tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738307676395324442024-03-13T19:57:19.453-07:00Progressive Reading SeriesThe Progressive Reading Series is a monthly literary reading which raises money for progressive candidates in the 2008 elections. The San Francisco series takes place on the third Saturday of every month through the 2008 elections at 7pm at the Makeout Room (see links). For advance tickets, visit Act Blue (also see links).Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398499589622772156noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273830767639532444.post-64397118025535561952009-01-19T09:48:00.001-08:002009-01-19T09:48:48.316-08:00988 Valencia<a href="http://stopamericanapparel.wordpress.com/">The war against American Apparel has begun.</a>Stephen Elliotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751529784558345142noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273830767639532444.post-72117285075511969562008-12-21T11:50:00.000-08:002008-12-21T11:52:07.986-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://therumpus.net"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 234px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4q3OJ0U8CHw/SU6eVqBgkrI/AAAAAAAAAE0/3MkLTlTBv6I/s400/n548073883_1029199_2598.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282333507847230130" border="0" /></a>Stephen Elliotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751529784558345142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273830767639532444.post-13689915931867180552008-11-05T10:00:00.000-08:002010-05-19T00:45:24.854-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_j7jPrpqdStA/SRHfcj5tNkI/AAAAAAAAALc/LFgmK13f_kU/s1600-h/barack-obama-and-progress1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_j7jPrpqdStA/SRHfcj5tNkI/AAAAAAAAALc/LFgmK13f_kU/s320/barack-obama-and-progress1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265235121139430978" /></a>Sona Avakianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02909125600944961791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273830767639532444.post-52848740615188277342008-10-25T17:43:00.000-07:002008-10-25T17:44:09.870-07:00Mission LocalThe Progressive Reading Series gets a writeup in <a href="http://missionlocal.org/2008/10/bar-change-we-can-believe-in/">Mission Local</a>.Stephen Elliotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751529784558345142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273830767639532444.post-32275724403900675102008-10-16T10:15:00.000-07:002018-10-24T20:51:11.075-07:00The Progressive Reading Series Goes Out With A Bang (or does it)?<br />
The final Progressive Reading Series of 2008 (and maybe ever) gave all it had and nobody walked away unsatisfied even though it was definitely the least organized of them all. Lisa Margonelli told us how she went to Saddam Hussein's birthday party in 2001 (with pink hair no less)! Bucky Sinister read a classic, Michelle Tea was the Progressive Darling, Ishmael Reed owned it! Nobody could see what Zuniga was doing, (but we love you, Todd.) Justin Chin was stellar as always. Will Durst and Nato Green cracked us up. Ellen Sussman made us love and respect her (even more than before). Chris Cook made us not want to lose our hands. The All Star Minstrels played their swan song. And Stephen, the real Maverick, Elliott told us, "Everything belongs to us except for Texas and that's because it belongs to Mexico." <br />
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And that’s it for 2008. Thanks again to the Makeout Room for always being such gracious hosts; to Ellen Gould, our fabulous poster designer; Liz Worthy; Sonya Worthy; the kind folks of Dublit; the authors, many of whom traveled far to read and their publishers who donated books to sell; everyone who came clapped, cheered, drank, and tipped well. And while this was the last Progressive read for a while (and maybe ever), this site won’t go totally dark, so stay tuned). Next all we have to do is go forth and vote. Here’s hoping for a progressive 2009.Sona Avakianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02909125600944961791noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273830767639532444.post-47695170703256404652008-10-08T13:41:00.000-07:002008-10-08T09:03:25.721-07:00The Progressive Reading Series October 8<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;color:#ff0000;">Just added: Michelle Tea, Justin Chin, Bucky Sinister, and Nato Green</span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"></span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Announcing</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></div></span><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><b><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Last Progressive Reading of 2008 (ever?)<br /></span></div></b><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="center"><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Wednesday (Yes! Wednesday!) October 8, 7pm</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="center"><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">At </span><span style="color:#0719c6;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a href="http://www.makeoutroom.com/">The Makeout Room</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)">- 3225 22nd Street 415 647 2888 </span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="center"><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">$10-20 sliding scale</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="center"><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This event is being co-sponsored with Litquake. Get your advance tickets <a href="http://www.actblue.com/page/progressivereading">here</a>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="center"><span style="font-size:0;"><span style="color:#0719c6;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="color:#0719c6;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">If you were at the last reading you know getting advance tickets is a good idea. And don't forget to bring your own small folding chair or a pillow for sitting on the floor</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="center"><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span style="color:#0719c6;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="color:#0719c6;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)">Featuring</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="center"><span style="color:#8f2e24;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Politics of Poetry with Ishmael Reed author of <i>Reckless Eyeballing</i></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="center"><span style="color:#619e1e;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Politics of Prison with Joe Loya author of <i>The Man Who Outgrew His Prison Cell</i></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(66,21,17)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">The Politics of Oil with Lisa Margonelli</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">author of </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Oil on the Brain</span></span></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="center"><span style="color:#0a1a9e;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Politics of Food with Chris Cook author of <i>Diet For a Dead Planet</i></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="center"><span style="color:#6f143d;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Politics of Sex with Ellen Sussman editor of <i>Dirty Words</i></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="center"><span style="color:#003300;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">with political comedy by Will Durst</span></b></span><span style="color:#003300;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="center"><span style="font-size:0;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">and the final performance of </span><span style="color:#ffcc00;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span><span style="color:red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Progressive</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span><span style="color:maroon;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Reading</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span><span style="color:navy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Series</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span><span style="color:#333399;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">All-Star</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span><span style="color:purple;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Minstrels</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="center"><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Hosted by </span><span style="color:#0719c6;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a href="http://www.stephenelliott.com/">Stephen Elliott</a></span></span></span></p>Sona Avakianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02909125600944961791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273830767639532444.post-61421422045787472232008-10-02T10:47:00.000-07:002008-10-05T16:43:58.877-07:00Oil on the Brain: From the Pump to the Progressive Reading Series<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_j7jPrpqdStA/SOZrR4xdHSI/AAAAAAAAAH4/tr1kFhF8118/s1600-h/lisa%26petropetcuddle.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_j7jPrpqdStA/SOZrR4xdHSI/AAAAAAAAAH4/tr1kFhF8118/s320/lisa%26petropetcuddle.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253003970416024866" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Lisa Margonelli</span> is the author of <span style="font-style:italic;">Oil on the Brain,</span> the product of “3.5 years of furious travel and writing.” In her book she interviews oil industry folks the world over, uncovering oil’s journey from the ground to the gas pump. She reads next Wednesday, October 8, at the Makeout Room, which may be the last Progressive Reading ever. Ms. Margonelli is currently an Irvine Fellow at the New America Foundation. We met in her office, a stylish sliver in an old downtown Oakland office building. I made myself at home in a comfy thrift-store variety green upholstered slipper chair. While admiring the maps and books that adorned the walls, she surprised me with a glass of super cold water served in a fancy yard-sale-score emerald green goblet. Our conversation touched on her book as well as termites, Thoreau, <span style="font-style:italic;">There Will Be Blood</span>, and who she might be for Halloween.- Liz Worthy<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"> LW: </span> <span style="font-style:italic;">Oil on the Brain</span> begins with a great fiery scene of you observing an oil clean up experiment in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. What in the greater scheme of things got you to Alaska? <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LM:</span> If you tell me I can’t get in somewhere, I really want to get in there. What happened with oil was once I looked into the Prudhoe Bay oil facility I said ‘Oh my God, I want to get in there. Getting access is a powerful emotional drive for me. It’s also what got me into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. <br /><br />I’ve also been really interested in cultural and economic history and how big things affect people’s individual choices and how we are a product of our time and the empires that we’re born into.<br /><br />And then there’s another little thread and that is that my parents were hippies and moved to Dover-Foxcroft, Maine an hour north of Bangor, to go back to the land. The energy crisis hit in 1973 and we in addition to going back to the land also stopped using oil to heat our house. So we were heating this old farm house with just wood from the woods and we actually had a horse to pull it out. Thoreau said that wood warms you twice – once when you cut it and once when you burn it. But my Dad was like wood warms you thrice. So he had to do Thoreau one better. It’s once when you cut it from the trees, once when you cut it and stack it for the house and then once when you burn it. So we spent an enormous amount of time stacking wood and carrying it into the house . . .. When my parents left the house sometimes my sister and I would actually turn on the oil heat because it was so fun. We’d stand over the heat grates and let our clothes puff up [hearty laugh]. So for me oil had a visceral aspect that it might not for other people where it was more ubiquitous. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LW: </span>In writing the book you wanted to hear stories from the people who oversee oil’s journey to our cars. Who was the most remarkable person you talked to?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LM:</span> I love hanging out with people and watching them do their work and absorbing their world view so I can’t actually choose one person. There were just a lot of different people who were just really compelling. C.D. Roper the Texan is just one obvious person. But there were a lot of other people. . . .As far as bizarre oil characters, definitely Ali Rodriguez Araque from Venezuela, the former guerilla who lives in the woods plotting how to blow up oil facilities and then becomes head of one the world’s largest oil companies and then goes on to start this new oil diplomacy under Chavez as the Foreign Minister. Definitely, that’s the sort of crazy transformation that is afforded by oil.<br /><br /> <span style="font-weight:bold;">LW:</span> In your article "Gut Reactions” in September’s Atlantic Monthly you talk about termites and how their digestive enzymes could be borrowed to turn wood, grasses, and paper products into fuel. Can you comment on the feasibility of this as well as how far into the future you think these things might be possible? <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LM: I</span>n the under 10 year time span we really need to focus on energy efficiency, we need to make our cars and our transit system much much more efficient. It can start with things like eco-driving where you can reduce the amount of gas you use by 15% just by changing the way you drive. Then the next thing would be car pooling or van pooling or not driving your car, followed by much more efficient cars, not necessarily a Prius. In the '80s I had a Toyota Starlet that got 50 miles to the gallon and cars with mileage like that just aren’t for sale in the U.S. anymore and they could be. So we need to really work on reducing the amount of oil that we use. When we switch to another type of energy, say we go to bio-fuels or more into electric cars, we’ll need to be using a lot less fuel. . . .We could reduce the amount of gas we use by 1 or 2% simply by re-timing traffic lights. <br /><br />Bio-fuels are somewhat promising but what we need are policies that reward the cleanest best bio-fuels, not the ones that pay the biggest political dividends. What we have now is a system of rewarding corn growers for this corn ethanol, but the greenhouse gas improvement is really minimal, like 13% and in some cases it’s equal to using gasoline. It’s not a good ratio. So what we need to do is figure out a pricing scheme for all of these different bio fuels and electric cars so we’re paying closer attention to the impact they have on the environment so that they can compete. <br /><br />So in the movie <span style="font-style:italic;">There will be Blood</span> what we all took away from it was the greed connected to oil but what you don’t think about is how important the greed was in the oil. It’s productive greed that got us a gas station on every corner and an oil well on every hill in Bakersfield. Because it’s one obsessed person or a couple of obsessed people who can say there’s oil there, I’m going to drill a hole and I’m going to build a pipeline and I’m going to ship it somewhere, and I’m going to sell it. It’s something you can suck out of the ground relatively easily and you could sell it for money. Right now it’s not clear how you make money on a lot of these fuels –if you produce solar power can you sell it to the grid for a fair price, for example, so we need to set things up. Often times when we talk about limiting greenhouse gases we talk about these complex systems, but basically we need to make greed pay off, just, in the place we need it to and then let the crazy smart people go to work. It’s not so much the question of punishing Daniel Day-Louis’s [character] because they’re greedy bastards, it’s a question of setting up a maze so that the Daniel Day-Louis types do what we want them to do. <br /><br /> <span style="font-weight:bold;">LW:</span> You recently presented a brief you wrote as part of your fellowship at the New America Foundation called "Energy Security for American Families" where you lay out policy that could help working families reduce their energy costs. Are any of the ideas in the brief represented by any propositions on the ballot this November?<br /><br /> <span style="font-weight:bold;">LM:</span> No, that’s an early stage proposal. We’ll work on it with other non-profits and politicians and anyone else who’s interested and then re-release it in something that’s closer to something that can become legislation. <br /><br />But if I could just back up, the cool thing about working for a think tank, especially this think tank at New America that is non-partisan and interested in big different ideas, is that when you’re a reporter you spend a lot of time looking at bad policies and shrieking outside the system that’s a bad policy, that’s a bad policy, that’s bad, that’s bad! When I was asked to start thinking about what would be a good policy, I had to become a reporter on policy. I actually had to take my reporter skills and apply them to productive use. It’s definitely risky because as a reporter you say I don’t have dog in this fight and now you have to say I have a policy suggestion that has some good points, but inevitably someone else is going to criticize it. You have to stick your neck out because basically all policies have pluses and minuses. There is no perfect thing. . . . as far as the politics of energy go, we need to really push for big changes in policy and we can’t get those big changes done unless we let politicians know they aren’t going to get creamed for telling us the truth. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LW: </span>If you had to be a political candidate for Halloween, who would you be and how would you spend your evening?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LM:</span> [Laughs] Well, I guess I’d have to be Sarah Palin. I’ve actually gotten letters from friends saying I should be her. You know, the thing about Sarah Palin that just blows me away is if you’re a serious Christian and you really believe that your time praying is a red phone to God, why on earth would you spend that time asking for a gas pipeline? There are so many things that are of deeper concern to God and humanity and all of us than a gas pipeline. Commerce and capitalism will take care of a gas pipeline if it makes any sense at all, and even if it doesn’t (laugh). You don’t need God for a gas pipeline. So I guess that’s the thing that really blows me away about this. There’s something where oil just takes a turn right into some weird spiritual hole in American psyche. . . . somehow Sarah Palin praying for the gas pipeline is a little riddle I haven’t quite worked out. How is that okay? And it’s not that I’m anti-pipeline. We all live by pipeline, and pipelines screw up the Earth, there’s no question about it. This is our world. We are pipeline people. But asking God, it just freaks me out. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LW:</span> So you’d spend Halloween dressed as Sarah Palin praying for a pipeline?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LM:</span> Yes. I should do that. That would be fully scary. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LW: </span>The poet Toni Mirosevich read her poem <a href="http://www.redroom.com/video/toni-mirosevich-redroomcom-litquake-2007">“Pinball”</a> at last year’s Litquake, which grew out of something a friend told her: "I'm lonely when I pump gas." Would you care to comment on that? <br /> <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LM: </span>The loneliness of pumping gas. That’s really sweet. It’s also really heartbreaking. It’s that weird reality of our lives that you go to the gas station and you stand there for two and a half minutes and you fill your tank and you’re in a little envelope by yourself. The weird thing about it is we try to be really numbers based. So if it’s four cents a gallon cheaper on the other side we do the four point turn, get over there, fill up. We’re really rational about gas but we’re really irrational and emotional while we’re standing at the pump. One researcher told me that apparently if they stick a picture of a croissant above the pump, croissant sales inside the gas station rise by 15%, which is pretty high. Alone at the pump we’re in this strange malleable space where we can be persuaded to buy a croissant. Not only that-- It’s a croissant in a gas station! A donut I can almost see or one of those stupid big strawberry cheesecake muffins or corn nuts of course . . .. filling your tank seems to be one of those moments that doesn’t matter in your life, but actually matters a lot. However much dolphin safe tuna you eat and whether you use corn recyclable implements when you get food to go, or buy local organic produce or whatever-- ultimately, who you are in the world is determined by your foot on the gas pedal. We really are what we pump.~<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_j7jPrpqdStA/SOZsLQyMBkI/AAAAAAAAAIA/9i_L6w8Bwlc/s1600-h/LM_w_oildroplet.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_j7jPrpqdStA/SOZsLQyMBkI/AAAAAAAAAIA/9i_L6w8Bwlc/s320/LM_w_oildroplet.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253004956114093634" /></a><br />Lisa Margonelli with her Petro-Pet someone found for her at a yard sale. <br /><br />Photos by<a href="http://www.lizworthy.com/home%20page%20revised.htm"> Liz Worthy</a> whose ceramics show about oil, Light Sweet Crude, opens the evening of November 22nd at <a href="http://www.rubysclaystudio.org/">Ruby’s Clay Studio.</a> Thanks (again) to the Dublit.com folk for being so sweet and so generous.Sona Avakianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02909125600944961791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273830767639532444.post-16570707300629023482008-09-23T12:43:00.000-07:002018-02-18T17:04:55.743-08:00Second to Last!It was a rough week in the worlds of politics and literature. We lost Peter Camejo and David Foster Wallace practically on the same day. Wallace’s death hit me particularly hard, it being so unnecessary. Andrew Foster Altschul led us in a cheer in Wallace's memory. Still it brought a lump to my throat. There will never be another like him. Then surprise guest Keith Knight kicked off the penultimate Progressive Reading Series by reading us his comics. Unfortunately miscommunication between him and Stephen resulted in no visual effects. No matter thought Keith still made us laugh, made us think and next times we’ll be better prepared. <br />
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<a href="http://www.litquake.org/">Litquake</a> co-founder Jane Ganahl read us two short pieces, one about how her mother once bit off the nose of Richard Nixon. Only a candle likeness of Tricky Dick, still I bet it didn’t taste very good. Her other piece was about dating a man who wore creased jeans and typed up a book report for her on some PoMo artist expecting her to study up. Can you believe that? <br />
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The next reader of the evening (on her birthday!) was Katie Crouch. First we sang, then she read us story whose topic is familiar to many: what it’s like to date Steve Elliott. Course Stephen denied every word of it. Typical. Write a story everyone wants to know if it’s true, write a non-fiction piece everyone accuses you of fabricating. Not that that hasn't happened, but still, what's a writer to do? <br />
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Dan Weiss, half of our All Start Minstrels was up next. Catch his other band The Yellow Dress at Dog Eared books Thursday, September 25, at 7:30p.m. as part of <a href="http://www.dogearedbooks.com/dogeared/events.php#75">Dog Eared's Sweet Sixteen celebration</a>. Next we had Glen David Gold who read from page 515 of his forthcoming novel which is set during the 1918 U.S democratization of Russia (in winter of course, is there any other season in Russia?) and didn’t surprisingly, didn’t need any set-up at all. Or did it? Thanks to Michelle Bronson for setting the record straight on that one. <br />
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Next Mariel a la Mode sang a naughty burlesque song. We’ve really been going too long without burlesque. More Mariel! The singular Aimee Bender was up next. Here’s a true confession: Sometimes I read a sentence of hers and think this: I wish I had written that. And tonight’s piece was no exception, it was chock full of superlatives and I was green with envy. <br />
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Daniel Handler read a short story “Why I’m Pro Life.” I’m pro-life too. Pro keeping food in everyone’s stomachs, that sustains life. Pro protection from the elements aka housing, that’s good, right? Keeps the species going. Pro literacy because let’s face it, a literate society is a healthy and productive one . . .see what I mean. <br />
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And that was it for September. Unfortunately for literature, some brass has come cracking down on our mad postering so you won’t see as many around town for our next (and final) reading of 2008, but it’s <span style="font-weight: bold;">October 8th, that's a Wednesday night,</span> as part of Litquake and features national treasure, Ishmael Reed; reformed bank robber, Joe Loya; the woman who knows everything about gasoline, Lisa Margonelli; Diet for a Dead Planet, author Chris Cook; self-proclaimed bad girl, Ellen Sussman and comic relief by Will Durst. There’s also going to be an interview with Lisa Margonelli by Liz Worthy on this very site. Stay tuned.Sona Avakianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02909125600944961791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273830767639532444.post-44827191304314547642008-09-17T12:59:00.001-07:002008-09-23T12:43:23.397-07:00Progressive Reading September 20<span style=" ;font-family:Times-Roman;font-size:13.0pt;"><b>Announcing The Ninth (Second To Last!) Progressive<br />Reading of 2008</b><span style="font-family:Times-Roman;font-size:13.0pt;"><br /><br /><span style=" ;font-family:Times-Roman;font-size:13.0pt;">Saturday, September 20<br /><br />7pm At <a href="http://www.makeoutroom.com/"><span style="color:#0719C6;">The Makeout Room</a><span style="color:#3251A6;"><br /><br /><span style=" ;font-family:Times-Roman;font-size:13.0pt;">3225 22nd Street 415 647 2888 <br /><br /><u>Featuring</u><br /><br /><br /><span style=" ;font-family:Times-Roman;font-size:13.0pt;color:#619E1E;"><b>Daniel Handler, author of <i>Adverbs</i></b><br /><br /><br /><span style=" ;font-family:Times-Roman;font-size:13.0pt;color:#8F2E24;"><b>Aimee Bender, author of <i>The Girl<br />In The Flammable Skirt</i></b><br /><br /><br /><span style=" ;font-family:Times-Roman;font-size:13.0pt;color:#0A1A9E;"><b>Glen David Gold, author of <i>Carter<br />Beats The Devli</i></b> <br /><br /><span style=" ;font-family:Times-Roman;font-size:13.0pt;color:#6F143D;"><b>Katie Crouch, author of <i>Girls In<br />Trucks</i></b><br /><br /><span style=" ;font-family:Times-Roman;font-size:13.0pt;color:#421511;"><b>Jane Ganahl, author of <i>Naked On<br />The Page</i></b><br /><br /><br /><span style=" ;font-family:Times-Roman;font-size:13.0pt;color:#003300;"><b>with burlesque songstress Mariel a la<br />Mode</b><span style=" ;font-family:Times-Roman;font-size:13.0pt;color:#003300;"><br /><br /><span style=" ;font-family:Times-Roman;font-size:13.0pt;"><b>and music by The Progressive Reading Series<br />All-Star Minstrels</b><br /><br /><span style=" ;font-family:Times-Roman;font-size:13.0pt;">Hosted by <a href="http://www.stephenelliott.com/"><span style="color:#0719C6;">Stephen Elliott</a><br /><br /><span style=" ;font-family:Times-Roman;font-size:13.0pt;"><a href="http://www.actblue.com/page/progressivereading"><span style="color:#0719C6;">Click<br />here for advance tickets</a><span style="color:#3251A6;"><br /><br /><span style=" ;font-family:Times-Roman;font-size:13.0pt;"><a href="http://www.progressivereadingseries.org/"><span style="color:#0719C6;">www.progressivereadingseries.org</a>Stephen Elliotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751529784558345142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273830767639532444.post-36187648428027776542008-09-15T14:43:00.000-07:002008-09-15T14:44:18.397-07:00What Happens When?<a href="http://therealmccain.com/doctors/?utm_source=rgemail">Are we ready for President Palin?</a>Stephen Elliotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751529784558345142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273830767639532444.post-26044114449284987402008-09-08T23:03:00.000-07:002008-09-16T20:23:33.865-07:00The Daniel Handler Interview (Cameo by Howard Junker)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_j7jPrpqdStA/SMYbNnT_eSI/AAAAAAAAAHI/dBXkP_ObG_w/s1600-h/Daniel-Handler-on-Beach-t.frontpage_featured.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_j7jPrpqdStA/SMYbNnT_eSI/AAAAAAAAAHI/dBXkP_ObG_w/s320/Daniel-Handler-on-Beach-t.frontpage_featured.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243908736824604962" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Daniel Handler</span> is the author of <span style="font-style:italic;">The Basic Eight</span>, <span style="font-style:italic;">Watch Your Mouth</span> and <span style="font-style:italic;">Adverbs</span> and also occasionally plays the accordion with The Magnetic Fields. His alter ego Lemony Snicket has written a series of books for children titled the Unfortunate Events. We sat down to talk before Handler was a participant (with Lynn Breedlove) in Michelle Tea’s Radar Salon Series at the Three Dollar Bill Café where you can get a decent Caesar Salad for under five dollars. Daniel answered my questions and gave me updates on the characters in the Unfortunate Events series. This interview would have been damn near impossible without the kind folks of Dublit.com. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Sona Avakian:</span> So you’re Daniel Handler?<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Daniel Handler</span>: Yes.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> Or you’re Lemony Snicket.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> Yes <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span>Or you’re his representative.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> Yes.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> You’re both. All three. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> Well it depends on how you look at it I guess. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> I saw a little clip on the Internet on YouTube of you doing a pitch for Obama. Is it true though, that Lemony Snicket is campaigning for McCain? <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> No, I haven’t heard that. I can’t think of anyone decent and noble who would campaign for McCain.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> So Snicket is not campaigning for McCain. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> No, that much I know. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> That is so good to know. Now, about Beatrice, how close were you to Beatrice?<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> Me? Not very close at all. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> Do you happen to know which First Lady she most admired? <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> Which First Lady she admired? <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> Yeah, it’s a political blog, so . . . Bess Truman? <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> I am so far away from that question. Well I would guess Dolly Madison because she had unusual relationships with men in power and so did Dolly Madison. But whethether or not Dolly was technically a first lady is always open for debate. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> Why do you say that? <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> She wasn’t married to James Madison. I think she was his niece. But she was the first lady in that she was the hostess of the White House.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> I think we can call her the First Lady. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> I think Madison was the only bachelor. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> No, That was Buchanan. I know that from ‘Welcome Back Kotter.’ I think Dolly Madison was the one who carried the stuff out of the burning White House. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH: </span>Then James Madison was a widower. Most of what I know of Dolly Madison is from the work of Miss Manners who is either Judith Martin or the representative of Miss Manners depending on how you look at it. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> Are the Baudelaire kids okay? <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> Last I heard. I mean okay is kind of a relative term. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA: </span>Yeah, okay could just mean in perpetual . . . sleep. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH: </span>Right. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> An eleven-year-old girl recently said to me, “When you are reading Lemony Snicket book, the words on the page are like magnets to the eyes." Did Snicket intend to write books that are magnets to kids eyes? <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> That’s such a difficult metaphor to unpack. That’s why I like it that’s a talented eleven-year-old girl. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> Isn’t she though? <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> Because I’m sure that magnets don’t have any affect on the eyes. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> Unless they’re magnetic. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> Or metal. <br /><br />Suddenly I’m aware that someone has been shouting my name and ‘Caesar Salad’ for a quite a while. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> [To the counter] I think that was my salad! I’ll be there in a minute. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> I don’t think anything is going to happen to that salad. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> I hope not. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH: </span>So the question was did he intend for them to be magnetic? I think the magnetism could be attribute to the same kind of magnetism when there’s a car wreck or a really embarrassing moment on television that you can’t stop looking at. That wouldn’t necessarily mean they’re magnetic or appropriate for your age. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA: </span>If the conflict of good versus evil finally resolves itself, what do you think will happen to the state of literature? <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> I think if conflict between good and evil resolves itself, we’ll have so much on minds that I don’t think the state of literature will make the top one hundred thousand even among the literary fanatics. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> That sounds like you’re thinking evil is going to triumph. I was sort of hoping for the other way around. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> I think it was Borges who said that heaven is a kind of library. <br /> <br /><br />At this point silver haired man wearing a pastel apricot sweater came into the café and caught Daniel’s eye. Daniel waved. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> Is that your Dad? <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> No, that’s Howard Junker of <span style="font-style:italic;">ZYZZYVA</span> Magazine.<br />Howard Junker made his way through the crowded café to our table.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">HJ (to me):</span> Were you at the gym at Koret this morning?<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> Me? No. I was not at the gym at Koret this morning. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">HJ:</span> Okay, I’m Howard Junker. May I join you? <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA: </span>Sure. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> Yes of course. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> Nice to meet you. <br />Howard sits down.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> We were just doing a brief interview. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> Esme Squalor? Can you give us an update on her life? <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> An update on her life? <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA: </span>Yeah, how’s she’s doing? <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH</span>: Well Esme Squalor strikes me as the kind of person who would say she’s doing well regardless of how she’s doing. So out of loyalty to her own worldview, I would have to say she’s doing well. <br />Howard gets up to leave. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> Sorry Howard. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">HJ:</span><a href="http://zyzzyvaspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/07/three-dollar-bill.html"> May I take a picture of you guys?</a> I’ll take it from far away. <br /><br />Then kind young man employed by The Three Dollar Bill Cafe brought my salad to the table. I really should’ve tipped better. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA: </span>So who’s going to show up at the Makeout Room? Daniel Handler or Snicket?<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> For me the most important thing about the Makeout room is that I’ve heard it’s where Prince plays his after-shows, whenever he’s in town so the question about the Makeout room from my point of view, is if Prince is going to play? <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> What is the relationship between Lemony Snicket and Count Olaf? <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> Nemeses. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA: </span>They’re nemeses to each other? Is that the correct plural, nemeses? <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> I’m pretty sure.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> I hope most people don’t have more than one. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> Do you remember this? I've been avoiding ice cream cones. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_j7jPrpqdStA/SMYW4ALfbqI/AAAAAAAAAG4/xZhsxre4AqI/s1600-h/magnets059.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_j7jPrpqdStA/SMYW4ALfbqI/AAAAAAAAAG4/xZhsxre4AqI/s200/magnets059.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243903967496203938" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> It was a promotional set of magnets released by Harper Collins in 1999, and you are encouraged to take the magnets apart.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA: </span>No, I would never do that. I think this is going to be worth money on eBay someday. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH: </span>Maybe someday. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> The foresight I had to purchase this at Clean Well Lighted. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH:</span> In 1999? [Clue that Prince will be at the next Progressive Reading.] <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> I think it was 2001. [Clue that he might not.] <br /><br /> Then Daniel looked at my sheet of paper where I had scribbled some questions. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> I’m not going to ask you all of these. I have to save some for the Q&A. Michelle said. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DH</span>: I wasn’t looking at them. <br />He was. Probably begging for the end and I really didn’t want to take up too much of his time, Howard Junker waiting to talk with him and all.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> So Interview officially over. Will you sign my book? <br /> RECORDER: Click <br /><br />We chatted for a few minutes about these topics: Daniel’s first appearance at The Progressive Reading Series, JT Leroy (he never shows up!), and Manhattan hipsters before Daniel excused himself to go talk to Howard Junker and I dug into my salad. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Daniel Handler</span> will be at the Progressive Reading Series on September 20th. Also hitting the stage during the course of the night will be Aimee Bender, Jane Ganahl, Glen David Gold, Katie Crouch, Mariel a la Mode and maybe Prince.Sona Avakianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02909125600944961791noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273830767639532444.post-68786657774765071322008-09-02T20:16:00.000-07:002008-09-02T20:17:45.058-07:00Mariel a la Mode<a href="http://www.myspace.com/marielalamode">Mariel a la Mode</a> is joining the September 20 Progressive Reading with her unique blend of singing and striptease!Stephen Elliotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751529784558345142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273830767639532444.post-42199759280999632672008-09-02T16:27:00.000-07:002008-09-02T17:46:34.044-07:00West of Kabul, East of New York<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_j7jPrpqdStA/SL3UwAUP82I/AAAAAAAAAGg/fu5Nrl96ne8/s1600-h/West+of+Kabul,+East+of+NY.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_j7jPrpqdStA/SL3UwAUP82I/AAAAAAAAAGg/fu5Nrl96ne8/s320/West+of+Kabul,+East+of+NY.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241579462512866146" /></a><br />Tamim Ansary's book, <a href="http://us.macmillan.com/westofkabuleastofnewyork">West of Kabul, East of New York</a> has been chosen to be San Francisco's <a href="http://sfpl.lib.ca.us/news/ocob/onecity.htm">One City One Book</a> read for 2008. Here is some praise<span style="font-style:italic;"> West of Kabul, East of New York</span> has garned:<br /><br /> “A book that steadies our skittering compass...It speaks with a modesty of tone and is all the more resonant for that reason....[It] sees things we cannot make out, and need to.” —The New York Times<br /><br />“[An] emotional and moving memoir, driven by passion and intelligence...It breaks the heart.”<br /> —The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)<br /><br />In conjunction, the San Francisco Public Library has many events lined up. Please join us for a <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bookmobsf/">book mob</a> at the Ferry Building on September 6, 11:45 am. Bring your copy of <span style="font-style:italic;"> West of Kabul, East of New York.</span> And if you can't make that, check <a href="http://sfpl.lib.ca.us/news/ocob/events08.htm">here</a> for more events.Sona Avakianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02909125600944961791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273830767639532444.post-89323709294040838012008-08-21T13:50:00.001-07:002008-08-21T14:27:48.990-07:00Larry KisselThe September 20 reading features Aimee Bender, <a href="http://www.lemony-snicket-stuff.com/daniel_handler_biography.html">Daniel Handler</a>, Glen David Gold, Jane Ganahl, and Katie Crouch. Funds raised at the door will go to support <a href="http://www.larrykissell.com/">Larry Kissell</a>, running for North Carolina's 8th District congressional seat against pro-torture incumbent <a href="http://www.larrykissell.com/issues/issues06.asp">Robin Hayes</a>. We're going to have to collect everybody's information at the door: Name, address, and employer, unless you <a href="http://www.actblue.com/page/progressivereading">pay in advance</a>, in which case you can go right in and grab yourself a seat.Stephen Elliotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751529784558345142noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273830767639532444.post-71850866000574143662008-08-17T13:54:00.000-07:002008-09-16T16:32:05.759-07:00Cities Helping Each Other<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_j7jPrpqdStA/SKmW7XmGKcI/AAAAAAAAAGI/l_8C0qpZtxE/s1600-h/end+of+driveway+bins.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_j7jPrpqdStA/SKmW7XmGKcI/AAAAAAAAAGI/l_8C0qpZtxE/s200/end+of+driveway+bins.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235881988485163458" /></a><br /><br />So many sterling moments at last night’s Progressive Reading it’s hard to know where to start. It was great to see so many former Progressive readers in the standing room only Makeout Room (bring your own chairs, for god sakes!), Starlee Kine in town from New York made it a point to stop by, and Rachel Howard, Caroline Paul, Sarah Fran Wisby were all there; mutual love all around. Stephen read his letter (see it below and Stephen’s post on <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-elliott/san-francisco-donates-276_b_119432.ht">The Huffington Post</a>) from Mayor Bill White of Houston. Thanks goodness for progressive thinking. <br /><br />Tom Barbash kicked off the reading with a story from his forthcoming collection, about a divorced mother and her son who was being hit on by an easy restaurant hostess, an older woman. About the age the women’s ex-husband is dating and she’s not happy about it. He still collects rare stamps the mother told the easy hostess. He’s a baby. “No he isn’t.” the easy hostess replied. Poor Mom. Next Matthew Eck cracked us up with a story whose narrators bluff his way into a teaching position at an Ivy League university using Chekhov’s CV. Made me wonder if any of my own professors had tried something like that. <br /> <br />We love April Sinclair. First she was willing to pinch-hit at the last minute, then she honored Bernie Mac, then she read a story about trying to be a cool mom and hearing about girl kissing! And then she read about her no-good nephew who had to be pried off the couch and was banned from the house. My sides were splitting, but it was just another day in the Sinclair family, apparently. <br /><br />Ali Wong cracked us up. “Oh Progressive Reading Series, you’re all so serious. Girls with bangs and glasses, Rainbow Grocery employees smelling of hummus and privilege!” Her story of Disneyland rides that simulate the landscape of California reminded me I’ve never been to Disneyland/World and I’m going to keep it that way. Like most horrible things, they're hilarious to hear about. <br /><br />All Star Minstrels sang an ironic version of a folk song made popular by the Pogues. Davy Rothbart read a story about pulling pranks on his deaf mother that were so horrible and devious I was embarrassed for him, yet very impressed. What a terror that kid was. In the end, though, his mom got the last laugh and Davy grew up to be one of the kindest people you’d ever be lucky to meet.<br /><br />In his third (third, people!), Progressive Reading appearance and proving that recycling in Houston is as important as Shakespeare in Santa Cruz, Jonathan Franzen railed on technology and how it can actually make life more difficult. I knew just what he meant. My cell phone had been beeping at me all day for absolutely no reason. Stephen ended the night by telling us we raised $1,729, which equals 276 bins for Houston. Next month on September 20th: Daniel Handler, Jane Ganahl, Aimee Bender, Glen David Gold, and Katie Crouch. Don’t forget your chair or cushion.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_j7jPrpqdStA/SKmXghTEjXI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/8lJ5lBnL1lA/s1600-h/recyclebin.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_j7jPrpqdStA/SKmXghTEjXI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/8lJ5lBnL1lA/s200/recyclebin.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235882626744880498" /></a>Sona Avakianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02909125600944961791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273830767639532444.post-69916682053051816382008-08-17T12:58:00.000-07:002008-08-17T12:59:10.279-07:00The Huffington PostLast night's Progressive Reading on the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-elliott/san-francisco-donates-276_b_119432.html">Huffington Post</a>.Stephen Elliotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751529784558345142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273830767639532444.post-69483562587648372572008-08-17T12:12:00.000-07:002008-08-17T12:28:06.663-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4q3OJ0U8CHw/SKh69blyBiI/AAAAAAAAAEI/Plg43E6W5no/s1600-h/Progressive+Reading+Series+Donation+Letter.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4q3OJ0U8CHw/SKh69blyBiI/AAAAAAAAAEI/Plg43E6W5no/s400/Progressive+Reading+Series+Donation+Letter.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235569762615035426" /></a>Stephen Elliotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751529784558345142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273830767639532444.post-11596969947505861982008-08-15T09:26:00.000-07:002008-08-16T11:22:34.003-07:00The Tom Barbash Interview: He has substance and style!<span style="font-weight:bold;">Tom Barbash</span> is the author of <span style="font-style:italic;">On Top of the World: Cantor Fitzgerald, Howard Lutnick and 9/11: a Story of Loss and Renewal</span> and <span style="font-style:italic;">The Last Good Chance.</span> He is from Manhattan, lives now in San Francisco and I'd vote for him. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">PRS: </span>Tell me about the first time you voted in a presidential election. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">TB:</span> My first voting experience was for Walter Mondale who I so badly wanted to beat Reagan. Mondale was decent, honest, a bit on the dull side and would have made an infinitely better president.<br />I recall being amazed at what a landslide it was considering that virtually everyone I knew in my New York City and Haverford College circles mocked Reagan, and Nancy's reliance on psychics, etc. I never saw his appeal, and never did until George Bush came around and made Reagan seem regal in comparison. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">PRS:</span> What, if any, was the first political scandal that had you glued to the television, or that you followed pretty closely? Can you explain your fascination with it? <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">TB: </span> Watergate, though I didn't entirely understand it. I remember being at my uncle's beach house over the summer and everyone was watching these hearings and I knew it was great drama, and I knew the bad guys were getting in trouble, and that pleased my parents and pleased me. We all hated Nixon and Agnew. My fascination had to do with the concept of an evil president, titillating stuff for a kid raised on stories of Washington, Lincoln, and Roosevelt.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">PRS: </span>You've seen the Paris Hilton fightback? What do you think of the mixture of celebrity in politics? I have to admit I found the line "I'll see you at the debates, bitches" funny. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">TB:</span> I think celebrity is being used as a substitute for attractive, and well-liked. The myth promulgated by people as ill at ease in their own skin as McCain is, is that the smoothies like Barack must lack substance. But maybe its their substance that makes them so attractive. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">PRS:</span> Mr. Smith Goes To Washington? Have you ever seen that? Do you think there is place for a decent and honest politicians in American politics, and that they'll prevail? <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">TB:</span> I think there's a place for an ESSENTIALLY decent and honest person, but it seems as though if you want to win you have to play tough, and compromise occasionally, and you have to raise money. The trick is not to bend so far in the opposite direction that you become unrecognizable - as the cranky old senator from Arizona has this campaign season.<br /><br />If <span style="font-weight:bold;">YOU</span> have any questions you'd like to ask <span style="font-weight:bold;">Tom Barbash</span> or any of our August authors, come to the Makeout Room Saturday night, August 16 at 7p.m. The rest of the lineup includes last minute and very exciting addition <span style="font-weight:bold;">April Sinclair</span>, all the way from Ann Arbor, <span style="font-weight:bold;">Davy Rothbart</span>, author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Farther-Shore-Matthew-Eck/dp/1571310576">The Farther Shore</a>, <span style="font-weight:bold;">Matthew Eck </span>and headliner <span style="font-weight:bold;">Jonathan Franzen</span>! All for the low price of ten to twenty dollars. Plus we're helping Houston with their recycling issues. What more could you really ask for a on Saturday night?Sona Avakianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02909125600944961791noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273830767639532444.post-86441487001323497852008-08-13T23:12:00.000-07:002008-08-15T18:01:38.771-07:00Late Addition!<span style="font-size:100%;">As if you needed more incentive to solve <a style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/29/us/29recycle.html?scp=1&sq=houston%20recycling&st=cse">Houston's recycling problem</a>, we were able to set up a late additon to Saturday's already kick-ass line up of readers:</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://www.aprilsinclair.net/">April Sinclair</a>, </span><span style="font-size:100%;">author of the critically acclaimed (and award winning) bestseller, </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><i>Coffee Will Make You Black</i></span><span style="font-size:100%;">. April has been confronting—and making fantastic literature from—issues like race, gender, and sexuality for years. Not to mention, she's from Chicago, which automatically makes her the coolest reader on the bill (sorry Davy, Ann Arbor's OK too).<br /><br />As always, you can buy tickets in advance <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.actblue.com/page/progressivereading">right here</a>.<br /></span>Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398499589622772156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273830767639532444.post-23270027853621076942008-08-11T06:53:00.000-07:002008-08-11T16:01:56.197-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_j7jPrpqdStA/SKCilooX0zI/AAAAAAAAAFI/AnQeSMQ8w4c/s1600-h/hi_res_FOUND_logo.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_j7jPrpqdStA/SKCilooX0zI/AAAAAAAAAFI/AnQeSMQ8w4c/s200/hi_res_FOUND_logo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233361534450127666" /></a><br />AN INTERVIEW WITH DAVY ROTHBART<br /><br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_j7jPrpqdStA/SKCcBHi5M5I/AAAAAAAAAEo/6mGDr-lA0GM/s1600-h/Rothbart+on+Bench.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_j7jPrpqdStA/SKCcBHi5M5I/AAAAAAAAAEo/6mGDr-lA0GM/s320/Rothbart+on+Bench.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233354310023721874" /></a> <br /><br />Davy Rothbart makes FOUND Magazine, contributes stories to This American Life, and wrote a book of stories called The Lone Surfer of Montana, Kansas. He also writes frequently for GQ, SLAM, and The Believer. If you've found something cool, please send it to him at his parents' house -- details at<a href="http://www.foundmagazine.com"> foundmagazine.com</a><br /><br />This interview was conducted despite jetlag (at least two time zones apiece), technical difficulties (both of us), and a misremembered password (me). Davy Rothbart will be reading for Houston's recycling program on August 16th at the Makeout Room, along with Tom Barbash, Michelle Tea, Jonathan Franzen, Matthew Eck and with comedy by Ali Wong. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA: </span> Has anyone ever bribed you for your vote?<br /> <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DR:</span> In 4th grade, my friend David Pfeiffer spent weeks circulating a petition among our schoolmates, trying to finagle more recess for all of us. About half of our school had already signed it, and David believed that if me and another friend of ours named Blair Austin got on board, the rest of the kids in school would follow suit. I'm not sure it would've worked out like that, but that was David's thought at the time.<br /><br />He stayed overnight at my house one weekend, and spent the whole time hectoring me to sign the petition. What kind of red-blooded American boy could possibly be opposed to such a proposal? Me, I guess. I mean, recess was cool and all, but our teachers were pretty cool, too, and I liked the shit they were teaching us. I didn't really think we needed more recess. I was in a tight spot. On one hand, David Pfeiffer was bound to keep haranguing me until I signed the damn thing; he even offered me bribes -- a dollar, a Jolly Rancher, a 1979 Topps Carlton Fisk. When the bribes didn't budge me, he tried threats, which had a bit more power to melt my convictions. But on the other hand, more recess meant more opportunities to be pummeled by the big kids in Dodgeball, and ultimately, I couldn't in good faith sign the petition. So I did the only thing I could do... I did, in fact, what many other policy-makers might've done if Congress was held in their basement. I snuck the petition out of David Pfeiffer's backpack, ripped it to shreds, and tossed it in the bathroom trashcan. Then an hour later when he started freaking out thinking he'd lost the thing, I led him to the bathroom and sheepishly pointed out to him what I'd done with it.<br /><br />On Monday, at lunchtime recess, he made good on his threats and beat me up with cement-filled nunchuks. There's two morals to this story. One, more recess is always good. Two, if anyone offers you their 1979 Topps Carlton Fisk to sign a petition, take the catcher and run.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> Wow, that's a great story. Do you know what sort of career David Pfeiffer has had? How did that experience affect what you learned about policy?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DR:</span> Ya know, I'm not really sure what happened to Pfeiffer, and I can't say it affected my policy education. but I remember one other thing about David Pfeiffer...My last name, Rothbart has the unusual property that you can change a single consonant and end up with either Rothbarf or Rothfart, and plenty of my grade school classmates made that discovery; as far as invoking those nicknames goes, they voted early and often. But David Pfeiffer, after the petition incident, always called me a new name, which to this day I still marvel at for its catchiness and cleverness despite being so unclever. He simply called me Rothcrap.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> This money raised at this month's Progressive will raise funds to donate recycling bins to the city of Houston. Have you ever been to Houston? Did you find anything interesting there? What's the best thing someone has sent you from Houston that’s ended up in the magazine?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DR: </span>Houston is like home to me! It’s awesome that this event will benefit Houston’s recycling program. We've received a ton of amazing finds from Houston over the years. I fear, though, that once we hook up all these new recycling bins, the kinds of notes and papers that folks used to find strewn in the street will now be more properly disposed of and the Houston finds will dwindle!<br /><br />One particularly memorable find was given to me in Houston by a 120-year-old man. I was doing some radio reporting after Hurricane Katrina, talking to storm refugees at the Astrodome in Houston. This old guy - the oldest guy I’ve ever met in my life - we started talking for a while, and he gave me a stack of papers he'd carried with him from New Orleans. He'd mistakenly believed he was rescuing his own treasured mementos and letters, but they turned out to have belonged to this neighbor whose home had been washed away. It was a series of love letters between a woman in New Orleans and her husband, an air force pilot stationed in Korea. Months later, I managed to track down the woman, this old guy's former neighbor, and return the letters.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> I’m sure the good people of Houston will continue to send in their finds and that you’ve received many items from cities that do recycle. What sort of sense of place do you get from places you've never been to based on what people have sent you?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DR:</span> The thing I'm most often struck by is the similarities between the<br />finds we receive, even from vastly different places. Whether someone's in Madagascar, Maine, or Mississippi, they seem to be<br />dealing with the same kinds of general issues in their lives --love, family, work, and the new Dilated Peoples record.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> Did you find anything interesting on your recent trips, to 29 Palms or in Pittsburgh? <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DR:</span> My friend Nikki Kemp in Pittsburgh gave me this pretty awesome find yesterday. It's some torn up pieces of a typed letter between friends; she only found enough scraps of it to piece together<br />certain fragments of the letter. Most of them seem to deal with some questions about a home mortgage, but then out of nowhere there's an invitation to come to D.C. for Thanksgiving and watch porno flicks! Like the best found notes, the actual story is elusive, just out of reach, but there's enough hints there to spark our curiosity and let our imaginations run wild.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> Can you give us hint of what we're going to be hearing you read on the 16th?<br /> <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DR:</span>I’ll either read a piece of mine that's already aired on This American Life called "Nibble, Lick, Suck, and Feast" (those critical words were bleeped out when the piece aired) or this other new piece called "Bigger and Deafer" that is due to air but hasn't yet aired, depending how much time we have. One is about pulling pranks on local morning TV hosts during the Found tour; the other is about pulling pranks on my deaf mom when I was a kid.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA</span>: I'm pretty sure<a href="http://beta.dublit.com/node/446/date/"> Dublit</a> puts up a lot of readings and doesn't bleep anything out so people will be able to access it online in its full glory.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DR:</span> Rad, will do!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> Anything else you'd like our audience to know?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DR:</span> Come find me and talk to me before, during, or after the show so I can tell you the details of our super-secret after-party on August 16th, the night of the reading!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SA:</span> You heard it here first folks.Sona Avakianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02909125600944961791noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273830767639532444.post-17132796669946752832008-08-04T18:20:00.001-07:002008-08-04T18:25:08.823-07:00Making ProgressI spoke with someone from Houston Waste Management. It looks like they are going to accept our donation of 200 recycling bins. Hooray Houston!<br /><br />Now we have to see if we can get matching funds, perhaps from Exxon, a Houston company. Houston needs 25,000 more recycling bins.Stephen Elliotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751529784558345142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273830767639532444.post-74286895733959495382008-08-01T15:20:00.000-07:002008-08-01T15:50:55.574-07:00The Progressive Reading Series For Houston<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_4q3OJ0U8CHw/SJOSwMBzPgI/AAAAAAAAADg/kccG1o-31Mo/s1600-h/29recycle_600.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_4q3OJ0U8CHw/SJOSwMBzPgI/AAAAAAAAADg/kccG1o-31Mo/s320/29recycle_600.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229684948867431938" /></a><br />Hey everyone. There was a piece in this week's <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/29/us/29recycle.html">New York Times</a> about recycling in Houston. One of the problems Houston is having with recycling is a lack of recycling bins. Apparently, some people have to wait years for a recycling bin. With that in mind, a portion of the funds from the August 16 reading will go to purchasing recycling bins for Houston. We're hoping to purchase 200 bins, but we're waiting to hear back from the city on the bins' specifications. Hopefully we'll be able to contract with a factory in Houston to make the bins. Here's the original article: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/29/us/29recycle.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/29/us/29recycle.html</a>.<br /><br />Comedian <a href="http://www.aliwong.com">Ali Wong</a> is joining the August 16th bill. And there will be music from The Progressive Reading Series All-Star Minstrels, along with readings from Jonathan Franzen, Davy Rothbart, Michelle Tea, <a href="http://mattheweck.com/">Matthew Eck</a>, and Tom Barbash.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_4q3OJ0U8CHw/SJOTK4rG_1I/AAAAAAAAADo/xF1aeNzSEzo/s1600-h/photo.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_4q3OJ0U8CHw/SJOTK4rG_1I/AAAAAAAAADo/xF1aeNzSEzo/s320/photo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229685407528451922" /></a>Stephen Elliotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751529784558345142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273830767639532444.post-70788503205077965172008-07-27T18:45:00.000-07:002008-08-11T15:54:55.983-07:00Jonathan Franzen to headline the August 16 Progressive Reading<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Announcing The Eight Progressive Reading of 2008</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Saturday, August 16th</span><br /><br />7 <span style="font-size:85%;">PM</span> at the Makeout Room<br />3225 22nd Street<br />San Francisco<br />415.647.2888<br />$10–20 sliding scale<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Featuring</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Jonathan Franzen</span>, author of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Corrections</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);"></span><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class="on down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);"></span></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);">Matthew Eck</span>, author of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Farther Shore</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 0);">Michelle Tea</span>, author of <span style="font-style: italic;">Rose of No Man's Land</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">Tom Barbash</span>, author of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Last Good Chance</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 0);">Davy Rothbart</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">This American Life</span> contributor and editor of <a href="http://www.foundmagazine.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Found Magazine</span></a><br /><br />and music by The Progressive Reading Series All-Star Minstrels<br /><br />Hosted by <a href="http://www.stephenelliott.com/">Stephen Elliott</a><br /><br />Proceeds benefit progressive congressional candidates<br /><br /><a href="http://www.actblue.com/page/progressivereading">Click here for advance tickets</a><br /><br /></div>Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398499589622772156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273830767639532444.post-12795102488451190432008-07-23T18:01:00.000-07:002008-09-12T23:20:05.755-07:00First there were grapes, then a dinosaur<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_j7jPrpqdStA/SIfU8a2QklI/AAAAAAAAADw/SIN8wvA95IE/s1600-h/dino+goes+after+the+grapes.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_j7jPrpqdStA/SIfU8a2QklI/AAAAAAAAADw/SIN8wvA95IE/s320/dino+goes+after+the+grapes.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226380027050889810" /></a><br />The first reader was Tara “Who’s that hot chick walking down Valencia Street?” Jepsen. Before reading she told us a story about being a kid in San Francisco with her father. They’d visit Tara’s uncle, who lived on Fell Street in the original Grotto location. All the residents were all a little Cu-<i>koo</i> (her words, not mine) thanks to the punk bands they were in and the heroin they were on; the two go hand and hand. Her father used to shield young Tara’s eyes from all the riff-raff going in and out of the building. It was good to hear that her uncle is now sober and living in Green Bay. And Tara ending up completely unsullied by the events. Happy endings all around. Anyway Tara read this wicked piece about Paloma and Irma, two young women causing a ruckus while demanding respect for the girls at a strip club in North Beach. If you need more Tara catch her show<a href="http://www.sexandculture.org/pages/upcoming-events-at-CSC.html"> Getting In on the Ground Floor and Staying There</a> at The Center for Sex and Culture. <br /><br />Before introducing Frank Portman, Stephen told us we were free to bring our own folding chairs, “so you’ll always be guaranteed a seat.” Also the floors had just been cleaned. So what’s your problem? Frank read a piece from his novel King Dork about how shockingly little French Tom Henderson knew even after years of classes. He could only discuss the activities of his friends, Claud and Jean, in present tense. I’m sure they were your French class friends too. I myself remember them fondly, if a little dimly. Au revoir, Claud and Jean. Au revoir. <br /><br />Upon his arrival at the Makeout Room Neal Pollock told me how much he enjoyed being back in San Francisco, where writers are actually appreciated. “In LA," he said, (where he lives now) "writers are considered to be one notch above drug-addled pan handlers.” But he and his wife wanted to raise their son in a place that’s calm and quiet and that has good values and clean air. I think it’s working because Elijah Pollack’s insightful maxim upon being told nobody’s perfect: Everybody’s perfect. Neal also told us a story about his very open-minded SF cab driver. Judging by the groan from the audience I’d say the squick factor was about an eight. Up on <a href="http://beta.dublit.com/node/446/date/">Dublit</a> soon. And don’t say you weren’t warned. <br /><br /> Next we had W. Kamua Bell. He’s voting Obama. McCain: the name just sounds like he’s already been president. He thinks we should just build McCain a library and send him on his way. Sounds like a good plan to me. Minus the library actually. The All-Star Minstrels were up next and sang about watching the tall grass grow. Looks like these two have already quit their day jobs. <br /><br />Po Bronson, co-founder of the Grotto, illuminated the stage next and in a quiet voice read from a work in progress, which came out of <a href="http://nymag.com/news/features/27840/">this</a> article in New York magazine. He’ll be finished in a long time or two weeks depending on how you look at it. His piece had to do with why white parents don’t talk about race to their children. When he was finished he got a rock and roll scream like he was Ringo, Paul, George <i>and</i> John. Even the rowdy Pentecostals next door got drowned out. <br /><br />Ethan Canin, the other Grotto founder, concluded the evening reading and by then we were just stunned by the talent in the room. Ethan urged us all to vote yes on the ballot measure to name the <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article/article?f=/c/a/2008/07/17/MN7A11QU1S.DTL">sewage treatment plant</a> after George Bush and then read from his just-out novel, America, America, which is about a liberal senator running for president in 1972. Sound familiar? It should. But remember, this is fiction, not truth, so don’t expect Nixon in the White House at the end of that book, or maybe do. I haven’t finished it—please nobody spoil it for me. Next month on the 16th we’ll welcome Jonathan Franzen, Michelle Tea, Matthew Eck, Tom Barbash and Davy Rothbart. It’ll be just two days after I come back from an east coast visit, so I won’t have as much time to fulfill my life’s mission of putting posters up on every pole in San Francisco. You guys will have to pay extra attention to those emails Steve sends out. Thank you to Vivian for giving me the dinosaur, to Eric Tang and to my homonym twin for the pictures. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_j7jPrpqdStA/SIfYxtXmWUI/AAAAAAAAAEA/mtNnIUdvAY8/s1600-h/Ethan+Canin.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_j7jPrpqdStA/SIfYxtXmWUI/AAAAAAAAAEA/mtNnIUdvAY8/s320/Ethan+Canin.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226384241090517314" /></a>Sona Avakianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02909125600944961791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1273830767639532444.post-16453857254948853032008-07-16T10:18:00.000-07:002008-07-16T10:28:39.442-07:00THIS SATURDAY!<div style="text-align: center;">Ethan Canin will be headlining this weeks Progressive Reading. His new book, <span style="font-style: italic;">America America</span>, is getting tons of great attention so don't miss this opportunity to see this legendary writer.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Announcing The Seventh Progressive Reading of 2008</span><br /><br />Saturday, July 19th<br /><br />7 <span style="font-size:85%;">PM</span> at The Makeout Room<br /><br />3225 22nd Street 415 647 2888<br /><br />$10–20 sliding scale<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Featuring</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Ethan Canin</span>, author of <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">America America</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 0);">Neal Pollack</span>, author of <span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 0);">Alternadad</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">Tara Jepsen</span>, author of <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">Sister Spit</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Frank Portman</span>, author of <span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">King Dork</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Po Bronson</span>, author of <span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);">What Should I Do with My Life?</span><br /><br />Plus, comedy by <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">W. Kamau Bell</span>, named best comedian by the <span style="font-style: italic;">SF Weekly</span><br /><br />and music by <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">The Progressive Reading Series All-Star Minstrels</span><br /><br /><br />Hosted by <a href="http://www.stephenelliott.com/"><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Stephen Elliott</span></a><br /><br /><br />Proceeds benefit progressive congressional candidates.<br />This month: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Tom Perriello</span>.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.actblue.com/page/progressivereading">Click here for advance tickets</a><br /><br /></div>Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398499589622772156noreply@blogger.com0