Ugh. I find myself again on the roll of bad bloggers.
In my defense, I've been out doing--rather than in writing about it. San Francisco has had back-to-back festivals: Litquake for literature and the Bay Area Science Festival for, uh, science. There was some overlap. And as literature and science are two of my favorite things, I've been running around a lot!
These two interests overlapped up in Marin County about a week ago--though not technically a part of either festival. Now, I don't like to schlep out to the suburbs too often. There has to be good reason, if you get my drift. Donna Tartt, who publishes a novel about once every decade--and who consequently tours about once a decade--was a darn good reason for a road trip. Book Passage was hosting an unusual daytime event, but I guess you take Donna Tartt when you can get her, right? Despite the weekday timing, the bookstore was packed. (Oh, and while Donna Tartt was plenty inducement on her own, I couldn't believe my luck when I saw that geneticist/legend J. Craig Venter was speaking at the store that night! Look for that footage tomorrow.)
So, Donna's latest novel, The Goldfinch, has been generating buzz for months. I didn't grab an advance copy of this one. Actually, I purchased (Yes, I still purchase books.) a copy of the audiobook read by the wonderful stage actor David Pittu on the day of it's publication. In paper, it's a hefty 750 pages or so, and recorded it's about 32 hours, 25 minutes, and 11 seconds--give or take. By the time I heard Donna speak, two days later, I was just a couple of hours from the end and finished it in the gap between the two lit events. All I can say is that the buzz was justified. I loved this rich and gripping tale from start to finish. I think the description "Dickensian" comes up with Ms. Tartt from time to time. I can understand that. It's been close to 30 years since I read Great Expectations, but for some reason I found myself thinking of Pip as I read the harrowing journey of her young protagonist. I wholeheartedly recommend the novel, and I further recommend the audiobook, if you are so inclined. David Pittu is simply astounding. He brings her words and characters vividly to life.
I so enjoyed this rare opportunity to hear Ms. Tartt speak, and hope that you do as well. And I'd like to thank Book Passage for bringing her to the Bay Area. One great way to thank them is to eschew that lousy audiobook and order a signed first edition from Book Passage. I know they'd be delighted to ship one right out!
Last week I grabbed my favorite Francophile and headed down to the Ferry Building. Bestselling French author, Antoine Laurain was visiting Book Passage on tour for his charmer of a novel, The President's Hat. Gallic Books describes the tale like this:
Dining alone in an elegant Parisian brasserie, accountant Daniel Mercier can hardly believe his eyes when President François Mitterrand sits down to eat at the table next to him.
Daniel’s thrill at being in such close proximity to the most powerful man in the land persists even after the presidential party has gone, which is when he discovers that Mitterrand’s black felt hat has been left behind.
After a few moments’ soul-searching, Daniel decides to keep the hat as a souvenir of an extraordinary evening. It’s a perfect fit, and as he leaves the restaurant Daniel begins to feel somehow … different.
My girlfriend wasn't the only Francophile in the house that night. Msr. Laurain was greeted warmly by his French-loving, French-speaking, French-reading audience, some of whom had discovered The President's Hat in its original language. As for me, my high school French wasn't going to get me far--I was grateful the gentleman stuck to English. And despite repeated protestations, his English was more than fine.
Maybe it's just me, but Msr. Laurain seems to epitomize Gallic charm. His accent is delicious, and my girlfriend all but melted--especially when he mentioned needing an American girlfriend to practice his English. I got an elbow in the ribs. His voice has a deep, slightly gravelly quality, and with the accent you have to listen to the video closely. The conversation with the audience was informal and wide-ranging.
I haven't had a chance to review The President's Hat yet, so stay tuned, but it's already a big hit in France and England. The novel certainly has the potential to become a sleeper hit in the States as well, if it can find it's audience. I could see it winning favor with fans of novels like Mrs. Queen Takes the Train. I invite you to make the acquaintance of Antoine Laurain on his first ever book tour in the U.S. Enjoy!
NOTE: Book Passage will be happy to sell you a signed U.S. first edition of The President's Hat!
My fall got off to a rocky start health-wise. I’ve been out of balance, and I’ve been having trouble writing for the past few weeks. Ridiculous, I know. But the good news is, I’ve been attending some amazing literary events around town. Sometimes I’m bad about sharing or uploading the video I shoot, but I think this week is the week to feature some seriously awesome events.
The following video was shot several weeks ago—shortly before I contracted the flu, hence the delay in posting. This is the sort of evening that makes me grateful to live in San Francisco, a city where authors like David Gilbert come on book tour, and a city that is home to an extraordinary local literary community. The night of Mr. Gilbert’s lit event at the Book Passage Ferry Building store epitomized what I’m talking about.
Make no mistake, I was pretty excited to hear David Gilbert speak. His novel, & Sons, is
unquestionably one of the best novels I will read this (or any) year. You may read my rave review here. The novel is wonderfully substantive, and I was really curious to hear what the author had to say about it. It wasn’t until the day of the event that I learned he’d be “in conversation” with Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Adam Johnson. Amazing! Where but San Francisco can you see these two literary powerhouses in conversation at your local independent bookseller’s?
Now, readers of this blog may recall that I’m a huge fan of Adam Johnson, professionally and personally. I don’t know the man well, but as far as I can see, he’s the nicest person on the planet. Seriously, the man’s sweetness and gentleness has been the subject of more than one conversation among the local literati. The opinion is unanimous. And, Adam, I’m sorry to embarrass you if you ever—God forbid—happen to read this.
Here’s the other thing that is consistently amazing about the San Francisco literary community… They come out to support each other. On this particular evening, Andrew Sean Greer, Scott Hutchins, and Tom Barbash were among the audience. I’m friendly with all of them, so it was a great social atmosphere. And we were discussing this very thing—the terrific, supportive literary community—after the talk. I said something along the lines of San Francisco having possibly the best local lit community in the country. I said that people always talk about Brooklyn, but that by all accounts, it’s super-competitive out there. Tom Barbash came back with a quote from Vendala Vida: “In New York, writers read each other’s reviews. In San Francisco, writers read each other’s books.” That’s it in a nutshell.
It goes without saying that the conversation between Johnson and Gilbert was fascinating. And I’m so delighted to be able to share it with you in its entirety. Enjoy!
P.S.: I am confident that Book Passage would be happy to sell/ship you a signed copy of either of these authors' work!
original rom com meeting at Symphony Hall. In the eleven years since, he's been nothing but delightful every time I see him. And he has yet to write a disappointing book. Plus, if you hand him a microphone, he is wildly entertaining. This was proven to me yet again at his recent book launch party at the Booksmith. Andy's reading, talk, and Q & A were so much fun that I was kicking myself for not filming them for you.
Fortunately, Andy's local to San Francisco. He had several Bay Area signings scheduled. I shot him a note asking if I could film his event at the Books, Inc. (Castro) and, as always, he was happy to accommodate. I was seated right in front of him, and consequently got better film than usual. This came out pretty well, actually. And as it happened, much of Andy's family was present that evening. I was sitting right next to his mom and young nephew--which will become apparent as you watch. You'll also be introduced to Andy's twin brother. It was fun to see him interacting with his family. I filmed this event from start to big finish. (I mean, it's not every author that closes a book signing with a couple of ukulele numbers!)
Incidentally, I ran into Andy (and a swarm of other local novelists) at another writer's event last week. It's so awesome how the local lit community supports each other! I wasn't expecting to see Andy again so soon and announced, "I'm not stalking you!" Let me repeat that again here, Andy, because I think I'll be seeing you at Litquake in Palo Alto this weekend...
NOTE: I am confident that either of the independent booksellers linked in this post will be delighted to sell you a signed, first edition of this wonderful novel.
One of the unquestionable highlights of BookExpo America this year was the opportunity to hear Neil Gaiman speak. I've been a fan of his work for years, and I've even met him a couple of times, but it didn't occur to me until I was in the room that I'd never actually heard the man speak before.
And what a speaker he is! He's the sort of charismatic individual who makes what he does look easy--though I'm sure it's not. This speech to an audience of librarians and booksellers and geeks on the morning of June 1, 2013 both held me rapt and entertained me. I've found myself thinking about his comments many times in the weeks since.
Before I go on, I must apologize. It was early on a Saturday morning, the last day of BEA. I was beyond exhausted; I was barely coherent. I'm not sure what I was thinking when I whipped out my iPhone moments after he started speaking. Possibly this was merely for my own reference? Because I'd never before succeeded in moving lengthy video from my phone to... anywhere. (And in fact, this marginal success is owed to a trip to the Apple Store, and--I kid you not--about 72 hours of uninterrupted upload time to get this footage onto YouTube!) Anyway, I don't appear to have been making much effort with the shooting. I was listening to the man talk. Consequently, the footage is beyond my normal standard of awful. You won't see my finger most of the time, but it certainly makes appearances. There are periods where those who are prone to sea sickness should look away. Honestly, it may be best if you just kick back and listen. Oh, and sorry about my laughing. I sound like Fran Drescher. It's horrifying.
The above are all good reasons to bury this footage and never let it see the light of day. But it was a really fantastic speech! And Neil is such a natural story-teller! This was such a pleasure to hear that, despite my embarrassment at the poor quality, I choose to share. Part 1 of this video opens with Neil flinging promotional items at his audience. He discusses the two "accidental" books he is publishing this year. The Ocean at the End of the Lane (reviewed above) is his novel for adults and Fortunately the Milk is his middle grades novel. As it happens, I read the signed galley of the latter (gifted to audience members) on the flight home from NY. It must surely be one of the funniest, most delightful books I've read in years. Neil eventually gets around to the subject of why both non-fiction and fiction are dangerous.
Part 2, below, is the question and answer session Neil does with the assistance of his editor, Jen Brehl, who I've met on several occasions over the years. (In addition to Neil Gaiman, this impressive woman also edits Joe Hill, Christopher Moore, and countless others. Is that a list, or is that a list?!) Questions cover accomplishments, fear of failure, education, worst sentences written, and of course, "hot librarians," among other vital topics of interest.
Sometimes I wonder if it's worth the time and expense to travel 3,000 miles to BEA almost every year. And then an event like this reminds me that it is.
The speaker of the above sentiment is the eponymous Greta Wells, the first-person narrator of Andrew Sean Greer’s fourth novel. We are introduced to her as the story opens. It’s New York City, circa 1985, the height of the AIDS crisis. She has just lost her twin brother, Felix—to whom we are introduced in a flashback that occurs not long before his death—at the age of thirty-two. Greta’s grief is almost more than she can bear. When, a few months later, her long-term relationship dissolves, it is more than she can bear. A pervading sadness leads her eventually to the door of Dr. Cerletti, who will administer a course of 25 electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) treatments over a span of 12 weeks. The doctor warns she “might experience some disorientation afterward.”
What Greta experiences is more migration than disorientation. She awakens in a different time, a different life. A different Greta. After her first treatment, Greta finds herself in 1918. World War I is nearly over. Just as she finds herself inhabiting an altered version of herself there, so too she discovers alternate versions of the most important people in her life: Nathan, the lover who left her; her beloved, bohemian aunt, Ruth; and her brother, Felix. Alive.
After her second ECT treatment, Greta awakens in yet another version of her life. It is 1941, and America is about to go to war. Here again are versions of those she loves and a new version of herself and the life she might have lived. So the months pass, spending a day or a week rotating through these different lives in 1985, 1918, and 1941, each with its own joys and sorrows. Because, as Greta learns, no life is perfect.
That is the set-up of this moving masterpiece of a novel. Mr. Greer is rather brilliant in his choice of time periods. The beginning of a war is juxtaposed with the end of a war. The plague of AIDS is juxtaposed with the Spanish influenza of 1918. Changing social mores are examined, and our protagonist gets to explore the lives she might have known if some of her fondest wishes and greatest fears came true. Ultimately, it is up to her to decide the life she will lead, in an eerie echo of her lover’s words, “I leave it to you.” Greer writes:
“A shrew, a wife, a whore. Those seemed to be my choices. I ask any man reading this, how could you decide whether to be a villain, a worker, or a plaything? A man would refuse to choose; a man would have that right. But I had only three worlds to choose from, and which of them was happiness? All I wanted was love. A simple thing, a timeless thing. When men want love they sing for it, or they smile for it, or pay for it. And what do women do? They choose. And their lives are struck like bronze medallions. So tell me, gentlemen, tell me the time and place where it was easy to be a woman?”
At times, I found it difficult to believe this novel was written by a man, so convincing was the voice of his female protagonist. I’m not sure how much I related to Greta, but I believed in her—despite a premise that required significant suspension of disbelief. And I didn’t have to love her, because I fell in love with those she loved, none more so than warm and colorful Aunt Ruth, a veritable Mrs. Madrigal of a woman, complete with kimonos. And I was deeply moved by the relationship of these fraternal twins, so eloquently conveyed by the author, a twin himself.
There are many echoes in this brief book. Echoes of other novels—though Greer’s tale is unique. I
found myself reflecting upon stories as diverse as Ken Grimwood’s Replay, Jack Finney’s Time and Again, and even Baum’s Oz! Greta’s life had echoes of other lives, with lines of dialogue recurring like motifs in entirely different circumstances:
“When you were a little girl, was this the woman you dreamed of becoming?”
“I understood nothing! But it was a great show!”
“If only we just loved who we’re supposed to love.”
These are brief quotes, but I want to pull long passages from this novel. Greer’s prose is so beautiful it hurts. Indulge me once more:
“They say there are many worlds. All around our own, packed tight as the cells of your heart. Each with its own logic, its own physics, moons, and stars. We cannot go there—we would not survive in most. But there are some, as I have seen, almost exactly like our own—like the fairy worlds my aunt used to tease us with. You make a wish, and another world is formed in which that wish comes true, though you may never see it. And in those other worlds, the places you love are there. Perhaps in one of them, all rights are wronged and life is as you wish it. So what if you found the door? And what if you had the key? Because everyone knows this:
That the impossible happens once to each of us.”
I was very fortunate to receive a review copy of this extraordinary novel from the publisher in late 2012. I held on to it and made it my very first read of 2013. Will it make my top 10 list for the year? Absolutely. Will it be the single best novel I read in 2013? Very likely. But more than that, this is the book I will be foisting on friends 20 years from now. My love of Greta Wells will last a lifetime.
It's a self-portrait I shot in a hotel room mirror a few days ago. No, no I was not wearing any pants, but that's neither here nor there. It was Sunday morning, after Thrillerfest, and I'd been up past 4:00am the night before. 'Nuff said.
Please note the t-shirt I'm modeling. It has a few signatures on it. It is my memento from Thillerfest VIII in New York. And I have one t-shirt like this for each of the eight years that the conference has been in existence. This is the story of how the tradition started.
It was the first day of the very first Thrillerfest in Phoenix, way back in 2006. I already had a few friends in the thriller community. (I'd actually been at the party at the Algonquin Hotel a year earlier where ITW, and hence Thrillerfest, was born.) Nothing was really scheduled to begin until late afternoon, and so I agreed to join my friend J.A. "Joe" Konrath to sign stock at a couple of bookstores. That's a whole story in and of itself. I actually accompanied Joe on the first two stops of his insane 600-store book tour for Rusty Nail. Was he grateful for my company as he embarked on this epic journey? I don't think so. I recall him snarling, "Flap faster, Susan, faster!" That was at the renowned Poisoned Pen Bookshop. After that, we were joining some other ITW authors at a Walmart somewhere in Phoenix. They were promoting the first Thriller story collection.
Joe Konrath plots his book tour.
There were quite a few big-name authors all sitting at a table, filled with books just waiting to be signed. When Joe and I walked up, they were all alone. I know that James Rollins, Steve Berry, and David Liss were there. Gayle Lynds was supposed to be there, but she was feeling unwell, and I actually wound up in her seat. And I could swear that there was one other author present, but for the life of me I can't remember who it was. Isn't that awful?
This is what I do remember: no one would come near the signing table. Here were all these best-selling authors, and in the words of a boss I once had--they couldn't sell sex to a sailor. In the course of about two hours they sold and signed maybe two or three books. And that was with the added inducement of a free t-shirt! It was truly pathetic. At some point, one of them handed me a t-shirt and said, "Here, we'll sign this for you." They were desperate to sign anything by that time. And that is the moment this tradition started.
After the signing, I bailed on Konrath and hopped into the back of a limo with Rollins, Berry, and Liss to head back to the Biltmore and the official start of Thrillerfest. It was where I had the first of many arguments with David Liss, who I'd just met. Good times! Eight years later, we're still at it. It's how we express affection for each other.
Once the conference got going, there were so many awesome writers in attendance, it seemed
David Liss
like a good idea to have them all sign the t-shirt. As I've said countless times in the years since, "It weighs a hell of a lot less than schlepping everyone's books back and forth from California." I had a spare Thriller t-shirt I used for the same purpose the following year in New York, and I've bought a cheap t-shirt on the street every year since.
I'm one of a dwindling number of individuals who have never missed a T-Fest in the conference's history. The t-shirt is my memento of each year's conference. It gives me an excuse to interact, at least briefly, with most of the authors in attendance. The regular attendees know exactly what's up when they see me coming. F. Paul Wilson addressed me as "T-shirt lady" the other day. That's a moniker I could live without, but I'm sure he's not the only one who thinks it. The newbies look at me (with my shirt stretched helpfully over a stitching frame) and say, "That's a great idea!" Every year someone says, "I ought to do that." They never do.
Close friends James Rollins & Steve Berry
And there's one more question I get over and over, "What do you do with these shirts?" The answer, truthfully, is nothing. I throw them in a drawer. (Well, technically, most of them are in storage in a box at the moment.) I'm not really the t-shirt-wearing type. They're not framed. They're not sold on E-bay. They're kept. I think of each t-shirt as a yearbook for that year's conference. Who was in attendance that year? They're a memento of dozens of friendships I've made through Thrillerfest in the past eight years. So while I don't technically "do" anything with them, they're quite special to me.
Lately, I've been wondering how much longer I can continuing trekking to New York for Thrillerfest each summer. I'm eight for eight, but 3,000 miles is a long way to fly. It's an expensive conference, and I'm neither a writer nor a wanna-be. The truth is, I go to spend time with my friends. Many of my closest friends for the past decade have been made at Thrillerfest. It's hard to believe. Exhibit A is Boyd Morrison, who I also met on the first day of that first conference in Phoenix and who has become a dear friend. Eight years later and he hasn't missed a T-fest yet either. I'm so grateful to spend this time with Boyd and Randi Morrison each year.
I was talking to ITW Director Liz Berry the other day. We were talking about how many long-time attendees were missing this year's conference for the first time. Apparently there were about 250 attendees total that first year. So there can't be that many of us who have made it to all eight? It was Liz who reminded me of the tenth anniversary of ITW's formation next year, and of Thrillerfest the year after. That's my goal. Make it to ten years, ten t-shirts. After that, well, we'll see. It's a great party and a great tradition. I really hate to let it go.
Okay, I'm just going to make this Helene Wecker Week on the blog, because I can't seem to stop talking about her wonderful debut novel, The Golem and the Jinni. I have already bulliedstiff-armedcoercedencouraged several friends to read this novel, and they've loved it as much as I have. Really stunning debut novels are rare. When you uncover one, the news must be shared. Am I right?
Helene and I have been chatting casually via Twitter for months now. It's just a coincidence that she,
This photo was too cute not to steal from Linus's Blanket!
too, lives in the Bay Area. (Good God, we have some serious literary talent in this part of the country!) We'd never met until last night. I was so delighted to be able to attend her official book launch party held--where else?--at the Booksmith on Haight Street. (For those who are keeping score, it was my third visit to the shop in a week.)
And I am equally pleased to be able to share footage of this event with folks who aren't able to catch Helene on tour. This was her first bookstore event ever, and she performed like a seasoned pro. In the very first clip above, she makes a few introductory remarks and also sets up the first selection that she will read. That takes up the first seven and a half minutes. After that, she reads the passage that introduces her golem. In this second clip, she introduces her jinni:
These next two video clips below are the Q & A session. Helene discusses both pop-culture and literary influnces, the research process, language barriers, and (in response to me) why golems are cool and vampires are not. In part two, she discusses the industry of turn of the century New York, audiobiographic influences, what she'll be working on next, and overseas publication. Look for a really amusing response to a reader's interpretation of an element of the book.
Enjoy the book, enjoy the video, and spread the word!
I don't mind admitting it: A few years ago when World Book Night was only overseas, I was jealous. You can imagine how thrilled I was, therefore, to participate in the first annual US World Book Night last year. I was equally enthusiastic this year, but far more nomadic. I didn't sign up to be a book giver for 2013 because who knows where I'll be living four months in the future, right?
But I was relatively confident that I'd be able to participate. Last year there were unclaimed books at my local independent bookseller, and I was counting on this year being the same. (People are so flaky.) As the day approached, I called over to the fabulous Booksmith on Haight Street to see if they had an unclaimed box and indeed they did. I said, "I'll take it!"
Now last year, I got my first choice book, and I was thrilled and honored to be handing out copies of my favorite book of all time, John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany. It was perfect! This year, none of the thirty books spoke to me in as personal a way, so I figured, I'll just hand out whatever they give me. I asked what book I'd be distributing and the guy on the phone told me, "Montana Sky." I thought, That's odd. I don't know that title. Moments later, I found out why. It's a popular Nora Roberts romance. Oy.
This is not exactly my typical reading--although I actually have read
two of the prolific Ms. Roberts' 200+ novels. They're both of the popular trashy underwater fiction subset of the romance genre, but they count. Nonetheless, I am hardly an enthusiast. Still, it was my plan to sell the heck out of those books. I read the novel's description and some glowing reviews. And then my ace in the hole--my friend Nicole, who may be Ms. Robert's #1 fan, and I totally mean that in the Kathy Bates sense of the phrase. She seemed to think a made for TV movie starring John Corbett was a major selling point, and in at least one case, she may have been right. (The book, incidentally, is about a wealthy rancher who dies leaving behind a $20 million dollar estate and three daughters from three different marriages. They don't know each other but have to live together for a year to collect the loot. Is it just me, or are you getting echoes of Lear?) But I'm getting ahead of myself...
I had a lot going on Tuesday night. My plan was just to run all over San Francisco, lugging the books in tow, and handing them out all along the way. And that's pretty much how it went. In the late afternoon, I headed over to the Booksmith to pick up the books. The evening got off to a great start, as I was greeted by my very favorite bookseller, Cynthia, as I walked in the door. A brief digression... Remember how every time Norm walked into Cheers, everyone in the bar would call out, "Norm!" I actually have been greeted with that "Susan!" at the Booksmith, and even when they don't actually say it, that's how I feel. Okay, digression over.
So, the plan was to grab the books and go. I was on a schedule, and it was going to be a long night.
That is so not what happened. I was taken into the back room to locate the case of books. Once there, all the booksellers and I started talking books. We're uniformly enamored with Helene Wecker's debut, The Golem and the Jinni, which is actually having its book launch party at the Booksmith tonight. Be there or be square. But then someone called out, "Have you read Andrew Sean Greer's book?" Uh, yeah. I lovedThe Impossible Lives of Greta Wells more than words can say! Helene Wecker and Andy Greer are currently duking it out for my favorite book of 2013. Man, those booksellers are on it. So, the point is, I didn't get out of the store quite as quickly as I planned.
I needed to get all the way across the city, so I thought the Muni N train would be my quickest route. I was handing out books in the Haight as I made my way to the train stop, and had even more success amongst the commuters. Okay, they look kind of serious in the photo to the left, but I'm telling you, these commuters were thrilled to be gifted a book. And the gentleman in the glasses? He was so awesome! He was the only man who took a Nora Roberts. He was like, "What's this World Book Night all about?" So I launched into a mini lecture and the commuters were totally into it. I explained the idea was to especially target people who maybe aren't big readers, haven't read a book in a long time, or maybe can't afford books. He admitted that he hadn't read a book in ages, and accepted his copy with enthusiasm. As you can see, the readers dug right in. But that guy was my fave.
Okay, the next stop on my agenda was another awesome independent bookstore, Book Passage in the Ferry Building. This is, of course, a commuter hub on San Francisco's Embarcadero. I was running over there to hear Maria Semple, the author of Where'd You Go, Bernadette?, speak. As regular readers of this blog know, it made my top 10 list last year. What a fantastic and funny novel! The event was already underway when I arrived, and I was somewhat amused/horrified to see that of the two dozen fans present, 100% of them were women. Gentlemen, you are missing out on some great fiction.
Okay, so I was late, but I captured most of the Q & A. Yes, the footage sucks. My FlipCam has no focus, and I was at the back. Sorry. But what you really need to know is this: There are serious spoilers for the novel discussed on this video. This is the paperback tour, and Ms. Semple didn't hold back. I suspect most of us had already read the book. Anyway, the conversation is great and worth checking out, but you are forewarned. Enjoy!
There was no time to rest. As the event ended, I charged out into the Ferry Building and handed out several books to commuters and diners there. My next stop was to backtrack downtown to the Metreon Center. If it hadn't been such a literary night, I might have been attending an advance screening of the film The Big Wedding. Moments after I arrived, the publicists announced that the theater's seats were all filled and sent the rest of the people home. But you know what consoles women thwarted from seeing a free chick flick? A free romance novel! More books were handed out.
Okay, from downtown to North Beach and another independent bookstore! This time, it was to the
world famous City Lights Bookstore. Joyce Carol Oates was reading from and signing The Accursed. Okay, I haven't read it, and have no intention of reading it, but I was meeting my friends Rina and Jacob there, and they're big fans. I've read and enjoyed Ms. Oates short stories. Why wouldn't I want to hear her speak? And I did get to hear her--but not see her. City Lights was packed! I was stuck in the back corridor, listening and Tweeting about the shelves of books all around me. It was okay. My ears work fine. And once the Q & A was over, I joined Rina and Jacob in the signing line. I even took a couple of Rina's books to get signed, and Ms. Oates was friendly and lovely. We had a very nice chat about this truly fabulous blouse she's wearing. (Says she's not great with fashion, and that it was a gift.)
North Beach is, of course, a very touristy neighborhood, and a couple more books were handed out there. By then it was late, and I'd literally been from one end of San Francisco to the other. I'd worked pretty hard in the course of my book-giving and literature-appreciating. So, when Rina and Jacob suggested a late dinner in Chinatown, how could I resist? They introduced me to the Bund Shanghai Restaurant. OMG, yum! And bless Rina and Jacob for driving me home.
World Book Night was so much fun! Yes, even as passionate book-giver as I am, it's a little embarrassing to go up to strangers and offer them an unsolicited romance novel or to make loud announcements on public transportation, but it's totally worth it! Seriously, so many people were so thrilled to receive a book. This is a wonderful literacy program, and I'm delighted to have participated. I look forward to doing so for many years to come. Many thanks to World Book Night US and all of the participating publishers and authors who donated half a million books to be given away free!
I was introduced to Kristopher Jansma--literally and figuratively--at the Northern California Independent Booksellers' Association Trade Show back in October. He was one of a handful of authors who spoke at a lunch I was fortunate to attend. I also had a chance to speak to Kris briefly on that day. I was mildly offended by his youth and talent, but otherwise he seemed pleasant enough.
As as I wrote in my rave review, I knew as soon as I heard the description that I was going to love his
debut novel, The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards. And, of course, I did. So, naturally when I saw that Kris was coming to the Bay Area on his book tour, I jumped at the opportunity to hear him speak again. Honestly, I don't remember a word he said last fall, but even if I did, I don't think it would have meant much. The Unspeakable Spots of Leopards is the type of complex, sophisticated novel where you want to hear what the author has to say after reading the novel. Everything will have greater resonance and meaning then.
And I'm here to help you out with that. I was lucky enough to be able to record his event at the renowned independent bookstore, Book Passage. The short video clip at the top of the page is Kris's opening remarks. After that brief introduction, he read for nearly 25 minutes. That reading is captured on the two videos below.
Now, this is the part that I like best, the Q & A session. Kris discusses his characters, influences, process, his next project, research, the book's reception, favorite authors, teaching, and much more.
Now, it's hard to find the right place to end each video segment. As soon as I determine that a recording is getting too long and the author is going to keep answering questions, I end one clip and start another. Invariably, that's the exact moment he takes the last question! And so, for the completists out there, that's exactly what the final little snippet below is.
The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards is a phenomenal debut. Expect to see it on all kinds of year-end best-of lists, including my own. I encourage you to beat the end-of-the-year rush and grab a copy now. Enjoy!
Scott Hutchins and his debut novel, A Working Theory of Love, first came to my attention last June at BEA, or BookExpo America, a huge publishing trade show. The novel had a lot of what industry insiders call "buzz." People were interested. Reviews were positive. I grabbed a galley.
I didn't read it, of course. I mean, it wasn't even scheduled to be published until October, and I had way more books I had to read between now and this novel's pub date. But I did look at the book. I liked the title, and was that...? Yes, it's a highly-stylized representation of the Golden Gate Bridge on the cover. Hmmm, both author and story are local. Bonus points.
I still didn't read the book. I was waiting for Penguin to come through with an electronic galley so that I could read it on my Kindle. (Paper is so five years ago.) Those weasels at Penguin never did cough up that e-galley. And so, I attended Scott Hutchins' local launch party at The Booksmith on Haight Street without having read the novel.
And this is how it happens sometimes with me: an unknown author impresses me at a reading. Such was the case with Scott Hutchins--at his first ever event for his debut novel--and so now, at long last, I am reading the book. (And, so far, it is excellent.)
Scott got me off to a good start with the reading recorded here. In the video at the top of this page, after a few opening remarks, he begins reading from the beginning of the book. That reading continues through video 5 of 7 below. I was surprised, later, when reviewing this footage, that he had read for almost half an hour, somewhat on the long side for this sort of thing. It didn't feel that long at all in the store. He really held the audience rapt. It's a strong opening, and he read it well.
The last two video segments on this page constitute a brief Q & A session, also worth watching. Mr. Hutchins teaches at Stanford, and he handles himself well in front of an audience. ( BTW, sorry about the brief shakiness in the first video; it passes fairly quickly d a workable shooting angle. This is actually better footage than what is usually seen on this blog, LOL. )
The crowd at the Booksmith launch party.
So, I mentioned above that this was a launch party hosted by The Booksmith. Those guys are awesome, and they unfailingly throw a lovely event. And one of the nicest things about the San Francisco literary community is that they come out for each other. I can't tell you how many times I've encountered Bay Area literary luminaries at an event celebrating a far less well-known writer. Case in point, who did I run into that night? Adam Johnson, author of one of my favorite novels this year, The Orphan Master's Son.
As it happens, I'd had a really nice interaction with Johnson in that very same bookstore last January on the night of his launch. I'd similarly blogged and posted video, after which Mr. Johnson, a truly lovely man, had sent me a note of thanks via snail mail. Who does that? To say I was charmed is an understatement. So, when I saw him at this event, I approached to reintroduce myself and thank him for his note. The reintroduction was unnecessary. Mr. Johnson remembered exactly who I was and introduced me to his companions with such flattering words that I blushed. Seriously, what a genuinely nice man he is! (That's not a compelling reason to read his novel, but after reading close to 200 novels in 2013, I can tell you without hesitation that The Orphan Master's Son will be on my Top 10 List at the end of the year. Niceness has nothing to do with it.)
But, speaking of lovely interactions, I did speak with Scott Hutchins at the event as well. I explained the reason I'd had a video camera in his face the whole evening was that I was a book blogger. He, too, inexplicably seemed to know my name and blog. (I assure you this is unusual.) I'd forgotten to bring my galley to the event, but seeing as we are both local, I told Scott that I'd undoubtedly "see him around town."
I received a very nice and unexpected follow-up email from Scott a few days later, so he really must known my name, because I never gave him my contact info. And it turns out that I was quite right, as I ran into him twice the week following this event. I was worried he'd think I was a stalker, but it was a major lit week in San Francisco, with both the Litquake Festival and the Northern California Independent Booksellers' Association Trade Show going on. I'm exhausted again just thinking about it.
Anyway, it turns out that Scott Hutchins is as pleasant as he is talented. In our interactions, he always seemed very authentic, and not at all like a schmoozing author on tour. I did eventually get a copy of A Working Theory of Love signed, and I am very much looking forward to finishing the novel and hopefully reviewing it in the not too distant future. For now, I'm happy to be able to share this event that finally introduced me to Scott Hutchins.
I videotaped Chris at two of his book tour stops for this novel last spring, the first and the last. It was interesting to compare and contrast the polished and unpolished versions of his material and, frankly, his state of mind at the beginning and ending of a long, grueling tour. Chris had asked me to hold off posting this video until the end of the tour and... somehow it never happened. My bad.
Starting with the video at the top of this post, and then going down in order below, is the video of the first tour stop, held at the Books, Inc., Opera Plaza in San Francisco. I have to admit I like the spontaneity of that first night better. No, everything he says doesn't make sense, but egads, the man is funny. He speaks bluntly! He insulsults Kansans! He lectures on art history! He gives prizes!
As you can see, the store is hugely crowded. SRO. So, my shooting and footage isn't the best, but if you're a regular to this blog, you're used to that. Sorry about the heads in the way, but it's good enough.
Of special note is the long final video segment below. The first couple minutes are the end of the Q & A, but after that is about 14 minutes of Chris giving out prizes to the audience. There's lot's of interaction. It's totally spontaneous. He plays "Rock, Paper, Scissors" with the entire audience! It's just a lot of fun and I'm really glad I taped it.
For all the folks who have never had the pleasure of seeing Chris live, I hope you have as much fun watching as we did in the audience. And let me know in the comments if you want me to post the end of tour footage at some later date.
Washingtonian that I am, I was so sad to miss last weekend's National Book Festival. The sting was at least somewhat relieved when my friends Rina & Jacob invited me to go see one of the Festival's headliners when he came through the Bay Area recently. Junot Diaz was at the top of my must-see list. If I'd known what an interesting, unusual, and entertaining speaker he is, he would have been even higher on my list.
Confession: I never read Junot Diaz's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. It just... never happened. It's been nagging at me ever since. So, I jumped on his recent collection of linked stories, This is How You Lose Her. Consider my socks knocked right off. I'll be revisiting the backlist in the near future.
The videos posted here were filmed on Friday, September 14th, outside of Copperfield's Books in Santa Rosa, CA. Yes, outside. Diaz was cold. I was cold. And the lighting was really bad as the sun set. Sorry about that. Don't let that keep you from watching because Diaz is a fascinating speaker. And do go out to see him live, should you get the chance. These videos begin with the one at the top, and then can be watched in sequence moving down. Enjoy!
Yes, I've been a bad, bad blogger. I basically took the summer off. It was a rough summer, and I needed something really special to jump-start my blog for the fall lit season. That something special was delivered to me by Michael Chabon and the good folks at HarperCollins. Michael's contribution was the writing of Telegraph Avenue, which has just become my favorite read of 2012. I'm very proud to have written the "most helpful" review of the novel on Amazon, and my review of Telegraph Avenue can be read on the blog here. There is nothing better than being able to sing the praises of a book you truly loved.
So, the publishing industry isn't known for wildly creative marketing events, but kudos to HarperCollins for their promotion of Telegraph Avenue. For one week, they've turned Diesel Books in Oakland--very close to where the novel is set--into the fictional Brokeland Records at the heart of the novel, complete with signage, shopping bags, and vintage vinyl for sale! I shot 30 seconds of video as I approached the store. I was jay-walking in heels and blinded by the sun, so you get what you get. You can just see the record bins at the front of the store as the video ends.
Completists are invited to view a one-minute tour of the inside of the store. In addition to launching the novel, the evening was a benefit for 826 Valencia, founded by Dave Eggers. Video of Eggers talking about his organization and hopeful plans for a future Oakland branch, as well as his introduction of Michael Chabon may be viewed here. Finally, Michael took the stage, and began the evening with some old technology and a musical interlude. This may well be the only place you can hear the original composition, the "Theme from Telegraph Avenue."
Afterwards, Michael shared his affection for Diesel Books, his "neighborhood bookstore" and our hosts for the evening. He extolled the numerous cakes that had been baked for the event, which can be better seen in the photograph above. And briefly, he spoke about Telegraph Avenue's genesis, and set up the excerpt he was about to read. The second video is the reading from the novel.
Next, Michael opens the Q & A with questions about some of his earliest musical experiences, how the novel came about, what it's like to write about a world he knows intimately, and the joy of unusual words. (Am I the only person utterly charmed by his use of the phrase "consensus reality"?)
More questions about neighborhood stores he misses, paper versus e-books, book bundling (with a consult from the "publishing industry"), favorite live concerts, and recommendations for children (with a consult from a child).
And that was the end of the Q & A. Afterwards, Michael promoted a raffle to benefit 826 Valencia. The grand prize is a vintage portable 8-track cassette player, much like the one carried by Julie Jaffe in the novel, and a Telegraph Avenue mix tape recorded by Michael. He's a nostalgic guy, and this is just funny...
And finally it is cake time:
Uploading this video takes forever! (No wonder I took the summer off.) The good news
for you, but bad news for me, is that I have heaps of video and book reviews stacked up and ready for posting. I will try to get back to my regular posting schedule, because there are so many good books coming out each week this time of year, and great authors coming through San Francisco nightly.
Depending on who you ask, Michael Chabon is either one of the finest
writers of the English language working today or he is the finest writer of the
English language, full stop. My opinion vacillates between the two. A
reputation like that comes with some pretty lofty expectations for each new
book. I'm pleased to say that Chabon's latest, Telegraph Avenue, did not
disappoint.
At the core of this novel is Brokeland Records, described at points as
"the church of vinyl" and "an institution." You know the
place, or someplace like it—a down on its heels shop that's a gathering spot
for a passionate community of its own making. Brokeland is owned by Archy
Stallings (black) and Nat Jaffe (white, Jewish) and these partners echo the diversity
and cultures of the Berkeley/Oakland neighborhoods straddled by the eponymous
avenue.
This is a long book. It's not epic. I'm not even sure that it's sprawling. But
it is full. By the time you reach the end, you will be thoroughly familiar with
the businesses, marriages, and families of both Archy and Nat. You'll have met
and followed their lives, and the lives of their customers, their adversaries,
and one well-educated parrot. You'll know the intimate details of their
relationships and their personal histories. Chabon packs a whole heap of detail
and digression into the course of his 480 pages, and that doesn't even include
a boatload of pop culture references to 70's jazz, Blaxploitation films, and
martial arts.
Chabon's affection for his characters is contagious and it's hard not to love
Michael displays a rare copy of the Theme from Telegraph Avenue
them, despite some glaring flaws. However, the Brokeland community is facing
any number of threats. Perhaps the most looming is a media megastore helmed by
an NFL legend that's being planned for the neighborhood. Their David won't
survive this Goliath. Archy and Nat's wives, Gwen and Aviva, are also in
business together, and Berkeley Birth Partners is likewise under threat due to
a birth gone wrong. Things at home are equally challenging. Will Archy and
Gwen's marriage survive his infidelities and the appearance of a previously
unacknowledged 14-year-old son just weeks before the birth of their first
child? A novelist recently told me that "the clock of your mortality is
what moves you." Well, births and deaths are major events driving this
narrative, and I'd argue that the clock of an 8-months-pregnant wife moves a
story along as well. Meanwhile, the Jaffe household is dealing with their
adolescent son's first serious infatuation—with Archy's teenage son. And also
the fact that Nat is his own worst enemy. And into this rich stew is a complex
subplot involving Archy's estranged father and a crime of the past resurfacing.
Commemorative button & special stamp
It's a lot to take in, really. There's a lot going on. Despite all of this, the
action of Telegraph Avenue is character-driven rather than plot-driven. At
times, the meandering plot seems almost incidental, as we peer through the
windows at these character's complicated lives. Some readers may feel
frustration with the digressions, but for me, every word was a delight. It was
the path, not the destination. And the path of this novel is strewn with Mr.
Chabon's legendary language, the staggering vocabulary, the abundant humor, the
soaring similes, the awesome freakin' sentences! I, personally, am ill-equipped
to articulate just how extraordinary his gifts are. The man is a virtuoso.
"Buoyant," "joyful," "exuberant"—these are words
that are frequently used to describe Mr. Chabon's writing. He takes on serious
subject matter, and deals with it suitably, but his language is simply
irrepressible.
Yes, there are some flashy scenes in this book that you will hear about—the
12-page sentence, the Obama cameo—but for my money Chabon's achievement is in
the entirety of this work. He's created a world that's familiar and
recognizable, yet somehow just a little better, shinier than reality. As I
began reading this novel, I thought it was fantastic, but wouldn't replace
Kavalier & Clay in my heart. But now I wonder. The real Telegraph Avenue is
a short commute from my home, but it's Chabon's version that will stay with
me.
I've actually had a galley of The Song of Achilles staring at me since last October. I've been wanting to read it, and intimidated at the same time. (I really need to read the book.) Consequently, I was very interested in hearing the lady speak. In her opening remarks, posted above, I learned that she's a school teacher, so perhaps that explains her comfort in front of an audience.
Now, I have to apologize for the video being a bit dark. I was shooting in the ambient light under a tent, and by that point in the late afternoon it was cool and shady, with the sun backlighting the speaker. Nonetheless, it's not too bad. Below is a brief (3 minute) reading from the novel, and you'll see that Ms. Miller is an exceptionally talented reader. She has background in the theater and it shows.
Alas, my little FlipCam holds only 2 hours of footage. I was erasing earlier authors just to film what I was able to get. Below is the very beginning of her Q & A session. Gosh, I wish I could have recorded it all, because it was very interesting. I filmed until I ran out of "tape." Enjoy! And congratulations again to Ms. Miller on this huge honor, the first of what will surely be an impressive career.
If there was one author I was most excited to see at the Book Fest, it was probably Diana Abu-Jaber. I've been a fan of this literary novelist/memoirist/thriller writer ever since I read her novel Crescent many years ago. It's a real favorite, in part due to its depiction of the full richness of Arab (and Arab-American) culture, as well as romance, drama, suspense, comedy, tragedy--but I digress. And I've never had the opportunity to hear her speak before.
Therefore, it was shameful that I missed her opening remarks, but there was socializing to be done. After Ali (AKA novelist Allison Leotta) and I had chatted with Keith Donohue briefly, she introduced me to novelists Rebecca Coleman, who appeared to be out enjoying the day as we were, and Alma Katsu, who I'd met briefly at Thrillerfest and who was one of the speakers at the festival. We were both, in turn, introduced to Eleanor Brown, who is apparently connected to the area via her parents who are local. Anyway, all three ladies were lovely and we were still chatting away as Diana began to speak.
Eventually, I excused myself, and joined the talk in progress in time to record Diana reading an excerpt from her most recent novel, Birds of Paradise. What a surprise, I loved this novel! My review may be read here. In any case, it is that reading that is the video at the very top of this post.
Below, are two videos of the Q & A session she did after the reading.
A note on the video. Yeah, I know my shooting sucks. It was very hand-held. And most of the time I'm reasonably steady, but if there's big movement, it's a good bet that superstar puppy Maggie may have had a hand in it. Between getting tangled in leashes and having her start eating my hair at one point, well, it can be a distraction. But a very, very cute and forgivable one. I'm so sorry I didn't snap a pic of her for you.
After Diana Abu-Jaber, Ali and I were supposed to head over to another tent where Eleanor was going to be having a conversation with writers Jen Lancaster and Sarah Pekkanen, but first I asked Ali if we could stop by Diana's signing line so that I could meet her. Ali was so sweet about following along wherever I wanted to go, so we waited in line for several minutes, but it was worth it. Diana was as nice as could be! I think it was obvious that I'm a real fan and long-time reader. I asked her about the Miami literary scene, because I'm considering relocating there, and she was like, "It's great! Come on down!" A very genuine and really lovely lady. I'm so pleased to have finally met her; I'm just sorry that all my first-edition hardbacks are packed away. Hopefully, there will be an opportunity to get them signed at a future event.
Afterwards, Ali and I did go over to where Eleanor was interviewing Jen and Sarah, but the tent was packed. After standing in the hot sun for a while, Ali was like, "Let's go back to our cool tent." It was sort of good news/bad news in the land of literary fiction. It was never hard to get a seat, but there wasn't the audience there was for some of the other festival offerings. In any case, it was about time for Alma to begin speaking, and that will be the next post...
