Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Boston Book Fest!

It's that time again- for the second annual Boston Book Festival. Last year's inaugural event was so successful that this Saturday, October 16, they're doing it again.

Now, last year I volunteered at the one-day festival and although it was fun to work with a local indie bookstore to run signings, I didn't get to attend a single event. This year though, no volunteering for me; I'm going to be out and about and getting to everything I can. And my husband will be coming with me this time, which will make it even better.

New to the Festival this year is a "One City One Story" event, featuring the story "The Smile on Happy Chang's Face," by novelist Tom Perrotta, who wrote Little Children and Election, among other things. Copies are widely available in bookstores in the Boston area and online; I picked mine up at Porter Square Books in Cambridge. Perrotta will participate in a discussion of the story at the Festival. This is the first time that the city of Boston has run a "One City" reading event, although Cambridge and other area communities have done their own.

Also of interest is the City Wide Creative Writing Project being run by Union Park Press"an independent publisher specializing in books about the arts, history, and culture of Boston and New England". This is a contest and collaborative writing project:
Festivalgoers at this year’s Boston Book Festival are invited to stop by the Union Park Press booth to add a sentence in city-themed stories started by fellow Bostonians. Each story will be limited to one or two pages of text. When one story ends, the next one begins. Notable Bostonians who’ve been generous enough to “donate” a first line include Dennis Lehane, author of Mystic River and Shutter Island, Junot Díaz, author of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, and Susan Sloane, managing editor of WCVB TV’s Chronicle. The end result will be a collection of short-shorts collaboratively written by book festival attendees—available free of charge on the Union Park Press website after the festival.
Various people were solicited by Union Park to submit a first line, myself and other local bloggers included. I can't wait to see what comes of this very interesting exercise in creativity and community.

I'm also trying to organize a tweetup during the Festival; right now some friends and I are meeting at 1:00pm at Bukowski's Tavern on Dalton Street near the Prudential Center. It's cash-only but the burgers are delicious. Come join us!

In addition to all this, there are loads of great panels and talks all day long as well as writing workshops and more. I can't wait!

8 comments:

Alayne said...

I'll be at the Festival in the BPL Popular Reading Room for the "My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me" session. Hope to see you there!

Anonymous said...

This sounds like a great event! Makes me wish I still lived in Boston. Have fun!

Zibilee said...

This does sound like it's going to be an amazing day! I hope that you take lots of pictures and share your experiences with us when you get back! And also, I think it's so cool that you will get to meet Tom Perrotta. I love his writing!!

Cass said...

I'm so excited to about this! Last year it was the same day as the readathon and I only spent about an hour at the site, so I'm excited to not have to rush around this time!

nomadreader said...

I'm driving over Saturday for the book fest, and I'm so excited! I'll try and find my way to the Tweet-up too.

Michelle (Red Headed Book Child) said...

You make me miss Boston! Sounds like such a good event. I've read all three of the authors you mentioned. Dennis Lehane is one of my favorites. !

:)

Natalie~Coffee and a Book Chick said...

I so wish I was in Boston right now! I visit every few months, and of course I don't plan one of my visits when the Book Fest is on! Argh! Next year!

Care said...

Ah, failed to read this post before Saturday or I would have ventured over to Bukowskis. oops. :)

I was really off on my planning for this year's BBF. I would have loved to have gone to the City Book Club discussion with the mayor and Perotta. Looking forward to hearing about it!