The Book Reader
recap
Thanks to everyone who helped to create an extraordinary event!
------------------------------A Beautiful day to read in a parking space
Lexington Herald-Leader
2 photos by Charles Bertram
Saturday, April, 25, 2009
If you were going to pick a day to read a book in a parking space, Friday definitely would have been the day to do it.
And that's exactly what Louisvillians Jeremy Garrett and Lynda Mercer were doing at parking meter 131 at the intersection of Short and Limestone streets Friday as part of ELandF Gallery's Small Projects Accelerator. The initiative has staged previous events such as the mourner at the site where buildings were demolished to make way for the proposed CentrePointe development.*
For Friday's event, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Gallery had put out a call for people to propose a book that had great meaning to them, that they would like to read in a parking space set up to look like a reading room. The idea was people could witness someone engrossed in reading something that had a great impact on them.
Garrett chose Gore Vidal’s The City and the Pillar writing that he first read it, "on a family road trip to the beach. My first, secret boyfriend had loaned me the novel, and while my father incessantly searched the radio for a Christian music station, I spent the trip reading. Vidal’s book, the first popular gay novel, was my initial plunge into gay fiction. That long ago vacation I lied to my parents when they asked about the novel I was reading, which is why now, having faced the fear of disapproval, I long to read The City and the Pillar in a public parking space."
*
Mercer wrote, "I'm interested in reading meaningful writing publicly because I hope to one day read my own work in a public venue, but more importantly, I find public intellectual endeavors exciting, and I find literature especially so. I would love to share Graham Swift's Waterland with others. Swift's work has influenced my own writing and I find all of his fictional worlds to be captivating, sometimes absurd, and always innovative. To me, Waterland is like a darker, more experimental twist on Dickens, and I think the novel is the epitome of art. It's really just a beautiful, lyrical piece of writing and I think it would be a perfect choice to hear read aloud, even (and maybe especially) in a parking lot."
*
*
The readers were given the option of reading quietly or out loud. When Herald-Leader photographer Charles Bertram visited, they were both reading quietly, drawing curious glances
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The Book Readers
were joined by 4 groups of students from Transylvania University who set up actions around Lexington at the same time. The student Book Readers (2 pics at Bottom of collage set up near us) Note Kremena Toderova in center photo - our guest reader. Thanks to all!
*
great event pics from Louis Bickett's site:http://www.flickr.com/photos/louis_z_bickett_ii/3470758667/
great event pics from Kurt Gohde's site:
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The Book Reader
Book Reader Wanted
to read a book that has extraordinary meaning to the reader. Reader will be asked to read in an outdoor public parking space (weather permitting) in Lexington….
ElandF Gallery small projects accelerator is pleased to announce that Jeremy Garrett and Lynda Mercer (both of Louisville) have been selected to read a book in an outdoor public parking space in Lexington. The narrative each submitted may be found below.
Date/Time: Friday April 24, 11:30am- 3:00pm
Location: Parking Meter #131 Short St., intersection of N. Limestone
Contact: ELandFgallery@yahoo.com
ElandF Gallery small projects accelerator is pleased to announce that Jeremy Garrett and Lynda Mercer (both of Louisville) have been selected to read a book in an outdoor public parking space in Lexington. The narrative each submitted may be found below.
Date/Time: Friday April 24, 11:30am- 3:00pm
Location: Parking Meter #131 Short St., intersection of N. Limestone
Contact: ELandFgallery@yahoo.com
Both Book Readers may be contacted through ELandF Gallery
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selected narratives
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Jeremy Garrett
I read Gore Vidal’s The City and the Pillar on a family road trip to the beach. My first, secret boyfriend had loaned me the novel, and while my father incessantly searched the radio for a Christian music station, I spent the trip reading. Vidal’s book, the first popular gay novel, was my initial plunge into gay fiction. That long ago vacation I lied to my parents when they asked about the novel I was reading, which is why now, having faced the fear of disapproval, I long to read The City and the Pillar in a public parking space.
selected narratives
--------------------
Jeremy Garrett
I read Gore Vidal’s The City and the Pillar on a family road trip to the beach. My first, secret boyfriend had loaned me the novel, and while my father incessantly searched the radio for a Christian music station, I spent the trip reading. Vidal’s book, the first popular gay novel, was my initial plunge into gay fiction. That long ago vacation I lied to my parents when they asked about the novel I was reading, which is why now, having faced the fear of disapproval, I long to read The City and the Pillar in a public parking space.
--------------------
Lynda Mercer
I'm interested in reading meaningful writing publicly because I hope to one day read my own work in a public venue, but more importantly, I find public intellectual endeavors exciting, and I find literature especially so. I would love to share Graham Swift's 'Waterland' with others. Swift's work has influenced my own writing and I find all of his fictional worlds to be captivating, sometimes absurd, and always innovative. To me, 'Waterland' is like a darker, more experimental twist on Dickens, and I think the novel is the epitome of art. It's really just a beautiful, lyrical piece of writing and I think it would be a perfect choice to hear read aloud, even (and maybe especially) in a parking lot.
-------------------
I'm interested in reading meaningful writing publicly because I hope to one day read my own work in a public venue, but more importantly, I find public intellectual endeavors exciting, and I find literature especially so. I would love to share Graham Swift's 'Waterland' with others. Swift's work has influenced my own writing and I find all of his fictional worlds to be captivating, sometimes absurd, and always innovative. To me, 'Waterland' is like a darker, more experimental twist on Dickens, and I think the novel is the epitome of art. It's really just a beautiful, lyrical piece of writing and I think it would be a perfect choice to hear read aloud, even (and maybe especially) in a parking lot.
-------------------
Guest Reader
Kremena Toderova
12-1pm
Kremena Toderova is a professor at Transylvania University. Currently she and her colleague Kurt Gohde are documenting Lexington’s Drag culture within a project called Passing. http://www.myspace.com/passing_lex
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Kremena Toderova
12-1pm
Kremena Toderova is a professor at Transylvania University. Currently she and her colleague Kurt Gohde are documenting Lexington’s Drag culture within a project called Passing. http://www.myspace.com/passing_lex
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Students in Kremena Todorova’s current class at Transylvania University (Creative Disruption, taught collaboratively with Kurt Gohde) will also be participating in this project on Friday. They will be working in groups of four: selecting their own books, creating readingenvironments in parking spaces around town, and reading from Noon until 2pm. Although the documentation you should look for these disruptive readers as you are out shopping at the mall, the grocery store, WalMart, or as you find a parking spot in the park. They could be anywhere.
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The Book Reader is sponsored in part by Latitude Artist Community
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original post
BOOK READER WANTED
Book Reader Wanted
to read a book that has extraordinary meaning to the reader. Reader will be asked to read in an outdoor public parking space (weather permitting) in Lexington which will be appointed with a nice rug, comfortable chairs and a very small but excellent library.
Date/Time: Friday April 24, 11:30am- 3:00pm
Location: Corner of Short St. and N. Limestone
Honorarium: $50.00
To Apply: No more than 100 words on why you might like to read a book that has extraordinary meaning to you in a public parking space.
Submissions/Information: (by email only)ELandFgallery@yahoo.com
Deadline: April 15, 2009
to read a book that has extraordinary meaning to the reader. Reader will be asked to read in an outdoor public parking space (weather permitting) in Lexington which will be appointed with a nice rug, comfortable chairs and a very small but excellent library.
Date/Time: Friday April 24, 11:30am- 3:00pm
Location: Corner of Short St. and N. Limestone
Honorarium: $50.00
To Apply: No more than 100 words on why you might like to read a book that has extraordinary meaning to you in a public parking space.
Submissions/Information: (by email only)ELandFgallery@yahoo.com
Deadline: April 15, 2009