Ok, here it is again, leading off some top tips, especially if you're in the Baltimore-to-Northern Va. metroplex. And to you parents who thought this thing was offensive...it's called SATIRE, dumbasses! It's SUPPOSED to be offensive because it's using the sharp humor and images to attack the very thing it's luridly portraying. The lyrics and subject are examples of...class?...Bueller, Ferris Bueller? Anybody? IRONY, niggahs...oops. Should have said that, but even that word's a useful tool, says brother Jabari Asim, and speaking of Jabari Asim:
- He'll be at the annual Capital Bookfest, Saturday October 6th in andaround Borders at the Blvd @ Cap Centre, Fest is all day, 10 to 7pm. I'll be there too with everyone from actress Victoria Rowell, to former NBA star John Amaechi and a host of bestselling authors, journalists and poets of color. I'm even hosting a few panels. Drop by. Bring the kiddies.
- Check me out on WKYS and MAJIC 102.5 FM Washington DC tomorrow (Wednesday) morning at 9:30am talking about the importance of GOOD books, reading and the Capital Bookfest with Poet Kwame Anthony. Yeah--KYS...what, no Lil' John?
- Memoirist Stacey Patton will be at the Congressional Black Caucus Author's Pavilion (conference registration needed), and at Karibu Wednesday at 6:30pm, Pentagon City and Saturday 9/29, Books A Million, Dupont Circle. That Mean Old Yesterday makes Antwan Fisher look like a Disney story...
- The National Book Festival's on the National Mall this Saturday toward the Washington Monument. Sad that Laura Bush and my wife share the same vocation--librarians. Sadder still that a librarian's married to Dubya, but hey. Check out my girl Lalita Tademy (one of the few black authors doing amazing historical fiction other than David Anthony Durham) at 11:2oam, Pulitzer winner Edward P Jones, whom I had the honor of panel-hosting at last year's Cap Bookfest follows at 12:40pm; Victoria Rowell's around again at 10a, in the Home & Family tent. Uber-nerd Stephen L Carter's in the Mystery Tent at 12:40pm. But please don't miss Jan Gilchrest and Sheila Moses in the Kids' and Teen's Tents: 1:25pm and 1:30 respectively.
- The Baltimore Book Festival's this weekend around the other Washington Monument--the original one, at Mt. Vernon and N. Charles Streets, Baltimore, Maryland. Friday-Sunday. Sunday at 5pm yours truly's giving a Q & A with Washington Post reporters Mike Fletcher and Kevin Merida (Donna Britt's hubby) on their very timely bio of Clarence Thomas Supreme Discomfort (yep--you heard them here first, fans!) They'll also discuss the acclaimed "To Be Black Man" series of pieces in the Post. As usual all of your usual HBO's The Wire folk'll be there; seems like all of them, even "Snoop" has written something. The Video Vixen Karen Steffans makes an appearance as do a myriad of your favorite authors, poets and pundits from Felicia Pride and Karen Quinones Miller to Nikki Giovanni.
9 comments:
I'm not in Baltimore or DC but you are blessed to be in such an area with so many choices. I've heard of Stacey Patton's book--the State of New Jersey, Child welfare, has long been a disgrace. When will you interview her for this blog?
Chambers -- you are plethora of great information today!! This is sweet for those of us who live in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. Myself, I will be attending the National book festival with family (reading is a family affair). In October I will be attending the Capital Bookfest. I went last year and it was fantastic. I am out of town tomorrow, so I am sorry to say that I will miss your inerview on the radio. Will there be a webstream available later on in the day.
Oh, and for the record --- I love librarians. I practice that vocation myself (not directly anymore and I promote online services). But as they say information is power!! You can't do anything without it.
Thank for the info. CAC
The National Book Festival's always disappointing, and it that has NOTHING to do with the First Lady. The big big big name authors are usually boring;they are signing and talking for less than 20 mins. The only redeeming feature is indeed the Children's and Teen's tents and activities.
I've been to the Baltimore Book Festival twice and indeed met you in 2005 there. I was among your Caucasian fanbase. I'm not familiar with the Capital Book Festival but it would appear that if your seal of approval's on it and you participate, it is not a forum for the ridiculous garbage that African American writers and fans appear to have embraced, as with their music. As a boy in New York my parents took me to a party a Harper & Row when it's office was in the Worthworth Building, and I met James Baldwin. I was ten but I can still remember him. I;ve met Pearl Cleage (and I'm a Republican, by the way) and I have a the pleasure of meeting walter Mosley in Los Angeles last year.
I just wanted to at least make an attempt to demonstrate my bona fides, and hope to visit your blog in the future.
The Black Caucus authors' pavilion is the worst, not the National Book Festival. It is self-help book-celebrity hell. That plus Eric Jerome Dickey's "pageturners" and other trope like that. No one's realy there for books anyway. No one's really there for legislation or serious, practical debate on the issues. It is about profiling, talking in cliches, and hooking up. Nothing has changed. Ever wonder why the author's pavilion is tucked in among the vendors giving our useless freebies?
Oh man, you're gonna get to see Superhead live and in person?? Tell that woman to stop! LOL!
Seriously though, sounds like quite the event. Good for you, doing big things!
OH my God! I am sooo sorry I missed you! Man, my old friend from Smith is visiting with me, and, well, you know how that is, lol.
:)
L
I went to UMass and I could swear all the girls at Smith fell into categories: gay or ho.
Bruce, dear, I am so sorry you were unable to get any Smithies to fuck you. What can I say, we have standards!
Smith College in Boston? Whew g'head Lola. Kick his ass!
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