I spent the entire weekend in Tucson at the Festival of Books. It was the city's second annual affair with twice as many attendees. I can't wait for next year's event!
I love books. My home office shows that. I have books everywhere. I may even have too many books, as many haven't been read yet. But I love the feel of real books, I love the smell of old yellow pages and I love the sensation of flipping through the pages and smelling history whaff up toward me. So it wasn't hard for me to leave my hiking books and dogs behind with Kevin and head out to Tucson for the weekend. I had a full schedule planned both days.
I took off early Saturday and arrived at the UA campus shortly after 8am. I wanted time to get oriented to the campus, as I've never really walked around the place. Giant white fest tents were already up and vendors were getting their places ready. The authors didn't start until 10am and that gave me some time.
My first hour was nondescript, listening to a website designer talk about making one's website more marketable, but after that first hour the fun began. Luis Alberto Urrea was my first author. He talked in the Student Union's Gallagher Theatre. It was sitting room only. Any one not in a designated seat had to leave. I sat up front to the far left, a few seats from another author, Tom Miller, and got to chat with Luis' wife Nancy. I had heard good things about Urrea's books but had never read any of his stuff. His vivacious personality and good sense of humor, however, is tempting me to try his fiction out. All I have his is Pulitzer "Devil's Highway" from a few years ago. He writes almost exclusively about the Mexican-American borderlands, Mexican immigrants and people torn between either country.
"The paradigm has changed" he said about Mexicans' view on immigration. They want the northern border wide open but they close their southern border to Guatemalans, Salvadorans, etc." He was able to switch back and forth from English to Mexican Spanish and make people from either side of the border laugh out loud.
"Mexicans love my books and admire me for fighting for their rights, but when they see me they almost step back in shock because I look like a Gringo!"
His presentation was so entertaining that it was hard to dash off to the next writer, Bonnie Henry and Nancy Turner, at 1pm.
I had to dash across the UA Mall, pass crowds of people, dogs and performers in odd costumes. Aromas from all kinds of foods tempted me, but neither day did I stop to eat or drink from any of the vendors. I was more concerned about getting to the front of the line for the writers so I could get good photographs.
Bonnie and Nancy presented their forum in an exchange format. Bonnie would speak about something historical about Tucson and then Nancy would give us her story. Both are regional writers about Arizona and Tucson and both have lived most of their lives in the Old Pueblo. Both were entertaining again, but this time it was Nancy's animated facial features that stole the show. She reminded me of a white-haired Linda Ronstadt. Turner, I've learned, is quite a prolific writer.
I love books. My home office shows that. I have books everywhere. I may even have too many books, as many haven't been read yet. But I love the feel of real books, I love the smell of old yellow pages and I love the sensation of flipping through the pages and smelling history whaff up toward me. So it wasn't hard for me to leave my hiking books and dogs behind with Kevin and head out to Tucson for the weekend. I had a full schedule planned both days.
I took off early Saturday and arrived at the UA campus shortly after 8am. I wanted time to get oriented to the campus, as I've never really walked around the place. Giant white fest tents were already up and vendors were getting their places ready. The authors didn't start until 10am and that gave me some time.
My first hour was nondescript, listening to a website designer talk about making one's website more marketable, but after that first hour the fun began. Luis Alberto Urrea was my first author. He talked in the Student Union's Gallagher Theatre. It was sitting room only. Any one not in a designated seat had to leave. I sat up front to the far left, a few seats from another author, Tom Miller, and got to chat with Luis' wife Nancy. I had heard good things about Urrea's books but had never read any of his stuff. His vivacious personality and good sense of humor, however, is tempting me to try his fiction out. All I have his is Pulitzer "Devil's Highway" from a few years ago. He writes almost exclusively about the Mexican-American borderlands, Mexican immigrants and people torn between either country.
"The paradigm has changed" he said about Mexicans' view on immigration. They want the northern border wide open but they close their southern border to Guatemalans, Salvadorans, etc." He was able to switch back and forth from English to Mexican Spanish and make people from either side of the border laugh out loud.
"Mexicans love my books and admire me for fighting for their rights, but when they see me they almost step back in shock because I look like a Gringo!"
His presentation was so entertaining that it was hard to dash off to the next writer, Bonnie Henry and Nancy Turner, at 1pm.
I had to dash across the UA Mall, pass crowds of people, dogs and performers in odd costumes. Aromas from all kinds of foods tempted me, but neither day did I stop to eat or drink from any of the vendors. I was more concerned about getting to the front of the line for the writers so I could get good photographs.
Bonnie and Nancy presented their forum in an exchange format. Bonnie would speak about something historical about Tucson and then Nancy would give us her story. Both are regional writers about Arizona and Tucson and both have lived most of their lives in the Old Pueblo. Both were entertaining again, but this time it was Nancy's animated facial features that stole the show. She reminded me of a white-haired Linda Ronstadt. Turner, I've learned, is quite a prolific writer.
"You must see Janis Ian!" told me one older woman sitting next to me. "She gives on quite a show!" I hadn't planned on listening to her, but remember her from a long time ago. Had she done anything recently?
But the highlight for me on Saturday was meeting Timothy Egan. He appeared at 4pm in the Gallagher theatre, but the audience wasn't nearly as full as with Luis Urrea. Both times, though, the audience was older and greyer. Where were the younger people? Outside in the UA Mall?
Egan described the 1910 Big Burn of western Montana (the premise of his last book) and spoke the way he wrote. C-Span was filming this presentation and I might be seen in the front row. When I got outside for the autographs I somehow managed to land in the front again (I guess it pays to be a "youngin!"). When he asked me how I managed to get a soft copy of his "Big Burn" I explained that I get free books to review from Amazon. I told him I was the first reviewer of his book to which he interrupted me graciously and replied "I remember that review! You're the one who helped sell my book!" He liked the review and thanked me for it. He was genuine. So, I will carry Egan's praise with me. It's nice to know authors actually read reviews from laymen like me.
Sunday was just as much fun although the crowd didn't seem as intense all day anywhere, even from the start. I walked silently around the small historical campus for an hour, admired the flora, and returned to the Student Union where the first two of my choices were scheduled. Even the Gallagher theatre wasn't nearly as crowded at 11:30am for Hampton Sides/James Donovan and Jeff Guinn. I came to see Sides but enjoyed listening to all three, although Donovan acted like he wasn't enjoying himself and wanted to be elsewhere. Sides and Guinn, though, were gentlemen.
But the highlight for me on Saturday was meeting Timothy Egan. He appeared at 4pm in the Gallagher theatre, but the audience wasn't nearly as full as with Luis Urrea. Both times, though, the audience was older and greyer. Where were the younger people? Outside in the UA Mall?
Egan described the 1910 Big Burn of western Montana (the premise of his last book) and spoke the way he wrote. C-Span was filming this presentation and I might be seen in the front row. When I got outside for the autographs I somehow managed to land in the front again (I guess it pays to be a "youngin!"). When he asked me how I managed to get a soft copy of his "Big Burn" I explained that I get free books to review from Amazon. I told him I was the first reviewer of his book to which he interrupted me graciously and replied "I remember that review! You're the one who helped sell my book!" He liked the review and thanked me for it. He was genuine. So, I will carry Egan's praise with me. It's nice to know authors actually read reviews from laymen like me.
Sunday was just as much fun although the crowd didn't seem as intense all day anywhere, even from the start. I walked silently around the small historical campus for an hour, admired the flora, and returned to the Student Union where the first two of my choices were scheduled. Even the Gallagher theatre wasn't nearly as crowded at 11:30am for Hampton Sides/James Donovan and Jeff Guinn. I came to see Sides but enjoyed listening to all three, although Donovan acted like he wasn't enjoying himself and wanted to be elsewhere. Sides and Guinn, though, were gentlemen.
When asked who inspired them to become writers, Sides answered "Shelby Foote. I was best friends with his son Huggy. We were in a rock band together and would often practice in the garage. One day Shelby comes running in screaming "You boys turn down that racket! I'm trying to finish the chapter on Appomattox!" to which he then feigned inhaling a joint. He (and Guinn) had the audiences laughing over this and other remarks.
Afterwards the autograph line for Sides was long and for the other two barely existent. (Guinn's next book will be on Wyatt Earp, somebody I may be interested in).
The rest of the writers for the day were lesser-known or regional writers, but all gave good performances. I was ready to leave at 3:30pm when I noticed I had no one else scheduled, but then I walked past the Janis Ian tent and ended up listening to her and her mystery-book writing partner Jane Januck banter back and forth. They went from funny to sad to funny, until Janis ended the session with her old 1970s song "At Seventeen" and had the audience captivated again. When the song was over so was her hour-long show and the two women broke down for autographs. The festival was now officially over and people headed home.
For someone who hadn't originally planned on listening to Janis Ian, I must admit her performance was awesome. The old woman was right: she gave her audience quite a show!
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