I’ll say it up front — I’m a dork.
One of the highlights of the summer for me is the Printers’ Row Lit Fest in downtown Chicago, which was held this weekend. Despite a bit of rain and cooler than expected temperatures, it was a wonderful day for books and the authors who write them.
I went to a few author events:
Barbara Ehrenreich
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who after signing my copy of Half of a Yellow Sun was gracious enough to write down a few names of other modern African authors:
Brigid Pasulka, Dan Chaon, and Katharine Weber – an interesting discussion on how identity played a role in their novels.
After the author events I purchased a few books that I didn’t already own or haven’t read:
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Half of a Yellow Sun
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True Confections by Katharine Weber
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Triangle by Katharine Weber
(I’ve read Chaon’s Await Your Reply and have You remind me of me on the to-read shelf; I just finished Pasulka’s A Long Long Time Ago & Essentially True which was fantastic (review soon!); I’ve also read Ehrenreich’s Bright-sided)
In addition to the author events there are many used and new booksellers and publishers with tables along a few blocks of South Dearborn Street (the historic Printers’ Row of Chicago) selling books. Thankfully most of them only take cash, and I bring only a budgeted amount, so I only bought two more books:
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Into the Beautiful North by Luis Alberto Urrea (he was at the Lit Fest as well, but his slot was before I discovered this book and realized that I might like to hear him speak)
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The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop: a memoir, a history by Lewis Buzbee (I’m a sucker for books about bookshops)
I keep telling myself that I should stay the weekend in Chicago and take in the Sunday programs as well, and one year I will do that. Anyone interested in joining me?
