, and community building. We are now in our third season, and we are very excited for all the shows coming up this year. At Telltale, you can expect 8-10 performers sharing something with you, in the way that feels right to them--so there will be a mix of comedy, stories, music, essays, and more. Your evening will likely include honesty, swear words, enthusiasm, resistance, alcohol if that floats your boat, excellent pizza, dark humor, and some rad raffle prizes. You might make a new friend. You know how hard it is…

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$8
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