It’s not every day we have the pleasure of introducing a Pulitzer-prize winning novelist here at the store, so the more brief I can keep it the better. Michael Chabon is the author of the acclaimed Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, Wonderboys, and The Mysteries of WEEEEEEOOOOOOOOH!!!

Thanks for making it out to Powell’s on this snowy evening. I know the effort it took you to get here will be worth it, as our guest is a writer incredibly blessed with talent. Sandra Cisneros will be reading from her new novel, and will answer questions afterword, followed by a brief THAT’S RIGHT, SANDRA CISNEROS BREAKING IT DOWN P-TOWN STYLE YEEEEAAHHHH!!!!

Haruki Murakami is the author of The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, A Wild Sheep Chase, Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World and numerous other novels, collections of stories, and works of nonfiction. Uh, those of you in the back, if you could please move to the side so as not to obstruct the door for those just coming in, thanks. I know we have a packed room tonight so let’s cross our fingers and hope the air conditioning doesn’t go out. Ha ha. So. Mr. Murakami will be reading a selection first in Japanese, then in English. He told me a few moments ago that he does not read well in English, but Mr. Murakami, that’s just hard to believe from someone who translated the complete works of Raymond Carver into Japanese. CAUSE I’M WOUND-UP AND ON A WILD CHASE FOR SMOKIN FICTION FROM ACROSS THE PACIFIC, BABY!!! WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!

Welcome to the reading series. Joyce Carol Oates hardly needs an introduction. AND I WANNA SHOUT OUT TO RICKY AND B-SMALL IN JERSEY CITY CAUSE JOYCE CAROL OATES IS HELLA FOR REAL, SON. YEEEEEEEEEOOOOOWW!!!

This is wonderful, just an amazing turn out for an author who deserves so many accolades. When I sat down last night to write this introduction for Anthony Swofford, I went off on this tangent about our current situation in Iraq and whenever I got stuck I’d open up Jarhead and find what I had written was so inferior compared to the insight, pathos, and even wit that this up and coming young writer brings to every page. So I’ll spare you all and keep this short. Following his reading, Anthony will take a few questions and CAUSE JARHEAD IS IN THE MOTHER EFFING HIZZOUSE!!! YOOOOOOOOOO!!!!