CruelestMonth.com

Ha! I'm not gone yet. This just couldn't wait. Silliman links to Penn Sound, where they have available all of Ezra Pound's known recordings. Pretty exciting stuff.

An evening with Barbara Kingsolver

Well, I'm off until next week.  I'm missing the PEN World Voices Festival, but I'm sure there'll be plenty of coverage here and elsewhere.  Until then, I give you...Barbara Kingsolver:

An Evening with Barbara Kingsolver
Lecture and book signing
Thursday, May 3rd, 6:30 pm
The Great Hall
7 East 7th Street at Third Avenue
$10, call Ticket Central: 212 279-4200 or go to www.ticketcentral.com.
The box office at 416 West 42nd St. is open noon-7 p.m.

Barbara Kingsolver, bestselling author of The Poisonwood Bible, will be speaking at The Cooper Union's Great Hall about her new book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, which chronicles the year she and her family vowed to spend eating a locally-produced diet and avoiding food transported by the use of fossil fuel. This local-food project was the culmination of Kingsolver's longstanding conviction that America has lost its way when it comes to the production and consumption of food. Kingsolver's book makes a compelling case for putting the kitchen back at the center of family life and diversified farms at the center of the American diet.

Proceeds from this event will benefit Bette Midler's New York Restoration Project, a non-profit dedicated to revitalizing underserved parks, community gardens, and open space throughout New York City and to teaching children to be better environmental stewards.

To buy tickets: http://www.ticketcentral.com/PromoCode.asp?PID=5553

Book website: http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com

11th Street Bar - tonight

Galway Kinnell, Tom Sleigh, and Josephine Dickinson will read at The Reading Between A and B at the 11th Street Bar.  Starts at 7:30pm.

Hot Child in the City

This has been the best NY weekend yet this year. The sun showed up in force and has left me with a sore forehead and chapped lips. I'm told I'll look tan in a few days as soon as the heat rash settles. Still, the exposure was well worth it.

After reading what I write next you might feel inclined to sneer and make some vulgar mime of self-abuse, but here I go: The New Greek and Roman Galleries at the Met are a boon to the enlightenment of all mankind. I don't know if I'm in a position to say so, being who I am, but I feel almost as if I've grown larger since viewing the exhibit. You need to go.

You might blame my bloated diction on The New York Antiquarian Book Fair which I also managed to drop in on. Some very fancy things going on there. Since I haven't a clue about old books, prints, or maps I was in way over my head strolling through 160 or so booths filled with those very things. You really need a firm idea of what it is your looking for, which is the first thing you learn in I'M A DUMBASS 101, and plenty of ching to get the product home. I did see a copy of Camus's L'Etranger with Aldous Huxley's inscription of ownership on sale for $1250. I thought about it until I stopped thinking about it. A first edition of Joyce Carol Oates's first collection of stories, By the North Gate, went for the same price; and a first edition of Paul Bowles's Sheltering Sky went for $2000. And these were bargains.

I left after only an hour, wincing at the small tragedy of a misused $20 dollar entrance fee, and headed back into the sun and the curious perfume of spring blossoms. Then having read my last sentence, I realize that I might have heat stroke. See you Monday.

Never by Jorie Graham

Oh, it's Friday.  That means I have books on offer.  This time it's Never by Jorie Graham.  Be one of the first three to e-mail me with the subject like "Maharg Eiroj" (very creative, I know) "Free Book" and I'll send you a copy. **The books are out. Thanks to those who wrote in.

Friday misc.

The New York Antiquarian Book Fair, "Rare Books, New Worlds" -- I am all for this and will be checking it out tomorrow.  Doesn't that sound like a nice little Saturday?  I might head to Bed, Bath & Beyond, but I don't know if I'll have enough time.

The Met's New Greek and Roman Gallery, "Classical Treasures, Bathed in a New Light" -- high-quality virtual tour and OPENS TODAY!!!

A new novel from Ecco, I Love You Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle, has perhaps the best book website I've seen.  Mind your volume when you head to this one.  On sale May 8th.

Poetry Society of America: Frost Medal

Last night, the PSA held their 97th Annual Awards Ceremony.  The host, and PSA Executive Director, Alice Quinn helped to confer the Frost Medal to poet John Hollander for "distinguished lifetime service to American poetry."

In his lecture, John, now a retired literature professor, took advantage of the occasion to discuss two poems by Robert Frost.  He examined the effect of chiasmus ("These flowery waters and these watery flowers") in "Spring Pools" and the formal obligations, poetic and personal, of "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening."  His talk conveyed both vast learning and fresh enthusiasm for his subject.  It was a therapeutic night out.

Of course, there were many other winners.  Kate Colby, winner of the Norma Faber First Book Award, and Matthew Zapruder, winner the William Carlos Williams Award each read a few poems.  As did Kimiko Hahn, winner of The Shelley Memorial Award.  For a list of all twelve PSA annual award winners, visit the PSA site.

Saltgrass

Our very own Abigail Holstein, along with poet and blogger Julia Cohen, have launched Saltgrass, "a bi-annual literary journal in print and online featuring fiction, poetry, interviews and reviews."  I just got the print edition yesterday.  The cover features Kate Aspinall's beautiful piece "The Charge of the Goose Brigade."  It's $5 an issue and definitely worth a look.

Jen Hart = blogger

Jen Hart, VP/Associate Publisher of Harper Perennial and Ecco, was so excited to start blogging that she broke three keyboards in the process.  A sometimes contributor to the Olive Reader, she made her presence felt more through the posts of others rather than post anything directly.  But now I know why: She was holding out for a blog of her own -- Book Club Girl.

Hotel De Dream

The galleys just came in for Edmund White's new novel, Hotel De Dream: A New York Novel.  I love the cover -- a more somber Through the Children's Gate, I'd say.  In it, White potrays the last moments of Stephen Crane, wasting away from tuberculosis, dictating a final novel of White's invention, called The Painted Boy.  Once I have some galleys to spare, I'll try to send a few out, so keep at the ready.

Almost coincidentally, I'm staying at the Hôtel Mon Rêve when I head to Paris next week.  Oh la la!  I'll have to bring a copy.  I'll be missing the PEN World Voices Festival, though; I really feel awful.  (Psych!)