On Sunday, I returned from the AWP conference in New York City. It was an amazing experience all around, and I was able to hear readings by some of my favorite writers. This seems like a great excuse to post links to some of their work.
Billy Collins read on Saturday afternoon, and he was paired with Frank McCourt (Angela's Ashes). The two men were good friends, and they were both wildly entertaining readers. I enjoyed everything they read, but the piece that sticks out in my mind is one of Billy Collins' poems, "The Lanyard." This has always been one of my favorites, but his delivery made it ten times better. The long pause before "and I gave her a lanyard" left me laughing so hard I cried.
Link: The Trouble with Poetry: And Other Poems (which includes "The Lanyard") by Billy Collins.
I was really, really looking forward to the reading by Joyce Carol Oates. Seriously. I sat outside the room for the entire previous session so that I could dash in and get a good seat for her reading. And it was worth it. I can't imagine anything more gracious than the way she began her speech: "It's a pleasure to be in the company of so many fellow writers."
Link: Joyce Carol Oates' new novel, The Gravedigger's Daughter.
Mark Strand. The woman I was sitting next to at the Mark Strand reading asked if I had ever heard him read before. When I said no, she said, "You're in for a treat." He was tall and elegant, and had a voice to match.
Link: The book that made me a fan of Mark Strand, Blizzard of One.
I hadn't seen Julianna Baggott in person in about nine years. She was as lovely and sweet as ever, and I really enjoyed catching up with her again. She participated in a couple of panels and signed copies of her newest book, Compulsions of Silkworms and Bees, on Friday afternoon at the bookfair.
Link: Julianna Baggott's first collection of poetry, This Country of Mothers.
Sharon Olds has a beautiful voice. I was one of the 100+ people sitting or standing at the back of the room during her reading, and I was too far away to see her clearly, but she had a microphone and she sounded terrific.
Link: In addition to some more recent work, Sharon Olds read the poem that I always think of when I think of her, "I Go Back to May 1937."
Amy Bloom is one of my all-time favorite writers (please see my previous blog entry for more about her and her new novel, Away). On Thursday morning, I attended a panel subtitled "Being Crazy Doesn't Make You Interesting" (an evocative title that was apparently her idea). This was a good panel in general, and I discovered that she's as interesting in person as she is on the page.
Link: Amy Bloom's first published collection of short stories, Come to Me.
3 comments:
Sounds like you had a great time! You covered a couple of readings (esp. Mark Strand) that I wanted very much to see--and missed--so I appreciate the report. And thanks for stopping by the blog. = )
Cheers, Sandra
You're welcome! And thanks for your note. Your blog entry was really, really funny. This was my first AWP conference, and I think I'd like to go again. (I definitely missed the whole prizewinning poets and bathtubs scene this time!)
Re: Frank McCourt:
At the time I attended this reading and wrote the blog post, I clearly hadn't read Angela's Ashes but was only reacting to the plotline.
If I'd read it ahead of time, I would have known what to expect. He was as wonderful and humorous a storyteller in print as he was in person. I'm so grateful now that I had the opportunity to hear him before his death.
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