#68 - Go to a Book Signing

This was another item that I did, and then, while I was there, thought, "Oh yeah, this is on my list this year."  I guess I'm now living the life I want to live and doing fun things without truly keeping track anymore.  I love that.  But I also love this blog, so I plan to keep documenting and listing.

I wrote this item, "Go to a Book Signing" with the attention of going to a book store, hearing a reading, and standing in line to get my book signed like I've seen in movies and on TV.  While I realize now that this isn't a totally "new" experience for me, I'll likely include this item every year with a different author because I now recall 3 authors I've heard speak, and all 3 were incredibly memorable experiences, though none were the scene I had pictured in my head.

The first author I recall hearing speak is Rick Moody, whose most famous work is The Ice Storm, a book I was assigned in my freshman English course at the University of Michigan.  I am an avid reader and took literature and creative writing courses all through college even though I planned to pursue my career in physical education.  (That's right, I was to be a PE teacher, but that's another story.)  My favorite creative writing instructor always gave us extra credit for attending the Hopwood Awards for writing.  In 2003, Rick Moody read his short story "Boys," which I came across again in The Best American Short Stories series.  Which year, I cannot recall and am having a bit of difficulty locating via the internet, though I do recommend the entire series as they are filled with beautiful examples of the undervalued medium of the short story.  The story "Boys" is brief and has a strange narrative style, but I remember a few lines to this day from that initial reading, and the emotions it stirred flow back even as I type these few sentences.  

I must have seen either Heather McHugh or Nancy Willard at the Hopwood Awards as well.  I had the same professor twice (Professor Tish O'Dowd, one of my favorite teachers of all time -- again, another story) and remember attending two award readings, but I guess I just don't have as good of a memory for poetry.

The second author I recall hearing is seeing Temple Grandin last year at an event at my university, the University of San Diego.  Tonight, I realized that one probably counts as a book signing.  I didn't think of it because it was more of a lecture followed by the opportunity to have a book signed.  I probably did not consider it a book signing also because Grandin did not talk about her writing nor any particular book as she was there to lecture about working with students with autism.  Regardless, she was incredible.  The way she so honestly answered questions at the end of the lecture was particularly moving.  I had brought a book with me: Animals in Translation, which my dad recommended and loaned to me -- maybe I'll actually remember to give it back to him one of these days as I had it signed for him.

Book nerding out here

Tonight, I attended a similar book signing, and since this was a little more like what I had in mind, I'm counting it.  I had the incredible opportunity to attend a conversation with Salman Rushdie at the University of San Diego.  This summer I read The Satanic Verses for the second time, before I knew he would be visiting my campus, and much like the first reading, I was confused a lot of the time and yet still very moved by his prose.  His depth and whimsy draws me into the story enough that the 500+ pages somehow fly by and probe my curiosity about the content and its author.

The event certainly qualified as a "book signing" as it was an event on Rushdie's tour for his new book Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights.  While there was no reading, the event included a copy of the book, an hour-long conversation facilitated by USD professor Avi Spiegel (author of Young Islam), half an hour of question and answer, and a signing.  

The new book

Spiegel did a fantastic job facilitating an intriguing conversation about the book, knowing full well that most of the audience, sitting with the book in their laps, had not read it.  We were there to see Rushdie, not necessarily to dwell in the specifics of a book we had yet to read.  Spiegel's questions were so thoughtful that Rushdie was able to both delve deeply into the book and to transcend the book, discussing the larger themes, including time, love, education, religion (of course), and the process of writing.  The conversation revealed such fascinating details that I cannot wait to dive into the book (which I will once I finish at least one of the 5 books I am partway through.  I read a lot but I like reading a few chapters from different books each day.)

My favorite bit was when Spiegel bravely asked Rushdie about how he was able to carry on with his work when he had faced such hardships and even personal danger in doing so.  Rushdie responded quickly, explaining that it was nothing to be admired as it was the only thing to do.  After some poetic explanations, he told us, 'Bad writing is a matter of talent. Self censorship is a matter of choice.' (I'm reluctant to completely quote that as I may have mis-remembered the exact words, but it was close to that.)  It was a beautiful moment and his words resonate with me deeply.  I often hold my true feelings and opinions in to avoid conflict or tension.  Rushdie puts his words down and shares them with the world, knowing they will cause conflict and tension.  I plan to meditate on this idea.

Rushdie was incredibly receptive and engaging.

Rushdie signed my copy of 2828 and The Satanic Verses

I am so honored to have met such a globally influential person who speaks so boldly and poetically.  I look forward to reading 2828, and I even ordered Midnight's Children as I have yet to read that one either.  I have a feeling Rushdie may official become one of my favorite authors as I delve deeper into his work.