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Urban Guide Listings to plan your week by For the Books: Alan Cumming tries writing down his wry weirdness. Celebrity Authors En Masse Celebrity authors are drawn like literary moths to Diesel Bookstore's flame this week. Alan Cumming, that wry, imaginative actor we all know from stand-out stint parts, like the insinuating desk clerk in Eyes Wide Shut, or the cooky technocrat in Spy Kids, or from his surprising directorial debut with Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Anniversary Party, is now hitting the books. Cumming hones his imaginative force in his debut novel, Tommy's Tale, a scathingly witty tale of total debauchery that sends Tommy soul searching from London to New York, living a wild life of drugs and hedonism on his quest for happiness. Followed closely by the acclaimed author of The English Patient, Michael Ondaatje, Cumming is coming to Oakland to promote his book at Diesel. A few days later, Ontaatje promotes his new collection of conversations that expose the inner workings of the making of films (which he might have been interested in after his novel was made into a big-time movie of the same name). From the various styles of Coppola and Lucas, to the techniques and creative art of editing film, Ondaatje gets behind the out takes with Academy Award winner Walter Mulch. David Thompson, author of The New Biographical Dictionary of Film will present with Ondaatje. Oct 5, 7:30pm. Alan Cumming; Oct 8, 7:30pm, Michael Ondaatje and David Thompson. Diesel Bookstores. 5433 College, Oakl. Free. 653.9965. (EP) A Musical Immortal: At 72, Ray Charles plays the Paramount. Ray Charles at the Paramount Calling Ray Charles a legend seems like a tremendous understatement when discussing his many accomplishments. Ray Charles's life story is an inspirational tale if there ever was one to be told. Glaucoma robbed him of his sight at the tender age of six and his family was extremely poor. Despite all of those shortcomings he learned to type and read Braille while attending St. Augustine, the Florida state school for the deaf and blind. It was also here where Charles discovered his love of music, learning to sing, and play several musical instruments, paving the way for one of the most amazing music careers ever. Ray Charles has been credited for transcending Jazz, Rhythm and Blues, Country, and Western music to unbelieving heights. He has been given countless accolades and won 12 Grammy Awards, all this despite being told and probably believing that he would go nowhere in life due to his sight loss. Simply amazing. As he just turned 72 on September 23, there's no doubt that Charles is on the final legs of an amazing fifty-plus year career and may be inevitably looking towards retirement. Don't miss what may be an once-in-a-lifetime chance to catch him this Thursday at the Paramount Theatre. Thu/3, 8pm. Paramount Theatre. 2025 Broadway, Oakl. $39.50-$80. 465.6400. (JW) Discuss such lovely hybrids as the Osama Bin Bush at "First Frickin' Friday." 'First Frickin' Friday' It's been almost three years since San Francisco's first "Tentacle Session" wriggled into the bohemian limelight in collaboration with Laughing Squid, the Bay Area's massive cyber resource for arts and counter-culture. Each monthly "living artist" event lovingly showcases varied local talent; long-time Sessions host mikl-em is now pioneering another monthly soiree, this time in Oakland. "First Frickin' Fridays" combines mikl-em's commitments to under-appreciated creativity, unpretentious relevance, and fun, of course. The series was originally conceived in the same spirit as the Tentacle Sessions' fusion of expression and communication, but the program structure is more freeform. "I believe that artists who have chosen to live in this area probably have a lot of things in common with us, their proximus audience," says mikl-em. "We'll have things to talk about." The series premiere featured a panel of local artists and provocateurs grappling with the creative implications of a post-Sept. 11 world. This Friday's show aims to dissolve any dread associated with the phrase "focus group." Mikl-em is big on audience participation and invites input to shape future series, so "a survey about arts events as an arts event" will give locals the chance to reflect, complain, or wax rhapsodic about their innermost event preferences. Multimedia artifacts and infotainment about the Bay's historical arts/culture underground will also color the evening. With summer fading and war talk polluting the air, this evening of anarchic discussion and creative contemplation offers a few hours of release. Fri/4, 8:30pm. 21 Grand, 449B 23rd Street, Oakl. $5-10. 44-GRAND. (MW) Picks by Erica Pedersen (EP), Jamal Wynn (JW), and Meg Wright (MW). [ East Bay | Metroactive | Archives ]