BOSTON — The Boston Book Festival is an annual gathering of local book stores, literary journals, educational institutions and academic reviews. On October 16th Boston was home to the second annual Book Festival. With attendance growing, interests heightening, and anticipation for fascinating, relevant literary guests, the festival looks to be here to stay. The overlaying feeling of this year’s festival was picturesquely New England, a typical fall day of about 50 degrees, dense cloud cover, and enthusiastic festival goers. As you walked around to the different booths you noticed the surprising variety of organizations involved, from WGBH to Google for example. When discussing the reason for their attendance with a volunteer, it was stated that Google simply volunteered a pavilion and the most money out of good spirit. The festival attracted thousands in 2009 and in 2010 was expected to grow even larger. Google’s pavilion was the largest tent set up — rightfully so, only to reflect their egos masked by their generosity. Nevertheless with large companies now involved the option for large more ‘expensive’ guests are invited. This was true in 2010 with an even larger turn out that in 2009.
Joyce Carol Oates described as dangerous and a master of the short story agreed to come to the Boston Book Festival this year to promote her newest collection and speak on her technique and background. This was a window into Joyce Carol Oates that any literary type would not avoid — to hear from the best, and hopefully absorb some Oates energy if you will.
Inside Trinity Church on Copley Square in the grand hall the attendees gathered anxious to see Oates in person and to hear her speak of ‘how she does what she does’ and ‘how she does what she does so damn well’ An hour was allotted to a writer that could go on for days so the mood here was tight and riveting. The first half was devoted to a reading from her new collection, Sourland. A piece titled “Pumpkin-Head” was chosen and shocked the diversely aged audience. The piece was of love, loss, and renewal with acts of violence and rape mixed in. This may have disturbed an unprepared audience waiting to hear from a tale of interpersonal struggle and the like. But if you know Oates she always surprises, and when she does, it’s always a little too much.
The unprepared interviewer a television personality, Faith Saile had to tread on water while Oates relaxed lazily on a nearby island. Someone in touch with reality and treacherously so needs an interviewer over prepared to the point of exhaustion. Saile struggled to keep up with joke after joke Oates remarked stemming from the simple, generic questions she was handing out. The interview process almost felt like Saile – a seven-year-old girl pitching to Oates – an experienced MLB all-star. Nevertheless all of Oat’s witty remarks revealed some truths about her technique, style, creative motivation, and background.
By the time the interview was finished the audience didn’t know exactly what to think leaving Trinity. Perplexed, divided, shocked, content. They just witnessed a world renown author share a piece of her work and a piece of her mind to the “Pumpkin-Head” interviewer, maybe they’ll go and buy the book now.
No comments:
Post a Comment