Hark, a Vagrant: Danton

buy this print!

Back with more French history!



Robespierre is the real star of the French Revolution but Danton is the one who always fascinated me. Robespierre's idealism and cruelty was strange and lofty and alien, while Danton is so much more agreeably flawed and human, and he understood the nature of people better, and yet he still remains just out of reach. Would it have killed the man to write something down? He brought on terrors and he tried to stop The Terror, and then he lost his head for it. He loved working up crowds with speeches, and he was good at it, with a roaring voice that suited well since he looks rather like a lion.



I'm just talkin' and talkin' so I'll wrap up, do yourselves a favor and watch Andrzej Wajda's "Danton," it's great and it's part of the Criterion Collection. Here is a clip from Danton's trial, marvelous! And who can resist Depardieu? Well, it's always a good idea to quote someone who knows what they are talking about, so I will pull up JM Thompson's popular summary: "Not a great man, not a good man, certainly no hero; but a man with great, good, and heroic moments."





The book is still available for preorder on Amazon! So many exciting things happening.









Did you know that the actual book launch is very soon? It's September 27 here in New York, at Housing Works! Here are some details on Time Out New York!




I got a great review with Publishers Weekly, very proud!


Come see myself, Michael Kupperman, Keith Knight and Jennifer Hayden this Sunday at the Brooklyn Book Festival!







My good friends Emily and Tim are running a project called Border Town that you should check out there is also a Kickstarter with info and a chance to get involved! You know Emily of course from the wonderfulA Softer World.





The tour update is here! So much stuff going on!



BROOKLYN Sunday Sept 18th

http://www.brooklynbookfestival.org/B...

At Brooklyn Book Festival, 1PM



MANHATTAN Tuesday Sept 27th

http://www.housingworks.org/locations...

http://www.desertislandbrooklyn.com/

At Housing Works with Desert Island, 7PM



SAN FRAN Saturday Oct 1st & Sunday Oct 2nd

http://www.comic-con.org/ape/index.php

At APE



BOSTON Saturday Oct 15th

http://www.bostonbookfest.org/bookfes...

At the Boston Book Festival, panel "Funny Ha-Ha: Comedy in Comics", 1PM



VANCOUVER Friday Oct 21st

http://www.writersfest.bc.ca/

At the Vancouver International Writers Festival, panel "Conversations with Bill", 10 AM



PORTLAND Saturday Oct 22nd

http://www.livewireradio.org/

During Live Wire at Alberta Rose Theater, 7PM



LOS ANGELES Sunday Oct 23rd

http://www.skylightbooks.com/

Signing at Skylight Books, 5PM



TORONTO Saturday Oct 29th & Oct 30th

http://www.readings.org/?q=ifoa

At the IFOA



MONTREAL Tuesday Nov 1st

http://211blog.drawnandquarterly.com/

At our very own Librairie Drawn & Quarterly, 7PM



HALIFAX Wednesday Nov 2nd

http://www.strangeadventures.com/

At Strange Adventures, 7PM