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Oct. 20th, 2005 01:23 pmI made it through! I made it through the week!
The first week of November is the one that'll really kick my ass, but I have a wee break until then. *whew*
Tuesday, I had a six-hour shift to work the Howard Zinn event, co-sponsored by the local bookstore and several local social justice groups. Chapin was as packed as I've ever seen it; I heard they were turning people away because there simply weren't seats. Howard and Anthony were both wicked nice, and obviously excited to be here. Since Voices is about the People's Voices, it wasn't a straight-up book reading; instead, 18 performers (including my housemate, Biz, hi!) read excerpts of the documents and speeches. The social justice groups and union organizers wanted to give the event a local slant, so in addition to talking about Shays' Rebellion (which happened in Northampton), there were pieces from a Holyoke mill worker, Frances Perkins, a Northampton peace activist, and a Belchertown military mother (the last two were present to perform their own letters -- very cool).
Howard is obviously getting on in years, and it seemed like his energy flagged near the end of the 90-minute presentation, but he was gracious and chatty with everyone during the book-signing that followed. I didn't have a book, or get a picture taken (like one lucky Becky P. did two years ago), but it was still a thrill to have met him.
I'm off to snuggle up with Oscar in the library, and likely take a nap. It's thrilling how my thesis reading has become my pleasure reading, no?
The first week of November is the one that'll really kick my ass, but I have a wee break until then. *whew*
Tuesday, I had a six-hour shift to work the Howard Zinn event, co-sponsored by the local bookstore and several local social justice groups. Chapin was as packed as I've ever seen it; I heard they were turning people away because there simply weren't seats. Howard and Anthony were both wicked nice, and obviously excited to be here. Since Voices is about the People's Voices, it wasn't a straight-up book reading; instead, 18 performers (including my housemate, Biz, hi!) read excerpts of the documents and speeches. The social justice groups and union organizers wanted to give the event a local slant, so in addition to talking about Shays' Rebellion (which happened in Northampton), there were pieces from a Holyoke mill worker, Frances Perkins, a Northampton peace activist, and a Belchertown military mother (the last two were present to perform their own letters -- very cool).
Howard is obviously getting on in years, and it seemed like his energy flagged near the end of the 90-minute presentation, but he was gracious and chatty with everyone during the book-signing that followed. I didn't have a book, or get a picture taken (like one lucky Becky P. did two years ago), but it was still a thrill to have met him.
I'm off to snuggle up with Oscar in the library, and likely take a nap. It's thrilling how my thesis reading has become my pleasure reading, no?
