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.
   

In this week's roundup of Toronto's literary events: Canadian sonnets, more Luminato, poetry in the park, and Book Expo Canada.

Tuesday, June 10

Straight from Norway, acclaimed cartoonist JASON will be at The Central in Toronto to launch his new work Pocket Full of Rain. JASON's work can be currently seen in the New York Times Magazine, and will be interviewed on his process and inspirations by The Beguiling's Peter Birkemoe.

Also on Tuesday:

• Launch for Sailor Girl by Sheree-Lee Olson @ 6pm - Ben McNally Books
• Jeff Fuchs at This is Not a Reading Series @ 7:30pm - Gladstone Hotel
• Monty Reid, Phlip Arima, and Yannick Marshall at Art Bar Poetry Series @ 8pm - Clinton's
   

Photo: "Reference Library" by Metrix X, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

Thoughts of Luminato — Toronto's Festival of Arts and Creativity — don't always conjure up images of the Toronto Public Library, but as it did last year, the country's largest library system is sponsoring a whole slew of literary events as part of the upcoming festival.

The highlight of TPL's Luminato activities (especially for lovers of all things short like me) is the Festival of the Short Story, featuring readings and panels with eight of this country's best short story authors at four library locations across the city.

In this week's roundup of Toronto's literary events: celebrating 100 years of Anne of Green Gables, a gathering of mystery readers and writers, exploring the city's small presses, and the book trailer for Toronto Noir.

Tuesday, June 3rd:

Gregory Betts, Nathan Whitlock, Tanya Runyen, Joe Rosenblatt and Norman Snider will be reading at the Dora Keogh Irish Pub, while Esther Mazakian, Katia Grubisic and Rocco de Giacomo will take the mic at Clinton's for the weekly Art Bar Poetry Series.

Over at the MacMillan Theatre at the University of Toronto, seven finalists for the Griffin Poetry Prize will read their selected works.

Literary events in Toronto happen on weekdays only this time around, but check the end of this post for a special request I'm sending out to all of the Bookmark This readers!

Tuesday, May 13th:

House of Anansi Press invites you to celebrate the launch of My Life As a Dame: The Personal and the Political in the Writings of Christina McCall (edited by Stephen Clarkson). McCall was part of an illustrious group of writers including Pierre Berton, Robert Fulford, June Callwood, Peter Gzowski, and Peter C. Newman, that graced the pages of Maclean's Magazine in the mid-50s. She is considered not only one of the best political writers of her generation, but a pioneer for women in journalism and one of Canada's most brilliant minds. The evening is hosted by Michael Enright. Light refreshments will be served. Please RSVP to Katie Densmore at intern@anansi.ca.
Alumni Hall, Victoria College. 5:30pm. Free.

What if there were movies made the same way as suits, custom fitted, each one tailored for one person? Some of the brightest stars from Toronto's fringe film and video scene -- including Midi Onodera, Jubal Brown, Su Rynard and Richard Fung -- will show dazzling and mysterious short films, and then discuss the genesis of their projects with Mike Hoolboom, editor of the collection Practical Dreamers: Conversations with Movie Artists. A This Is Not A Reading Series event.
Gladstone Hotel Ballroom. 7:30pm (doors 7pm). Free.

Ger ready for the Artbardy Har Har: an evening of comedic poetry hosted by Valentino Assenza and featuring Jeff Cottrill, Arianna Pozuoli, Mike Bryant, Myna Wallin, David Clink, and Luciano Iacobelli. Open mic readers are encouraged to bust out their most hilarious material!
Clinton's. 8pm. Free (donations accepted).

This week's literary events in Toronto feature a birthday celebration (the IV Lounge Reading Series marks it's tenth year) and the beginning of Asian Heritage Month.

Tuesday, May 6th:

Acclaimed Sci-Fi writer and editor Nalo Hopkinson will read from her latest book, The New Moon's Arms. Set on a fictional Caribbean island, this magical-realist novel combines politics, family, humour and the supernatural in the story of a woman named Calamity whose hot flashes give her the power to recover lost objects. Q&A to follow. Part of this year's Canada Council Heritage Series, presented by the Toronto Public Library.
Eatonville Branch. 7pm. Free.

Join author Jan Wong as she reads from her latest book Beijing Confidential: A Tale of Comrades Lost and Found. The work is an intriguing emotional journey into the past and a penetrating analysis of the "new" Beijing. Question and answer to follow. Call 416-395-5639 to register. Part of the TPL's Asian Heritage Month celebration.
North York Central Library Auditorium. 7pm. Free.

Come out and join the Warriors Clan! Meet "Erin Hunter", the authors of the popular "Warriors" series, as they reads from the latest book The Power of Three: Outcast. Enthusiasts should check out www.warriorcats.com to watch the amazing Warriors video, find out your Warriors name and clan, and download Warriors iron-ons to create your own t-shirts!
Indigo Yonge & Eglinton. 7pm. Free.