Mania at Book Soup

I use an app called Local Books.  It's handy for those moments when you need to see a list of local book stores' upcoming events.  Found one the other day for a book signing/reading from a guy who wrote a new biographical book about the Beat poets (mostly Alan Ginsberg and his poem "Howl").

I did my absolute best to ride the bus, but the freakin thing never came!  Grrrrr!  Imagine having to actually rely on buses to get you to important appointments.  So, I drove.

Book Soup is on Sunset Blvd. in one of the most overpriced-and-passed-its-prime areas of Hollywood– the Sunset Strip.  After feeding the meter all the coins I had left in my car, I realized I had the address wrong and accidentally parked 5 blocks away.  Can't move the car at that point, so I walked...

David Skover, author

Got there a couple minutes after it was supposed to start.  I walked in somewhat sheepishly ready to quietly find a comfortable place to stand behind all the people who had taken the seats, but when I walked in, I thought maybe it was cancelled.  Seemed like a normal quiet Saturday.  However, I looked down the aisle to my left and saw two columns of seats setup with just enough space to walk by them on the right.  The sixteen or so chairs faced a wooden podium where the author himself stood.  He was congenially talking with his only audience member, an old lady with her hair done, make up on, wearing a purple work out suit and sitting in the second row.  I joined them.

The author gave his shpeal to the two of us and the store owner.  I loved it.  The book sounded really fascinating.  All about the obscenity trial Ginsberg went through when "Howl" was first published.  He also read a couple of stories from Ginsberg's youth that are referenced in "Howl."  Rough childhood, that guy had.

I managed to think of some questions during Q and A time.  It was a pretty cool experience, connecting with the author like that, and he seemed not at all resentful that he was only presenting to me, the old lady, and one random shopper who had decided join us.

My phone alarm went off which meant that my meter was about to run out, so I went to the cashier to buy the book.  I asked how much.  He picked up one of the books to see. "Twenty-six dollars," he said.  I weighed my options, tried to predict my feelings, imagined what others would think or do, thought of other ways to get the book less expensively, wondered if I'd regret not getting his signature...  I passed on it.  "Sorry, can't do it," I said after a ridiculous display of indecisive pacing in front of the counter.  I started the trek back to my car and felt great about not spending $26.  I might get the Kindle version though...

The book is called Mania, and I still want it.  http://www.top-five-books.com/Mania.html