The Locals

Exciting news. The Wordsmiths’ guys have announced an opening date for their sweet new book store – the weekend of June 15th. They promise lots of cool events and fun to celebrate. They also have a location — the cool marble, Federalist-style, old post office just off Decatur Square — across the street from Twain’s. Check out the announcement for all of the details. Congratulations, guys.

In other local news, the AJC had the misfortune to be the straw that broke the camel’s back. Atlanta has become ground zero for railing against the management decisions that have led to reduced, restructured, or eliminated book sections in papers across the country. The news media blog Romensko links to two stories that suggest that promoting reading may be in the direct interest of print media – news that you have to, you know, READ.

Meanwhile the online petition to save Theresa Weaver, the book editor whose position was eliminated by the AJC, now has approximately 4000 signatures on it. The list includes people like Pulitzer-winner Richard Ford. Ford tells the National Book Critics Circle (NBCC) blog that Weaver “made such a difference in the culture of a place which could very easily be a wasteland.” Amen. Another particularly thoughtful post samples the reaction around the blogosphere (they had the good taste to link to us).

But wait, that’s not all. The locals are taking to the streets this Thursday May 3 to demand satisfaction. A read-in will take place in front of the AJC building starting at 10 AM. Organizers ask that you bring a book to read aloud. The area around the building is very busy around lunch time, and it is only a few blocks from CNN headquarters. I’ll post a link with more details if I find one. The details.

Finally, I should point out that there is a great independent book store that has been a vibrant player in the Atlanta book scene for almost 20 years. A Capella Books is in Little Five Points (within spitting distance of Savage Pizza AND Criminal Records) and has a great selection of new and used books. They have two upcoming events that you should mark on your calendar. This Friday May 4 at 7 PM, A Cappella will host a reading by Steven Lee Beber, author of Heebie Jeebies at CBGB’s: A Secret History of Jewish Punk. What Jewish Punk you ask? Think Joey Ramone, Lou Reed, Jonathan Richman, the owner of CBGB’s, et al. Then, THEN, they have Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh reading from his new book The Bedroom Secrets of the Master Chefs. The reading is Saturday May 12th, 8 PM, at the Highland Inn. Tickets are required, but the price includes a signed paperback of the book. That’s a pretty sweet deal.