Rick Simonson

From The Beautiful Struggle to The Beautiful Things
May 12, 2008

Only coincidence is it that one post in here is about Ta-Nehisi Coates' compelling, just-published memoir, The Beautifil Struggle (Spiegel & Grau), then is followed by another about Dinaw Mengestu, his debut novel, The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears (Riverhead), and what just happened in Seattle this past week.

Late this past Saturday afternoon, errand-running had me arriving at a branch library in south Seattle just as the final of eight programs (in four days) Dinaw Mengestu had participated in as part of the Seattle Public Library's "Seattle Reads The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears" program was concluding.

People were filing out - a large group, I could tell, for the library's medium-sized community room. All ages, all races, various classes - I could see that, as had been the case with most of the other gatherings.

Here was a woman who works as architect for one of the city's major firms - she's the lead person in a project devoted to building a home for a major international foundation. I know her well enough to know that this is her neighborhood - and neighborhood library. She is walking out a-glow, 'thumbs up' on how good he was, the program, too. It was quick chatting: I recalled her having also attended the Marjane Satrapi program in this same branch when Persepolis was the "Seattle Reads" title two years before.

She continued out, I continued in. Here, next, was a couple visiting from India. I know, because whenever they come to visit their daughter's family (their grandchildren are the only ones I know who can go trilingually in English, Bengali, or Icelandic), they make serious visits to Elliott Bay. This includes books read, bought, and programs attended. They, too, had enjoyed what they had just heard and seen.

Over four days, in venues ranging from branch libraries to the Rem Koolhaas-designed Central Library auditorium to college and university classrooms, Dinaw Mengestu had come, discussed his novel and some of the issues it helps address. He did so adroitly - enough the artist in what he'd written not to reduce the book itself to sociology, but also able as an individual, the son of a family that had made its way here from Ethiopia, to talk about immigration, identity, questions the book does examine (city neighborhood gentrification), about books and writing, all of it.

Hundreds if not into the thousands attended these programs (I made it but to a few) - and I know the book was selling everywhere in town.

Besides being the first city in the country - a decade ago - to undertake these, the "Seattle Reads" program, under the award-winning leadership of Chris Higashi, continues to win attention for its ability to take fresh, often flexible, approaches, to reach a wide variety in audience. Over the last several years, the focus, besides excellent litearature, has been to look at books/authors that address recent immigrant communities.

Four years ago, it was Isabel Allende, with not one book, but maybe four - as the program included a big program in Spanish, one aimed at young adult readers, and then others intended for her writing in fiction and nonfiction. Three years ago, it was Julie Otsuka, with When the Emperor Was Divine. Two years ago, it was Marjane Satrapi with Persepolis. Last year it was Jhumpa Lahiri with The Namesake.

Each of these included much lead-in programming - other authors from similar backgrounds, university professors (who all seemed to get quite engaged presenting their material to general, adult audiences), much outreach to different communities. This has all happened, has all worked well every time.

A few 'items' from this year - perhaps more subtle points, but ones drawn from the working world of bookstores, publishers - and libraries.

Riverhead published The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears a year ago this spring. Selling it in, Penguin rep Patrick McNierney had been strong and persuasive about the novel's considerable merits (it would go on to received many domestic and international accolades and honors). Patrick is a rep given to particularly strong opinions about books, which we are most thankful for. We talked the possibility of a reading for Elliott Bay (with the Riverhead catalog you can never tell) - he thought there was one, and would help put in the word. Clearly, he did.

In due time, all fell into place, the reading happened. By debut novel standards, the night he came would have been seen as a success - very nice turnout (including a sizable Ethiopian/east African contingent), good sales, and a really nice feeling. You felt something would come from a night such as this. One thing was response: I remember getting a note of appreciation from Riverhead editor Megan Lynch, gratified it had gone so well, and saying that this had a 'keep the faith' aspect to it, as the prevailing tendency is to not want to tour some of the literary authors, especially the less well-known. 

One other that came right to mind, in fact, was the "Seattle Reads" program. Besides qualitative aspects (a strong book, to begin with), those programs have worked most well when the author has a high 'user friendly' quotient. Tall, sweet, charming Mr Mengestu seemed a perfect fit for the part - able then (as he would here for Seattle Reads) to answer questions from the literary to ones of identity and African politics. Word was passed from us along to Chris Higashi. She, meanwhile, got word from others - someone had read a review, someone else had heard an interview. Everything eventually added up.

Come Dinaw's visit here - a leap for him, as home presently is Paris - it was quite the occasion. His parents and sister (living in nearby Portland) were present. Also on hand were the aforementioned Megan Lynch, his editor at Riverhead, and P.J. Mark, his agent - both out from New York. They became part of the proceedings - even getting publicly put to work, as they handled the written questions in the q&a portion of the big Central Library evening. Besides those two getting to hang out as they wouldn't back in New York, it appeared Megan and Patrick (the rep) got to do some talking that they seldom otherwise would - there seems to be a great disconnect in the larger publishing houses these days between those who acquire/edit the books and those who help get them into the world - at least where the field reps are concerned.

Many little things (we haven't even gotten into the library/bookstore relationship in this, but that, in Seattle, is key, too) - in there with the bigger ones - but they're part of how a program like this continues as strongly as it has. 

Posted by Rick Simonson on May 12, 2008 | Comments (0)