Monday, April 27, 1998
Third L.A. Times book fair unites local community
FESTIVAL: Thousands gather at UCLA to meet inspiring authors,
buy novels
By Emi Kojima
Daily Bruin Contributor
A little girl went up to hug the Bruin bear. A UCLA student
passed out flyers for a campus event. A grandmother perused the
selection of books at a booth. And more people swarmed on Bruin
Walk than at noon on a normal school day.
The third-annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books brought all
kinds of people from Southern California together to celebrate the
written word.
This weekend’s two-day event was a hit with the young, old and
everyone in between. Last year, the festival attracted more than
100,000 visitors, and this year the same number was expected.
The Festival of Books invited over 300 authors, including Isabel
Allende, Barbara Taylor Bradford, Ray Bradbury, Terry McMillan and
R.L. Stine. Many participants took advantage of hearing their
favorite authors speak.
"(Bradford) is one of my favorite romance writers. I was really
pleased to get the opportunity to see her this year," said Phyllis
Foster, 60, a UCLA alumna from Pasadena.
"She’s open to talk and seems to be a really down-to-earth
person. I liked that I could really relate to her," she said.
Foster found Bradford’s lecture helpful because she is an
aspiring screenplay writer. Bradford, author of 14 novels, talked
about her writing experience and the inspirations for her
writing.
"My idea comes out of a character. I think, who is this person
who popped into my head? Why are they there? What’s the problem?
Because if you have no problem, you have no novel," she said.
Bradford’s writing career started in her childhood.
"I started writing when I was 7, and sold a short story when I
was 10 years old," she said. "I figure that I have been writing for
a living since the age of 10."
Young attendees also came to the Festival of Books as aspiring
writers.
Many students from Lorena Street Elementary School got the
chance to attend after submitting their own books in a school
contest to find young writing talent.
"(Students) benefit from seeing so much – seeing an environment
dedicated to books, reading and writing," said Barbara Knipple, a
teacher at the school.
Lorena Street Elementary students also created plaques with
materials at an arts and crafts table, and talked excitedly about
the festival.
"I’m looking forward to seeing Marc Brown, author of (the Arthur
Adventure series books)," said Erika, 9, from Los Angeles. "The
books of Arthur teach stuff, like learning to be responsible for
things."
She said she enjoyed the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile at the
Festival of Books. The vehicle, located in Perloff Quad, attracted
many children because it was shaped like a hot dog.
People blowing the free Oscar Mayer whistles could be heard all
around campus.
The heart of campus, Dickson Plaza, was transformed after days
of work into the central marketplace of the event with tents,
shelves of books and masses of people.
Over 300 exhibitors brought their booths to the Festival of
Books, with big-name corporations, such as Barnes and Noble and
Crown Books, as well as lesser-known book dealers, such as the
Pathfinder Bookstore.
"We sell books by revolutionary leaders," said Mark Brown, a
young socialist and a supporter of the Socialist Workers
Movement.
"We’re looking to build a revolutionary movement. It’s important
to get as much exposure for revolutionary politics as possible," he
continued.
Brown said that competition with other major booksellers at the
festival was a problem.
"It’s bourgeoisie. They own the state and they run everything.
They keep making money off selling books. We don’t make any money
on anything. We never have and never will," Brown said.
Gail Goldberg of Llewellyn Books disagreed. She is the publicist
for another small book company that specializes in New Age topics,
such as self-help and spirituality.
She said that the Festival of Books gave smaller companies more
opportunities for exposure.
"You can go to a Barnes and Nobles anytime. People are
interested in seeing things they’ve never seen before. It’s a
benefit for people like us," she said.
She said the customers have been a diverse group. "Everyone is
interested in improving and enhancing their spirituality," Goldberg
said.
"Los Angeles has lots of people who are more receptive of
alternative spirituality than in the Bible Belt," she said.
One of the top-selling popular books this year is "Your Pet’s
Horoscope."
Many people took breaks by sitting on the grassy areas in the
main quad. One little girl sipped a soft frozen lemonade next to
her grandmother.
"I brought my granddaughter," said Florence Gurevitch, 68, from
Los Angeles. "We come every year."
"I have the most fun just being with her," she said.
Her granddaughter, Jacquie, 9, liked "everything – hearing
stories, seeing people, buying books."
"I have so many books that I don’t think I’ll finish reading
them by the time I’m ready for adult books, which will be about the
time I’m 12 because I’m reading such advanced stuff," Jacquie
said.
"I’m writing a book," she continued. "I have three chapters, and
I’ve started writing the fourth. Maybe I’ll get it published and
maybe it’ll end up here."
DERRICK KUDO/Daily Bruin
Denise Tello, 6, peers over her aunt’s purchase from the Los
Angeles Times’ Festival of Books.