I really love this series. How fantastic is it to live in a town like Portland and have this kind of lecture series offered up? It’s nearly as good as living in New York City, only without the traffic. Literary Arts – Portland Arts & Lectures.
I was lucky enough to see a lecture from Stephen Jay Gould before he died, and Grace Paley (also before she died…) and Billy Collins… Collins is amazing. And funny. It was really nice to see a poet who didn’t take himself too seriously. Honestly, a poet laureate who writes funny poems? Who has ever heard of that?
One year I went to see Ira Glass…such a crush on him. At the little meet and greet they held afterwards, I was busy stuffing my face with appetizers and macaroons (I was very excited about the macaroons…). When he entered the room to much applause, I happened to be right in his path. Thrust out my hand to shake his and tell him how wonderful and brilliant and funny he is, and ended up spewing macaroon crumbs all over him.
The 2010 season has Ursula K. LeGuin and Margaret Atwood for the opening act, and then they finish it off with Art Spiegelman. It’s fantastic. I mean, have you ever read The Wild Party? Totally worthwhile.
As soon as I get a bunch of money from selling my fabulous novel, I’m buying a Patron Subscription and going to all of them, even if I haven’t read the book or don’t like the author.
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