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Yes, the dreaded "technical difficulties" reared their ugly head (heads?) last night. So Important Literary Thoughts, if any, will have to wait until later. So let's chat about celebrities briefly instead. First -- if you thought Stephen King's novels were scary, you should hear him sing. His vocals were every bit as awful as you would expect from the all-star author band, the Rock Bottom Remainders, who performed at Webster Hall last night. But I have to say, he does a fine "Don't Fear the Reaper." Second, if you go to a Rock Bottom Remainders concert, find a good spot near the back, near the bar and the exit. That's where I was standing when a familiar-looking person excused herself past me. I turned to the person behind me and ask, "Was that ... " "Yes," she said. "Pat Schroeder," head of the American Association of Publishers. A few minutes later, the person tugged my sleeve. "Did you read 'The Kite Runner?' " I nodded. (I guess only the Book Expo would this seem like normal conversation at a rock concert.) "The guy who wrote it is standing right over there." Sure enough, there was Khaled Hosseini. I chatted with him later, after several people stopped to shake his had. He acknowledged that the Expo is one of the few places where he has to worry about being recognized in public. "Usually, it is quite safe." |
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Comments
Posted by Mary E. DeMuth @ 7:22 PM Mon, Jun 04, 2007
I was there!
Loved the concert. You forgot to mention Amy Tan's scary voice.
I'm heartbroken I didn't meet Hosseini. The Kite Runner rocked my literary world.
Posted by Michael Merschel @ 9:59 PM Mon, Jun 04, 2007
You're right. Amy Tan's voice was of the variety that reminds you it's time to turn your brake rotors, or let the cat out. Her voice is as bad as her books are good.
I loved the way she swayed with Lesley Gore. And I have a lot of admiration for anyone who would happily make a fool of herself like that in the name of charity.
(Their web site, which I couldn't post earlier, is www.rockbottomremainders.com.)
Khaled Hosseini was a total gentleman. He bought drinks for the woman and her husband standing next to me. And he graciously met with fans and the press (which would be me) who spoke with him after the show.
Posted by Mary E. DeMuth @ 8:07 AM Tue, Jun 05, 2007
Yes, I admired Tan as well for pouring her heart into it, caring more for charity than her personal stardom (in the singing arena).
Have you read Hosseini's newest book? It's on my TBR pile.