Libba, Stephen, and Harper Lee

Last night I left the children in the care of someone trustworthy to attend the 50th Anniversary Celebration of To Kill a Mockingbird at Symphony Space. In addition to Oskar Eustis (Artistic Director at The Public Theater), Kurt Andersen (novelist and Studio 360 Host), Jayne Anne Phillips (novelist and National Book Award finalist Lark & Termite), filmmaker Mary McDonagh Murphy (author of the upcoming book Scout, Atticus, and Boo), were two of my favorite people in the world Stephen Colbert and Libba Bray (award winning young-adult novelist Going Bovine, winner of 2010 Printz Award)! Basically, they read excerpts from the book and went on about how great it was. And the audience concurred! The panel was mostly Southern-raised and had a deep connection with the book. I didn't read it till I was out of grad school and at my Scottish husband's insistence (!) but it nevertheless tore my guts out. Scout’s voice is amazing, and I think what every writer, YA or otherwise, aspires to achieve in their work. Just when I thought I could not possibly love him anymore than I already do, Stephen Colbert says that he reads To Kill a Mockingbird at least once a year and his copy is held together with rubber bands. It was a great night with a bizarre panel. Jayne Anne Phillips was a little "I'm a National Book Award Finalist and Who the Hell Are You" the whole night, Libba was a little shy, and it did drag on a bit but Stephen kept it lively and it was a real pleasure to be in a room where people were talking about falling in love with a book. Then we went for tapas and wine (sadly without Libba and Stephen) and caught a taxi home. I was shaken up because all I could think of was Scout and Atticus and Jem and my own two little ones at home and the YA book I'm about to delve into come Monday and the power of words arranged artfully on a page to change the world while drinking a fantastic tempranillo and eating patatas bravas... Not quite a Literary Night of Debauchery but pretty fucking close.

Days to May of Mayhem: 4

So, I'll begin a little Q & A here ala Isaiah Sheffer: What do you remember most from reading the book? Where were you when you first read it and how old?

Your turn! Er, in the comments!

Lorin Stein: Overacheiver

Have you heard about Lorin Stein? Talented, ambitious, French-speaking bastard. 37 years old and to be the new editor of the Paris Review? So young! So accomplished! But has he ever written a first person young adult novel and nourished 2 babies for 5 months straight on breastmilk ALONE? Long ago, when he was alive, I got wasted on white wine at a book party at George Plimpton's house. The walls were dripping with whimsical caricatures drawn by oh, probably Picasso, Hirshfeld or W.C. Fields. The kitchen (where the wine was) was gigantic and filled with expensive pots and pans and thick white dishes. There were writers everywhere and some of them knew my name and couldn't wait to hear about what I was "working on" and who I was "studying with" and if I wanted "another glass of chardonnay." I thought that my life would be filled with hundreds and thousands of better and even more literary nights of debauchery. Little did I know that tipsy on a little corner couch, listening to him plink plonk on a baby grand, equally drunk with a fellow student would be a highlight of my so called literary life I would share, hardly ever, with anyone. Until now. Cheers Lorin- you firecracker.