Los Angeles Times Festival of Books at U.S.C.

Saturday was a beautiful day for roaming around the U.S.C. campus listening to music, poetry, talented authors and creative people discussing life.

I first listened to Michael Silverblatt interview Margaret Atwood.  Michael is the host of KCRW's "Bookworm" who interviews authors and advises listeners on great works.  Margaret has written over 40 works of fiction, poetry and essays.  She has written "The Year of the Flood" and a new book coming out in September, "Maddaddam."  She received an award from the L.A. Times for Innovation.

She has written in "The New Yorker" which she calls the "oasis of writers...they pay people."  She praises the advent of the web site and technology...tweeting to people all over the world...where people can read literature on cell phones even in third world countries. Tweeting messages has saved libraries slated to close.  She grew up in a house hold with a father and brother being biologists.  "Thanksgiving dinner where the turkey is dissected at the table with parts named."

She made several profound statements such as "Ecocide...if we kill the ocean, we will die, 80% of our oxygen comes from the algae in the ocean."

She writes from a woman view such as her short story in "The New Yorker" called "Stone Mattress" about violation and anger. 

Then I enjoyed jazz music provided by Forshay high school musicians on the U.S.C. stage and then off to the L.A. Times outdoor stage for a reading and discussion by Julia Sweeney of Saturday Night Live, "God Said HA!" and "Letting Go of God."  I have enjoyed live performances of these two solo plays and just enjoy listening to her.  He new book from which is read is called " If it is not one thing, it's your Mother." 

Julia talked about her writing style as the "power hour" where she forces herself to set in front of her computer for an hour...no interruptions.  Some times she writes notes before she goes to bed and sleeps on them.  It seems to work.  She is a great writer and entertaining performer.

After a few words from the poetry stage, I enjoyed more music from various stages including "Trio Ellas"  three beautiful ladies playing Mariachi, L.A. Times booth discussions with columnists Sandy Banks, Nita Lelyveld, Robin Abcarian with Steve Padilla.  I then squeezed in the auditorium with Robert Scheer and political cartoonists Dwayne Booth (Mr. Fish), Victor Navasky, and Ann Telnaes.  The main point made very strongly by Robert was that political cartoons need to stir things up....the question is where and if you draw the line some place.  He said "people should be out of control"...sometimes.

Oh Yes, Susan Feniger, of Street Cafe and others was fun to watch on the cooking stage...something about ways to dice without cutting off a finger....and if you do, use a sharp knife as it causes a smoother cut that's easier for resewing back.
She was going on about loving lime leaves...before I left for the food court...made me hungry.