Wordstock Wrap-Up

I was away last weekend and couldn’t be at Wordstock, but Jeff Baker’s wrap-up of the book festival in the Oregonian gave me a flavor of what I’d missed. This part, though, made my jaw drop:

The consensus around the convention center was that Wordstock’s first year was a smashing success for the community and the community of writers that calls the Northwest home.

“I’m really, really glad Portland has a book fair again,” said Ursula K. Le Guin. “It’s something we really needed. Look at the turnout!”

Le Guin’s presentation demonstrated the challenges any first-ever event faces. A healthy crowd of about 80, including a dozen children, tried to listen to the 75-year-old Le Guin while a few feet away, almost 2,000 people laughed and applauded as Vowell read from her new book “Assassination Vacation.” The effect was somewhat jarring, but Le Guin shrugged it off.

Call your agent, Ursula. You need to get on NPR.