Litquake, Amy Tan, Daniel Handler, Lisa Brown, Peter Coyote, Ishmael Reed, and Yiyun Li ask you to join us for this unique literary soirée as a benefit for Litquake 2011
On Sunday, May 15, the charitable organization Savory Thymes invites you to The Pen & The Fork: A Night of Sustainable Literature, at the lush Hillside Gardens in Mill Valley.Mingle with authors in the gorgeous hills of Mill Valley, where you’ll enjoy a sumptuous spring dinner, as well as regional wines and irresistible desserts. Enjoy a brief program of historical literary readings by famed modern Bay Area authors, served up with Litquake’s trademark irreverence. (Daniel Handler…as Gertrude Stein??) Meet fellow lit-lovers and revel in the fact that you’re supporting Litquake, San Francisco’s literary festival.
Spring cuisine and fine wines
Live Music
Brief program honoring the Bay Area’s literary history
The program runs from 5 to 8 pm. Ticket prices are $125.00. All ticket purchases are fully tax deductible.
RSVP 415-750-1497
Advance tickets available at:
About the Host
Savory Thymes convenes artists, grassroots organizations and activists in order to pollinate ideas, build relationships and alliances, and provide a space to galvanize for a wide variety of social and environmental initiatives. Established in 2005, by Ali Ghiorse, Savory Thymes supports and educates the public about local and sustainable systems within the context of grassroots movements and the arts, through events celebrate the beauty, the tastes, and the textures of the Earth.
Special Thanks
Litquake is extremely grateful to Savory Thymes for hosting this benefit evening.
We would also like to thank our invitation committee:
Donna Bero Phil & Chris Bronstein Lisa Brown & Daniel Handler Diana Cohn Christine Comaford Peter & Stefanie Coyote Patricia V. Davis Summer Dawn Laurie
Yiyun Li Lucy Mercer Craig Newmark Holly Payne Ishmael Reed Deborah Santana Tiffany Shlain & Ken Goldberg Amy Tan
Directions, Parking & Shuttle
Starting at 4:45, a shuttle will run every few minutes from the parking lot of the Mill Valley Middle School to Hillside Gardens. Savory Thymes kindly requests that ALL guests take the shuttle. Parking at the event location is prohibited. Shuttle is located at:
Mill Valley Middle School 425 Sycamore Avenue Mill Valley, CA 94941
Please note that this venue is not wheelchair accessible. Please note that this venue is outside and you should dress warmly and comfortably.
lunes, 25 de abril de 2011
miércoles, 13 de abril de 2011
Geoff Dyer at JCCSF
On Monday, May 2, Litquake is proud to co-present an evening in conversation with author Geoff Dyer at the JCCSF. Dyer’s wildly funny novels and works of nonfiction have earned the devotion of passionate fans on both sides of the Atlantic. He is the author of 13 books, including the classic Yoga for People Who Can’t Be Bothered to Do It. His just-released collection is Otherwise Known as the Human Condition: Selected Essays and Reviews.
Book sales and signing to follow, with cocktails and music by Jascha vs. Jascha. JCCSF is located at 3200 California Street, show begins at 7 pm, advance tickets are $20 general public, $17 members, and $10 students.
Book sales and signing to follow, with cocktails and music by Jascha vs. Jascha. JCCSF is located at 3200 California Street, show begins at 7 pm, advance tickets are $20 general public, $17 members, and $10 students.
Journey to the Epicenter May 19
Join the literary conversation at the next Epicenter May 19 from 5to 7 p.m. with Litquake and Out of Our at Goorin Bros. Hats in North Beach. The Epicenter series pairs the folks behind San Francisco’s Literary Festival with literary journals, reading series, publishers, schools, and more at free monthly gatherings for the literary-minded. Free.
About our collaborators:
Out of Our is a quarterly poetry magazine, edited and founded by Sarah Page, that has been called “unusual, irreverent, and often profound.” Out of Our has published the work of Diane di Prima, Jack Hirschman, Neeli Cherkovski, Marty Matz, and more.
Goorin Brothers is a century-old hatmaker and retailer is now led by Ben Goorin, the great-grandson of the original founder, who continues a tradition of authentic family craftsmanship. Goorin offers timeless, classic styles with a unique flare and personality—hats that allow you to make a statement without having to say a word.
About our collaborators:
Out of Our is a quarterly poetry magazine, edited and founded by Sarah Page, that has been called “unusual, irreverent, and often profound.” Out of Our has published the work of Diane di Prima, Jack Hirschman, Neeli Cherkovski, Marty Matz, and more.
Goorin Brothers is a century-old hatmaker and retailer is now led by Ben Goorin, the great-grandson of the original founder, who continues a tradition of authentic family craftsmanship. Goorin offers timeless, classic styles with a unique flare and personality—hats that allow you to make a statement without having to say a word.
martes, 12 de abril de 2011
Thoroughly Modern Maupin: The Legacy of Armistead
"You don't have to keep up, dear. You just have to keep open.” — Anna Madrigal (from Michael Tolliver Lives)
Litquake joins forces with American Conservatory Theater and BARtab to co-present Thoroughly Modern Maupin: The Legacy of Armistead, an evening of readings and music starting at 8 pm on May 12 at The Swedish American Hall.
Tickets are $15 in advance (from Brown Paper Tickets), $18 at the door.
With appearances/performances by:
Marga Gomez is a San Francisco-loving, nationally touring comedian and writer/performer of nine solo plays. She was named Best Comedian for 2011 by the Bay Area Reporter, Best Solo Performance for 2010 by the Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle, and is a triple winner of “Best of the Bay” comedian, from the San Francisco Bay Guardian. She can be seen every Monday as the host of Marga's Funny Mondays at The Marsh in Berkeley. She is honored to be part of this tribute to Armistead Maupin.
Scott James writes a weekly column about San Francisco for The Bay Citizen and The New York Times. Under the pen name Kemble Scott he is also the author of two bestselling novels, SoMa and The Sower. “I'm following Armistead Maupin's career in reverse. He started with a newspaper column, and ended up with a series of provocative books. I've done it backwards, but I'm looking forward to hanging out at a naught Hollywood icon's swimming pool some day soon.”
International Superloon Precious Moments a.k.a. Michael Soldier can be seen in the feature films Devious Inc, The Craving, and The Gay Bed & Breakfast of Terror. After an infamous win of the coveted Miss Trannyshack title in 2001 s/he has been a slippery fixture on the San Francisco scene. Since arriving in SF in 2000, s/he has had lead roles in theater productions of classic American plays, spent 18 months in the smash Cockettes revival of Pearls Over Shanghai, been a live news anchor/journalist for Q television, and appeared in 30 award-winning porn flicks. S/he is a featured interviewee in the documentary international festival fave 24 Hours On Craigslist. As a lead vocalist in the genderfucked rock band PEPPERSPRAY, s/he has opened for Cher’s farewell tour and Scissor Sisters. S/he has been a guest lecturer on the adult entertainment industry for Stanford’s psychology department and the San Francisco Sex Institute. Michael & Precious Moments are currently considering pursuit of an MFA in drama from Yale and enjoying his 20th year in practice as a massage therapist.
Kevin Simmonds is a poet, composer and performance artist originally from New Orleans. His publications include three forthcoming publications, the poetry collection Mad for Meat (Salmon Poetry), the anthology Collective Brightness: LGBTIQ Poets on Faith, Religion and Spirituality (Sibling Rivalry Press) and the edited collection Ota Benga Under My Mother's Roof (University of South Carolina Press). His music has been performed throughout the US, the UK, Japan and elsewhere and was recently featured on PBS NewsHour. He has received fellowships and commissions from the San Francisco Arts Commission, Fulbright and Jack Straw. Right now he's working on ORIENT: a new anthropology, a multimedia work about Asian-Black tensions in the San Francisco Bay area and Los Angeles that will premiere at CounterPULSE this October.
K.M. Soehnlein is the author of three novels: The World of Normal Boys, You Can Say You Knew Me When and Robin and Ruby. His essays have appeared in anthologies including Bookmark Now: Writing in Unreaderly Times; Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys; and Love, Castro Street. He’s been published in San Francisco magazine, 7×7 magazine, Village Voice and Out. He teaches in the MFA in Writing Program at the University of San Francisco. Contact him through kmsoehnlein.com.
Michelle Tea is the author of five novels, a book of poetry, numerous short stories, hundreds of Bay Area newspaper articles and has edited several anthologies on fashion, class, queer writing and personal narrative. Her novel Valencia won the 2000 Lambda Literary Award for Best Lesbian Fiction, a San Francisco Bay Guardian Goldie Award for Literature, and the prestigious Rona Jaffe Foundation award for early-career female writers. She is co-founder of the legendary Sister Spit all-female spoken-word road show, and is founder /artistic director of RADAR Productions, which presents, commissions, develops, and tours literary programs that stimulate the production of queer and underground literature.
Beer, wine, and cocktails from
Thoroughly Modern Maupin comes as the City ramps up for the world premiere of A.C.T.'s much-anticipated "Tales of the City" musical later this spring! Featuring the next generation of writers who continue to further ideals Armistead helped pioneer and champion in his work.
About Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City
The already-extended world premiere production of Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City has been extended an additional week through July 10. Based on Armistead Maupin’s popular series of newspaper columns and novels, Tales of the City was adapted into an award-winning television production on PBS, but this will be the first time it has been put onstage. The all-star creative team includes Tony Award–winning writer Jeff Whitty (Avenue Q), who is writing the book; Jake Shears and John Garden of the glam-rock band Scissor Sisters, who are writing the music and lyrics; choreographer Larry Keigwin; and Tony Award–nominated director Jason Moore (Avenue Q and Shrek: The Musical). Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City plays May 18–July 10, 2011, at the American Conservatory Theater (415 Geary Street, San Francisco). For exclusive first looks, ticket info, and special offers,visit act-sf.org/talechasers
Litquake joins forces with American Conservatory Theater and BARtab to co-present Thoroughly Modern Maupin: The Legacy of Armistead, an evening of readings and music starting at 8 pm on May 12 at The Swedish American Hall.
Tickets are $15 in advance (from Brown Paper Tickets), $18 at the door.
With appearances/performances by:
Marga Gomez is a San Francisco-loving, nationally touring comedian and writer/performer of nine solo plays. She was named Best Comedian for 2011 by the Bay Area Reporter, Best Solo Performance for 2010 by the Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle, and is a triple winner of “Best of the Bay” comedian, from the San Francisco Bay Guardian. She can be seen every Monday as the host of Marga's Funny Mondays at The Marsh in Berkeley. She is honored to be part of this tribute to Armistead Maupin.
Scott James writes a weekly column about San Francisco for The Bay Citizen and The New York Times. Under the pen name Kemble Scott he is also the author of two bestselling novels, SoMa and The Sower. “I'm following Armistead Maupin's career in reverse. He started with a newspaper column, and ended up with a series of provocative books. I've done it backwards, but I'm looking forward to hanging out at a naught Hollywood icon's swimming pool some day soon.”
International Superloon Precious Moments a.k.a. Michael Soldier can be seen in the feature films Devious Inc, The Craving, and The Gay Bed & Breakfast of Terror. After an infamous win of the coveted Miss Trannyshack title in 2001 s/he has been a slippery fixture on the San Francisco scene. Since arriving in SF in 2000, s/he has had lead roles in theater productions of classic American plays, spent 18 months in the smash Cockettes revival of Pearls Over Shanghai, been a live news anchor/journalist for Q television, and appeared in 30 award-winning porn flicks. S/he is a featured interviewee in the documentary international festival fave 24 Hours On Craigslist. As a lead vocalist in the genderfucked rock band PEPPERSPRAY, s/he has opened for Cher’s farewell tour and Scissor Sisters. S/he has been a guest lecturer on the adult entertainment industry for Stanford’s psychology department and the San Francisco Sex Institute. Michael & Precious Moments are currently considering pursuit of an MFA in drama from Yale and enjoying his 20th year in practice as a massage therapist.
Kevin Simmonds is a poet, composer and performance artist originally from New Orleans. His publications include three forthcoming publications, the poetry collection Mad for Meat (Salmon Poetry), the anthology Collective Brightness: LGBTIQ Poets on Faith, Religion and Spirituality (Sibling Rivalry Press) and the edited collection Ota Benga Under My Mother's Roof (University of South Carolina Press). His music has been performed throughout the US, the UK, Japan and elsewhere and was recently featured on PBS NewsHour. He has received fellowships and commissions from the San Francisco Arts Commission, Fulbright and Jack Straw. Right now he's working on ORIENT: a new anthropology, a multimedia work about Asian-Black tensions in the San Francisco Bay area and Los Angeles that will premiere at CounterPULSE this October.
K.M. Soehnlein is the author of three novels: The World of Normal Boys, You Can Say You Knew Me When and Robin and Ruby. His essays have appeared in anthologies including Bookmark Now: Writing in Unreaderly Times; Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys; and Love, Castro Street. He’s been published in San Francisco magazine, 7×7 magazine, Village Voice and Out. He teaches in the MFA in Writing Program at the University of San Francisco. Contact him through kmsoehnlein.com.
Michelle Tea is the author of five novels, a book of poetry, numerous short stories, hundreds of Bay Area newspaper articles and has edited several anthologies on fashion, class, queer writing and personal narrative. Her novel Valencia won the 2000 Lambda Literary Award for Best Lesbian Fiction, a San Francisco Bay Guardian Goldie Award for Literature, and the prestigious Rona Jaffe Foundation award for early-career female writers. She is co-founder of the legendary Sister Spit all-female spoken-word road show, and is founder /artistic director of RADAR Productions, which presents, commissions, develops, and tours literary programs that stimulate the production of queer and underground literature.
Beer, wine, and cocktails from
Thoroughly Modern Maupin comes as the City ramps up for the world premiere of A.C.T.'s much-anticipated "Tales of the City" musical later this spring! Featuring the next generation of writers who continue to further ideals Armistead helped pioneer and champion in his work.
About Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City
The already-extended world premiere production of Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City has been extended an additional week through July 10. Based on Armistead Maupin’s popular series of newspaper columns and novels, Tales of the City was adapted into an award-winning television production on PBS, but this will be the first time it has been put onstage. The all-star creative team includes Tony Award–winning writer Jeff Whitty (Avenue Q), who is writing the book; Jake Shears and John Garden of the glam-rock band Scissor Sisters, who are writing the music and lyrics; choreographer Larry Keigwin; and Tony Award–nominated director Jason Moore (Avenue Q and Shrek: The Musical). Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City plays May 18–July 10, 2011, at the American Conservatory Theater (415 Geary Street, San Francisco). For exclusive first looks, ticket info, and special offers,visit act-sf.org/talechasers
viernes, 18 de febrero de 2011
Litquake 2011
Mark your calendars for October 7-15, when the largest literary festival west of the Mississippi once again swarms the San Francisco Bay Area. Our Lit Crawl NYC date is September 10th, and our Lit Crawl Austin will be held October 22nd as part of the Texas Book Festival.
In the meantime, we’ve got a full calendar of upcoming Bay Area spring and summer readings and other cool happenings—check out the Events page for more specifics!
If you’re interested in submitting to become a participant, please check out our guidelines and Submit your work with our handy form. But don’t delay – submissions close June 1.
We appreciate your continued support to make this festival going 12 years strong. For donation and sponsor information, please visit the Get Involved section of this site.
Thanks, and we'll see you at the festival!
In the meantime, we’ve got a full calendar of upcoming Bay Area spring and summer readings and other cool happenings—check out the Events page for more specifics!
If you’re interested in submitting to become a participant, please check out our guidelines and Submit your work with our handy form. But don’t delay – submissions close June 1.
We appreciate your continued support to make this festival going 12 years strong. For donation and sponsor information, please visit the Get Involved section of this site.
Thanks, and we'll see you at the festival!
jueves, 17 de febrero de 2011
Michael Showalter at JCCSF
On Sunday, March 6th, Litquake co-presents an evening with comedian/author Michael Showalter, in conversation with Litquake co-founder Jack Boulware at the JCCSF. Showalter isn’t just your average funny guy. The brain behind television’s Michael & Michael Have Issues and The State, the films Wet Hot American Summer and The Baxter, and the comedy trio Stella, makes his literary debut with his new book Mr. Funny Pants. Join us for a side-splitting evening with a comic genius.
The JCCSF is located at 3200 California Street. Show begins at 7 pm, with wine bar hosted by Litquake. Advance tickets are $12 members, $15 general public, and $10 students.
The JCCSF is located at 3200 California Street. Show begins at 7 pm, with wine bar hosted by Litquake. Advance tickets are $12 members, $15 general public, and $10 students.
Journey to the Epicenter at ZYZZYVA
On March 3rd join Litquake and the West Coast literary journal ZYZZYVA for our first Epicenter of 2011. For the first time since its 1985 debut, ZYZZYVA has a new editor. Laura Cogan (pictured), along with new managing editor Oscar Villalon, fills the shoes of founding editor Howard Junker, all in a brand-new downtown office.
Stop by and meet the ZYZZYVA masthead, mingle with lit lovers, writers, and readers, and preview the journal’s Spring issue (featuring contributors Stephen Elliott, Tom Barbash, Matthew Dickman, and Robin Ekiss—and sporting a cover by renowned artist Richard Misrach).
Wine and savory treats help celebrate a new beginning for a Bay Area institution. 5-7 pm, 466 Geary Blvd., 4th floor, RSVP to editor@zyzzyva.org.
The Epicenter series pairs the folks behind San Francisco’s Literary Festival with literary journals, reading series, publishers, schools, and more at free monthly gatherings for the literary-minded. If your group would like to co-host a future Epicenter with Litquake, please email Elise Proulx at ep@litquake.org.
Stop by and meet the ZYZZYVA masthead, mingle with lit lovers, writers, and readers, and preview the journal’s Spring issue (featuring contributors Stephen Elliott, Tom Barbash, Matthew Dickman, and Robin Ekiss—and sporting a cover by renowned artist Richard Misrach).
Wine and savory treats help celebrate a new beginning for a Bay Area institution. 5-7 pm, 466 Geary Blvd., 4th floor, RSVP to editor@zyzzyva.org.
The Epicenter series pairs the folks behind San Francisco’s Literary Festival with literary journals, reading series, publishers, schools, and more at free monthly gatherings for the literary-minded. If your group would like to co-host a future Epicenter with Litquake, please email Elise Proulx at ep@litquake.org.
Culture Club at Noise Pop
On February 26-27 Litquake co-presents the Noise Pop Culture Club, a weekend of DIY talks, workshops and crafting, at Public Works in the Mission District. In particular, check out Saturday afternoon’s event “Exploring the Cross-Section of Music and Books,” with musician/authors John Wesley Harding and Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Ten bucks gets you admission all day long. Public Works is located at 161 Erie Street. Events run 12 noon to 6 pm both days, visit Noise Pop’s site for tickets and more info.
Music Memoirs with Noise Pop
Advance tickets are still available for our February 24th event as part of San Francisco’s Noise Pop music festival—Way Behind the Music: From Miley Cyrus to Motley Crue, a night of hilariously odd music memoirs brought to life onstage!
Join our lineup of esteemed musicians and writers as they read excerpts from a choice selection of American music autobiographies, featuring the actual published literary efforts of Justin Bieber, Jewel, Gene Simmons, George Jones, Marilyn Manson, Tori Amos, Vince Neil, Denise McLean (mother of Backstreet Boy A.J. McLean), and many more. Readings performed by Mark Eitzel, Thao Nguyen, Beth Lisick, Linda Robertson, Michelle Tea, Bucky Sinister, Jesse Michaels, Paul Myers and Tom Heyman. Hosted by Anthony Bedard (Hank IV). The Make-Out Room, 3225 22nd Street in the Mission. Doors open at 7, show at 7:30. Tickets are just $10 in advance or $15 day of show.
Join our lineup of esteemed musicians and writers as they read excerpts from a choice selection of American music autobiographies, featuring the actual published literary efforts of Justin Bieber, Jewel, Gene Simmons, George Jones, Marilyn Manson, Tori Amos, Vince Neil, Denise McLean (mother of Backstreet Boy A.J. McLean), and many more. Readings performed by Mark Eitzel, Thao Nguyen, Beth Lisick, Linda Robertson, Michelle Tea, Bucky Sinister, Jesse Michaels, Paul Myers and Tom Heyman. Hosted by Anthony Bedard (Hank IV). The Make-Out Room, 3225 22nd Street in the Mission. Doors open at 7, show at 7:30. Tickets are just $10 in advance or $15 day of show.
miércoles, 19 de enero de 2011
Way Behind the Music
On February 24th at the Make-Out Room in San Francisco, Litquake partners with the city’s Noise Pop music festival for Way Behind the Music: From Miley Cyrus to Motley Crue, a night of hilariously odd music memoirs brought to life onstage.
Join our lineup of esteemed musicians and writers as they read excerpts from a choice selection of American music autobiographies. Featuring the actual published literary efforts of Justin Bieber, Jewel, Gene Simmons, George Jones, Marilyn Manson, Tori Amos, Vince Neil, Denise McLean (mother of Backstreet Boy A.J. McLean), and many more. Readings performed by Mark Eitzel, Thao Nguyen, Beth Lisick, Linda Robertson, Michelle Tea, Bucky Sinister, Jesse Michaels, Paul Myers and Tom Heyman. Hosted by Anthony Bedard (Hank IV). The Make-Out Room, 3225 22nd Street in the Mission. Doors open at 7, show at 7:30. Tickets are just $10 in advance or $15 day of show!
Join our lineup of esteemed musicians and writers as they read excerpts from a choice selection of American music autobiographies. Featuring the actual published literary efforts of Justin Bieber, Jewel, Gene Simmons, George Jones, Marilyn Manson, Tori Amos, Vince Neil, Denise McLean (mother of Backstreet Boy A.J. McLean), and many more. Readings performed by Mark Eitzel, Thao Nguyen, Beth Lisick, Linda Robertson, Michelle Tea, Bucky Sinister, Jesse Michaels, Paul Myers and Tom Heyman. Hosted by Anthony Bedard (Hank IV). The Make-Out Room, 3225 22nd Street in the Mission. Doors open at 7, show at 7:30. Tickets are just $10 in advance or $15 day of show!
viernes, 24 de diciembre de 2010
SF’s Bookstores and Readings Reflect a Lively Literary Scene
Litquake's own Jack Boulware, as quoted in The New York Times, Dec. 1, 2010:
“There isn’t an enormous publishing and entertainment industry in San Francisco,” said Jack Boulware, a journalist and author who is one of Litquake’s founders. “If you’re a writer here, you aren’t bound by restrictions you might find in other cities; you can express yourself and innovate and experiment.”
“And,” he deadpanned, “everyone is stoned and sitting in cafes in the middle of the day.”
There's more about San Francisco and our great literary community in the story on The New York Times website, but the opening focuses on Litquake:
"ON a balmy fall evening in the Mission District of San Francisco, hundreds of people spilled onto Valencia Street, where they chatted happily for a few minutes before pouring back into bookstores, cafes and theaters. It was a giddy, animated crowd, but most of all bookish — a collection of fans and believers, here to listen to the written word.
The occasion was an event called Litquake, which, over the course of nine days, would draw some 13,000 residents and visitors to readings by scores of authors, many of them — like Maxine Hong Kingston and Daniel Handler (a k a Lemony Snicket) — local celebrities. The “Lit Crawl” finale alone featured more than 400 readings at bars, laundromats and even the police station in a single evening.
Litquake is an annual event, but on almost any day or night in San Francisco, there is likely to be something for the literary-inclined — a poetry reading at a bar, a book swap in a cafe or a reading in the book-lined lobby of the Rex Hotel. This is a place, after all, where dozens of fiercely independent bookstores not only survive but thrive, thanks to a city of readers who seem to view books not only as a pleasure, but as a cause."
read full article at The New York Times website
“There isn’t an enormous publishing and entertainment industry in San Francisco,” said Jack Boulware, a journalist and author who is one of Litquake’s founders. “If you’re a writer here, you aren’t bound by restrictions you might find in other cities; you can express yourself and innovate and experiment.”
“And,” he deadpanned, “everyone is stoned and sitting in cafes in the middle of the day.”
There's more about San Francisco and our great literary community in the story on The New York Times website, but the opening focuses on Litquake:
"ON a balmy fall evening in the Mission District of San Francisco, hundreds of people spilled onto Valencia Street, where they chatted happily for a few minutes before pouring back into bookstores, cafes and theaters. It was a giddy, animated crowd, but most of all bookish — a collection of fans and believers, here to listen to the written word.
The occasion was an event called Litquake, which, over the course of nine days, would draw some 13,000 residents and visitors to readings by scores of authors, many of them — like Maxine Hong Kingston and Daniel Handler (a k a Lemony Snicket) — local celebrities. The “Lit Crawl” finale alone featured more than 400 readings at bars, laundromats and even the police station in a single evening.
Litquake is an annual event, but on almost any day or night in San Francisco, there is likely to be something for the literary-inclined — a poetry reading at a bar, a book swap in a cafe or a reading in the book-lined lobby of the Rex Hotel. This is a place, after all, where dozens of fiercely independent bookstores not only survive but thrive, thanks to a city of readers who seem to view books not only as a pleasure, but as a cause."
read full article at The New York Times website
jueves, 4 de noviembre de 2010
Mark Twain Ball
On Thursday, November 4, 2010, Litquake, Bancroft Library, UC Press, and California Historical Society present the first-ever Mark Twain Ball to celebrate publication of his brand-new autobiography. If you think Twain was witty at his 70th birthday dinner (shown below, courtesy of The Mark Twain Project), just imagine what he saved for the autobiography that marks his 100th birthday.
This event will be the first Bay Area launch of this long-awaited book, held in the city that helped birth the career of America’s best-loved humorist. This new edition is already on bestseller lists, in advance of its November 15 publication date. Be sure to read all the reviews.
Come to the Mark Twain Ball and see what CBS, CNN, New York Times, Guardian, and the Independent are all raving about. Event features Twain video and slideshow, period music and special cocktails, Twain-themed snacks, and select readings from the Autobiography by actors from A.C.T.! Costumes and mustaches encouraged. Twain books and t-shirts will be for sale.
Thursday, November 4 Green Room, 401 Van Ness Ave. 7 pm Remaining tickets $20 available at the door.
Forbidden to be published until 100 years after his death, this new deluxe edition of Twain’s Autobiography (Volume 1 of 3) is at last presented according to the author’s specific instructions. Some highlights: President Theodore Roosevelt is described as “one of the most impulsive men in existence.”…the American soldiers Roosevelt sent to the Philippines are referred to as “uniformed assassins”…even Twain’s Italian landlady is called “excitable, malicious, malignant, vengeful, unforgiving, selfish, stingy, avaricious, coarse, vulgar, profane, and obscene.”
This event will be the first Bay Area launch of this long-awaited book, held in the city that helped birth the career of America’s best-loved humorist. This new edition is already on bestseller lists, in advance of its November 15 publication date. Be sure to read all the reviews.
Come to the Mark Twain Ball and see what CBS, CNN, New York Times, Guardian, and the Independent are all raving about. Event features Twain video and slideshow, period music and special cocktails, Twain-themed snacks, and select readings from the Autobiography by actors from A.C.T.! Costumes and mustaches encouraged. Twain books and t-shirts will be for sale.
Thursday, November 4 Green Room, 401 Van Ness Ave. 7 pm Remaining tickets $20 available at the door.
Forbidden to be published until 100 years after his death, this new deluxe edition of Twain’s Autobiography (Volume 1 of 3) is at last presented according to the author’s specific instructions. Some highlights: President Theodore Roosevelt is described as “one of the most impulsive men in existence.”…the American soldiers Roosevelt sent to the Philippines are referred to as “uniformed assassins”…even Twain’s Italian landlady is called “excitable, malicious, malignant, vengeful, unforgiving, selfish, stingy, avaricious, coarse, vulgar, profane, and obscene.”
miércoles, 27 de octubre de 2010
Twain Autobiography in the News
Litquake's the first-ever Mark Twain Ball, presented with the Bancroft Library, UC Press, and California Historical Society will be the first Bay Area launch celebrating publication of Mark Twain's Autobiography, Vol. 1. We know you'll want to join us at the Ball.We're far from the only ones excited about the Autobiography—it's all over the web. While you're waiting for the Ball, you can read all about it at the listings below, as well as a plethora of others.
Dead for a Century, Twain Says What He Meant, Larry Rohter, The New York Times "Wry and cranky, droll and cantankerous — that’s the Mark Twain we think we know, thanks to reading “Huck Finn” and “Tom Sawyer” in high school. But in his unexpurgated autobiography, whose first volume is about to be published a century after his death, a very different Twain emerges, more pointedly political and willing to play the role of the angry prophet." Dead 100 Years, Mark Twain Lets Loose, Jeff Glor, CBS Sunday Morning News "'The Adventures of Mark Twain' isn't the actual title of the memoir by the author of 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.' But the story of how this book is finally coming to be published is a bit of an adventure tale all its own." After keeping us waiting for a century, Mark Twain will finally reveal all, Guy Adams, The Independent (London) "The creator of Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn and some of the most frequently misquoted catchphrases in the English language left behind 5,000 unedited pages of memoirs when he died in 1910, together with handwritten notes saying that he did not want them to hit bookshops for at least a century." Mark Twain's Discourse: A Timeless Writing Course, Patricia Benesh, Huffington Post "With the current excitement about the first volume of Mark Twain's autobiography to be published in November, I re-visited some pages of his quotes about writing I'd collected through the years. I was astounded by the number and scope of Twain's advice -- and admonishments. I've culled 3000+ words to a mere 700. I hope you'll comment and add your favorites..." Mark Twain's Last Stunt, David Downs, East Bay Express "As it turns out, Mark Twain had one more joke up his sleeve. Scholars at UC Berkeley are having the moment of their careers as they prepare to release the Autobiography of Mark Twain. Appearing in three hardcover volumes from UC Press starting November 15, the autobiography reveals the iconic American novelist's true feelings about his family and associates, as well as his frustrations with Christianity, Wall Street, and US foreign policy. The creator of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn is so candid in the half-million dictated pages that he mandated that the unedited text be suppressed until one hundred years after his death. On November 15, that date arrives..."
Dead for a Century, Twain Says What He Meant, Larry Rohter, The New York Times "Wry and cranky, droll and cantankerous — that’s the Mark Twain we think we know, thanks to reading “Huck Finn” and “Tom Sawyer” in high school. But in his unexpurgated autobiography, whose first volume is about to be published a century after his death, a very different Twain emerges, more pointedly political and willing to play the role of the angry prophet." Dead 100 Years, Mark Twain Lets Loose, Jeff Glor, CBS Sunday Morning News "'The Adventures of Mark Twain' isn't the actual title of the memoir by the author of 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.' But the story of how this book is finally coming to be published is a bit of an adventure tale all its own." After keeping us waiting for a century, Mark Twain will finally reveal all, Guy Adams, The Independent (London) "The creator of Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn and some of the most frequently misquoted catchphrases in the English language left behind 5,000 unedited pages of memoirs when he died in 1910, together with handwritten notes saying that he did not want them to hit bookshops for at least a century." Mark Twain's Discourse: A Timeless Writing Course, Patricia Benesh, Huffington Post "With the current excitement about the first volume of Mark Twain's autobiography to be published in November, I re-visited some pages of his quotes about writing I'd collected through the years. I was astounded by the number and scope of Twain's advice -- and admonishments. I've culled 3000+ words to a mere 700. I hope you'll comment and add your favorites..." Mark Twain's Last Stunt, David Downs, East Bay Express "As it turns out, Mark Twain had one more joke up his sleeve. Scholars at UC Berkeley are having the moment of their careers as they prepare to release the Autobiography of Mark Twain. Appearing in three hardcover volumes from UC Press starting November 15, the autobiography reveals the iconic American novelist's true feelings about his family and associates, as well as his frustrations with Christianity, Wall Street, and US foreign policy. The creator of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn is so candid in the half-million dictated pages that he mandated that the unedited text be suppressed until one hundred years after his death. On November 15, that date arrives..."
domingo, 24 de octubre de 2010
Litquake XI :: The Bow
Now that we've distanced ourselves a little bit from those 9 days of New Year I've had a chance to get caught up on all the footage we took. What follows is a wrap-up: The Effect of Fiction On Your Mind, Porchlight Storytelling: Takes of Hollywood Hell, Lit on the Lake, Quiet Lightning and Bikram Yoga from Lit Crawl, and links to all formerly covered events, just for the sake of convenience. Also, our friends over at We Who Are About to Die had a nice photo essay from the Crawl. Enjoy! Hopefully we'll see you at the Mark Twain Ball.
:: The Effect of Fiction on Your Mind ::
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5
:: Porchlight Storytelling : Tales of Hollywood Hell ::
Intro
Joyce Maynard
Martin Cruz Smith
Kristen Tracy
Jack Boulware
Audience
Exene Cervenka
Michael Tolkin
Jill Soloway
:: Lit on the Lake ::
Elaine Beale
Jacqueline Luckett
Kristen McCloy
Lisa Braver Moss
Lucy Jane Bledsoe
Melanie Abrams
:: The Lit Crawl ::
Quiet Lightning
Bikram Yoga
Photo Essay by Karli McAllister
beNOW.tv live-streamed phase 1 and phase 3
:: Festival Photos ::
Litquake by Cynthia Wood
:: Recap Footage ::
:: Day 1 ::
The Opening Party
:: Day 2 ::
» The Barbary Coast Award
» Off the Richter Scale
:: Day 3 ::
» The Literary Tour Stops Here
» Barely Published Authors
:: Day 4 ::
» Words and Waves: Surf Lit
» Tao Lin at Booksmith
:: Day 5 ::
» Virtual Reality: The Effect of Fiction on Your Mind
» Porchlight Storytelling: Tales of Hollywood Hell
:: Day 6 ::
» Lit on the Lake
» RADAR and Bawdy Storytelling
:: Day 7 ::
» Feminine Wiles
» Stories on Stage
:: Day 8 ::
» Confession: on the 8th day, I rested
:: Day 9 ::
» Poem recap
» Quiet Lightning, Bikram Yoga, and photos form Lit Crawl
In case you hadn't heard, this year's Litquake was the largest ever, with over 14,000 people in attendance, including 8,000+ during Lit Crawl. Wow. See you soon, lit lovers. This festival isn't just annual anymore—it's year-round.
xo,
Evan
:: The Effect of Fiction on Your Mind ::
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5
:: Porchlight Storytelling : Tales of Hollywood Hell ::
Intro
Joyce Maynard
Martin Cruz Smith
Kristen Tracy
Jack Boulware
Audience
Exene Cervenka
Michael Tolkin
Jill Soloway
:: Lit on the Lake ::
Elaine Beale
Jacqueline Luckett
Kristen McCloy
Lisa Braver Moss
Lucy Jane Bledsoe
Melanie Abrams
:: The Lit Crawl ::
Quiet Lightning
Bikram Yoga
Photo Essay by Karli McAllister
beNOW.tv live-streamed phase 1 and phase 3
:: Festival Photos ::
Litquake by Cynthia Wood
:: Recap Footage ::
:: Day 1 ::
The Opening Party
:: Day 2 ::
» The Barbary Coast Award
» Off the Richter Scale
:: Day 3 ::
» The Literary Tour Stops Here
» Barely Published Authors
:: Day 4 ::
» Words and Waves: Surf Lit
» Tao Lin at Booksmith
:: Day 5 ::
» Virtual Reality: The Effect of Fiction on Your Mind
» Porchlight Storytelling: Tales of Hollywood Hell
:: Day 6 ::
» Lit on the Lake
» RADAR and Bawdy Storytelling
:: Day 7 ::
» Feminine Wiles
» Stories on Stage
:: Day 8 ::
» Confession: on the 8th day, I rested
:: Day 9 ::
» Poem recap
» Quiet Lightning, Bikram Yoga, and photos form Lit Crawl
In case you hadn't heard, this year's Litquake was the largest ever, with over 14,000 people in attendance, including 8,000+ during Lit Crawl. Wow. See you soon, lit lovers. This festival isn't just annual anymore—it's year-round.
xo,
Evan
lunes, 11 de octubre de 2010
A Few More Lines to Ease You Out of Whatever We have Been Doing
Overstimulation.
No time for polished thoughts
Forget sentences
Inspiration
Flashes
Sparks of recognition
spoken
in the mind
Just listen
and try to keep up
I have wanted to write since I was a child
and I’ve been an adult for a long time
There’s nothing between us
You and me
You and yr dreams
Me and mine
Our dreams are palpable
I’ve seen them walking down Mission St.
holding the same festival guide
designed by Mitche Manitou
I’ve heard them so many times
in so many places
I don’t know the difference
Your words form the rhythms
I think in …
3 o’clock snapping pictures thru the alley
What is this they ask
new to the mission
and maybe San Francisco
It’s a literary festival
as if that explains everything
as tho this thing has been going on since the dawn of time
And we stutter to answer
This thing not conforming to conventional press releases
There are a lot of authors
we say
in explanation
It’s crazy,
Yes, there will be poetry
But what strikes me on this day after
so far in
the end is a blessing
What strikes me is the magnitude of its sanity
how much sense it makes
you make
We all make so many kinds of sense
meeting serendipitous in the middle of the street
We might be lost but there is a pretty bright light
between us and
we are going the same way now
Tearing away from conversation
because I had to see Bucky
I was so excited
Crowding around the crowd around the door
A girl I didn’t know wanted to know
if I wanted to get closer
and everyone moved aside
She smiled
and I made it thru the door
The joy on her face
the joy that must have been on my face
Bucky telling the room
This Is What It Was Like To Be Here
A “yes” from someone in the crowd
because it’s true
Time was coming out of his mouth
and into our current
understandings
I have never lived in Punk House or any punk house
wasn’t ever crying in the 90s
didn’t have fucked up friends
or need help until later
But Bucky is a vessel
We are all vessels of our own choosing
Do you know
we filled bars that are never full
with books in our hands,
every door we passed we passed on greatness,
hurrying
with our heads down
to the next big thing
unsure what it is
but certain to find it?
There are different degrees of serious
and now that you don’t know what to do with yourself
now that the congregation has ceased
and we no longer chase one another
for sport
or whatever we were doing
Allow me to proffer a resolution:
Make a resolution.
Write it down so no one can see it.
Work on it.
Spend your extra time for your self.
If you don’t have extra time
resolve to learn
how to make time.
Time is synthetic:
it must be constructed.
If so,
take what is yours
and spend it wisely
Take chances
but talk to yourself
like you mean it
You mean it
I’ve seen it
in everyone.
There are some things for which the only appropriate response is a poem or a story or a painting or a song. Resolve to surround yourself with more of these things, with more of these people, for more of the time.
You are older
Don’t forget
part of who you are has settled
There are different degrees of self-trust
You are not always right
You want comfort
as much
or maybe more
than you want anything else
You can justify this
if you want to
Think about it
just a little more
You can widen the distance between yr own revolutions
You can pick up and keep going.
None of this matters
if we don’t harken The Call
This isn’t a journal
but you could have written this
It’s not what you think
that makes this special
if you consider this special
It carries both of us inside of it
like a womb
to a place that we might go
You might be surprised
if you sit instead of standing
shut up instead of talking
who might approach for the first time
to show you their truths
You might recognize childhood for what it is again
Alien to the way you see yourself
and the rest of the world
Open
you might remember who makes the resolutions
and who follows them
There are so many sides to you
and this poem
or whatever it is
is too long
There is so much more than heart
to satisfy
Be proud of what we have
and do it justice
--
I wanted to write a personal retrospective in response to my introductory Happy New Year, about how this year's experience was different for me than last year's, and maybe I will yet … but in due time.
Charles and I took so many videos between Oct 1-9 that we are still wading through them. He has done a write-up of Surf Lit here and is doing a piece on Bawdy and RADAR now. I’ve got videos from the Virtual Reality panel and Porchlight that I’m in the process of rendering, followed by Lit on the Lake and Quiet Lightning. So come on back. In the next week or so we will put this puppy to rest … until the Mark Twain Ball!!
I will say really quickly a big Thank You to all the volunteers and to the committee for all of the yearlong work you do (it’s not quite enough to say it on Facebook, you see). This festival expands us in more ways than we can celebrate in nine days.
Hope to see you soon and often,
Evan
No time for polished thoughts
Forget sentences
Inspiration
Flashes
Sparks of recognition
spoken
in the mind
Just listen
and try to keep up
I have wanted to write since I was a child
and I’ve been an adult for a long time
There’s nothing between us
You and me
You and yr dreams
Me and mine
Our dreams are palpable
I’ve seen them walking down Mission St.
holding the same festival guide
designed by Mitche Manitou
I’ve heard them so many times
in so many places
I don’t know the difference
Your words form the rhythms
I think in …
3 o’clock snapping pictures thru the alley
What is this they ask
new to the mission
and maybe San Francisco
It’s a literary festival
as if that explains everything
as tho this thing has been going on since the dawn of time
And we stutter to answer
This thing not conforming to conventional press releases
There are a lot of authors
we say
in explanation
It’s crazy,
Yes, there will be poetry
But what strikes me on this day after
so far in
the end is a blessing
What strikes me is the magnitude of its sanity
how much sense it makes
you make
We all make so many kinds of sense
meeting serendipitous in the middle of the street
We might be lost but there is a pretty bright light
between us and
we are going the same way now
Tearing away from conversation
because I had to see Bucky
I was so excited
Crowding around the crowd around the door
A girl I didn’t know wanted to know
if I wanted to get closer
and everyone moved aside
She smiled
and I made it thru the door
The joy on her face
the joy that must have been on my face
Bucky telling the room
This Is What It Was Like To Be Here
A “yes” from someone in the crowd
because it’s true
Time was coming out of his mouth
and into our current
understandings
I have never lived in Punk House or any punk house
wasn’t ever crying in the 90s
didn’t have fucked up friends
or need help until later
But Bucky is a vessel
We are all vessels of our own choosing
Do you know
we filled bars that are never full
with books in our hands,
every door we passed we passed on greatness,
hurrying
with our heads down
to the next big thing
unsure what it is
but certain to find it?
There are different degrees of serious
and now that you don’t know what to do with yourself
now that the congregation has ceased
and we no longer chase one another
for sport
or whatever we were doing
Allow me to proffer a resolution:
Make a resolution.
Write it down so no one can see it.
Work on it.
Spend your extra time for your self.
If you don’t have extra time
resolve to learn
how to make time.
Time is synthetic:
it must be constructed.
If so,
take what is yours
and spend it wisely
Take chances
but talk to yourself
like you mean it
You mean it
I’ve seen it
in everyone.
There are some things for which the only appropriate response is a poem or a story or a painting or a song. Resolve to surround yourself with more of these things, with more of these people, for more of the time.
You are older
Don’t forget
part of who you are has settled
There are different degrees of self-trust
You are not always right
You want comfort
as much
or maybe more
than you want anything else
You can justify this
if you want to
Think about it
just a little more
You can widen the distance between yr own revolutions
You can pick up and keep going.
None of this matters
if we don’t harken The Call
This isn’t a journal
but you could have written this
It’s not what you think
that makes this special
if you consider this special
It carries both of us inside of it
like a womb
to a place that we might go
You might be surprised
if you sit instead of standing
shut up instead of talking
who might approach for the first time
to show you their truths
You might recognize childhood for what it is again
Alien to the way you see yourself
and the rest of the world
Open
you might remember who makes the resolutions
and who follows them
There are so many sides to you
and this poem
or whatever it is
is too long
There is so much more than heart
to satisfy
Be proud of what we have
and do it justice
--
I wanted to write a personal retrospective in response to my introductory Happy New Year, about how this year's experience was different for me than last year's, and maybe I will yet … but in due time.
Charles and I took so many videos between Oct 1-9 that we are still wading through them. He has done a write-up of Surf Lit here and is doing a piece on Bawdy and RADAR now. I’ve got videos from the Virtual Reality panel and Porchlight that I’m in the process of rendering, followed by Lit on the Lake and Quiet Lightning. So come on back. In the next week or so we will put this puppy to rest … until the Mark Twain Ball!!
I will say really quickly a big Thank You to all the volunteers and to the committee for all of the yearlong work you do (it’s not quite enough to say it on Facebook, you see). This festival expands us in more ways than we can celebrate in nine days.
Hope to see you soon and often,
Evan
viernes, 8 de octubre de 2010
Lit Crawl Video Linkfest with Suggestions (and an invitation)
Disclaimer: you can't lose. Do not fret. Bring emergency supplies. Be smart. Trust strangers only if they're holding Festival Guides. Trade books for books. Share poems. Dance in the corridor between yourself and the rest of the world.
Tomorrow is the largest literary crawl in the world. Ever, as in, across space and time. 400 or so authors, 65 venues, 3 and a half hours. You know that part. But what are you going to do about it? What follows is something of a guide and a few suggestions.
But first, a mobile guide to the entire crawl.
:: Phase 1 ::
Ashcan Magazine in Clarion Alley » There is something about literature in an alley that is just right. Plus I'm a fan of Jim Nelson and Doctor Popular.
BARtab at Martuni's » Meliza Banales and Kirk Read should pretty much ensure that this is outrageous.
Babylon Salon | Mina Dresden Gallery » High-quality authors in a fantastic, open space. Here's an example of one of their shows.
Why There Are Words | Artzone 461 » Two words: Tom Barbash. Here's an example.
ZYZZYVA | Elixir » Howard Junker released a novel this year? How come I didn't know this? I'm fairly outraged. Oh yeah, M.G. Martin's pretty much the most talented person in the universe. I have no idea what to expect from this group, but it should be interesting and perhaps the most wide-ranging of events in Phase 1.
BANG OUT | Double Dutch » This series is always high-octane, even when the pieces aren't in-your-face. Here's an example of one of their shows.
Small Desk Press | Adobe Books » I just have so much faith in SDP. They put out great books. Plus you're probably also in love with Sarah Fran Wisby.
Quiet Lightning | Gestalt » What is there to say? We have Sam Sax. 13 authors back to back to back to back et ceteranium to your cranium. That's all it is. Here's one of our shows.
Instant City | Dalva » Joshua Citrak. Andrew Dugas. Rob McLaughlin. Plus you're sure to enjoy a Gravity Goldberg sighting. Readings form the release of Issue #7.
Narrative Magazine | The Lab » Editor Carol Edgarian emcees a host of big name readers in an appropriately classy venue. Pia Z. Ehrhardt, for one. From Narrative Night 2010.
Counterpoint Press | Muddy Waters » This is going to be a quality all-around session, with "tales of television, religion, murder, and revolution."
Significant Objects | Root Division » Beth Lisick. Chris Colin. I have no idea what's going on here but I promise it will be thrilling.
Ambush Review | 18 Reasons » Primal meets new-age in the form of poetry. Check out Ana Elsner.
Top pick: Quiet Lightning
if there were 2 top picks: Instant City
Where I'll be: I host Quiet Lightning with Rajshree Chauhan.
:: Phase 2 ::
Own Your Story | Clarion Alley » Joe Loya started and will read in this series to engage the community in personal storytelling. Also featuring Cassandra Dallett and Wendy Merrill.
Mystery and Mayhem | Mission Police Station » Michelle Gagnon and Seth Harwood, but also the fact that it's in a police station. Trust me on that one - I've been many times. In the right circumstance, they're pretty neat. Mystery and Mayhem!
SF Writer's Grotto | Elbo Room, upstairs » Gerard Jones and Elizabeth Bernstein will emcee six accomplished Grotto-ites, including Kathryn Ma, James Nestor, and Justine Sharrock. Every time I've seen someone from the Grotto I've been impressed. And usually pleased.
Anger Management and Revenge | Elbo Room, downstairs » Nic Alea. Paul Corman-Roberts. Charlie Getter. Amy Glasenapp. H.K. Rainey. Jezebel Delilah X. Here's another one of their shows. This is one of the best collections of talent in the whole Crawl.
Corium Magazine | Sub/Mission Art Space » These writers are prone to quirky short pieces and have a mastery of the literary quickpivot. Andrea Kneeland. Ben Loory. Stefanie Freele.
The Threepenny Review | Bruno's » Yiyun Li. Charlie Haas. Tobias Wolff. As if you needed to know anything else (and you probably know I am not a sucker for 'big names'), you should know that this will be a mixture of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction (of which I am a sucker).
RADAR | Lexington Club » Ali Liebegott. Kirya Traber. Ali is one of my favorite local poets and is soft-spoken but uber-pungent like a really strong but delicious beverage, and Kirya has been known to spit fire, so I would really love to see them read together. Plus Michelle will be there.
826 Valencia | 826 Valencia » Student readings! Prepare to be blown away. And possibly jealous.
Indie Press Review | The Marsh Mock Cafe » D.W. Lichtenberg. Surprise guest. I have a good feeling about this one.
Emperor Norton Lives | Blue Macaw » This collection of Bay Area iconoclasts is certain to shock you with delight. Why else would Litquake co-founder Jack Boulware be emceeing? Lynn Breedlove. Chicken John Rinaldi.
Top pick: The Threepenny Review
if there were 2 top picks: Anger Management and Revenge
Where I'll be: Bikram Writing @ The Beauty Bar. I'm gonna do some pomes with a group of beautiful ladies getting their nails done and drinking martinis and reading short stories. That doesn't sound too bad either, actually.
:: Phase 3 ::
Bawdy in the Alley | Clarion Alley » This series is outrageous. Porchlight for the sex party scene. With a crowd full of clowns. No, really. Clowns. J. Delicious.
San Quentin | Ritual Coffee » This is one of the reasons I love Litquake. Inmates of the prison have a class called "Finding Your Voice on the Page." Inmate alumni will present readings and talk about their feelings re: this program and its effects on the community.
Indie Fiction Extravaganza | Casa Bonampak » Two Dollar Radio and Manic D Press are pioneers and torch-bearers of the independent publishing world. Then there's Jon Longhi, Joshua Mohr, Alvin Orloff, and Larry-bob Roberts. This will be funny and intense.
Portuguese Artists Colony | Laszlo Bar » These guys do this every month. Their stories range from subtle character development and the dissection of emotions to poignant and hilarious social commentary. Here's an example of their shows. Caitlin Myer. Benjamin Wachs. Leslie Ingham. Daniel Heath. Carey Tennis.
InsideStoryTime | Lone Palm Bar » Emcee James Warner knows how to pick em. Jonathan Keats. Linda Robertson. Here's an example of their shows.
The Rumpus | Latin American Club » This one will be hard to beat. Latin America Club seems like a perfect venue for the monthly variety show. Lit Crawl edition features Stephen Elliott, Isaac Fitzgerald, and Bucky Sinister. Here's an example show. Oh, what? music by Michael Mullen of the Size Queens?!
Canteen Magazine | The Revolution Cafe » Sean Finney, Mia Lipman, and Susan Steinberg are 3 good reasons to do anything. Plus Malena Watrous and Ghita Schwartz.
Tenderloin Reading Series | Doc's Clock » These guys are a year young, but don't let that fool ya. Jonathan Hirsch. Joel Landfield. Joanna Lioce. Chris Moore. Anna Seregina. Here's an example.
Anthemion | Gypsy Honeymoon » This is such an excellent little boutique shop - I saw a reading there once and it was very intimate. Plus this is one of those Litquake's cool shows: writers respond to an antique object. Should be a great demonstration of a potentially lucrative exercise. Gravity Goldberg joins a collection of inneresting folk for this one.
The Believer and McSweeney's | Heart » You love both publications. You also love Matthew Zapruder. What's to lose? Troy Jollimore. Sandra Simonds. Holy poetry!
14 Hills + Eleven Eleven | Muddy's Coffee House » Two impressive, local publications combine forces for a fury of fiction and floetry. Lauren Hamlin. Zara Raab. Loren Rhoads. Here's a 14 Hills party. And here's something from Eleven Eleven.
Top pick: The Rumpus
if there were 2 top picks: The Believer and McSweeney's
Where I'll be: After Quiet Lightning and Bikram Writing, I figure I'll just wing Phase 3. See what happens.
REMEMBER » You can't go wrong. Bring your booklet with you and follow the map. Eat tacos. Stampede!!!
STAY TUNED » I am going to scan the map/guide and load it onto Scribd. I think I might go grocery shopping first, though.
I am going to practice reciting my poems on top of Bernal Hill tonight. Wouldn't it be fun to have a pre-crawl reading party? Answer: Yes, in so many ways. I will be there and would love to see you: 912 658 2333. I don't get texts, however.
Rest up, San Francisco. Or party. Whatever you do, make sure you can crawl tomorrow.
xoxoxox
— Evan
Tomorrow is the largest literary crawl in the world. Ever, as in, across space and time. 400 or so authors, 65 venues, 3 and a half hours. You know that part. But what are you going to do about it? What follows is something of a guide and a few suggestions.
But first, a mobile guide to the entire crawl.
:: Phase 1 ::
Ashcan Magazine in Clarion Alley » There is something about literature in an alley that is just right. Plus I'm a fan of Jim Nelson and Doctor Popular.
BARtab at Martuni's » Meliza Banales and Kirk Read should pretty much ensure that this is outrageous.
Babylon Salon | Mina Dresden Gallery » High-quality authors in a fantastic, open space. Here's an example of one of their shows.
Why There Are Words | Artzone 461 » Two words: Tom Barbash. Here's an example.
ZYZZYVA | Elixir » Howard Junker released a novel this year? How come I didn't know this? I'm fairly outraged. Oh yeah, M.G. Martin's pretty much the most talented person in the universe. I have no idea what to expect from this group, but it should be interesting and perhaps the most wide-ranging of events in Phase 1.
BANG OUT | Double Dutch » This series is always high-octane, even when the pieces aren't in-your-face. Here's an example of one of their shows.
Small Desk Press | Adobe Books » I just have so much faith in SDP. They put out great books. Plus you're probably also in love with Sarah Fran Wisby.
Quiet Lightning | Gestalt » What is there to say? We have Sam Sax. 13 authors back to back to back to back et ceteranium to your cranium. That's all it is. Here's one of our shows.
Instant City | Dalva » Joshua Citrak. Andrew Dugas. Rob McLaughlin. Plus you're sure to enjoy a Gravity Goldberg sighting. Readings form the release of Issue #7.
Narrative Magazine | The Lab » Editor Carol Edgarian emcees a host of big name readers in an appropriately classy venue. Pia Z. Ehrhardt, for one. From Narrative Night 2010.
Counterpoint Press | Muddy Waters » This is going to be a quality all-around session, with "tales of television, religion, murder, and revolution."
Significant Objects | Root Division » Beth Lisick. Chris Colin. I have no idea what's going on here but I promise it will be thrilling.
Ambush Review | 18 Reasons » Primal meets new-age in the form of poetry. Check out Ana Elsner.
Top pick: Quiet Lightning
if there were 2 top picks: Instant City
Where I'll be: I host Quiet Lightning with Rajshree Chauhan.
:: Phase 2 ::
Own Your Story | Clarion Alley » Joe Loya started and will read in this series to engage the community in personal storytelling. Also featuring Cassandra Dallett and Wendy Merrill.
Mystery and Mayhem | Mission Police Station » Michelle Gagnon and Seth Harwood, but also the fact that it's in a police station. Trust me on that one - I've been many times. In the right circumstance, they're pretty neat. Mystery and Mayhem!
SF Writer's Grotto | Elbo Room, upstairs » Gerard Jones and Elizabeth Bernstein will emcee six accomplished Grotto-ites, including Kathryn Ma, James Nestor, and Justine Sharrock. Every time I've seen someone from the Grotto I've been impressed. And usually pleased.
Anger Management and Revenge | Elbo Room, downstairs » Nic Alea. Paul Corman-Roberts. Charlie Getter. Amy Glasenapp. H.K. Rainey. Jezebel Delilah X. Here's another one of their shows. This is one of the best collections of talent in the whole Crawl.
Corium Magazine | Sub/Mission Art Space » These writers are prone to quirky short pieces and have a mastery of the literary quickpivot. Andrea Kneeland. Ben Loory. Stefanie Freele.
The Threepenny Review | Bruno's » Yiyun Li. Charlie Haas. Tobias Wolff. As if you needed to know anything else (and you probably know I am not a sucker for 'big names'), you should know that this will be a mixture of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction (of which I am a sucker).
RADAR | Lexington Club » Ali Liebegott. Kirya Traber. Ali is one of my favorite local poets and is soft-spoken but uber-pungent like a really strong but delicious beverage, and Kirya has been known to spit fire, so I would really love to see them read together. Plus Michelle will be there.
826 Valencia | 826 Valencia » Student readings! Prepare to be blown away. And possibly jealous.
Indie Press Review | The Marsh Mock Cafe » D.W. Lichtenberg. Surprise guest. I have a good feeling about this one.
Emperor Norton Lives | Blue Macaw » This collection of Bay Area iconoclasts is certain to shock you with delight. Why else would Litquake co-founder Jack Boulware be emceeing? Lynn Breedlove. Chicken John Rinaldi.
Top pick: The Threepenny Review
if there were 2 top picks: Anger Management and Revenge
Where I'll be: Bikram Writing @ The Beauty Bar. I'm gonna do some pomes with a group of beautiful ladies getting their nails done and drinking martinis and reading short stories. That doesn't sound too bad either, actually.
:: Phase 3 ::
Bawdy in the Alley | Clarion Alley » This series is outrageous. Porchlight for the sex party scene. With a crowd full of clowns. No, really. Clowns. J. Delicious.
San Quentin | Ritual Coffee » This is one of the reasons I love Litquake. Inmates of the prison have a class called "Finding Your Voice on the Page." Inmate alumni will present readings and talk about their feelings re: this program and its effects on the community.
Indie Fiction Extravaganza | Casa Bonampak » Two Dollar Radio and Manic D Press are pioneers and torch-bearers of the independent publishing world. Then there's Jon Longhi, Joshua Mohr, Alvin Orloff, and Larry-bob Roberts. This will be funny and intense.
Portuguese Artists Colony | Laszlo Bar » These guys do this every month. Their stories range from subtle character development and the dissection of emotions to poignant and hilarious social commentary. Here's an example of their shows. Caitlin Myer. Benjamin Wachs. Leslie Ingham. Daniel Heath. Carey Tennis.
InsideStoryTime | Lone Palm Bar » Emcee James Warner knows how to pick em. Jonathan Keats. Linda Robertson. Here's an example of their shows.
The Rumpus | Latin American Club » This one will be hard to beat. Latin America Club seems like a perfect venue for the monthly variety show. Lit Crawl edition features Stephen Elliott, Isaac Fitzgerald, and Bucky Sinister. Here's an example show. Oh, what? music by Michael Mullen of the Size Queens?!
Canteen Magazine | The Revolution Cafe » Sean Finney, Mia Lipman, and Susan Steinberg are 3 good reasons to do anything. Plus Malena Watrous and Ghita Schwartz.
Tenderloin Reading Series | Doc's Clock » These guys are a year young, but don't let that fool ya. Jonathan Hirsch. Joel Landfield. Joanna Lioce. Chris Moore. Anna Seregina. Here's an example.
Anthemion | Gypsy Honeymoon » This is such an excellent little boutique shop - I saw a reading there once and it was very intimate. Plus this is one of those Litquake's cool shows: writers respond to an antique object. Should be a great demonstration of a potentially lucrative exercise. Gravity Goldberg joins a collection of inneresting folk for this one.
The Believer and McSweeney's | Heart » You love both publications. You also love Matthew Zapruder. What's to lose? Troy Jollimore. Sandra Simonds. Holy poetry!
14 Hills + Eleven Eleven | Muddy's Coffee House » Two impressive, local publications combine forces for a fury of fiction and floetry. Lauren Hamlin. Zara Raab. Loren Rhoads. Here's a 14 Hills party. And here's something from Eleven Eleven.
Top pick: The Rumpus
if there were 2 top picks: The Believer and McSweeney's
Where I'll be: After Quiet Lightning and Bikram Writing, I figure I'll just wing Phase 3. See what happens.
REMEMBER » You can't go wrong. Bring your booklet with you and follow the map. Eat tacos. Stampede!!!
STAY TUNED » I am going to scan the map/guide and load it onto Scribd. I think I might go grocery shopping first, though.
I am going to practice reciting my poems on top of Bernal Hill tonight. Wouldn't it be fun to have a pre-crawl reading party? Answer: Yes, in so many ways. I will be there and would love to see you: 912 658 2333. I don't get texts, however.
Rest up, San Francisco. Or party. Whatever you do, make sure you can crawl tomorrow.
xoxoxox
— Evan
Stories on Stage, Poems on the Street Corner
Last night I met recent MacArthur Genius Award recipient Yiyun Li right after she watched her short story “Souvenir,” from Gold Boy, Emerald Girl acted out on stage at the Berkeley Rep. Ms. Li did not know me but I recognized her and immediately after the show I walked up to her (actually, I was walking up to Alia Volz, who was sitting right in front of her, but Yiyun got up first) and I asked, “What did you think?"
I had deduced before the show, talking to New Yorker top 20 under 40 author Daniel Alarcon, that these artists did not know anything about the proceedings. “Are you excited,” I asked him. “I’m curious. I have no idea what’s going to happen.”
Li responded: “I thought it was exceptional. I had no idea there were going to be multiple actors.”
Like July’s shindig with Christopher Moore at the Brava Theater, for which ACT had some of their actors read from the author’s recent book, a group of 6 actors took the stage to read a story apiece by each of the aforementioned authors and one by Mr. Daniel Handler. Produced by San Jose, who is co-founder of Intersection for the Arts’ award-winning resident theater company Campo Santo, the stories were broken into lines not demarcated by punctuation or even character shift.
As the actors delivered the lines of the authors, I couldn’t help but desire to one day write something good enough to be read by actors on a stage. It felt like The Big Time. The lines were broken up to emphasize different aspects not only of the characters themselves but also of the text, the story. It was very clever and in fact more often than not elucidated the stories in a way that would not be as apparent on the page.
In this interview I conducted with author Matt Stewart in August, he said: “This is a time when publishing hasn’t really evolved like other industries. And I think the book is a terrific art form. But I think we’re looking at a generation that expects more bells and whistles.” Last night it was resounding: bells and whistles can in fact enhance our writing – not just adorn it. Here’s a far lesser but still debatably good example.
I can’t stress to you how much I enjoyed this production. I thought the stories were all excellent, and again (I really can’t stress this enough) San Jose’s decisions were profoundly affecting, even down to the order in which they were read (Alarcon, Li, Handler). I have the videos but am not sure we have clearance from the actors, so stand by. I do not accept bribes (but you should offer. I'd love to watch them with you).
What did I do afterward? Sure, Litquake was over for the evening. But was I through with Litquake? Well, kinda … I went to 16th and Mission, where every Thursday for almost the past 7 years now a devoted group of poets and musicians convene between 10pm and midnite to share a circle in which anyone who wants to express him or her self can so do … so long as they can get into the circle (there is no order and there are essentially no rules). Here’s a video I made from 3 weeks ago. It was a pretty random sampling, and I apologize for being in there myself …
It was packed last night, and people were well-behaved (if not over-zealous to jump in). Charlie Getter, who was one of the founders of this unofficial congregation, has a tendency to say, when people are chomping at the bit to do their bit, “Don’t be vultures.” I looked around and saw over 100 people, mostly youngsters (and by that, people, I mean younger than my 28), and I wondered how many of them even knew about Litquake. I would say probably – and this is only a guess – no more than 25%.
What struck me though was how strongly this scene was flourishing without any knowledge of what they might do with their words. This scene is an important forum, for as my friend (and poet, or probably it’s the other way around) Andrew Paul Nelson said, and I paraphrase: “Without a place to share art it becomes neurosis, and that’s why I support the corner. It has to be public.” And some of the street poets who just last year had only recited their hearts there, at 16th and Mission, have spent the year climbing up the literary ladder and onto their own stages; some conduct reading series; some, oh lord, some are going to steal the show in Saturday’s Lit Crawl. I promise you that.
I stood there in my vest and tie and lavender button down shirt - it’s not important, but it wasn’t out of place either, even though the homeless weren’t out of place (and far from that, I’d say – they were home), and the drug addicts were not out of place …
I stood there and I filmed these young poets who do not have ambitions beyond expression, I filmed them with no intentions myself and I thought about Ms. Li, who again has just won a prize for being a genius, for that ultimate accomplishment wherein one is supported for the creation they have already achieved so that they may produce even more of it for the good of society, I thought of her sitting in the back of the Berkeley Rep watching these actors read one of her stories and smiling, and I remembered being in kindergarten. I remembered cutting up different colors of construction paper with plastic green scissors for my favorite teacher, even then having moments of what am I doing. I remembered graham crackers and apple juice and simply chewing. This is just like a poem I’ve written, only not as good.
What I want to say is that I saw two ends of the spectrum last night, and I know everyone comes from a different place but I also know we are what we make ourselves. I don’t know what these artists eat for breakfast and I don’t know what books they read; I do know, however, that a star shines in all of their eyes, and when it twinkles we see ourselves and lean over into one another’s ears because it’s exactly what we are trying to say.
— Evan
I had deduced before the show, talking to New Yorker top 20 under 40 author Daniel Alarcon, that these artists did not know anything about the proceedings. “Are you excited,” I asked him. “I’m curious. I have no idea what’s going to happen.”
Li responded: “I thought it was exceptional. I had no idea there were going to be multiple actors.”
Like July’s shindig with Christopher Moore at the Brava Theater, for which ACT had some of their actors read from the author’s recent book, a group of 6 actors took the stage to read a story apiece by each of the aforementioned authors and one by Mr. Daniel Handler. Produced by San Jose, who is co-founder of Intersection for the Arts’ award-winning resident theater company Campo Santo, the stories were broken into lines not demarcated by punctuation or even character shift.
As the actors delivered the lines of the authors, I couldn’t help but desire to one day write something good enough to be read by actors on a stage. It felt like The Big Time. The lines were broken up to emphasize different aspects not only of the characters themselves but also of the text, the story. It was very clever and in fact more often than not elucidated the stories in a way that would not be as apparent on the page.
In this interview I conducted with author Matt Stewart in August, he said: “This is a time when publishing hasn’t really evolved like other industries. And I think the book is a terrific art form. But I think we’re looking at a generation that expects more bells and whistles.” Last night it was resounding: bells and whistles can in fact enhance our writing – not just adorn it. Here’s a far lesser but still debatably good example.
I can’t stress to you how much I enjoyed this production. I thought the stories were all excellent, and again (I really can’t stress this enough) San Jose’s decisions were profoundly affecting, even down to the order in which they were read (Alarcon, Li, Handler). I have the videos but am not sure we have clearance from the actors, so stand by. I do not accept bribes (but you should offer. I'd love to watch them with you).
What did I do afterward? Sure, Litquake was over for the evening. But was I through with Litquake? Well, kinda … I went to 16th and Mission, where every Thursday for almost the past 7 years now a devoted group of poets and musicians convene between 10pm and midnite to share a circle in which anyone who wants to express him or her self can so do … so long as they can get into the circle (there is no order and there are essentially no rules). Here’s a video I made from 3 weeks ago. It was a pretty random sampling, and I apologize for being in there myself …
It was packed last night, and people were well-behaved (if not over-zealous to jump in). Charlie Getter, who was one of the founders of this unofficial congregation, has a tendency to say, when people are chomping at the bit to do their bit, “Don’t be vultures.” I looked around and saw over 100 people, mostly youngsters (and by that, people, I mean younger than my 28), and I wondered how many of them even knew about Litquake. I would say probably – and this is only a guess – no more than 25%.
What struck me though was how strongly this scene was flourishing without any knowledge of what they might do with their words. This scene is an important forum, for as my friend (and poet, or probably it’s the other way around) Andrew Paul Nelson said, and I paraphrase: “Without a place to share art it becomes neurosis, and that’s why I support the corner. It has to be public.” And some of the street poets who just last year had only recited their hearts there, at 16th and Mission, have spent the year climbing up the literary ladder and onto their own stages; some conduct reading series; some, oh lord, some are going to steal the show in Saturday’s Lit Crawl. I promise you that.
I stood there in my vest and tie and lavender button down shirt - it’s not important, but it wasn’t out of place either, even though the homeless weren’t out of place (and far from that, I’d say – they were home), and the drug addicts were not out of place …
I stood there and I filmed these young poets who do not have ambitions beyond expression, I filmed them with no intentions myself and I thought about Ms. Li, who again has just won a prize for being a genius, for that ultimate accomplishment wherein one is supported for the creation they have already achieved so that they may produce even more of it for the good of society, I thought of her sitting in the back of the Berkeley Rep watching these actors read one of her stories and smiling, and I remembered being in kindergarten. I remembered cutting up different colors of construction paper with plastic green scissors for my favorite teacher, even then having moments of what am I doing. I remembered graham crackers and apple juice and simply chewing. This is just like a poem I’ve written, only not as good.
What I want to say is that I saw two ends of the spectrum last night, and I know everyone comes from a different place but I also know we are what we make ourselves. I don’t know what these artists eat for breakfast and I don’t know what books they read; I do know, however, that a star shines in all of their eyes, and when it twinkles we see ourselves and lean over into one another’s ears because it’s exactly what we are trying to say.
— Evan
jueves, 7 de octubre de 2010
Tao Lin and Tomorrow
Because I don't have a car and getting to Park Chalet for Surf Lit would have been nearly impossible, I biked straight down to the Haight, to Booksmith, to see Tao Lin read. Now I have neither read nor seen Mr. Lin before, but I am an avid reader of the Daily Rumpus and quite a Stephen Elliott fan, as those of you who know me know, and Stephen is rather fond of Lin and speaks of him often. So I went to check it out.
Actually, I also forewent A Feast of Words: A Storytelling Potluck and also Original Shorts: Bottom Up, which included stories from my friends James Warner and Shanthi Sekaran. In other words, it was a tough decision. As you can see in the videos below, Lin read for only 6 minutes, and his Q&A, while more informative than his reading, was overly affected and not very sincere. I was pretty disappointed for the subsequent hour or so, honestly. But it got me to thinking …
Lin's performance, as Charles Kruger pointed out to me after having seen him at Radar yesterday, is very similar to what you might expect from a smart child trying to express himself; so simplistic yet mysterious in delivery, it is difficult and sometimes seemingly not worth it to figure out what he's trying to say. Because I don't think — and I think he would agree with this — I don't think that he's really trying to say anything.
When asked if his writing was culturally significant because it's accessible, for instance, he replied that his writing is not culturally significant … or accessible. "I didn't really think about that." One audience member asked how his use of Gmail-Chat affected his writing of the novel: "Was it a joke or was there something more to it?"
This question really reverberates for me, as though it stands for the whole presentation. I see this event as something of a performance piece, a marketing tool, something to help sell the book. And while that's clearly what author readings are, you don't normally wander into one this … strange or compelling. Again, I was pretty outraged. But it begs the question: am I inclined to read the man's book(s). Yes. But why?
What I value is honesty and hard work. I don't want you to sell me something. What I want is prose that makes me say hot damn, that makes me stop what I'm doing and leave the room because I'm too inspired to hear or see anything that is not of my own choosing.
What I see here is an interesting equilibrium trying to form between being popular/understanding how to communicate, and actually having something to say. For me, in a certain small circle in San Francisco, there are a lot of people who want to listen to me, who shut up when I'm in front of the microphone. Why is this? I haven't published any stories or poems; I never really claimed to have anything to say; I spend all my time filming other people. Is Presence enough to instruct us? What I'm wondering is if Tao Lin has something to say or if he just knows how and when to comment on blogs and how to speak to a generation of people who spend all their time doing so.
Check out his blog. He's asked people to identify what drug he was on during this reading. There is a long and somewhat ridiculous conversation going on over there. Some good points are raised, particularly the one in which @Andy has recommended Lin present himself with a modicum of self-respect. I don't know how far that gets you these days. Last night in Phone Booth talking with Kruger and Andrew Paul Nelson, Kruger said that writers in this country aren't respected because there are no patrons anymore and we are all poor—look at Bukowski, he said. People respect the poor lowlife artist, the one who is a loud and proud degenerate (that summation is my own). Where/Who is the modern writer with self-respect that has an impact on the current generation? (Oh, there are plenty, I would argue. But can you name some?)
Maybe I'll pick up a book by Tao Lin some time. The man made me think. Thanks, Tao Lin.
Tao Lin reads from Richard Yates
Tao Lin Q&A
The Booksmith did a live-stream of the whole event
I'm currently rendering videos from the panel: Virtual Reality: The Effect of Fiction on Your Mind and from Porchlight: Tales of Hollywood Hell. I've actually already out-rendered my video capacity for the week on Vimeo, even though the week starts on Wednesday and I have a Plus account, so I'm not sure what I'm going to do with all these videos. Can you wait until next week? I'm also loading Lit on the Lake and Charles is loading vids from Bawdy Storytelling.
Speaking of additional coverage, check out these fine reports (with additional video) by Mr. Kruger:
His thoughts on the Barbary Coast Award ceremony
The Literary Tour Stops Here
Stay tuned for coverage of Surf Lit, Radar and Bawdy
Now, here's what's up on Friday, the last day before the crawl!
(stay tuned for crawl suggestions)
Jonathan Lethem on Chronic City,11 am-12:30 pm. Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, 3200 California Street, San Francisco. Admission: $20 general public, $17 JCC members, $10 students, available only through subscription at jccsf.org
TeenCrawl, 1-7 pm. Various locations.
Published Teen Authors Panel, 1-3 pm: San Francisco Public Library’s Koret Auditorium, Main Branch, 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco. Admission: Free for school groups—teachers must sign their classes up in advance.
Writing Workshops, 3-5 pm: San Francisco Public Library’s Teen Center, Main Branch, 100 Larkin St., 3rd Floor, San Francisco. Free. Taught by rganizations working with Bay Area youth to encourage their literary pursuits, including WritersCorps, Streetside Stories, and contributors from the recently published 826 Valencia Young Authors’ Book Project, We the Dreamers.
Not Your Mother’s Book Club, 5-7 pm: Books Inc. Opera Plaza, 601 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. Free.
Kristen Tracy, Cameron Tuttle, Katie Williams
Life, Death, Love, Lies…and Cupcakes: Litquake’s All-Memoir Women’s Night, 6:30 pm (Doors open at 6 pm). Hotel Monaco, Paris Ballroom, 501 Geary St., San Francisco. Admission: $5-10 donations requested. No host bar. 21 and over.
It’s All Over But the Crying: A Night of Authors on Sports, 7 pm (Doors open at 6:30 pm). Hemlock Tavern, 1131 Polk Street, San Francisco. Admission: $10 in advance at brownpapertickets.com.
Litquake in the Bikestore: David V. Herlihy at Public Bikes, 7 pm. Public Bikes, 123 South Park Avenue, San Francisco. Free
Litquake in the Bookstore: Steve Roby and Brad Schreiber at Book Passage, Corte Madera, 7 pm. Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Boulevard, Corte Madera. Free
The Expert’s Mind: Across Bodies, 7:30 pm. LGBT Center, Andrew Spencer Ceremonial Room. 1800 Market St., San Francisco. Admission: $10-20 online.
You could have checked that last part out here. But you probably know that.
(I'm having a hard time deciding between Litquake's All-Memoir Women's Night and It's All Over But the Crying. Because on one hand I love Alan Black and David Henry Sterry, but on the other hand I hate sports (that hasn't always been the case, so lay off). Plus, as I said earlier, Litquake (I mean Jane Ganahl?) always puts together a quality all-women's night. They call it, in Jack Boulware's words, the estro-fest. Or the testro-fest. What are you doing?
—Evan
ps. a quick addendum as I run out the door:
Tao had this to say in response: "'What I’m wondering is if Tao Lin has something to say or if he just knows how and when to comment on blogs and how to speak to a generation of people who spend all their time doing so.' I think i say most accurately what i want to say in my books. i'm able to, and do, edit a book hundreds of times. That is where what i want to say can be found."
And Charles wanted clarification: "I am complimented that you quoted me about his "childlike" qualities but I want to clarify. I do not think he was like a "smart child" (that sounds belittling); I think he has found an authentic childlike voice in writing like Picasso and other modernists found a childlike vision in painting. My intent is to be very complimentary and I fear you didn't capture that.
I think Tao Lin's ability to capture child-like simplicity of vision and diction is astonishing and extremely potent. It gives a mystery and depth to the writing because it seems closely connected to something primal.
I think that what he is saying is less important than the way he is saying it - he is using that childlike mentation to evoke something like it in the reader and I suspect that is the point. It is not information he is conveying so much as the experience of a certain way of being in one's mind.
Hearing him read, for me, was like taking a mind-altering drug.
I thought this was brilliant.
I have now enabled comments on this post. I'm not sure if that's cool with the Litquake committee, so get them in while you can!
Actually, I also forewent A Feast of Words: A Storytelling Potluck and also Original Shorts: Bottom Up, which included stories from my friends James Warner and Shanthi Sekaran. In other words, it was a tough decision. As you can see in the videos below, Lin read for only 6 minutes, and his Q&A, while more informative than his reading, was overly affected and not very sincere. I was pretty disappointed for the subsequent hour or so, honestly. But it got me to thinking …
Lin's performance, as Charles Kruger pointed out to me after having seen him at Radar yesterday, is very similar to what you might expect from a smart child trying to express himself; so simplistic yet mysterious in delivery, it is difficult and sometimes seemingly not worth it to figure out what he's trying to say. Because I don't think — and I think he would agree with this — I don't think that he's really trying to say anything.
When asked if his writing was culturally significant because it's accessible, for instance, he replied that his writing is not culturally significant … or accessible. "I didn't really think about that." One audience member asked how his use of Gmail-Chat affected his writing of the novel: "Was it a joke or was there something more to it?"
This question really reverberates for me, as though it stands for the whole presentation. I see this event as something of a performance piece, a marketing tool, something to help sell the book. And while that's clearly what author readings are, you don't normally wander into one this … strange or compelling. Again, I was pretty outraged. But it begs the question: am I inclined to read the man's book(s). Yes. But why?
What I value is honesty and hard work. I don't want you to sell me something. What I want is prose that makes me say hot damn, that makes me stop what I'm doing and leave the room because I'm too inspired to hear or see anything that is not of my own choosing.
What I see here is an interesting equilibrium trying to form between being popular/understanding how to communicate, and actually having something to say. For me, in a certain small circle in San Francisco, there are a lot of people who want to listen to me, who shut up when I'm in front of the microphone. Why is this? I haven't published any stories or poems; I never really claimed to have anything to say; I spend all my time filming other people. Is Presence enough to instruct us? What I'm wondering is if Tao Lin has something to say or if he just knows how and when to comment on blogs and how to speak to a generation of people who spend all their time doing so.
Check out his blog. He's asked people to identify what drug he was on during this reading. There is a long and somewhat ridiculous conversation going on over there. Some good points are raised, particularly the one in which @Andy has recommended Lin present himself with a modicum of self-respect. I don't know how far that gets you these days. Last night in Phone Booth talking with Kruger and Andrew Paul Nelson, Kruger said that writers in this country aren't respected because there are no patrons anymore and we are all poor—look at Bukowski, he said. People respect the poor lowlife artist, the one who is a loud and proud degenerate (that summation is my own). Where/Who is the modern writer with self-respect that has an impact on the current generation? (Oh, there are plenty, I would argue. But can you name some?)
Maybe I'll pick up a book by Tao Lin some time. The man made me think. Thanks, Tao Lin.
Tao Lin reads from Richard Yates
Tao Lin Q&A
The Booksmith did a live-stream of the whole event
I'm currently rendering videos from the panel: Virtual Reality: The Effect of Fiction on Your Mind and from Porchlight: Tales of Hollywood Hell. I've actually already out-rendered my video capacity for the week on Vimeo, even though the week starts on Wednesday and I have a Plus account, so I'm not sure what I'm going to do with all these videos. Can you wait until next week? I'm also loading Lit on the Lake and Charles is loading vids from Bawdy Storytelling.
Speaking of additional coverage, check out these fine reports (with additional video) by Mr. Kruger:
His thoughts on the Barbary Coast Award ceremony
The Literary Tour Stops Here
Stay tuned for coverage of Surf Lit, Radar and Bawdy
Now, here's what's up on Friday, the last day before the crawl!
(stay tuned for crawl suggestions)
Jonathan Lethem on Chronic City,11 am-12:30 pm. Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, 3200 California Street, San Francisco. Admission: $20 general public, $17 JCC members, $10 students, available only through subscription at jccsf.org
TeenCrawl, 1-7 pm. Various locations.
Published Teen Authors Panel, 1-3 pm: San Francisco Public Library’s Koret Auditorium, Main Branch, 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco. Admission: Free for school groups—teachers must sign their classes up in advance.
Writing Workshops, 3-5 pm: San Francisco Public Library’s Teen Center, Main Branch, 100 Larkin St., 3rd Floor, San Francisco. Free. Taught by rganizations working with Bay Area youth to encourage their literary pursuits, including WritersCorps, Streetside Stories, and contributors from the recently published 826 Valencia Young Authors’ Book Project, We the Dreamers.
Not Your Mother’s Book Club, 5-7 pm: Books Inc. Opera Plaza, 601 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. Free.
Kristen Tracy, Cameron Tuttle, Katie Williams
Life, Death, Love, Lies…and Cupcakes: Litquake’s All-Memoir Women’s Night, 6:30 pm (Doors open at 6 pm). Hotel Monaco, Paris Ballroom, 501 Geary St., San Francisco. Admission: $5-10 donations requested. No host bar. 21 and over.
It’s All Over But the Crying: A Night of Authors on Sports, 7 pm (Doors open at 6:30 pm). Hemlock Tavern, 1131 Polk Street, San Francisco. Admission: $10 in advance at brownpapertickets.com.
Litquake in the Bikestore: David V. Herlihy at Public Bikes, 7 pm. Public Bikes, 123 South Park Avenue, San Francisco. Free
Litquake in the Bookstore: Steve Roby and Brad Schreiber at Book Passage, Corte Madera, 7 pm. Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Boulevard, Corte Madera. Free
The Expert’s Mind: Across Bodies, 7:30 pm. LGBT Center, Andrew Spencer Ceremonial Room. 1800 Market St., San Francisco. Admission: $10-20 online.
You could have checked that last part out here. But you probably know that.
(I'm having a hard time deciding between Litquake's All-Memoir Women's Night and It's All Over But the Crying. Because on one hand I love Alan Black and David Henry Sterry, but on the other hand I hate sports (that hasn't always been the case, so lay off). Plus, as I said earlier, Litquake (I mean Jane Ganahl?) always puts together a quality all-women's night. They call it, in Jack Boulware's words, the estro-fest. Or the testro-fest. What are you doing?
—Evan
ps. a quick addendum as I run out the door:
Tao had this to say in response: "'What I’m wondering is if Tao Lin has something to say or if he just knows how and when to comment on blogs and how to speak to a generation of people who spend all their time doing so.' I think i say most accurately what i want to say in my books. i'm able to, and do, edit a book hundreds of times. That is where what i want to say can be found."
And Charles wanted clarification: "I am complimented that you quoted me about his "childlike" qualities but I want to clarify. I do not think he was like a "smart child" (that sounds belittling); I think he has found an authentic childlike voice in writing like Picasso and other modernists found a childlike vision in painting. My intent is to be very complimentary and I fear you didn't capture that.
I think Tao Lin's ability to capture child-like simplicity of vision and diction is astonishing and extremely potent. It gives a mystery and depth to the writing because it seems closely connected to something primal.
I think that what he is saying is less important than the way he is saying it - he is using that childlike mentation to evoke something like it in the reader and I suspect that is the point. It is not information he is conveying so much as the experience of a certain way of being in one's mind.
Hearing him read, for me, was like taking a mind-altering drug.
I thought this was brilliant.
I have now enabled comments on this post. I'm not sure if that's cool with the Litquake committee, so get them in while you can!
Toolkit for New Writers and Night 7
Holy Moly!
Are you quaking?
The thing with a 9-day long festival is that you want to get caught up but it keeps happening. So let's try and get caught up before tonight's Stories on Stage (altho once again there are so many quality options tonight, it almost makes me weep).
On Monday (I know, it's Thursday - can you even believe all the things we can talk about!), I caught the two part series entitled Writer's Toolkit, which consisted of two panels. The first, called Authors Reveal All, included 5 first-time novelists and 1 (bloody) two-timer. Hosted by Litquake's CFO Elise Proulx, the main function of this panel was to discuss the various paths each author underwent, from personal exercises all the way to sitting on the panel. First, to give you an idea of the type of writing each author does, Elise had them read about 5 minutes from their books:
Elise's Intro
Joanna Smith Rakoff
Michael Sledge
Vanitha Sankaran
Jason Headley
Elaine Beale
Shanthi Sekaran
:: Part 1 ::
— When did you start writing and how long until you published something?
— Was getting an MFA part of the process and how do you feel about MFAs?
:: Part 2 ::
— What would be your single biggest tip if you could give your start-up self advice?
:: Part 3 ::
— What is your personal writing process?
— How do you write if you have kids?
The second part of the series, called How to Navigate the New World of Publishing, was moderated by Scott James and featured various industry experts: founder and CEO of Blurb Eileen Gittins, Untreed Reads founder Jay A. Hartman, Graywolf Press Editor-at-Large Ethan Nosowsky, literary agent Amy Rennert, and Associate Publisher of Cleis Press, Brenda Knight. The conversation was wide-ranging and audience participation quite lively. I've broken it into smaller chunks:
:: Intro ::
Scott introduces each panelist
:: Part 1 ::
The panelists explain what their jobs really consist of
:: Part 2 ::
— Where does the industry stand at the moment. Are deals really up?
— How do you get your work out there?
— How has the role of agents changed?
— Here we are. The dawn of eBooks.
:: Part 3 ::
— How the cost of a book breaks down.
— How do publishers justify their jobs?
— Social media rocks the boat. How?
:: Part 4 ::
— Who is Stephen Elliott? This is one of the freshest perspectives on new-age publishing. Sign-up for the Daily Rumpus.
— Is there a role for the misfit writer in our culture anymore?
— What are publishers doing in this new age to facilitate an introduction between writers and readers?
— What does publishing an eBook entail?
— DIY only gets you so far. True or false?
:: Part 5 ::
— Using your platforms and social reading.
— Advice for the traditional publishing route.
:: Part 6 ::
— Q&A: Digital Rights Management and giving your work away for free
— Raising money to publish your work
— You've got the book finished and a strong platform. What do you do now?
— How does the new world of publishing effect poetry?
:: Part 7 ::
— Visual art in eBooks
— The average print run and cost for each book and the guessing game of P&L
— Is it necessary to know someone to get an agent?
I was going to launch straight into my analysis and coverage of Tao Lin's reading at Booksmith, to which I frantically biked after these panels, but I have a coffee date right now and not enough time to do the event justice. Give me a few hours and we'll be talking again, just as though no time passed at all.
In the meantime, here's a guide to this evening's festivities:
The Booksmith Bookswap: Litquake Edition, 6:30-9:30 pm. The Booksmith, 1644 Haight St. Admission for this show was $25 and advance only. I'm not sure if they're still selling, but you can call 800-838-3006 to find out, or drop by The Booksmith. I went to one of these events and cannot recommend them too highly. Featured guests will be:
Poets 11 2010 Showcase, 7 pm. Readers Café, Fort Mason Center, Building C, SF. Free. This will be a great way to spend your evening and at no cost. Jack Hirschman organizes this annual submission-based best-of, selecting 3 poets from each of SF's 11 districts. This is what happened when (nearly) all 33 of them got together this year at the library. They are also selling a pretty compilation.
Litquake in the Bookstore: Thaddeus Russell at City Lights, 7 pm.City Lights, 261 Columbus Ave., San Francisco. Free.
Spiritual Journeys at Marin Osher JCC, 7:30 pm. Osher Marin JCC, 200 N. San Pedro Rd., San Rafael. Admission: $12 for members of Litquake and Osher Marin JCC, $15 general public; tickets (415) 444-8000 or online.
Feminine Wiles, 7 pm. Noe Valley Recreational Center, 295 Day St., San Francisco. Free. What's there to say about this one? Litquake knows how to put together great all-women events. This one is from last year (plus I caught one last night, which will be up in the next 2 or so days). By the way: this is an all-star lineup.
Stories on Stage, 7:30 pm. Berkeley Repertory Theater, Roda Theatre, 2025 Addison St., Berkeley. Admission: $22.50 in advance (at brownpapertickets.com or by phone 800-838-3006); $25 at the door. If you can afford this event, have nothing against the EBay, appreciate recent McArthur Genius Award recipients, brilliant funnymen, and people on top 20 under 40 lists, oh and theater … you should probably fork over the cash. I'll see you at the Rep.
Talk to you soon,
Evan
Are you quaking?
The thing with a 9-day long festival is that you want to get caught up but it keeps happening. So let's try and get caught up before tonight's Stories on Stage (altho once again there are so many quality options tonight, it almost makes me weep).
On Monday (I know, it's Thursday - can you even believe all the things we can talk about!), I caught the two part series entitled Writer's Toolkit, which consisted of two panels. The first, called Authors Reveal All, included 5 first-time novelists and 1 (bloody) two-timer. Hosted by Litquake's CFO Elise Proulx, the main function of this panel was to discuss the various paths each author underwent, from personal exercises all the way to sitting on the panel. First, to give you an idea of the type of writing each author does, Elise had them read about 5 minutes from their books:
Elise's Intro
Joanna Smith Rakoff
Michael Sledge
Vanitha Sankaran
Jason Headley
Elaine Beale
Shanthi Sekaran
:: Part 1 ::
— When did you start writing and how long until you published something?
— Was getting an MFA part of the process and how do you feel about MFAs?
:: Part 2 ::
— What would be your single biggest tip if you could give your start-up self advice?
:: Part 3 ::
— What is your personal writing process?
— How do you write if you have kids?
The second part of the series, called How to Navigate the New World of Publishing, was moderated by Scott James and featured various industry experts: founder and CEO of Blurb Eileen Gittins, Untreed Reads founder Jay A. Hartman, Graywolf Press Editor-at-Large Ethan Nosowsky, literary agent Amy Rennert, and Associate Publisher of Cleis Press, Brenda Knight. The conversation was wide-ranging and audience participation quite lively. I've broken it into smaller chunks:
:: Intro ::
Scott introduces each panelist
:: Part 1 ::
The panelists explain what their jobs really consist of
:: Part 2 ::
— Where does the industry stand at the moment. Are deals really up?
— How do you get your work out there?
— How has the role of agents changed?
— Here we are. The dawn of eBooks.
:: Part 3 ::
— How the cost of a book breaks down.
— How do publishers justify their jobs?
— Social media rocks the boat. How?
:: Part 4 ::
— Who is Stephen Elliott? This is one of the freshest perspectives on new-age publishing. Sign-up for the Daily Rumpus.
— Is there a role for the misfit writer in our culture anymore?
— What are publishers doing in this new age to facilitate an introduction between writers and readers?
— What does publishing an eBook entail?
— DIY only gets you so far. True or false?
:: Part 5 ::
— Using your platforms and social reading.
— Advice for the traditional publishing route.
:: Part 6 ::
— Q&A: Digital Rights Management and giving your work away for free
— Raising money to publish your work
— You've got the book finished and a strong platform. What do you do now?
— How does the new world of publishing effect poetry?
:: Part 7 ::
— Visual art in eBooks
— The average print run and cost for each book and the guessing game of P&L
— Is it necessary to know someone to get an agent?
I was going to launch straight into my analysis and coverage of Tao Lin's reading at Booksmith, to which I frantically biked after these panels, but I have a coffee date right now and not enough time to do the event justice. Give me a few hours and we'll be talking again, just as though no time passed at all.
In the meantime, here's a guide to this evening's festivities:
The Booksmith Bookswap: Litquake Edition, 6:30-9:30 pm. The Booksmith, 1644 Haight St. Admission for this show was $25 and advance only. I'm not sure if they're still selling, but you can call 800-838-3006 to find out, or drop by The Booksmith. I went to one of these events and cannot recommend them too highly. Featured guests will be:
Poets 11 2010 Showcase, 7 pm. Readers Café, Fort Mason Center, Building C, SF. Free. This will be a great way to spend your evening and at no cost. Jack Hirschman organizes this annual submission-based best-of, selecting 3 poets from each of SF's 11 districts. This is what happened when (nearly) all 33 of them got together this year at the library. They are also selling a pretty compilation.
Litquake in the Bookstore: Thaddeus Russell at City Lights, 7 pm.City Lights, 261 Columbus Ave., San Francisco. Free.
Spiritual Journeys at Marin Osher JCC, 7:30 pm. Osher Marin JCC, 200 N. San Pedro Rd., San Rafael. Admission: $12 for members of Litquake and Osher Marin JCC, $15 general public; tickets (415) 444-8000 or online.
Feminine Wiles, 7 pm. Noe Valley Recreational Center, 295 Day St., San Francisco. Free. What's there to say about this one? Litquake knows how to put together great all-women events. This one is from last year (plus I caught one last night, which will be up in the next 2 or so days). By the way: this is an all-star lineup.
Stories on Stage, 7:30 pm. Berkeley Repertory Theater, Roda Theatre, 2025 Addison St., Berkeley. Admission: $22.50 in advance (at brownpapertickets.com or by phone 800-838-3006); $25 at the door. If you can afford this event, have nothing against the EBay, appreciate recent McArthur Genius Award recipients, brilliant funnymen, and people on top 20 under 40 lists, oh and theater … you should probably fork over the cash. I'll see you at the Rep.
Talk to you soon,
Evan
miércoles, 6 de octubre de 2010
Preview of Night 6
Yesterday was the "tent-pole," which means that today we are on the waning half of this festival. Tonight is the busiest night, with 13 events to choose from!! The tough part is that you can't really lose. Click here for a full schedule, or read on for a few thoughts:
If you're interested in writing non-fiction, you do not want to miss this panel @ 6pm tonight. Tamim Ansary, Pulitzer-Prize winners T.J. Stiles and Richard Rhodes, and the fabulous do-everything Frances Dinkelspiel will discuss the artistry of real life on the page.
If you're in the South Bay, you should check out Lan Samantha Chang at the CLA.
If you're in the East Bay, or used to live there and feel like getting nostalgic, come with me to Lit on the Lake: readings by East Bay writers. That's at 6pm too, at Lake Chalet.
But you can't miss with Radar Productions. Tao Lin in the house. The lovely Beth Pickens. Chinaka Hodge! Did anyone else fall in love with her when she read Ferlinghetti's fireflies? Time? 6pm. Free @ the library.
In one of the more unique events of the festival, 14 Hills editor Hollie Hardy organizes Flight of Poets, which pairs a wine to each scribe. With Robin Ekiss in the house, this promises to be fun and potent. 7pm @ Hotel Rex . $15 includes your flight.
Another program sure to be fascinating is Civilization on Six Legs: The Complex Societies of Ants and Honeybees at the California Academy of the Sciences in the planetarium! 7pm.
Also at 7pm is the 100th episode of Literary Death Match. Founder Todd Zuniga is in town to join Alia Volz and M.G. Martin in this unconventional death duel. All-star cast. Metaphorical (and sometimes real) blood.
Bawdy Storytelling is your raunchy option for the evening. I caught this show once and, while it isn't normally my thing, if you like Porchlight but want more sex in your show (a lot more sex), why don't you go by The Blue Macaw tonight at 8? Stephen Elliott will probably not be reading from the Daily Rumpus (although he probably could). I'll be there, if that's any more incentive!
Oh wait! What about sex? Try The Funny Side at the Cobbs Comedy Club , also at 8pm. Daily Show correspondent Kristen Schaal celebrates the release of her first book: The Sexy Book of Sexy Sex and will be joined for some good - and funny - friends.
Stay tuned for some recap later this afternoon. Hope to see you all tonight!
— Evan
If you're interested in writing non-fiction, you do not want to miss this panel @ 6pm tonight. Tamim Ansary, Pulitzer-Prize winners T.J. Stiles and Richard Rhodes, and the fabulous do-everything Frances Dinkelspiel will discuss the artistry of real life on the page.
If you're in the South Bay, you should check out Lan Samantha Chang at the CLA.
If you're in the East Bay, or used to live there and feel like getting nostalgic, come with me to Lit on the Lake: readings by East Bay writers. That's at 6pm too, at Lake Chalet.
But you can't miss with Radar Productions. Tao Lin in the house. The lovely Beth Pickens. Chinaka Hodge! Did anyone else fall in love with her when she read Ferlinghetti's fireflies? Time? 6pm. Free @ the library.
In one of the more unique events of the festival, 14 Hills editor Hollie Hardy organizes Flight of Poets, which pairs a wine to each scribe. With Robin Ekiss in the house, this promises to be fun and potent. 7pm @ Hotel Rex . $15 includes your flight.
Another program sure to be fascinating is Civilization on Six Legs: The Complex Societies of Ants and Honeybees at the California Academy of the Sciences in the planetarium! 7pm.
Also at 7pm is the 100th episode of Literary Death Match. Founder Todd Zuniga is in town to join Alia Volz and M.G. Martin in this unconventional death duel. All-star cast. Metaphorical (and sometimes real) blood.
Bawdy Storytelling is your raunchy option for the evening. I caught this show once and, while it isn't normally my thing, if you like Porchlight but want more sex in your show (a lot more sex), why don't you go by The Blue Macaw tonight at 8? Stephen Elliott will probably not be reading from the Daily Rumpus (although he probably could). I'll be there, if that's any more incentive!
Oh wait! What about sex? Try The Funny Side at the Cobbs Comedy Club , also at 8pm. Daily Show correspondent Kristen Schaal celebrates the release of her first book: The Sexy Book of Sexy Sex and will be joined for some good - and funny - friends.
Stay tuned for some recap later this afternoon. Hope to see you all tonight!
— Evan
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