Title TK

The first reader in our June event to support Victoria Wulsin's run for congress in Ohio's second district was Sarah Fran Wisby. She read a crazy surreal story called "Who Will Walk Through Fire." It was awesome and I don't mean that just in the pyromaniac sense. She said she couldn't have written it without rent control, so give yourselves another pat on the back for that victory. Sarah Fran's story is proof that San Francisco needs rent control. We're looking forward to her first book, Viva Loss, out from Small Desk Press later this year and you should be too. 

Then came Helena Echlin, a British author who teaches us all about manners and etiquette in her column for Chow. She's like a latter-day Jane Austen, Dear Abby and Miss Manners all rolled into one. But she did fall prey to fast food when she first moved to America, particularly Dunkin Donuts' Omwhich, which is an omelet/pizza/breakfast sandwich all rolled into one. I am definitely going to track one down on my next visit to the east coast. It sounds delish. She's trying to get them to make a donut/hamburger and assures the brass at DD that it will revolutionize the concept of the breakfast sandwiches and the Brits will be all over it. 

We were lucky enough to have Wells Wulsin, son of Victoria with us. Wells spoke about his mother and how her increased disillusionment with the direction the country is heading led to her decision to run for congress. It's not going to be an easy race, he admitted, so please tell all your friends and relatives in Ohio about Victoria Wulsin. If you want to go to Ohio this summer and help out, that can be arranged too. Sign up here. 

Daniel Alcaron was up next and it's true, as Andrew Altschul said in his intro, Suzanne Kleid has been pushing his book Lost City Radio on everyone she knows. I'm one of those people and I should've have listened to her sooner. This book is so purely crafted, it deserves every glorious accolade it has garnered in the year since its publication. Anyway, Daniel read from a novel in progress and I felt privy to a secret literary masterpiece. It doesn't have a title yet; he's taking suggestions. Also, his parents were in town. We clapped for them too and believed him when he said the parents in the piece weren't based on his own. Behold the power of the imagination! The All Star Minstrels were next. What can I say? We gladly filled in as the horn section per Dan's request and Adam took a stage dive (sort of) at the end of their set. No need to worry about the future of music with these two on the scene. During intermission, a fierce game of Rock Paper Scissors broke out. And paper takes it again. 




Lorelei Lee was up next, reading a story about a day on the set of an adult film set. I for one couldn't tell that her flats (as in shoes) were inhibiting her confidence. Can you?

 And finally, the nicest guy in the writing world,  Andrew Sean Greer, wearing a mime shirt, but thankfully speaking. He read a scene from his new novel The Story of a Marriage that brought me chills even on that warm night. You should go out and buy it as soon as possible. Suzanne says so.     

At the end of the night Evan Rehill stacked himself up with glasses.



And that wraps up June. Thanks to Sonya Worthy and Liz Clinkenbeard for the photos. Next month we welcome Po Bronson, Neal Pollock, Tara Jespen, Doug Dorst, Ethan Canin and Frank Portman. Also stay tuned for our first Progressive Reading Series featured author interview. Q&A with Tara Jepsen. 

New Poster

Click for full-size printable poster for the June 21 Progressive Reading.

The June Reading!

Announcing the Sixth Progressive Reading of 2008
Saturday, June 21

7 PM at The Makeout Room
3225 22nd Street
415.647.2888
$10–20 sliding scale

Featuring

Eileen Myles, author of Chelsea Girls and Cool For You

Andrew Sean Greer, author of The Story of a Marriage and The Confessions of Max Tivoli

Daniel Alarcon, author of Lost City Radio and War by Candlelight

Helena Echlin, author of Gone

Sarah Fran Wisby, author of Viva Loss

and Lorelei Lee, author of Doublefisted

Music by The Progressive Reading Series All-Star Minstrels
Hosted by Stephen Elliott

Proceeds benefit Victoria Wulsin, running against Jean Schmidt in Ohio's 2nd Congressional District

Click here for advance tickets

**

And stay tuned for next month's event, happening July 19, featuring Neal Pollack, Tara Jepsen, Doug Dorst, Ethan Canin, Po Bronson, and Frank Portman

Wulsin Update

Here's an interesting update concerning the Wulsin-Schmidt race in Ohio. Once again we are supporting the forces of good against the forces of evil, because that's how we roll. Come out June 21 to support Wulsin's candidacy.

Whoops! L#009 is missing!

I'll slip it back in November. Promise. 

Victoria Wulsin

Hey everyone. For June we're going back to supporting awesome progressive challengers running against particularly evil conservative incumbents. In June we're raising money for Victoria Wulsin. Get your advance tickets here. Find out more about Victoria here. Victoria's running against Jean "I love what we've done in Iraq" Schmidt. Schmidt is famous for calling war hero John Murtha a coward.

Come on out June 21 at 7pm and show your support.

61-39!

Well, we did it - all of us: We saved rent control!

Proposition 98 failed spectacularly - 61% to 39%. At the same time, Proposition 99, real Eminent Domain reform, passed handily - 62% to 38%.

We can all breathe a sigh of relief - for once the reactionaries who put regressive and discriminatory initiatives on the California ballot did not get their way.

Congratulations and thanks to everyone who pays rent in San Francisco, to everyone who attended the March, April, and May Progressive Readings, and to all our wonderful readers. Thanks, too, to George Nixon and Ellen Gould for their contributions to the cause, and to our volunteers, who make these events run so smoothly.

Check back here for announcements about the June 21 Progressive Reading, featuring Eileen Myles, Andrew Sean Greer, ZZ Packer, Helena Echlin, Lorelei Lee, and of course the Progressive Reading Series All-Star Minstrels!

Writers and Rent Control

Like books and the writers who produce them? How about low rent? If you responded at all in the affirmative, I urge you to check out Jen Sullivan Brych's op-ed piece in the SF Bay Guardian.

Remember to VOTE ON TUESDAY, or else you won't be seeing Steve at Tartine for much longer, and his roommate will have sleep somewhere other than the living room. That'd be one Unhappy Baby.

The Progressive Reading Slate

OK, time is coming up. June 3 is election day and all the hard work we've been doing around here will pay off if we defeat Proposition 98. That's the most important thing, to save rent control. But there are some other important things on the ballot as well, so here, for the first time, is the Progressive Reading Series Official Endorsements for you to print and take to the polls.

• No No No on Proposition 98!!!!!!
  
• Yes on Proposition 99. Proposition 99 fixes eminent domain laws without destroying the state's infrastructure. It also takes the issue out of Howard Jarvis' evil hands so he won't try to end rent control inside mis-named eminent domain reform bills. Also, if prop 99 and 98 both pass but 99 has more votes then it negates prop 98.

• Yes on F. We have to insist that all major new developments in San Francisco have at least 50% truly affordable housing. We've seen what happens when you build a bunch of fancy rental units South of Market. All those new apartments but rent didn't go down at all. A lot of good people are against F, but we have to stop giving away our land. It's great to raise money, but the money will get spent, and we'll be left with what's left. There's no point in improving neighborhoods if the result is displacing poor residents. More information from Supervisor Chris Daly here.
• No on G. More information here.

• Yes on A. More information here.

• Nicole Rivera for Democratic Central Committee. This is the kind of position most voters don't pay attention to, but it's actually really important in setting the agenda for the local Democratic Party. For the record, the Progressive Reading Series is not affiliated with a party, but Nicole Rivera is awesome.

You're Not in Kansas Yet (part 2)

I know some people like Kansas. Dorothy Gale for one. Kansas was her home and we all know there’s no place like it. And what about your home? Your neighbor's home? The guy who hands you your coffee every morning--what about him? So it was nice to see so many people at the Makeout Room to keep rents (relatively) low despite the fact that it was a rare balmy night in San Francisco, one where you could actually sit outside and watch The Wizard of Oz, which was playing for free a few blocks over in Dolores Park.

First up was poet David West, who wrote Evil Spirits and Their Secretaries. What a great title. One of the poems featured the deer head on the Makeout Room walls who was regular here when this place was a swamp. As if that thing didn’t creep me out enough already, thanks David. The lovely Rachel Howard was up next and read a story called "Dogsitting." Part of it is set in the Presidio pet cemetery. More dead animals. At least those aren't looking at me.

Mark Pritchard took the stage next. He’s the author of How I Adore You. Mark read a story about Garrison Keillor whose tales of loneliness and isolation we can handle because they're told gently. Keillor, he read, is the Walter Cronkite of our time. Adam Mansbach was up next saying he only had a few minutes; he had a new baby daughter at home (congratulations, Adam) and read a great piece from his new novel, The End of the Jews about Risk and Zone a Jewish boy and black boy who were popular as disc jockeys on the bar mitzvah circuit in suburban Connecticut on their way to the big time.

Next we had a short commercial break from Nicole Rivera who has been a volunteer for the Progressive Reading Series practically from the beginning. She’s running for a Democrat County Central Committee and you would be hard pressed to find a better person for the job. She also belted out the phrase "98 we hate, 99 is fine," a few times so we her love even more. Vote for Nicole on June 3rd. More info on Nicole and the Democratic County Central Committee
here.

Nato Green came up next saying he was glad the gay marriage ban was overruled, but that we should take it one step further and make it mandatory, otherwise what’s the point? On another note, his wife is pregnant (congratulations Nato) expecting twins, and he’s letting them pick the gender! It doesn’t get more SF than that. Next up: The All Star Minstrels, Dan and Adam. I swear these two keep getting better and handsomer. Dan sang Woody Guthrie's If You Ain't Got the Do Rei Mei." My how little things have changed in California.

Starlee Kine hit the stage next, one-upped Bucky Sinister who took a heckling last March, and read right off her laptop. Strangely, no one booed her. Is there a bit of a double standard going on with the Progressive audience? She read a story about how she had the chance, but refused, to hug a very cute baby panda bear in China. She has principles.

And finally, Pam Houston read a story called the "Other Woman" who was having something called a lightbulb relationship with the narrator's husband. I have no idea what that means, but neither did her narrator. Maybe you do though. Next month come check it out for yourself. We'll be at the Makeout Room again on June 21st. You’ll hear Andrew Sean Greer, Frank Portman, ZZ Packer and the one and only Eileen Myles. And one more time: Vote No on 98, Yes on 99 if you don’t want to buried under your house.