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June 11, 2007
The Borough of Writers: Mid-Year Book Report
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle
By Brad Lockwood
When Marty starts touting local authors, "literary Brooklyn" becomes a brand, not an incubator of talent, especially when the borough's most prominent writers are highly critical of his stance on Atlantic Yards:
The annual BookExpo America (BEA) was held in New York City last week, with the Brooklyn brand front and center. Borough President Marty Markowitz hosted an event on Wednesday, May 30th for booksellers and local authors; tours of the former homes of famous scribes were staggered throughout; Junior’s served its sumptuous cheesecake; Borough Hall buzzed with literary banter. Welcoming visitors from afar — and writers prompted by publishers to attend and mingle —Markowitz said, "Obviously you've got class, and you're hip to what we've known all along: That the epicenter of the literary life of this nation is right here in Brooklyn, it really is."
Or is it? Not at that exact moment, in Borough Hall on Wednesday night, at least. What Marty Markowitz didn't mention is that some of Brooklyn's most popular writers won't be seen at his side.
Jonathan Lethem and Darcey Steinke (just to name a few) are actually donating the proceeds of select works to fund the opposition to Bruce Ratner's Atlantic Yards project. This major development has received Markowitz's undivided support, underscored by his recent move to not reappoint several members of Community Board 6 who formally objected to the project. So, as Marty lauded books from the borough he represents, many of the writers that give Brooklyn its literary credibility were nowhere near.
Posted by lumi at June 11, 2007 9:49 AM