Toronto's Literary Events: June 17-23, 2008

In this week's roundup of Toronto's literary events: Party in Parkdale, Slamming for Spoken Word Supremacy, Scintillating Sex Stories, and other alliterations.

Tuesday, June 17

Paul Polak, founder of Colorado-based non-profit International Development Enterprises, visits OCAD tonight to deliver a talk on why current poverty-alleviation strategies might not be working, and what can be done to make them more effective. He will also be launching his book Out of Poverty: When Traditional Approaches Fail. The talk and launch take place at the OCAD Auditorium at 6:30pm tonight.

Also on Tuesday:

• Lien Chao reads from her short story collection The Chinese Knot and her other works at TPL's Locke Branch at 2pm.
• Michael Knox launches The North End Poems at The Supermarket at 6:30pm.
• James Deahl, Laura Pasol, and Pier Giorgio Di Cicco feature at the Art Bar Poetry Series at Clinton's at 8pm.
   

Wednesday, June 18

You've read the comic books, watched the mainly-mediocre film adaptations, and grew up wanting to be just like him. But have you ever wondered about the person that actually created Spider-man? Toronto author and comics historian Blake Bell will be at TPL's Lillian H. Smith Branch to launch The World of Steve Ditko, the first-ever biography of one of Spidey's co-creators. The event hosted by The Beguiling and TPL's Merril Collection will kick off at 7pm and will feature an audio-visual presentation by Bell and a screening of the BBC documentary In Search of Steve Ditko.

Also on Wednesday:

• Karen Patkau, prolific author and illustrator of books for children, launches Creatures Yesterday and Today at TPL's Yorkville Branch at 6:30pm.
   

Thursday, June 19

Not every woman lives the life of Carrie Bradshaw, but on Thursday, four women come together as part of the Fictionista Reading Series to tell their stories of sex and relationships in the city. Dede Crane, Shari Lapena, Linda Leith and Laura Lush take the stage at the Victory Cafe at 7pm to share their stories of love and lust from cities across Canada.
 

Friday, June 20

Not all literary events have to be readings: this Friday evening, Parkdale Project Read — an adult literacy program serving adults and youth in Toronto's West End — hosts a fundraiser featuring music, dancing, and my favorite, a buffet. The event takes place at 8pm at the Edward Day Gallery and will also feature Skeets and the Clay Pigeons and Literacy Through Hip Hop.

Also on Friday:

• Lien Chao reads from her short story collection The Chinese Knot and her other works at TPL's Goldhawk Park Branch at noon.
• Elyse Freidman, Keith Garebian and Beverley Stone feature at the IV Lounge Reading Series at the IV Lounge at 8pm.
• Sherene Razack launches Casting Out: The Eviction of Muslims from Western Law and Politics at the Noor Cultural Centre at 7pm.
   

Saturday, June 21

blogTO favorite and acclaimed spoken word artist Boonaa Mohamed is the guest feature at this month's Toronto Poetry Slam, going down at the Drake Underground at 8pm on Saturday. If you're looking to take the stage and compete, poet sign-up is at 7:30pm.
 

Sunday, June 22

Claude La Vertu launches LoveDare at the Centre for Conscious Living at 2:30pm.
 

Monday, June 23

Heather Reisman interviews Natan Sharansky, former Soviet dissident, political prisoner, and human rights icon at the Chapters Bayview VIllage at 7pm. Sharansky will also sign copies of his new book, Defending Identity.