1 day ago
Showing posts with label john hodgman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label john hodgman. Show all posts
28 October 2011
28 August 2011
Conspicuously
I never miss an excuse to go over to the Strand and when I got notified that my requested books were in, that was reason enough to run over. (I know, I know... but they were reasoned purchases.)
I rode the elevator down from the office with a guy who could have been John Hodgman's twin. Same slightly slumped posture, same haircut, nearly the same glasses. (I suppose it might have been the guy himself, but that's an extremely outside chance. Extremely.) He was wearing a brown and white checked shirt and he held the front door open for me. I turned right to cross the street, and so did he. Then I went north, and out of the corner of my eye I saw him again.
"I bet he's going to the Strand," I thought, and wasn't surprised when as soon as I walked in I spotted him up ahead of me. He was heading to the basement, as was I; I bumped into him later ribboning through the Half Price New Hardcovers. I wanted to say something to him the third time, something like, "What are you shopping for?" or "Love this place." But for a couple of reasons, I didn't.
When I go to the supermarket, I don't look at the other customers and think, "They're just like me! Because they also like to eat and prepare their own food." When I am standing in line at a coffee shop I don't think, "That girl also likes iced lattes, therefore we should be best friends." So maybe I shouldn't treat book shopping as any different, it's just another expression of my personality through buying stuff... and yet... I still believe that the books I own say something more critical about me than the contents of my fridge or the dregs in my mug. And that someone would choose to go book shopping on her or his lunch hour, no matter that anyone can do it, says something significant about that person. Maybe my priorities aren't in order.
17 August 2011
John Hodgman Has A Plan To Save The Book Industry... Kinda.
"Up high, Jon, literature slam."
"It's been a tough couple of years for condescending nerds."
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Borders Goes Out of Business | ||||
| ||||
"It's been a tough couple of years for condescending nerds."
13 September 2010
Stray Thoughts on the Brooklyn Book Festival, 2010
Books I most want to read from having seen their authors live: 1989 by Joshua Clover and A FORTUNATE AGE by Joanna Smith Rakoff.
Books I brought with me: 3. Uh, it's a long train ride? One of them was short?
Books I bought: 0, but not for want of selection! I was pleased to see Greenlight as one of the featured sellers -- they didn't even exist this time last year!
Funniest author not appearing on the "Finding the Funny" humor panel: Per Petterson (OUT STEALING HORSES, I CURSE THE RIVER OF TIME) who was additionally challenged by working in a second language with troublesome microphones.
Funniest author appearing on the "Finding the Funny" humor panel: He faced stiff competition, but the award goes to John Hodgman for acting in a way that, were it any other panel, would make him look like an absolute asshole. He interrupted the moderator and tweaked meek "Daily Show" writer Rich Blomquist (co-author with Kristen Schaal of THE SEXY BOOK OF SEXY SEX) endlessly, true, but he also dismantled a VIP row before the show so a few more people could sit down in the audience. He was on a roll, and it was incredible.
Panels I made it to: 6 (and a tiny bit of a 7th). I was bummed not to end the day on the main stage, the way I did last year, but given that it was still raining then I was happy to be inside the spacious (if slightly creepy) St. Francis College building.
Biggest regret: Not getting myself together to hit the Jennifer Egan/ Colson Whitehead/ Steve Almond panel at 10AM.
Second biggest: That I hadn't cloned myself so I could wait for a Salman Rushdie ticket and watch the humor panel at the same time.
Best literary T-shirt:
That's an Orin Incandenza Cardinals jersey. The number is right. The number is even right. And yes, I followed him outside from the humor panel and creepily snapped his photo. Personal Hero, I will make amends to you.
Best person to call me a dork for attending: Comedian Mike Birbiglia, who himself has a book out next month (SLEEPWALK WITH ME AND OTHER PAINFULLY TRUE STORIES). I saw his one-man show twice so his tweet at me really backfired; I'm probably getting it framed.
Author I saw twice in one weekend which probably puts me on some watch list: Rob Sheffield, who participated in one of the "Bookend" events new to the fest this year aimed at extending the event to Friday and Saturday nights. (Awesome idea, by the way.) Before his music panel (with Clover and Ta-Nehisi Coates) on Sunday, Sheffield read from TALKING TO GIRLS ABOUT DURAN DURAN and DJ'd at the Bell House in Brooklyn. He read a section of his book about getting terrible advice from Morrissey, which was sadly fitting considering the deserved hot water Moz is in this week for saying something racist.
Best unexpected moment of clarity: This was my fourth year attending (didn't write about 2007 but see '08, '09) and more than ever, I felt like I was seeing familiar faces even though I couldn't have named the people I saw. It's not an unpleasant feeling but a little disconcerting to see and recognize your sub-subculture in the flesh. I guess this is why people go to professional conferences? At the same time, these moments are somewhat rare in my world as I inch ever further away from "recent college graduate" status. Back then I took it for granted that I would always have people around me who were engaged with books and ideas; I didn't realize that sometimes you have to scrabble to find those people. And, as I let my alternate hippie personality really play through in this paragraph you've all stopped reading, I was grateful not only for the people I saw or ran into (including a girl I lived across the hall from in college! Small world!) during the day but even for the strangers who were sharing my enthusiasm, just so that I knew that they were out there.
Whew. Well, if you've bothered to read this far, sneak preview: Gonna write my review of FREEDOM and post it tomorrow. Additionally, for those of you who have also finished the book, there will be a post specifically so in the comments we can talk about the book with spoilers. (Don't worry, it will be extremely well marked if you wish to avoid it.)
Books I brought with me: 3. Uh, it's a long train ride? One of them was short?
Books I bought: 0, but not for want of selection! I was pleased to see Greenlight as one of the featured sellers -- they didn't even exist this time last year!
Funniest author not appearing on the "Finding the Funny" humor panel: Per Petterson (OUT STEALING HORSES, I CURSE THE RIVER OF TIME) who was additionally challenged by working in a second language with troublesome microphones.
Funniest author appearing on the "Finding the Funny" humor panel: He faced stiff competition, but the award goes to John Hodgman for acting in a way that, were it any other panel, would make him look like an absolute asshole. He interrupted the moderator and tweaked meek "Daily Show" writer Rich Blomquist (co-author with Kristen Schaal of THE SEXY BOOK OF SEXY SEX) endlessly, true, but he also dismantled a VIP row before the show so a few more people could sit down in the audience. He was on a roll, and it was incredible.
Panels I made it to: 6 (and a tiny bit of a 7th). I was bummed not to end the day on the main stage, the way I did last year, but given that it was still raining then I was happy to be inside the spacious (if slightly creepy) St. Francis College building.
Biggest regret: Not getting myself together to hit the Jennifer Egan/ Colson Whitehead/ Steve Almond panel at 10AM.
Second biggest: That I hadn't cloned myself so I could wait for a Salman Rushdie ticket and watch the humor panel at the same time.
Best literary T-shirt:
That's an Orin Incandenza Cardinals jersey. The number is right. The number is even right. And yes, I followed him outside from the humor panel and creepily snapped his photo. Personal Hero, I will make amends to you.
Best person to call me a dork for attending: Comedian Mike Birbiglia, who himself has a book out next month (SLEEPWALK WITH ME AND OTHER PAINFULLY TRUE STORIES). I saw his one-man show twice so his tweet at me really backfired; I'm probably getting it framed.
Author I saw twice in one weekend which probably puts me on some watch list: Rob Sheffield, who participated in one of the "Bookend" events new to the fest this year aimed at extending the event to Friday and Saturday nights. (Awesome idea, by the way.) Before his music panel (with Clover and Ta-Nehisi Coates) on Sunday, Sheffield read from TALKING TO GIRLS ABOUT DURAN DURAN and DJ'd at the Bell House in Brooklyn. He read a section of his book about getting terrible advice from Morrissey, which was sadly fitting considering the deserved hot water Moz is in this week for saying something racist.
Best unexpected moment of clarity: This was my fourth year attending (didn't write about 2007 but see '08, '09) and more than ever, I felt like I was seeing familiar faces even though I couldn't have named the people I saw. It's not an unpleasant feeling but a little disconcerting to see and recognize your sub-subculture in the flesh. I guess this is why people go to professional conferences? At the same time, these moments are somewhat rare in my world as I inch ever further away from "recent college graduate" status. Back then I took it for granted that I would always have people around me who were engaged with books and ideas; I didn't realize that sometimes you have to scrabble to find those people. And, as I let my alternate hippie personality really play through in this paragraph you've all stopped reading, I was grateful not only for the people I saw or ran into (including a girl I lived across the hall from in college! Small world!) during the day but even for the strangers who were sharing my enthusiasm, just so that I knew that they were out there.
Whew. Well, if you've bothered to read this far, sneak preview: Gonna write my review of FREEDOM and post it tomorrow. Additionally, for those of you who have also finished the book, there will be a post specifically so in the comments we can talk about the book with spoilers. (Don't worry, it will be extremely well marked if you wish to avoid it.)
28 September 2009
My dream was realized but I was sleeping
One person who's got to be closely watching the arrest of director Roman Polanski is author Christopher Sandford, whose biography of Polanski came out last year (and is scheduled to be released in paperback in November). Its final chapter expressing the hope that Polanski would reach a deal with U.S. authorities soon looks foolish now, but it offers valuable background on the director's early life and on the 1977 case.
Washington Post: A new public-interest campaign is calling for congressional representatives to sign a pledge that they will read every word of the bills they vote on. Does anyone in the world have time for that? That is the question. This isn't the class of reading normally discussed around here, to be fair, but it's interesting to think about.
Via wallace-l: Remember a few weeks ago when I mentioned betting over the Man Booker in Britain? Here are the current odds for the Nobel Prize for Literature, announced next week; I had to Google the top 3 names, but the next two are well-known American authors. Maybe next year, Paul and Maya. Warning: Depending on where you're reading this, actually betting on this may be illegal.
YouTube: For his new book GENERATION A, Douglas Coupland released a free 10-minute video of himself talking about odd subjects. You can get it on iTunes, but for now, here's this totally bizarre teaser.
The Hamlet Weblog: Some of the news on the only blog I've ever seen devoted to one particular Shakespeare play is scary, like a 3-D children's version of the big H, but creator Stuart Ian Burns has seen an impressive twenty Princes so far. (This month's outing makes 8 for me, counting movies, not counting "Hamlet 2.") Mostly, I just wish I'd thought of this first, but it may come in handy.
826NYC: Want to see "Where The Wild Things Are" two whole days before the discriminating public?826NYC, the creative-writing outfit we know and love, is hosting a preview screening on October 14 at the Paris Theatre hosted by professional nerd John Hodgman. Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers will conduct a Q&A afterwards, included in your $75 ticket price. ETA 10/9 Sorry, this is sold out. But if you have that kind of money, could you just rent Hodgman for me for a few hours? Uh, I'll return him in good condition?
Please enjoy this ridiculously twee accompaniment to today's suggested reading (video is a static image):
Washington Post: A new public-interest campaign is calling for congressional representatives to sign a pledge that they will read every word of the bills they vote on. Does anyone in the world have time for that? That is the question. This isn't the class of reading normally discussed around here, to be fair, but it's interesting to think about.
Via wallace-l: Remember a few weeks ago when I mentioned betting over the Man Booker in Britain? Here are the current odds for the Nobel Prize for Literature, announced next week; I had to Google the top 3 names, but the next two are well-known American authors. Maybe next year, Paul and Maya. Warning: Depending on where you're reading this, actually betting on this may be illegal.
YouTube: For his new book GENERATION A, Douglas Coupland released a free 10-minute video of himself talking about odd subjects. You can get it on iTunes, but for now, here's this totally bizarre teaser.
The Hamlet Weblog: Some of the news on the only blog I've ever seen devoted to one particular Shakespeare play is scary, like a 3-D children's version of the big H, but creator Stuart Ian Burns has seen an impressive twenty Princes so far. (This month's outing makes 8 for me, counting movies, not counting "Hamlet 2.") Mostly, I just wish I'd thought of this first, but it may come in handy.
826NYC: Want to see "Where The Wild Things Are" two whole days before the discriminating public?
Please enjoy this ridiculously twee accompaniment to today's suggested reading (video is a static image):
19 September 2009
And if it's crowded all the better 'cause we know we're going to be up late
This week I lavished attention on the Brooklyn Book Festival, but here are two more literary happenings outside of New York you may be lucky enough to attend. Step right up:
Wisconsin Book Festival -- Madison, Oct. 7-11. Free, no tickets required except for Wendell Berry reading on the 11th, tickets at the door an hour ahead of time. Not to be missed: Lorrie Moore and Michael Perry (and Michael Perry's band), 7:30PM, Oct. 8; Harvey Pekar, 10AM, Oct. 10 (way fun to hear in person); aforementioned Berry, 4PM, Oct. 11. Plus there's a Friends of the UW-Madison Library book sale all weekend, including a $3-a-bag event on Saturday; bring your really, really big duffel bag. I could couch-crash with relatives for this!
Boston Book Festival -- for the first time ever, Oct. 24. Most events are free except the Boston Phoenix's party for BOSTON NOIR featuring Dennis Lehane ($15, tickets on the website). There isn't a schedule up yet, but we're bullish on Orhan Pamuk's keynote and a Richard Russo/ Michael Thomas/ Elinor Lipman panel on family. There's also an event called Writer Idol where an actor will read a page of your manuscript to judges who will offer suggestions -- sounds like a trainwreck! As a New Yorker now, my feelings for Boston are as inappropriately warm as my feelings as a mostly-Mac user for John Hodgman (who will also be there), but it sounds like much fun.
Wisconsin Book Festival -- Madison, Oct. 7-11. Free, no tickets required except for Wendell Berry reading on the 11th, tickets at the door an hour ahead of time. Not to be missed: Lorrie Moore and Michael Perry (and Michael Perry's band), 7:30PM, Oct. 8; Harvey Pekar, 10AM, Oct. 10 (way fun to hear in person); aforementioned Berry, 4PM, Oct. 11. Plus there's a Friends of the UW-Madison Library book sale all weekend, including a $3-a-bag event on Saturday; bring your really, really big duffel bag. I could couch-crash with relatives for this!
Boston Book Festival -- for the first time ever, Oct. 24. Most events are free except the Boston Phoenix's party for BOSTON NOIR featuring Dennis Lehane ($15, tickets on the website). There isn't a schedule up yet, but we're bullish on Orhan Pamuk's keynote and a Richard Russo/ Michael Thomas/ Elinor Lipman panel on family. There's also an event called Writer Idol where an actor will read a page of your manuscript to judges who will offer suggestions -- sounds like a trainwreck! As a New Yorker now, my feelings for Boston are as inappropriately warm as my feelings as a mostly-Mac user for John Hodgman (who will also be there), but it sounds like much fun.
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