Bumbershoot's mighty literary lineup

Step away from the loud music and swarming crowds of Bumbershoot, and you might find yourself in a dim theater, pondering heady literary questions.

Such as: Can William Gibson's dystopian novels be made into good pop songs? Is the modern advertising office the Ground Zero of contemporary psychodrama? And is growing up gay in the South any more memoir-worthy than, say, growing up gay in Delaware?

All these issues and more will be addressed in Bumbershoot's strong literary lineup this weekend. There's plenty for every taste, ranging from highbrow lit to comic-book epics. Here are some of the highlights:

• Away Down South: Memoirist Kevin Sessums and local writer-raconteur David Schmader discuss growing up gay in Mississippi and Texas, respectively. Schmader is always a genial stage presence; Sessums won wide praise for "Mississippi Sissy." Moderated by Carlotta Philpott, better known as comedian Troy Mink. Leo K. Theatre, 3:45 p.m. Saturday.

• New Fiction: National Book Award finalist Sarah Shun-lien Bynum ("Madeline Is Sleeping") and local debut novelist Jonathan Evison ("All About Lulu") discuss their work with Stranger book critic Paul Constant. "All About Lulu" — about a bodybuilder's son who falls hard for his stepsister — is one of the better books to have come my way this year. Leo K. Theatre, 5:30 p.m., Saturday.

• Sherman Alexie and The Stranger Present Words and Music: National Book Award winner Alexie ("The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian") gets together with singer-songwriters Jim Boyd and Sean Nelson, Stranger editor Christopher Frizelle, the West Marginals and others in a program exploring "the marriage of lyric and tune." Boeing Performing Arts Stage, 6 p.m., Saturday.

• The Kids Are Alright: Four writers of fiction for teens present "some very different takes on very universal issues." The lineup includes Ellen Hopkins ("Glass"), Francesca Lia Block ("Weetzie Bat"), Ned Vizzini ("It's Kind of a Funny Story") and National Book Award finalist Deb Caletti ("Honey, Baby, Sweetheart"). Leo K. Theatre, noon, Sunday.

• Comix Sub-Heroes: Graphic novelists Dan Clowes ("Ghost World," "Art School Confidential") and Adrian Tomine ("Optic Nerve," "Shortcomings") will be interviewed by cartoonist-editor Ivan Brunetti ("An Anthology of Graphic Fiction, Cartoons, and True Stories"). Leo K. Theatre, 3:45 p.m., Sunday.

• Town Hall and ACT: Short Stories Live: Professional actors, under the direction of ACT Theatre artistic director Kurt Beattie, present two short stories by esteemed local writers: "Junk Mail" by Rebecca Brown and "New Holly" by Ryan Boudinot. Leo K. Theatre, 7:30 p.m., Sunday.

• This Hotel: Edmund White and Samantha Hunt discuss their latest novels, "Hotel de Dream" and "The Invention of Everything Else," both focusing on "cultural icons in various stages of disrepute." White's book is about writer Stephen Crane; Hunt's is about inventor Nikola Tesla. Stranger editor Christopher Frizelle moderates. Leo K. Theatre, 2 p.m., Monday.

• William Gibson, Eileen Gunn, John Osebold, with Jacob McMurray: Noted speculative fiction writer Gibson ("Neuromancer," "Spook Country") is joined by local author Eileen Gunn ("Stable Strategies and Others") and musician John Osebold (of "Awesome" fame) in an unusual event, involving Osebold's performance of several songs based on Gibson's work. Seattle curator-publisher Jacob McMurray moderates. Boeing Performing Arts Stage, 3:15 p.m., Monday.

• Us and Them: Nathan McCall ("Makes Me Wanna Holler") and National Book Award nominee Joan Silber ("Ideas of Heaven") discuss "race, place, story and the search for home." McCall's new novel, "Them," focuses on gentrification in Atlanta. Silber's latest, "The Size of the World," is an agile exercise in globe-hopping shifts of perspective, touching down in Vietnam, Mexico, Thailand and other locales. Leo K. Theatre, 3:45 p.m., Monday.

• The Office: National Book Award nominee Joshua Ferris ("Then We Came to the End") and graphic-designer/writer Chip Kidd ("The Learners") discuss their ad-agency-centric novels. Ferris' "The We Came to the End" is an instant classic of the genre. Richard Hugo House director Lyall Bush moderates. Leo K. Theater, 5:30 p.m., Monday.

• Cheap Wine and Poetry: There won't be any cheap wine on offer in this special Bumbershoot incarnation of the popular reading-and-imbibing series. But the usual poets will present their work. Readers include Marya Sea Kaminski, Rebecca Hoogs, Eben Eldridge, Karen Finneyfrock and Bret Fetzer. Brian McGuigan curates. Charla Grenz emcees. Leo K. Theatre, 7:30 p.m. Monday.

Michael Upchurch: mupchurch@seattletimes.com