Duncan delved into our hearts

I never know what to expect from a literary reading. Oh, sure, if you go and see Sherman Alexie , you can expect an extended stand-up comedy routine. Same with Jess Walter . Chuck Palahniuk brings prizes and connects with the audience in a near-visceral manner. And there are others who, assuming you can find a seat, will impress you with their natural sense of showmanship.

But sometimes the event is about as interesting as a tax audit. And, truth be told, I wasn’t sure what to expect from David James Duncan , who appeared for free at Spokane Community College Wednesday night as part of Get Lit! 2008 . I’d interviewed Duncan once before, years ago over the phone, and I recall his being downbeat, serious and just a tad boring. But, of course, aren’t we all like that from time to time?

After taking the stage on Wednesday in front of a full house at SCC’s Lair Student Center , Duncan seemed no different. In fact, he seemed even a bit depressed. More than once, as he read from what looked to be fresh writing mixed in with stories from his book of nonfiction, “God Laughs & Plays; Churchless Sermons in Response to the Preachments of the Fundamentalist Right,” he appeared on the verge of choking up.

Yet as he continued, he seemed to revive. He passed on reading pieces that he described as “heavy,” opting for those that were, while not necessarily lighter in theme, certainly tamer in tone. Especially entertaining was his essay “Agony & Hilarity,” which detailed his public confrontation with a young animal-rights activist. The story is a good example of how two people from opposite points of view can, if their hearts (if not minds) are open, reconcile their staunchly held opinions.

As Duncan wrote in the story, he responded to the young woman’s accusations that he was a “salmon torturer” by stepping away from his anger. “I unfolded my heart,” Duncan wrote. “And inside its vast wildness my anger gave way to a sudden affection for the feisty young activist.”

I hope that I get half as much enjoyment from the other Get Lit! headliners , such as Diana Abu-Jaber, Thomas Lynch, Naomi Wolf and Tobias Wolff.