Sunday, May 2, 2010

Sunday Salon - Lots of Bookish Stuff Going on in Boston

Every Sunday I come here and write about a book I'm reading today or planning on reading today, and every Sunday I almost never read, or read very little. Maybe today will be different, but I don't know. I'm still working my way through Peter Carey's Parrot and Olivier in America, which I want very much to like. So far? Eh. I'll keep plugging away though. I'm going to make another attempt to start Olga Slavnikova's 2017, which I have to read for LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program. I've tried a couple of times now, and have never got past the second page. It's been a busy week- it seems like every springtime there's one week when every reading I want to attend takes place, and I just get to as many as I can. After the Newburyport Literary Festival last weekend, this past week local appearances were made by Peter Carey, Alina Bronsky, Helen Simonson and Atiq Rahimi, and I got to the first and last of those; my book club met the night Bronsky was here, and Simonson and Rahimi were appearing the same day and I couldn't get to both. I'm going to have more to say about the Rahimi event later in the week- it was one of the best book talks I've been to in a long time. Yesterday and Friday was also the Boston Antiquarian Book Fair, held over at Boston University. I spent a fun hour or so browsing among the exhibits. To be honest, there was almost nothing that I was interested in buying, although I did have a great conversation with a Canadian bookseller (and fellow Margaret Atwood fan) about which books are and aren't collectible. One question was on the commercial viability of personalized signed books. I said I thought they were worthless and she said no, to some collectors they're more valuable because they show the human touch. I get books signed and personalized because I'm a fan, not because I'm trying to build up some fortune in collectible books, but I still appreciated hearing that. My husband came home with some treasures- some books on Roman history he was interested in. So between that and my chat with the Canadian bookseller, it was a fun day. We saw lots of neat things- collectible children's books, various editions of Alice in Wonderland- including one signed by Lewis Carroll for about $2,500- but not one Jane Eyre in the whole room. Oh well. Someone was selling a nice set of Jane Austens, though. But I don't collect those. I've also been sewing a little again lately. Here's my cat on a quilt I'm making for him. I'm not done with it yet, but it's nice to know it's already kitty-approved: Hope you're having a relaxing Sunday too. More Sunday Salon can be found here.

12 comments:

Lenore Appelhans said...

How sweet that you are making your cat a quilt.

Anonymous said...

My cats are definitely jealous of your cat!

I am on the same boat you are in terms of never reading as much on Sundays as I want. I can remember months ago when I would spend ALL DAY or at least half a day reading. Now I never have the time! Hopefully life will quiet down enough so that I can get back to reading on Sundays.

Laurel-Rain Snow said...

Oh, I would love to visit those book fairs you're describing. I am so envious of you living in Boston. I visited one weekend in the eighties...I know, a long time ago! But I have fond memories of that weekend "out of time."

Cute cat and lovely quilt!

BTW, I have a newer Salon post than the one you visited, here:

http://laurel-rainsnowsaccidentallife.blogspot.com/2010/05/sunday-salon.html

I did a little better this week, but I don't compete with others on how many to read (I'd lose!), but I do compete with myself a bit. Trying to push a little harder, but without losing the pleasure.

bermudaonion said...

It does seem like everything comes in bunches. I have 2 author events I really want to go to on June 4 and don't know how I'll decide which one to attend! The Book Fair sounds like fun!

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz said...

I'm finally, after a busy few months of library conferences and author visits and readathons, resting and relaxing! Beautiful day here in Texas. Good thing it doesn't stay this way all spring and summer or we'd have the whole world moving here!

And, I agree with you: It's ironic that I spend every Sunday visiting book blogs instead of reading!

The Bookworm said...

Happy Sunday.
Thats rough about reading 2017 and not being able to get through it.
The Festival and Book Fair sound like fun!

I get books signed because I'm a fan also, I dont care about how much the signature is worth as far as money goes.

Cute kitty!
http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

Literary Feline said...

My Sundays sometimes end up like that too, Marie. The best laid plans . . . Hopefully you will get some reading in today though. :-)

Your past week sounds wonderful to this bookish person! Like you, I like to have my books personalized for my own reasons, not because I am a collector or out to make money off them. I had always assumed they were worthless personalized too.

Such a beautiful kitty!

I hope you have a great week, Marie.

JoAnn said...

So many fun things to do in Boston....
Your quilt is beautiful - lucky kitty! Have a great week.

Lisa C. Hayden said...

I read 2017 and also thought the beginning was very slow... but I ended up loving the second half.

I was interested to read what you wrote about personalized books: like you and Literary Feline, I also thought they probably weren't worth much to other people.

Zibilee said...

Love the kitty quilt, and it seems that kitty loves it too! I am always envious that you have such great book events to attend all the time. Where I am, there is an unusual dearth of book centered events. I just might have to start traveling! I liked that you mentioned the bit about signed books. I had thought about that in the past, and I'm glad to now have an answer!! I hope you have a wonderful week Marie!

(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea said...

That is one lucky cat. Our cats are pampered, but nothing that gorgeous has come their way LOL

Nice job Marie.

Serena said...

I must have been living in a hole...I had no idea that you made quilts...let alone for the cat! Cool. It looks great.