A Yummy Literary Salon With Bite
What's this, no photo quote de jour? If you're a regular reader (and thank-you for being one), this looks like my usual Sunday blog: What I'm Reading This Week. It's not, but this was too good to wait until Sunday. This is a tardy Westchester Wednesday feature instead.
The only thing better than reading a good book is listening and observing a good writer reading from their very good book. And the only thing better than a good reading is one with wine and good food at Spoken Interludes, a literary salon DeLauné Michel produces every month with charm and aplomb in Westchester County N.Y.
Lucky me, it's in my neck of the woods. I attended my first one last week and boy, did I luck out. It was an opportunity to dine with a good friend and hobnob with other passionate readers and engage in an intimate Q & A with two briliant writers. The venue, The Riverview has stellar views of the Hudson and the food was catered by my favorite Indian restaurant Masala Chutney in Irvington.
DeLauné, also a writer is from a blue blood literary family. Andre Dubus III is her uncle and one of the guests. Acclaimed novelist Jennifer Gilmore was the other writer guest. But still, I had reservations. Just because someone can write doesn't mean they're good at reading in public. It requires a certain showmanship to bring the story to life. Again, the literary gods graced us with luck. Let's go there, shall we?
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After dinner, entertaining Jennifer Gilmore read from her new novel, Something Red. It's always interesting to see a writer breathe their characters to life on stage. It either works or falls flat. It worked and her mischievous glint of humor sparked happy applause from the audience. JenniferGilmore.net
The Star of the evening though was Andre Dubus. Beauty, charm and talent runs thick as molasses in that southern family. To write memoir means soul scratching and digging deep. Tricky territory to write but to read its rawness in front of strangers takes guts. Andre commanded the podium, moving his body like the fighter he once was while mesmerizing the audience with the cadence and rhythm of his honeyed voice. Hey, the written words weren't bad either. Okay, compelling silky prose but I don't want to gush. Afterword the room buzzed and swooned with energy as he graciously talked with fans and signed books. AndreDubus.com
The only thing better than reading a good book is listening and observing a good writer reading from their very good book. And the only thing better than a good reading is one with wine and good food at Spoken Interludes, a literary salon DeLauné Michel produces every month with charm and aplomb in Westchester County N.Y.
Lucky me, it's in my neck of the woods. I attended my first one last week and boy, did I luck out. It was an opportunity to dine with a good friend and hobnob with other passionate readers and engage in an intimate Q & A with two briliant writers. The venue, The Riverview has stellar views of the Hudson and the food was catered by my favorite Indian restaurant Masala Chutney in Irvington.
DeLauné, also a writer is from a blue blood literary family. Andre Dubus III is her uncle and one of the guests. Acclaimed novelist Jennifer Gilmore was the other writer guest. But still, I had reservations. Just because someone can write doesn't mean they're good at reading in public. It requires a certain showmanship to bring the story to life. Again, the literary gods graced us with luck. Let's go there, shall we?
.
After dinner, entertaining Jennifer Gilmore read from her new novel, Something Red. It's always interesting to see a writer breathe their characters to life on stage. It either works or falls flat. It worked and her mischievous glint of humor sparked happy applause from the audience. JenniferGilmore.net
The Star of the evening though was Andre Dubus. Beauty, charm and talent runs thick as molasses in that southern family. To write memoir means soul scratching and digging deep. Tricky territory to write but to read its rawness in front of strangers takes guts. Andre commanded the podium, moving his body like the fighter he once was while mesmerizing the audience with the cadence and rhythm of his honeyed voice. Hey, the written words weren't bad either. Okay, compelling silky prose but I don't want to gush. Afterword the room buzzed and swooned with energy as he graciously talked with fans and signed books. AndreDubus.com
Posted by Layla Morgan Wilde at 3/31/2011 6:20 AM 
Categories: Food, New York, Westchester County, Westchester Wednesdays, Photography
Tags: spoken interludes literary salon westchester literary salon jennifer gilmore writer andre dubus townie memoir
Categories: Food, New York, Westchester County, Westchester Wednesdays, Photography
Tags: spoken interludes literary salon westchester literary salon jennifer gilmore writer andre dubus townie memoir
Wow, that sounds like it worth coming up from the city to experience.
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Definitely. It's only 30 minutes from Grand Central.
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I know Delaune Michel from Gather. She hasn't checked iinto Gather for five months, but her writing is good! That Louisiana stock, I think. Did not know Dubus is her uncle. Again, that French LA thing going on there. As a Montreal, you probably agree about the interculturalism that really helps inform one's soul and writing - whether it is French or a mix of other Euro and other cultures.
A fanstastic post, Layla. I will probably order the book from the lib.
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Thanks, K. She is a good writer and super busy here in Westchester. Didn't know she was on G.
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Must check out Gilmore, too. Been hearing out her for a long time.
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White-hot
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