Harriet Turns 50 Years-Old & Bookish Stuff in and Around Philly: Feb. 24 - March 2

How will you celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Harriet the Spy this week? Do something bookish -- read, write or support an author by going to a signing.

And although it may not directly relate to Harriet's big birthday, I'm celebrating another fierce female character through moderating the first of two book club discussions of Rachel Kushner's The Flamethrowers at Main Point Books in Bryn Mawr. Join me on Thursday, 2/27 @ 7:00 pm or, if you can't make that meeting, I'll be leading another session at the store on Thursday, March 6 @ 1:00 pm. There's still time to read the book and join in!

James Patterson's commitment to independent bookstores made national news this week he announced that he was awarding $267,000 to 55 independent booksellers as the first step towards distributing $1 million to community stores with an emphasis on those that promote a love of a reading in children. But, did you know that three area independent bookshops were among those receiving grants? Congrats to Children's Book World in Haverford, The Doylestown Bookshop and Booktenders Secret Garden both in Doylestown!

I think I'll have to read a James Patterson book now.

Monday, February 24

Gary Shteyngart | Little Failure
Location: Free Library, Central Library
Cost: $15 General Admission, $7 Students
7:30 pm

This is rescheduled from late January when snow interfered with everyone having a really fun time with a charming and friendly writer. Go if you can!


Tuesday, February 25

Samuel G. Freedman | Breaking the Line with Ericka Blount Danois | Love, Peace, and Soul 
Location: Free Library, Central Library
Cost: Free
7:30 pm

Two very interesting and different books on African American cultural experiences -- breaking the color line in college football and an behind the scenes chronicle of Soul Train -- during the Civil Rights era.


Wednesday, February 26

Susannah Cahalan | Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness
Towne Book Center, Collegville
7 pm
RSVP: 610-454-0640

Warren Hoffman | The Great White Way: Race and the Broadway Musical
Location: Head House Books
619 South 2nd Street
Cost: Free
7:00 pm

Robin M. Kevles-Necowitz | Go Take A Bath!: A Powerful Self-Care Approach to Extraordinary Parenting
Location: Newtown Bookshop
Cost: Free
7:00 pm


Thursday, February 27

Anna Quindlen | Still Life with Bread Crumbs
Location: Free Library, Central Library
Cost: $15 General Admission, $7 Students
7:30 pm

Jon Muth | Hi, Koo!
Location: Children's Book World
Cost: Free
7:00 pm


Saturday, March 1

Multiple Authors | Death Knell V
Location: Chester County Book Company, 967 Paoli Pike, West Chester, PA
Cost: Free, but please purchase books to be signed in the store or online from Chester County Books
1:00 pm

Per Goodreads:

A collection of mystery stories --psychological suspense, historical mystery, paranormal, humorous, horror. Longtime favorite novelists, like Charles Todd and Robin Hathaway, as well as those just beginning to make their mark--J.D. Shaw, Augustus Cileone, and Kathleen Heady, among others--but also, many fresh new voices, in print for the first time. The settings take you to three continents.

Next week offers up some great events that are worth noting now so you have time to plan. For lovers of YA the Story Crush Winter 2014 Tour will be coming to the Barnes & Noble in Oxford, PA on Monday, March 3, while Martin Amis will be doing a talk and a signing at Haverford College on Wednesday, March 5.