Saturday was the Boston Book Festival, a convergence of things for book-nerds of all ages from the two-year-old who wants to meet Llama Llama to the ninety-year-old Harvard professor discussing....whatever they discuss.
My roommate and I started the day off at the Kids Keynote, supposed to be given by none other than Mr. Lemony Snicket. Unfortunately, Mr. Snicket was delayed, and so Mr. Daniel Handler gave a quite good presentation. (And by that I mean, an amazing and hilarious performance).
We waited in the signing line, along with little kids with their noses buried so deep in the books that their parents had to herd them along. A handbell choir played for us while we waited. I am not sure why.
Mr. Handler gave Kathleen a new nickname. Because she had gotten her book signed to "Kathleen, Elizabeth and Francesca," he asked what my relationship to those three was. "Oh," I said, "I live with that one."
"I like that you call her That One," he replied.
Her name is forever That One.
For the rest of the day, I went to panels in gorgeous rooms in the Boston Public Library. I met up with other Simmons students, said hello to Jo Knowles, met Gabrielle Zevin and took a creepy picture of Corey Doctorow for my friend. I also told Rachel Cohn that "Snarl," the name used for a muppet in Dash and Lily's Book of Dares was actually the original name of Gonzo.
We ended the day at Max Brenner, the chocolate-themed restaurant on Boyleston. It was one of those days that made me happy that I'm in a city that takes books so seriously.
I have to get there one of these years!
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