Books on the Nightstand discussion
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Boston BOTNSers
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BOTNS Readers in Boston (Archive)
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I can't make next weekend, but if you can, I would suggest a gathering at/near the Newburyport Book Festival (4/29-30) in Newburyport, MA -- you may remember Jennifer, who was at the retreat -- she's the organizer of the festival. While I'm sure she will be too busy to join in a meetup, there are a ton of great authors and talks happening all over the beautiful town of Newburyport, with good restaurants and coffee shops.
Ann - I'm thrilled you mentioned this because my parents are coming all the way from California to visit me this weekend and my Dad (a loyal BOTNS listener) wanted to go to the Newburyport literary festival... so we'll definitely see you there! I've never been, but I'm excited! We should absolutely have a little BOTNS meet up during the festival. Maybe we'll see some familiar faces. We should have a BOTNS Meet Up Group on www.meetup.com!
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Oh gotcha. I'm sorry, I just read that again. Should be fun though! Maybe you can come to another meet up if we organize one around boston. :)
I would love to do a botns Boston get-together! I can't make Newburyport, but I can definitely do a day in May- maybe we can do a Porter Square books meetup, although I don't know if there are coffee places around there.I would also recommend a trip to Portsmouth, NH, for the fabulous River Run Bookstore and Breaking New Grounds coffee shop (which just happens to be owned by my cousin :) ).
I'd love to meet up in the Boston area. I don't think I will be able to make the Newburyport event but would be interested in a day in May.
I'd do a Boston get-together. And thanks, Ann, for the heads-up on the Newburyport Literary Festival. Looks like they've got a great roster of speakers. All you TINKERS fans, Harding is going to speak 11 a.m. 4/30.
I have an idea for meeting in Boston: meet & take a stroll in the Arnold Arboretum. The weather is getting fine for a walk & talk.
I'm also in Boston, and would be interested in a meeting, though I doubt I'd make it to Newburyport this weekend.
Is this the one-day festival in Boston on Oct. 15? I checked when I got home, and it's the weekend AFTER Canadian Thanksgiving (woo-hoo). So I'm considering inviting a friend to come with me to Boston. Last October we met in Toronto and went to a couple sessions at IFOA (highly recommended (http://www.readings.org/?q=ifoa).How does the Boston Book Festival work, with the events being free? Are they hard to get into?
Joanne, the Newburyport Book Festival is different, but I would definitely be up for a meet-up at the Boston Book Festival! I didn't get to go last year (the first year I had heard about it), and I've been looking forward to this year's. I had heard that some of the events are really busy, like Bill Bryson's talk I believe was standing-room only.
Callie wrote: "I would definitely be up for a meet-up at the Boston Book Festival!..."Hmmm. The Boston Book Festival. I wonder if that is the one advertised on BookBuilders Boston called NE Book Festival and scheduled for next week? I will be there Thursday nite to see Daphne Kalotay read from her novel Russian Winter.
The Boston Book Festival will be on October 15, in Copley Plaza. I'm so excited, they just announced yesterday who some of the authors will be:Jennifer Egan (Visit from the Goon Squad)
Siddhartha Mukherjee (The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer)
Sarah Bakewell (How to Live: Or, a Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at An Answer)
Isabel Wilkerson (The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration)
You can get more information here: http://www.bostonbookfest.org/
Trish wrote: "Whoa! That looks fab.."Ditto x 10! I keep looking and seeing more and more names! Simon Mawer, Stacy Schiff, and an Antiquatarian book sale! WOW!!! Off to print the sked off now! :-)
Chris, I think the schedule that's up now is from the 2010 event? You might just want to doublecheck :)
Thanks for pointing that out to me, Callie! Apparently I didn't see the numbers 2010 in large print! LOL! I'll keep waiting for this year's! :-)
Callie wrote: "The Boston Book Festival will be on October 15, in Copley Plaza. I'm so excited, they just announced yesterday who some of the authors will be:
Jennifer Egan (Visit from the Goon Squad)
Siddharth..."
Methinks I need to take a trip to Boston. Just this list of authors alone is worth it.
Jennifer Egan (Visit from the Goon Squad)
Siddharth..."
Methinks I need to take a trip to Boston. Just this list of authors alone is worth it.
Mod
So -- if you guys plan something, I will try my best to be there. Unfortunately, Michael and I won't be able to help with any planning, though.
Hmmm..."plan something..." I would guess that wouldn't be doing arranging hotels, etc, since in Boston folks can do that themselves? So, perhaps a reception where everyone can meet up and talk about what they've seen/heard? What does "something" mean to you all?
Trish, I was basically thinking the same thing, basically just finding a place we can get together and chat. Doesn't have to be anything fancy, maybe a table at a restaurant or something along those lines? Depending on the number of people coming, I guess.I am more than willing to help out any way I can! Can't wait to see some BotNS friends again, I'm in full-fledged withdrawal here!
Joanne wrote: "Is this the one-day festival in Boston on Oct. 15? I checked when I got home, and it's the weekend AFTER Canadian Thanksgiving (woo-hoo). So I'm considering inviting a friend to come with me to Bos..."Joanne wrote: "Is this the one-day festival in Boston on Oct. 15? I checked when I got home, and it's the weekend AFTER Canadian Thanksgiving (woo-hoo). So I'm considering inviting a friend to come with me to Bos..."
Joanne, I went last year and the sessions were pretty easy to get into. The only problem was that some overlapped so you may have to exit early from one session to get to another. And yes, Bill Bryson was packed the line wrapped around the building.
If anyone is looking for something to do in May, I just found out about the Boston Literary walking tours:http://www.bostonbyfoot.org/tours/Lit...
It sounds really cool! Anyone interested?
Great website with those sunny photos of Boston. Looks like they took the photos right after a refreshing rainstorm. Yes, I'd take this walk one day. Have a date in mind? Perhaps before it gets too hot?
I would say either the 14th or the 21st, since Memorial Day weekend will be insanely crowded in town. And, since it's an hour and a half, starting at 10, we could do lunch after somewhere, maybe do a bookstore or two.
Callie, that looks like a great idea! Count me in. Do you have a particular Saturday in mind?
Sounds good. Either one is okay with my schedule right now.
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I emailed the company (I was curious about where it finished, so I could scope out lunch places, etc), and the woman there said that if we have a group of 10 or more, we could organize a private tour. If there is interest, I could totally put that together, I think it would be a lot of fun. :)
This sounds like such an excellent idea. Thanks for pulling it together.
I think this sounds wonderful. If you pull it together, will the final arrangements be on the main page?
Karen wrote: "I went last year and the sessions were pretty easy to get into...."Thanks for the information, Karen. I was glad to find the "other Karen" from dinner on Friday night at the retreat. I will approach my book-festival-attending friend about going to Boston.
If you are interested in coming, let's say the 21st, can you send me a message through goodreads? That way I can try to get a count of who is interested.Just to clarify, this is the literary tour of Boston, plus lunch, and maybe a bookstore run, not the Boston Book Festival in October. Just so no one is disappointed! :)
Yup, got it. I am thinking of the BBF in October. Hope you have fun in May!
Whoa! I am so glad there are a lot of Boston people out there! I haven't checked my thread in a few days. I am so in for the 21st! BOTNS lovers untie!
I'm in for the 21st, I'll send Callie an email through goodreads as she asked.
Thanks for the messages everyone!I am wondering if there is some way people can get the word out to the facebook group as well, since I am not on facebook and I would hate to not include someone just because they're not on goodreads! They can get in touch with me through my email, geocallie(at)yahoo(dot)com.
If we would like to do a private tour (which I'm guessing we would want to do), the cost is $126.00 for a group of less than 10, or $12.60 per person for groups over 10. So definitely get the word out! :)
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Vanessa wrote: "Ann - I'm thrilled you mentioned this because my parents are coming all the way from California to visit me this weekend and my Dad (a loyal BOTNS listener) wanted to go to the Newburyport literary..."I was just on my computer in between errands for the Lit Festival this weekend and saw this post. I'm so excited to think that people will be coming from as far as California to the festival this weekend!! Everything is all set up and ready to go for tomorrow. If anyone from BOTNS sees me - I'll be the red head in sneakers running from venue to venue to make sure everything is going smoothly - stop me to say hi. And enjoy!!!
And I'm definitely in for any meet up at the BBF in October! I'm going to check my calendar to see if May 21 will work too.
I'll be in Newburyport on Saturday. Can't wait. I love the town and this will be my first NLF.
Do you have a twitter handle, Jason? If I get there & have time, I can try to locate you. Mine is @bowedbookshelf
Jennifer wrote: "Vanessa wrote: "Ann - I'm thrilled you mentioned this because my parents are coming all the way from California to visit me this weekend and my Dad (a loyal BOTNS listener) wanted to go to the Newb..."Just returned from the Newburyport Lit Fest and it was fantastic. There were so many authors/bloggers and each presentation that I attended was very interesting. I heard both Matthew Pearl and Stephen McCauley read, listened to some book bloggers discuss their sites, am eagerly awaiting Tom Ryan's book "Following Atticus", and visited two terrific bookshops - Jabberwocky and The Book Rack. In addition, my to-read list will grow by several volumes thanks to some great recommendations. So . . . thanks, Jennifer, for the good work and your dedication to readers and authors. Best NLF yet!
NBPLF was really terrific--such a gorgeous time of year in that old city and such wonderful author/blogger panels. I enjoyed every moment. You all MUST try to go next year. It is HUGE--terribly romantic and so low key--by 'huge' I mean in enjoyment. Very soft-pedal on spending money--it is FREE, and though one is tempted to buy books from the lovely and wonderfully stocked bookstores and at venues, one can bring a sandwich and enjoy Newburyport's lovely scenery. Put it on your schedule.
The Newburyport Literary Festival was so much fun! I am exhausted in a really good way. :) All of the panels I attended were wonderful. I wish I had a time turner from Harry Potter so I could attend more of them. At the bloggers panel, BOTNS got a shout out. It took a lot for me not to cheer and clap. :)Jennifer, everything was amazing and so well organized! Thank you very much!
Wow - I'm really touched by everyone's response to the festival. I'm lucky that I have such a beautiful town with two awesome bookstores as the backdrop for the day. It was wonderful to see Tracey again - bringing back memories of the retreat weekend - and I wish I could have said hello to Paul and Trish in person. I'm really glad you all enjoyed it. Thank you so much for coming and for all your kind words!
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Having gone to the BOTNS retreat, I am now having bookie friend withdrawal. Any listeners in Boston, MA wanna meet up an talk books over coffee?... or book browsing? Hope everyone had a lovely easter!
Vanessa