A curmudgeonly travel writer passes through Seattle, unhappily, in the short, satirical Pacific Agony, which includes Seattle Weekly among its many footnotes. Benderson’s reading begins a new reading series, Text/Context (part of the “Night School at the Sorrento” calendar), featuring Northwest topics and authors. Tonight also features visual artist Joey Veltkamp and local writer Matt Briggs (whose Shoot the Buffalo is new in paper) in conversation with Matthew Stadler. Also, SW contributor John Roderick (of The Long Winters) will sing and present his short-prose book Electric Aphorisms. ADRIANA GRANT

Thu., Nov. 12, 7 p.m., 2009