Monday night marked the inaugural reading and book signing of an unusual open air literary series, Books Beneath the Bridge, which features authors and bookstores in Brooklyn, N.Y., from Red Hook to Cobble Hill. Brian Francis Slattery, author of Lost Everything, read at Brooklyn Bridge Park in cooperation with Freebird Books & Goods of the Columbia Water Front District. Other featured authors include Patti Smith (Just Kids), Martin Amis (Lionel Asbo), and Lizz Winstead (Lizz Free or Die), co-creator of The Daily Show. The series of six evenings, each curated by a different bookstore, is being held at the park on Monday evenings and is free and open to the public.
“Books Beneath the Bridge is an experience that both booklovers and park-goers can enjoy,” said Regina Myer, president of Brooklyn Bridge Park. “This outdoor literature series will do more than feature readings by well-known authors surrounded by beautiful views at Pier 1’s Granite Prospect, it will also bring attention to Brooklyn’s fantastic local bookstores.”
For their part, Brooklyn booksellers are pleased to work with the park. “We’re delighted be to be included in the Books Under the Bridge series,” said Jenn Northington, event manager at WORD in Greenpoint. “It’s a great example of the ways that local bookstores and organizations can band together to create something much bigger than anyone could arrange on their own.”
Greenlight Bookstore will partner with the park on the next reading to be held on July 16 at 7 p.m. with Amor Towles, author of Rules of Civility.
