| Author |
Message |
    
Troy
Veteran Poster
Username: Troy
Post Number: 726
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 23, 2007 - 11:21 pm: | 
|
The book Fair was quite interesting, on a number of levels.
One of the most interesting things I saw was the Conversation between Howard Zinn and Walter Mosley
http://authors.aalbc.com/howard_zinn.htm
I'll add more content as I get a chance...
I believe the full interview is available on C-Span2 Book TV |
Troy
Veteran Poster
Username: Troy
Post Number: 727
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 - 10:25 am: |
|
WNYC - News - Harlem Book Fair
http://www.wnyc.org/go.py?r=http%3A//www.wnyc.org/news/articles/82611
Article and interviews recorded by Siddhartha Mitter
|
Troy
Veteran Poster
Username: Troy
Post Number: 728
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 - 10:36 am: |
|
Congressman Charles B. Rangel and AALBC.com Founder Troy Johnson
71 other photos taken during the Harlem Book Fair
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=hgeq7si.6hu8pkau&x=1&y=sek9so
|
Troy
Veteran Poster
Username: Troy
Post Number: 729
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 - 12:15 pm: |
|
The following blog entry describes the street fair itself.
http://ferentz.typepad.com/thenightshiftchronicles/2007/07/harlem-book-fai.html
"One moment you're staring at a car emblazoned with the title "The Black Man's Guide on How to Cheat on Your Woman" and the next moment you're whirling around and saying to a friend, "that's Amiri Baraka," exuding the innocence of neophyte even though you've encountered the legendary author and activist on a number of occasions."
Troy's Comments
I must have walked right past the the author of the Blog Post. I walked right by Amiri Baraka. I said “hello” he acknowledged me (I don’t know him personally) I did not take a photo as I have a bunch of photos taken at many previous encounters. I did run into the “emblazoned” van. I took a photo of the van. Not so much because I’ve never seen a van so adorned. I just found the subject matter of “how to cheat on you woman” remarkable.
The author of the how to book was nearby and asked “…don’t you want to take a photo of the author…” Which I did:
It might seem obvious, but how one feels about the Harlem Book Fair is really in the eyes of the beholder. I know people who were disgusted and other your were very happy and they are all reasonable in their assessments.
One common comment was the lack of “literary” work or rather non-ghetto/urban/street/hiphop books. The Blogger referenced about touched upon this in the post.
There is perhaps no better metaphor for how the self published/urban/street authors are crowding out the main stream publisher's on book store shelves ,than what I saw on the street this past Saturday.
I know several people who simply could not find a book they wanted to read at the book fair. However I also observed many people who were seemed quite excited about the offerings.
As a vendor, during the Harlem Book Fair, for several years (I did not vend the last two years); I have noticed how some people would be excited to see my John A Williams titles and would buy 1 or 2. However the last year I exhibited I spent more time explaining to folk, who John A. Williams is. No one cared very much and my sales of his titles reflect this.
Yeah, the quality of Harlem Book Fair experience is truly in the eye of the beholder...
|
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 9441
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 - 01:30 pm: |
|
The smorgasbord of black books out there on the table provides something for everyone. What causes "indigestion" is that hungry new customers have an appetite for rib-tips and french fries and strawberry pop, instead of filet mighon and potatoes au gratin and Chardonney. But cream rises to the top. The tide has turned in the black book business, and fortunately the same tide that goes out, comes back in. |
Troy
Veteran Poster
Username: Troy
Post Number: 730
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 - 01:59 pm: |
|
In this case, the Cadillacs cost the same as the Buicks and people aree still buying the Buicks. |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 9443
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 - 02:07 pm: |
|
LOL. True, true, Troy-Troy. That's the difference between you and me. While I'm about metaphors, you're about money.  |
Schakspir
Veteran Poster
Username: Schakspir
Post Number: 1133
Registered: 12-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 - 03:39 pm: |
|
SHIT! Screwed up again. I was actually at the fair on Saturday and not only did I NOT have my book, I didn't get to see Walter Mosely, Howard Zinn OR Amiri Baraka! I guess I was so tired after walking around in the heat and noise and confusion of Harlem.... |
Urban_scribe
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Urban_scribe
Post Number: 496
Registered: 05-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 - 05:56 pm: |
|
How did I miss that van? Guess I was too busy trying to get a coconut "icee".
Great pix, btw. I had to register to view them, but at least I didn't have to wait for them to send me a confirmation email. Soon as you register you can look at the photos right away. Very nice pictures.
I took some pictures with my phone, but they didn't come out too good because of all the sunlight.
Schakspir, give yourself ten lashes for me!
|
Troy
Veteran Poster
Username: Troy
Post Number: 731
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 - 06:07 pm: |
|
Shakes, you also missed my riveting panel on book reviews. Honestly I found it to be a very interesting panel. I also learned a lot from the audience and other partcipants.
Much of the discussion focused on fee based book reviews. The audience (reader) is completely oblivious to the whole process and really don’t care. What they are about are book reviews they can trust.
Pictured from left to right
Max Rodriguez, founder of QBR the Black Book Review and co-founder of the Harlem Book Fair, Ron Kavanaugh, founder Mosaicbooks.com, Troy Johnson, founder AALBC.com, Shunda Leigh, founder Booking Matter Magazine and Gilda Celestin founder Belletristic Press.
|
Troy
Veteran Poster
Username: Troy
Post Number: 734
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 25, 2007 - 03:46 pm: |
|
157 photos from James Lisbon, Founder of Awareness Magazine.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=hw3u91y.ccsbd58m&x=1&y=7obf5m
Side Note: Coincidentally, Ron Kavanuagh, James Lisbon and I all graduation from the same high school (Brooklyn Technical High School). We were all three at the same time. Ron and I were in the same graduating class (we did not know each other then.
Funny How James and I got the same Charlie Rangel shot. I did each James at all that day.
|
Nom_de_plume
Newbie Poster
Username: Nom_de_plume
Post Number: 49
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 25, 2007 - 11:28 pm: |
|
LOL @ the guide on how to cheat on a black woman. GITdafukouttaheah!
I like HBF, but the selection did leave a lot to be desired...won't keep me from supporting it though. |
Troy
Veteran Poster
Username: Troy
Post Number: 739
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 10:58 am: |
|
I did each James at all that day. = I did not see James all that day.
Nom_de_plume, we should continue to support the fair. Perhaps our support should take different forms, perhaps it should be in the form of more active involvement.
Desipte the selection leaving a lot to be desired why do you like the HBF?
|
Nom_de_plume
Regular Poster
Username: Nom_de_plume
Post Number: 52
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 11:56 pm: |
|
What's not to love about beautiful black folks coming together to share their love of reading? That's it for me! I also enjoy the panels and the vendors that sell things other than books. |
Troy
Veteran Poster
Username: Troy
Post Number: 742
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 27, 2007 - 10:45 am: |
|
Here is a link to photos that my man Ron posted on Flickr he does not require logging in to see them and he editted to shot down quite a bit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mosaicbooks/sets/72157601035749231/
Ron also made a few Blog Posts as well: http://mosaicbooks.blogspot.com/
Nom_de_plume, I have to admit it was a very attractive crowd I enjoyed being in the mix.
|
Troy
Veteran Poster
Username: Troy
Post Number: 744
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 28, 2007 - 12:05 pm: |
|
Off the Page, a radio show about books also on WBAI in New York. Hosted by Esther Armah.
This is an hour long program but really good and including a probing interview with Harlem Book Fair co-founder Max Rodriguez.
http://archive.wbai.org/files/mp3/070705_120001gmr.MP3
Esther Armah
http://authors.aalbc.com/esther_armah.htm
|
Troy
Veteran Poster
Username: Troy
Post Number: 750
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, July 29, 2007 - 12:38 pm: |
|
The Book TV web site has been redesigned. CSpan recorded all of the panel discussions that took place in the Schomburg.
Max Rodriquez, QBR and co-fiunder of the Harlem Book Fair.
Troy Johnson (circled) with camera in hand.
The memoir panel on includes Dominic Carter (http://authors.aalbc.com/dominic_carter.htm). Dominic self-published his memoir.
It also includes June Cross (http://aalbc.com/authors/june_cross.htm) who is the secret daughter of a "white groupie".
The videos may be found here: http://booktv.org
|
Troy
Veteran Poster
Username: Troy
Post Number: 751
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, July 29, 2007 - 02:11 pm: |
|
I just listened to the Memoir and Remembrances: Making Way Out of No Way panel. It was really very good all of the panelists did a good job of explaining their books and they all sound interesting.
Even the Q&A was decent -- no one launched into a diatribe or gave commercials.
The author of Game Over: The Rise and Transformation of a Harlem Hustler, Agyei Tyehimba. Was quite interesting too.
Game Over: The Rise and Transformation of a Harlem Hustler
http://hiphopbookclub.com/real_gangstaz.htm
|
Bookgirl
Regular Poster
Username: Bookgirl
Post Number: 127
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 30, 2007 - 03:37 pm: |
|
Wow Troy. Much thanks to you, my brother! You have given us enough info here to make me feel like I actually did get to the HBF. Now I don't feel so bad about missing it this year. Being right here in Newark gives me no excuse not to be there each year. LOL
See ya next year; I am running a bus ride from Newark to the HBF.
|
Troy
Veteran Poster
Username: Troy
Post Number: 759
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 04, 2007 - 05:08 pm: |
|
Bookgirl this is a perfect ending to this post. I've archived this post here: http://events.aalbc.com/harlem_book_fair_2007.htm
Troy |
Email This Page