Tag Archives: Michael Chabon
What is it with this new generation of Jewish writers?
If nothing else, Berkeley writer Rebecca Spence has chosen an irresistible title for her Sunday talk at Afikomen: Portnoy’s Restraint: How Jewish-American Writers Have Learned to Stop Kvetching (and Love Being Jewish)
Spence, who has her MFA from Bennington College and worked as the West Coast correspondent for The Forward, is writing a Jewish-themed novel of her own.
In her talk, she will discuss Jewish-American writers — from Philip Roth to Michael Chabon, from Nicole Krauss to her husband Jonathan Safran … Continue reading »
The Escapist comic book store opens on Claremont
The Escapist, the comic book store that rose from the closing of Comic Relief, opened last night at 3090 Claremont Avenue, a couple of doors down from Dark Carnival, the specialists science fiction, fantasy and mystery bookstore that bought the old store’s stock.
An enthusiastic crowd of comic book fans packed the store to browse both familiar commercial titles and a trove of small-press comics. A cake, with The Escapist‘s skeleton key symbol, was served, but the … Continue reading »
Comic bookstore The Escapist to open on Claremont Ave.
Michael Chabon will be happy. A new comic bookstore, whose name was inspired by a character in one of Chabon’s own novels, will open soon just a hop and a skip away from his Berkeley home in the Claremont neighborhood.
Jack Rems, owner of science fiction and fantasy bookstore Dark Carnival says he will open The Escapist at the retail space he owns two doors down from his shop at 3086 Claremont Avenue, and it will be stocked with the inventory he bought from Comic Relief, the venerable Berkeley store that closed down on Valentine’s Day.
As we reported on January 18, Rems had originally wanted to take over the lease at the Comic Relief space at 2026 Shattuck Avenue. But, he says, that proved unworkable.
“I was less than confident I could pay the rent there,” he says, explaining that the landlord, John Gordon, had made concessions to the previous tenants which he was reluctant to do with a new one. Rems also felt unsure about the potential of the location. “There are a lot of boarded-up stores in that block of downtown,” he says. “I like it here better,” he says referring to Claremont Avenue. “There are no parking meters and I can control both stores more easily.” … Continue reading »
From the ashes of Comic Relief, a new store is set to rise
The news that iconic store Comic Relief was closing came as a shock to many, most notably the comics-loving community, but it seems a knight in shining armor may yet save the day.
Jack Rems, owner of Dark Carnival, another Berkeley bookstore which has become an institution after operating for several decades on Claremont Avenue, has bought Comic Relief’s inventory and is hoping to open a new store, possibly at the Shattuck Avenue premises of the original.
Rems says he … Continue reading »
Michael Chabon on his adopted hometown of Berkeley
Writing in The Atlantic today, bestselling author and Elmwood resident Michael Chabon muses on the meaning of the word “hometown” and the arbitrariness of borders. While he grew up in Columbia, MD, a place he describes as “fulfilling the promises of the American experiment one neocolonial tract house at a time”, Chabon’s more obvious hometown is Berkeley, where he has lived since 1997.
It was Chabon who composed what to many is the definitive piece of writing on the city, … Continue reading »
The Berkeley Wire: 1.3.11
Albany and Berkeley can’t agree on banners for Solano Avenue [Albany Patch]
Kay Kerr, co-founder of Save the Bay, dies [SF Chronicle]
North German restaurant and bakery to open on San Pablo [SF Weekly]
Demanding lives: Cal students pursue sports and engineering [Berkeley Engineering]
Cartoonist Neil Gaiman and singer Amanda Palmer wed at Chabon/Waldman house [Bleeding Cool]
Photo: Mastheads at the Berkeley Marina by E>mar/Flickr.
A Berkeley celebration of Mark Twain
Since the esteemed humorist died 100 years ago and couldn’t read from his own text, other authors, poets, actors, and filmmakers did the honors.
Under a carved wooden ceiling in the Heyns Reading Room of Doe Library, Michael Chabon, Maxine Hong Kingston, Rita Moreno, Mary Roach, Robert Haas, Bob … Continue reading »
Michael Chabon: Does reverse psychology sell books?
We are all familiar with this photograph of Berkeley writer Michael Chabon. It’s hard to forget, as his bright blue-green eyes stare straight at the observer. They are arresting and captivating.
Chabon is internationally acclaimed for his writing, but the subject of his appearance has gotten lots of ink, too, over the years. Rumor has it that Chabon turned down People Magazine’s offer to name him one of the 50 Most Beautiful People of the Year.
So it … Continue reading »
Berkeley author pledges to support college program
Berkeley author Ayelet Waldman has come up with a clever, not to mention generous, idea to help send a disadvantaged Oakland student to college through the Scholar Match program, established by her fellow writer and friend Dave Eggers.
Waldman has selected one student, Eddie Ashley, and is going to match every dollar her family, friends and readers donate. “You donate 10 bucks, I donate 10 bucks. You donate $1,000, I donate $1,000, up until we’ve reached … Continue reading »
Berkeley and Brooklyn: An eerie similarity
Brooklyn and Berkeley. They share so much more than the same initial letter and bridges that also begin with “B”. If you read the New York Times, you will find their regular, nay almost obsessive, coverage of the goings-on in Brooklyn neighborhoods such as Park Slope, spookily familiar. The demographic, the passions, the fashions — down to the adoration of the canine species — it’s all a bit of a Brooklyn-Berkeley blur.
The May edition of … Continue reading »
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