Tonight at 7 at Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing (3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd), Portland writer Ian Doescher will be reading from his book William Shakespeare's Star Wars, which takes George Lucas' original 1977 film and turns it into something that might've been produced in the 17th century. It's impressively clever, it's in iambic pentameter, it features slick line illustrations, and it's bound in a printed, faux-leather hardcover. In other words, whether you're a Star Wars nerd or a literature nerd (or if, like me, that's the Venn diagram you live inside), it's a pretty delightful gimmick, and I say that as one who does not usually care for gimmickry. But I mean, c'mon: Listen to Obi-Wan scheming at Luke! Delightful!

OBI-WAN
I tell thee truly, 'mongst the pilots he
Was e'er the greatest in the galaxy.
He also was a cunning warrior,
And to the last was he a dear, dear friend.
[Aside:] And now to play upon his natur'l sense
Of self-importance, so to draw him near
To thoughts of Jedi training for himself.
[To Luke:] I hear thou art a pilot skill'd as well.
This calleth to my mind a gift I have
For thee. Thy father hath desir'd that thou
Shouldst have this weapon when thou wert of age.
Thine uncle, though, would none of it, so fear'd
He that thou might adjoin with Obi-Wan
Upon a fool's crusade or devil's task
Just as thy father hath when he was young.

C-3PO
Dear Sir, if thou dost need me not, I shall
Shut down upon the present moment, here.

I've got an extra copy of Doescher's book; if you want to win it, just email me before 5 pm today (Tues July 2) and make sure your subject line is "a fool's crusade or devil's task." I'll email the winner back around 5 and tell them how to get their copy. Have at!