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vamysteryfanA slightly different kind of book post this week. I went to the National Book Festival on the Mall. It was terrific - perfect weather and tons of authors, more than I could cover. Lots of stuff for younger children to enjoy too. The Library of Congress had an interesting tent with exhibits on copyright, how the Library preserves different media, and their oral history projects.
First up was Michael Dirda, the book reviewer for the Washington Post. I'm reading my way through his Bound to Please and making a list of books I'd like to read. He talked about Arthur Conan Doyle as a story teller and also talked about his own membership in the Baker Street Irregulars. He also discussed ACD's era and how it saw the birth of a number of modern genres - mysteries, adventure, others.
Next up was a panel discussion on Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time. I loved that book when I first read it. The audience was filled with men and women who also loved it. It was a good discussion of the themes in the book and while they still resonate today. One of the panelists did a graphic novel version which I'd like to see.
Corey Olsen is an English professor who teaches a class on JRR Tolkien, among other subjects. He did a couple of lovely readings from the book (here on YouTube Such a funny speaker. He talked about the nature of dragons was to accumulate a hoard and sit on it and then analogized it to book lovers "sitting" on their treasure hoards. He also discussed the two alternate versions of the riddle game in The Hobbit and why Tolkien did that.
I walked through the Butterfly Garden and caught this one image I have to share:
First up was Michael Dirda, the book reviewer for the Washington Post. I'm reading my way through his Bound to Please and making a list of books I'd like to read. He talked about Arthur Conan Doyle as a story teller and also talked about his own membership in the Baker Street Irregulars. He also discussed ACD's era and how it saw the birth of a number of modern genres - mysteries, adventure, others.
Next up was a panel discussion on Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time. I loved that book when I first read it. The audience was filled with men and women who also loved it. It was a good discussion of the themes in the book and while they still resonate today. One of the panelists did a graphic novel version which I'd like to see.
Corey Olsen is an English professor who teaches a class on JRR Tolkien, among other subjects. He did a couple of lovely readings from the book (here on YouTube Such a funny speaker. He talked about the nature of dragons was to accumulate a hoard and sit on it and then analogized it to book lovers "sitting" on their treasure hoards. He also discussed the two alternate versions of the riddle game in The Hobbit and why Tolkien did that.
I walked through the Butterfly Garden and caught this one image I have to share:
no subject
Date: 2012-09-26 12:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-26 05:11 pm (UTC)But seriously, it's really neat. It started about 12 years ago - it's Laura Bush's big accomplishment as far as I'm concerned. The Washington Post, C-SPAN and Library of Congress basically fund it and run it. There's always PLENTY for kids and teens. I'm always torn between wandering around and just sitting and listening to the talks.
If you go to the LoC website, they have podcasts from some of the authors. Those are great!