after dinner this evening, around 6:30 pm, greg and i walked along the high line to 20th street and then up tenth avenue to 192 books, a bookstore in chelsea that neither of us had ever been to before.
he had read on an events page online, that author and editor mary ann caws would partake in a conversation with met art curator stephanie d'alessandro about her new book, the milk bowl of feathers.
greg is familiar with her work through her translations and writings of proust and mallarmé and other surrealist writers (you can see a list of her publications here).. she's a "distinguished professor of english, french and comparative literature and emerita and resident professor at the graduate school of the city university of new york."
though she's eighty-five years old and had just returned from giving a talk in rome (where she said that she had fallen), she had an inspiring and happy energy that lit up the bookstore and affected everyone listening. when asked how she chose the pieces that were included in the book, she said that she simply picked the ones that she loved and that weren't boring. i would love to have heard what criteria comprised the most loved writings, but she didn't elaborate. she's presently working on a book titled creative gatherings: meeting places of modernism, due out next fall. she had so much positive energy! she also had a strong gaze and took the time to connect with each one of us who spoke with her and requested a signed book.
coming back home along the high line we passed the astronomer's club. their telescopes were trained on mars and saturn, but the cloud cover was too thick for viewing. they set up every tuesday evening so maybe i can remember to visit next week.
ms caw's book . .
