2008 Woodie Awards
McSweeney's authors speak for bookstore's independence
Simmi Aujla
Issue date: 4/17/06 Section: Arts & Culture
Five authors affiliated with McSweeney's, a publishing company founded by Dave Eggers, concluded the McSweeney's Rectangular Festival Saturday evening with readings from their works and words of support for keeping the Brown Bookstore independent.
The festival, the largest gathering of McSweeney's authors ever, began Friday evening with readings and continued with book signings at the Brown Bookstore Saturday morning and panels with the authors Saturday afternoon.
Eggers, a Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius," founded the magazine McSweeney's Quarterly Concern in 1998 with the intention of publishing works rejected by other publications. Today the company is at the forefront of experimental fiction and publishes both short stories and novels, often introducing new, talented authors who would otherwise sink into obscurity.
Eggers concluded the festival with readings from his yet unpublished novel based on the experiences of a Sudanese refugee in Ethiopia. Before reading, Eggers, sporting a pin expressing his support for the Brown Bookstore, condemned the bookstore's potential takeover by Barnes and Noble College Booksellers. Eggers called Barnes and Noble "predatory," especially among Ivy League schools.
"This is a scary thing and not a right thing," Eggers said. "McSweeney's wouldn't be here without selling only through independent bookstores," he added.
"Make yourself heard," Eggers told the audience before he began reading from his work, which will be published this fall through McSweeney's. Excerpts of his work have not appeared in any publications.
Adjunct Professor of Literary Arts Robert Coover, who coordinated the festival with Associate Professor of English Brian Evenson, also asked audience members to support the independent Brown Bookstore at the start of the event. Independent bookstores have always welcomed authors like those published in McSweeney's, he said.
"Let's hope McSweeney's carries the day for us," Coover said before introducing Eli Horowitz, managing editor of McSweeney's.
The festival, the largest gathering of McSweeney's authors ever, began Friday evening with readings and continued with book signings at the Brown Bookstore Saturday morning and panels with the authors Saturday afternoon.
Eggers, a Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius," founded the magazine McSweeney's Quarterly Concern in 1998 with the intention of publishing works rejected by other publications. Today the company is at the forefront of experimental fiction and publishes both short stories and novels, often introducing new, talented authors who would otherwise sink into obscurity.
Eggers concluded the festival with readings from his yet unpublished novel based on the experiences of a Sudanese refugee in Ethiopia. Before reading, Eggers, sporting a pin expressing his support for the Brown Bookstore, condemned the bookstore's potential takeover by Barnes and Noble College Booksellers. Eggers called Barnes and Noble "predatory," especially among Ivy League schools.
"This is a scary thing and not a right thing," Eggers said. "McSweeney's wouldn't be here without selling only through independent bookstores," he added.
"Make yourself heard," Eggers told the audience before he began reading from his work, which will be published this fall through McSweeney's. Excerpts of his work have not appeared in any publications.
Adjunct Professor of Literary Arts Robert Coover, who coordinated the festival with Associate Professor of English Brian Evenson, also asked audience members to support the independent Brown Bookstore at the start of the event. Independent bookstores have always welcomed authors like those published in McSweeney's, he said.
"Let's hope McSweeney's carries the day for us," Coover said before introducing Eli Horowitz, managing editor of McSweeney's.