Independent Booksellers Week

Well, actually it’s more than a week since it’s advertised to be November 15th to the 21st, but the launch party was on the 11th.  Longer is better as far as I’m concerned.  Launched by the Independent Booksellers of New York City, the week-ish long series of events is basically a marketing tool, but what a great marketing tool.  By bunching together events and setting aside a week to highlight them, it caught my eye out here in LA and if I lived in NYC (or, even better, if the LA stores copied the idea), I would take a second look at my calendar and try to fit in a few extra events.  Actually, who am I kidding, I’d be running all over town.  There are several events every day, here are just some of the ones I’d try very hard to squeeze in:

• Paul Auster in conversation with Granta editor John Freeman at powerHouse Arena
• The New York Review Classics 10th Anniversary Party at Greenlight Books (see my guest post about Greenlight Books at Bookshop Blog).  Jhumpa Lahiri and several other authors will be attending this free event; I’d like to note that I paid $40 to hear Lahiri last year, so if you can go for free, do it.
• Every day during the week of celebrations, Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks will be giving away free cookies, YUM!
• But the food doesn’t stop with cookies, on Sunday morning stop by Book Culture for a free Bagel Brunch.
• Unnameable Books will host a midnight release of Sarah Palin’s book and Vladimir Nabakov’s book at midnight Sunday night/Monday morning.  Which book would you chose?
• In honor of the paperback release of State by State, WORD is offering a “Neighborhood by Neighborhood” essay contest.  My kids still wear the t-shirts they received for winning an essay contest at our local bookstore and much to their embarrassment, I’m still bragging about it.
• The weeks festivities close with a reception at Book Culture where they will give out a 20% discount coupon.

And in the midst of all of it, the National Book Award winners will be announce on November 18th in New York City.  Visit the stores, buy some gifts, and then don’t forget to reward yourself by entering our ABA gift card giveaway to spend on books for yourself!