I remember the morning of September 11, 2001. It was a busy day for most New Yorkers as it was Primary Day as well as the first day of school. I voted for Mark Green on my way to work. I was hard at work in my windowless office at IDG (but it was a sight better than many places I have worked in since) on Third Avenue and 54th Street when Ginger, a department assistant who was more interested in her auditions than in uploading covers to B&N.com, came in to ask if I had a radio. I am ashamed to say I gave her an impatient glance, thinking, as usual, she would use any excuse not to do some work. Then she said that she'd heard a plane had flown into the World Trade Center and she was worried about her sister who worked there. I told her it was ridiculous, nothing like that could have happened, and she shrugged and walked away. Then I heard the echo of my own voice, and got up to follow her. I said I knew someone who was on vacation who had a radio. We borrowed it and turned it on. I don't recall the moment at which we found out that it was true, but I do remember running down to the 20th floor where there was a TV in the conference room. We watched for a while but it seemed inhuman to watch the news while Ginger sobbed for her sister (who did indeed die that day). While Kathy Neb (naturally - the kindest person around) consoled her, I left the crowded room to return to my office so was not watching when the second tower collapsed, which I regret now.
There were many strange things about that day: the way one felt suspended in time, wondering if the world was about to end; the way the sun kept shining, and one wondered how midtown could be bright and sunny, while people died a few miles away; how suddenly the streets were deserted except for people standing in line at certain sites to donate blood; how the Internet went on functioning although phones were down; how my mother was at my grandmother's in Connecticut and said she was worried about my brother, whose first day of work at the State Department in DC it had been; how my friend Shelia, with whom I'd planned to get together after work, saw people jumping out windows and had to walk to Grand Central but still remembered she'd brought me See's Candy from a recent trip to the West Coast; how I finally gave up working and walked north, passing many other people with strange blank expressions, straight to my middle sister's apartment (the other sister was at ABC, by then hard at work for several hours) but because she didn't want the TV on to scare her toddler, I finally went back to my own apartment. Like so many others, I was glued to my TV for days, trying to understand what had happened and why. We all wondered what would happen next.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
TV Series about Publishing
From Shelf Awareness: Open Books, a sitcom written by Gail Lerner (Will & Grace) that is focused on a book editor and her friends, "has received a pilot commitment" from CBS, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The show "is inspired by the time Lerner spent as a temp in the publishing world at the beginning of her career and by the experiences of her sister Betsy, who worked as a book editor for 15 years before becoming a literary agent."
"It's an ensemble comedy with a female lead set in the publishing world, but it's really about the characters and their relationships," Lerner said. "I like the frustrations, the collaborative process. Publishing is a lot like sitcoms. Although both are supposedly dying, that only makes people more passionate about creating the next great novel or show."
"It's an ensemble comedy with a female lead set in the publishing world, but it's really about the characters and their relationships," Lerner said. "I like the frustrations, the collaborative process. Publishing is a lot like sitcoms. Although both are supposedly dying, that only makes people more passionate about creating the next great novel or show."
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Wouldn't you be tempted by a first edition hardcover?
Yesterday I had to appear in court in an iffy neighborhood and while I was not afraid my car would be stolen, I decided I'd better bring my GPS with me to the courthouse (my brother had his stolen from his locked car a couple months ago). Busy planning what I was going to say to the judge, I gathered my things, put on my suit jacket (pale turquoise with elbow sleeves worn with black skirt), and when I saw it was close to 9, I began to dash. THEN I realized there was a hardcover copy of Betsy and Joe by Maud Hart Lovelace, with dust jacket, clearly visible in the car to any passer-by! Of course, a hardcover Betsy-Tacy is much more valuable than a Tom-Tom! Torn, I hesitated but forced myself to hurry on to the courthouse, and luckily no one tried to break into my car while I was engaged in my legal career. Thank you, Maud, for keeping an eye on my car from the Great Library in the Sky. . .
I saw some very odd outfits on the women lawyer in this particular courthouse. One was wearing an innocuous pants suit but with thick fluffy socks (in August!) and patent leather loafers. One was wearing a sleeveless dress, no jacket - she would have been scolded at my summer law firm in NJ which did not permit bare arms. Another, similarly without a suit jacket, wore a blue and white striped button down shirt, hanging down towards her knees, not tucked in, and reminded me of the shirts I borrowed from my father for smocks in elementary school art class. I was somewhat abashed because the skirt I was wearing was shorter than I had realized - I was signing emails to the partner in charge of the case as "Perry" but I felt more like Ally McBeal. However, I was a radiant vision and veritable legal role model compared to these others!
I saw some very odd outfits on the women lawyer in this particular courthouse. One was wearing an innocuous pants suit but with thick fluffy socks (in August!) and patent leather loafers. One was wearing a sleeveless dress, no jacket - she would have been scolded at my summer law firm in NJ which did not permit bare arms. Another, similarly without a suit jacket, wore a blue and white striped button down shirt, hanging down towards her knees, not tucked in, and reminded me of the shirts I borrowed from my father for smocks in elementary school art class. I was somewhat abashed because the skirt I was wearing was shorter than I had realized - I was signing emails to the partner in charge of the case as "Perry" but I felt more like Ally McBeal. However, I was a radiant vision and veritable legal role model compared to these others!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Books and Libraries
A story in the Boston Globe about a 77 year old chess maven described how he taught himself to play from books at the library during the Depression. One day he found a note from another player: “'Neither duffer, nor master,' the note read, and included a telephone number. It was an invitation to play, in an era when games were hard to find," and they subsequently played many times.
Of course, it reminded me of the famous scene in More All of a Kind Family, in which Jules leaves a note in Ella's library book so he can meet her! The kind librarian sees the book is on the wrong shelf (I think the girls hid it because they'd already checked out their weekly quota) but decides not to interfere with young love. How I loved these books! I checked them out repeatedly from my elementary school library, and now own a complete set (although not all are in the oversize format I grew up with).
Libraries play an important role in the lives of this poor but dignified family. In the very first book, Sarah, the middle sister (and eventual author of the series) has lost a book and the librarian realizes that paying to replace it would cause the family great hardship but they are proud and won't accept charity, so she provides a very modest replacement amount. Just as those on the Lower East Side used the library to escape from their troubles our current economic times have resulted in increased usage in libraries all over the country, despite the drastic cuts in services and hours.
I've attached a link to the All of a Kind Family Companion.
Of course, it reminded me of the famous scene in More All of a Kind Family, in which Jules leaves a note in Ella's library book so he can meet her! The kind librarian sees the book is on the wrong shelf (I think the girls hid it because they'd already checked out their weekly quota) but decides not to interfere with young love. How I loved these books! I checked them out repeatedly from my elementary school library, and now own a complete set (although not all are in the oversize format I grew up with).
Libraries play an important role in the lives of this poor but dignified family. In the very first book, Sarah, the middle sister (and eventual author of the series) has lost a book and the librarian realizes that paying to replace it would cause the family great hardship but they are proud and won't accept charity, so she provides a very modest replacement amount. Just as those on the Lower East Side used the library to escape from their troubles our current economic times have resulted in increased usage in libraries all over the country, despite the drastic cuts in services and hours.
I've attached a link to the All of a Kind Family Companion.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Nancy Pembroke's Vacation in Canada
"Let's go shopping this morning," proposed Nancy at the breakfast table.
"Shopping?" said Jeanette in surprise. "I didn't know you meant to buy anything. What do you need?"
"Oh, I need heaps of things, but I'm not going to get them. Shopping doesn't necessarily mean buying; I mean just go through the shops and be 'interested' in things."
from Nancy Pembroke's Vacation in Canada, Margaret Van Epps, 1930
Pan-Roasted Corn and Tomato Salad
I wish one of my sisters would cook this for me! Or Mark Bittman himself, of course. I have eaten with him but never eaten anything he prepared.
From the NYT:
1/4 pound bacon, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
4 to 6 ears corn, stripped of their kernels (2 to 3 cups)
Juice of 1 lime, or more to taste
2 cups cored and chopped tomatoes
1 medium ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and chopped
2 fresh small chilies, like Thai, seeded and minced
Salt and black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, more or less.
1. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it begins to render fat; add onion and cook until just softened, about 5 minutes, then add corn. Continue cooking, stirring or shaking pan occasionally, until corn begins to brown a bit, about 5 more minutes; remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Drain fat if you wish.
2. Put lime juice in a large bowl and add bacon-corn mixture; then toss with remaining ingredients. Taste, adjust the seasoning and serve warm or at room temperature.
Yield: 4 servings.
From the NYT:
1/4 pound bacon, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
4 to 6 ears corn, stripped of their kernels (2 to 3 cups)
Juice of 1 lime, or more to taste
2 cups cored and chopped tomatoes
1 medium ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and chopped
2 fresh small chilies, like Thai, seeded and minced
Salt and black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, more or less.
1. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it begins to render fat; add onion and cook until just softened, about 5 minutes, then add corn. Continue cooking, stirring or shaking pan occasionally, until corn begins to brown a bit, about 5 more minutes; remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Drain fat if you wish.
2. Put lime juice in a large bowl and add bacon-corn mixture; then toss with remaining ingredients. Taste, adjust the seasoning and serve warm or at room temperature.
Yield: 4 servings.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
The Perfect Burger
My sisters and I are in search of the perfect burger. This article from the NYT and this from the Washington Post don't really provide enough recipes to help us. I wonder if I should pack my Worcestershire Sauce and bring it with me? What is the real secret? What do you suggest?
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