two umbrellas

happening at the FLP coming up and into the fall:

• Ralph Nadar
• Lorrie Moore
• Marjane Satrapi
• Howard Dean
• Richard Russo
• Richard Dawkins
• Jeanette Walls
• Jonathan Safran Foer
• Lydia Davis
• Lydia Bastianich

If you’re in Philadelphia, be sure to check out the calendar. Where ever you are be sure to support your local library!

I know it’s a bit late, but I went to the Free Library Festival a few weeks back. I have to say I was a bit disappointed in the size this year. Usually the vendors stretch all around the library but only one block had vendors:



There was still a good offering of local university presses and bookshops. Harvest Books was giving away free books (which means you couldn’t get anywhere near the stand). I had never heard of Harvest Books before and didn’t realize they were in the Philly area. I’ll definitely have to check out their warehouse someday or order online: Hooray, local booksellers!! There were also some magazine stands: N+1 and McSweeney’s made appearances. Here’s another shot:



I didn’t make it to see any of the authors this year. A disappointment, I’m sure, but I was suffering from an allergic reaction to an Rx which made me look and feel like a poorly copied Seurat – there’s always next year. Although with the small size of this year, I am hoping there will be a next year…So, don’t forget to support your local library!!

Check it out. The dates are 18-19 April. The new logo is cool, too. There’s a pretty long line-up of authors scheduled, including: Joyce Carol Oates, Joe Queenan, among many others.

Fortunately, Robin’s Bookstore’s doors will not be closed forever. They will reopen in the space above their old shop, creating a place much like a salon with books plus events, selling only used books and sharing the space with Moonstone Arts Center. I can’t wait to check out the new shop, which re-opens today.

The Great Poe Debate continues tonight with, well, The Great Poe Debate tonight at the FLP. Since Edward Petit, a writer and professor at LaSalle University, wrote an article , “We’re Taking Poe Back” (Philly is a very proud city) for City Paper two years ago, a literary debate has been sparked regarding which city: Boston, Baltimore, or Philly, Poe ‘belongs’ to. Fighting over the writer’s remains is a little macabre but perhaps quite appropriate.

If you’re in Philly, info for visiting EAP’s house can be found here.

Another independent institution, Robin’s Bookstore, will be closing its doors in January 2009. It is a sad day for literary Philadelphia.

Etgar Keret + Rivka Galchen will be appearing at the Free Library of Philadelphia on 23 October at 7.30 pm (FREE). This may be the Parasol’s first reading…

Don’t forget that Monday 16 June is Bloomsday. The Rosenbach Museum puts on a splendid reading from noon ’til 7pm – plus a host of other Joycean events. I thoroughly enjoyed last year’s reading.

The 2nd Annual will be held on 17-18 May. There will be over 80 exhibitors and a full schedule of authors, music, and more.

Here are a few highlights from the calendar:

*FREE