LitPDX seeks to amplify marginalized voices, and welcomes all, their ideas, their events, and their words.

For details regarding specific events please contact the organizers or venues. If you are an organizer or venue and would like to reach out to us please feel free to contact us or submit an event using our submission form. We’d love to hear from you!

Molly Gloss

Broadway Books 1714 NE Broadway, Portland, OR, United States

We are thrilled to welcome Molly Gloss back to the store at 7 pm on Wednesday, September 18th,  to read from her recently published collection of stories, Unforeseen, published by Saga/Simon & Schuster. This first complete collection of her stories includes two brand new unpublished stories. Molly Gloss is a fourth-generation Oregonian and the author of several previous novels, including Hearts of Horses, The Jump-off Creek, and The Dazzle of Day. three of her novels -- Outside the Gates, The Dazzle of Day, and Wild Life -- were reissued by Simon and Schuster last spring. She has won several awards for her writing, including an Oregon Book Award, a Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award, the PEN West Fiction Prize, the James Tiptree Jr. Award, and a…

Free

Gabby Rivera in Conversation With Tehlor Kay Mejia

Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd, Beaverton, OR, United States

Juliet Milagros Palante is a self-proclaimed closeted Puerto Rican baby dyke from the Bronx. Only, she’s not so closeted anymore. Not after coming out to her family the night before flying to Portland, Oregon, to intern with her favorite feminist writer – what’s sure to be a life-changing experience. And when Juliet’s coming-out crashes and burns, she’s not sure her mom will ever speak to her again. In a summer bursting with queer brown dance parties, a sexy fling with a motorcycling librarian, and intense explorations of race and identity, Juliet learns what it means to come out – to the world, to her family, to herself. Juliet Takes a Breath (Dial) is Gabby Rivera’s gutsy coming-of-age story for teens. Rivera will be joined in…

Free

All Pinxy All Stars at Milepost 5

De-Canon Library / ArtHaus at Milepost 5 8155 NE Oregon St, Portland, OR, United States

Join the Portland-based celebration(s!!) for the launch of Michelle Peñaloza's FORMER POSSESSIONS OF THE SPANISH EMPIRE! Join us on September 18th for an evening with All Star Pinxy writers, Christopher Rose, Armin Tolentino, Janice Sapigao, Jake Vermaas along with Michelle, in APANO's De-Canon Library at Milepost 5. Portland- and Northern California- based poets will join forces to combine readings and karaoke into an extravaganza of entertainment and literary import! Doors open at 6:30pm, and readings/performances will begin promptly at 7:00pm! All are welcome and the event is free of charge.

Free

Simon(e) van Saarloos: Playing Monogamy

Mother Foucault's Bookshop 523 SE Morrison St, Portland, OR, United States

On Sept 18th, join us for a conversation between Leni Zumas and Simon(e) van Saarloos about Simon(e)’s new book, Playing Monogamy.

Free

Amitav Ghosh

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

A dealer of rare books, Deen is used to a quiet life spent indoors, but as his once-solid beliefs begin to shift, he is forced to set out on an extraordinary journey; one that takes him from India to Los Angeles and Venice via a tangled route through the memories and experiences of those he meets along the way. Amitav Ghosh‘s Gun Island (Farrar, Straus & Giroux) is a beautifully realized novel that effortlessly spans space and time – from the author of Sea of Poppies. It is the story of a world on the brink, of increasing displacement and unstoppable transition. But it is also a story of hope, of a man whose faith in the world and the future is restored by two…

Free

LEMON WORLD 10

Lone Fir Cemetery Southeast 26th Avenue and Southeast Washington Street, Portland, OR, United States

A weekly poetry reading series that takes place in Lone Fir Cemetery. Lemon World 10 features poetry by Gary Gamza, Lu B, and Matthew Layng. Our last dance of the season is approaching! Bring a candle, bring an umbrella, bring a friend 🎺🌲🕷🍋 *Reading site is visible from the cemetery entrance on the Morrison side across from the Belmont Apartments*

Free

Pirate (and Potty!) Story Time with Dawn Prochovnic

Green Bean Books 1600 NE Alberta Street, Portland, OR, United States

Celebrate Talk like a Pirate Day with us as we welcome local author Dawn Prochovnic on Thursday, September 19th at 3:30pm. Dawn will lead a lively, interactive story time and pirate party to celebrate International Talk Like a Pirate Day and the pre-launch of one of her latest books, Where Does a Pirate Go Potty? For pirate enthusiasts and potty humorists of all ages! Her previous book in the series, Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty?, will also be available at this event. Signing and questions will follow the story time.

Free

Slamlandia September Picnic PDX Poetry Open Mic

Picnic PDX 1305 NW 23rd Ave, Portland, OR, United States

Join us on SEPTEMBER 19TH for our third Thursday Poetry Open Mic! Doors and sign-ups are at 6:30 PM Get there on time to get a spot in the open mic! Show begins at 7:00 PM Picnic PDX 1305 NW 23rd Avenue Portland, OR 97210 This show is all ages. Please see our Accessibility and Safer Space info below. $5 suggested donation at door. This show will not have a poetry slam or a featured poet. We ask for just poetry on this mic, no music or stand up comedy. ★ •*´¨`*• O P E N • M I C •*´¨`*• ★ The open mic will start the show out. The open mic is a great way to share your wonderful poetry! You can share…

Free – $5

The Half Past 40 Howling Drunk Poetry Bash

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

Make no mistake. This is a birthday party, but this is not just any party....This is a birthday party for all the losers who were picked last, who never received an invitation, who was never asked out for the school dance. This is a party for us! This is the party celebrating two thing I love most in this world, poetry and music. The evenings literary and musical entertainment will be provided by some of the people I respect and admire the most in the Portland area. The very fact these special people agreed to do this with me astounds me. Remember, no gifts needed. Bring joy! Bring tears! But mostly just bring your own lovely selves! The event starts at 6:30 P.M. and the…

Free

Susan Banyas

Broadway Books 1714 NE Broadway, Portland, OR, United States

Susan Grace Banyas joins us to talk about her book The Hillsboro Story: A Kaleidoscope History of an Integration Battle in My Hometown, a multi-voiced tale that brings to light the courageous people who fought for integration and equal protection in the early days of the Civil Rights Movement, at a time when Cold War tensions were at their peak. Two months after the U.S. Supreme Court rendered its momentous Brown v. Board of Education decision, an eight-year-old girl named Susan Grace Banyas, living in the small town of Hillsboro, Ohio, bore witness to a courageous community protest staged to support and hasten the integration of her town's public schools, after the "colored school" was mysteriously set on fire. Five decades later, Banyas, now a…

Free