Wordstock 2010: Part 1

With only forty-eight days left until what is arguably Portland's largest literary festival, Wordstock, now is a perfect time to peruse the list of authors in attendance. This year, organizers have opted to focus on three areas: short stories, humor and history.

Who am I most looking forward to hearing? Of authors whose work I have not read, Aimee Bender has gotten quite a bit of buzz for her recent novel The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, and should be interesting to hear. I am not particularly well-versed in short stories or humorous works, either, so the festival may give me pointers on authors to explore within those unfamiliar terrains.

Then there are the authors I know and adore, including three Portlanders with a sharp wit and ability to pull at heartstrings: Kevin Sampsell, Courtenay Hameister and Matt Bors. Anticipate a future Wordstock post about these talented creative minds.

Feeling excited? Want to get involved? Sign up to volunteer at this year's fest!

Readings: Community and the Spoken Word

One of the many reasons I moved back to Portland is the sheer volume of free literary readings around town. Many are hosted by bookstores, some by libraries and college campuses. What I like most about these events is the opportunity to gather with complete strangers to listen to stories. No matter what differences may exist between people in the audience, and between the author and audience members, they have all met up to share in an experience together. Readings not only offer food for thought, but strengthen community, too.

In addition to developing community, readings bring out the personalities and quirks of authors. David Mitchell entertained a crowd at Powell's City of Books earlier this month through his droll wit and his welcoming attitude toward an infant in the audience. Mitchell insisted that the baby's screams be embraced as part of the event and real life, truly welcoming readers (and soon-to-be readers) of all ages. Vendela Vida described moments with her writing group and how she felt it had been important for her to know whether or not her protagonist had experienced menopause; otherwise, she felt she did not know her character that well. Steve Almond encouraged goofiness and nostalgia by showing a slide show of bad hair photos from earlier decades, setting the tone for his recently released music-loving memoir. At readings, authors entertain in ways not possible on the printed page alone.

Welcome

Portland, Oregon is a refuge for readers, writers and book-lovers of all ages. It is with great pleasure that I may share some of my own literary ventures while living in a city I adore. Here you will find information about literary events, books I've read, favorite authors from the Pacific Northwest, and my fondness for libraries.

A bit about me: I have worked in or volunteered with libraries for over five years now, and am an advocate of life-long learning. My own reading interests vary, but followers here will quickly discover my affection for comics and graphic novels, music, and coming-of-age novels. Part of what I cherish most about reading and writing is getting to share ideas and experiences with others.

I am eager to hear your perspectives, so feel free to comment whenever you have the slightest inclination to do so. Let's explore reading together!