by Sandy | Jul 13, 2018 | Blogroll, Books, Culture, Education, Learning
The Harlem Book Fair is celebrating its 20th anniversary with spoken word events, exhibit booths, music, panel discussions and children’s activities. It’s a great way to spend a Saturday in the city.
“The vision of the Harlem Book Fair is to partner with local
and national leadership organizations under the banner of literacy
awareness, affirming HBF as the nation’s largest African American
literary event celebrating family literacy, community empowerment,
and community cooperation. “
Saturday, July 21, 2018 * 10 AM – 6 PM
West 135th Street (Betw. Malcolm X Boulevard &
Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Boulevard) Harlem, NY
by Sandy | Jun 8, 2018 | Blogroll, Books
Originally posted July 2007
How does he stay so thin? On his Travel Channel TV series, “No Reservations”, author and Chef Anthony Bourdain wanders the world in search of “good” food. His 5th season is now in reruns, the 6th begins in August. Our traveling Chef doesn’t use the word “gourmet” – but, he does intone the word “simple” a lot. Plain simple French bistro eats, simple, fiery Indian street food, plain simple family style Italian food, and so on. He feels that the worst thing to be is a “tourist”. We should risk and explore, meet real people and find the good, simple food the natives eat. (It is sometimes unusual/bizarre – rattlesnake in Texas, assorted crunchy critters in a tasty sauce while in Asia, etc.) His favorite lines “this is sooooo good” ‘this is reeeealllly good”.
He has given up his cigarettes, but he still appears to eat tons of food as he explores the sights. Bourdain samples several courses, just about always has a dessert and washes it all down with the local brew, show after show – but, he doesn’t seem to gain a pound. Is it his metabolism or just the plain “simple” food? If it’s the food, I want what he’s having. (I really want his job 🙂
I also enjoy visiting the interesting places Chef Bourdain takes us – a food market in Thailand, the sewers of Paris, a Dacha in Russia, the bars of Iceland and even the wilds of New Jersey. Whether you are an intrepid world trekker or an arm chair/couch potato traveler, “No Reservations” can be a fun show.
by Sandy | Jul 10, 2017 | Blogroll, Books, Culture, Education, Events, Exhibits
On Saturday, 7/15/17, there will be spoken word events, over 200 exhibit booths, music, panel discussions and children’s activities will be on hand at the Harlem Book Fair. It’s a great way to spend a Saturday in the city.
“The vision of the Harlem Book Fair is to partner with local
and national leadership organizations under the banner of literacy
awareness, affirming HBF as the nation’s largest African American
literary event celebrating family literacy, community empowerment,
and community cooperation. “
19th Annual Harlem Book Fair
Saturday, July 15, 2017 – 10 AM – 6 PM
SCHOMBURG CENTER FOR RESEARCH IN BLACK CULTURE
515 Lenox Avenue, West 135th Street,, NYC
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by Sandy | Jul 10, 2016 | Arts, Entertainment and Music, Blogroll, Books, Culture, Education, Events, Learning
Spoken word events, a forum for Caribbean writers, over 200 exhibit booths, music, panel discussions and children’s activities will be on hand at the Harlem Book Fair. It’s a great way to spend a Saturday in the city.
“The vision of the Harlem Book Fair is to partner with local 
and national leadership organizations under the banner of literacy
awareness, affirming HBF as the nation’s largest African American
literary event celebrating family literacy, community empowerment,
and community cooperation. “
18th Annual Harlem Book Fair
Saturday, July 16, 2016
SCHOMBURG CENTER FOR RESEARCH IN BLACK CULTURE
515 Lenox Avenue, West 135th Street,, NYC
Info:
Tel:914.231.6778 / Tel: 212.491.2200
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by Bob Martin | Mar 2, 2016 | Books, Creativity, Education, Photograhy
Today I got the chance to meet Stephen Marc again and to see his incredible book of photo montages and composites “Passage on the Underground“. Talking with Stephen is inspiring, full of lessons and new understanding about the history of the African in America.
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While on his Underground Railroad explorations, Marc’s experiences include:
- Discovering a long-lost false grave that was the exit from an escape tunnel for fleeing slaves. Though the exit had never been found by the local Underground Railroad historians, Marc’s fresh eye led him to what is now believed to be the solution to a 100-year-old mystery.
- Visiting a house long ago owned by a conductor on the Underground Railroad, Marc talked his way in to photograph it during renovations, because he knew the amazing story of two escaped slaves who hid in the rafters, right above the heads of their would-be captors, who searched the house and left without finding them.
- A connection with a New York community college in Jamestown, home of Catherine Harris, a conductor on the Underground Railroad. When Jamestown Community College attempted to purchase some of Marc’s work that was on display, he volunteered to create a custom piece that reflected the community’s connection to the Underground Railroad…. Passage on the Underground
Stephen shared with us a little about his next project. He is a man on a mission. He is available to speak with young people, especially middle graders, about Slavery, The Underground Railroad and African American History in General. He can be contacted via Arizona State University in Tempe AZ
(Originally posted on 2/6/2010)
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by Sandy | Jun 14, 2015 | Blogroll, Books, Culture, Writers
Africa: Altered States, Ordinary Miracles, by Richard Dowden
Do you ever get the feeling that westerners do not understand Africa at all? Even after so many years of subjugation and interference, Europeans still don’t have a clue about the people they colonized. They, along with we Americans, black or white, don’t really get how a continent beset by such poverty, misery, cruelty and waste can still produce men and women who keep going. Putting one foot in front of the other, bringing children into their world and expecting good things to happen – somewhere/sometime.
English correspondent Richard Dowden attempts to explain it in his book, Africa: Altered States, Ordinary Miracles. He proposes that the African has a different approach and reaction to life, a different appreciation:
“Terrible times produce strength. Grief enhances joy. Death invigorates living…Africa lives with death and suffering and grief every day, but to be alive is to talk and laugh, eat and drink – dance”.
Africa: Altered States, Ordinary Miracles, by Richard Dowden
btw: The author also thinks that “only Africans can develop Africa.” (Hmmmm.)
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