Leonine
Back with more French history!
Robespierre is the real star of the French Revolution but Danton is the one who always fascinated me. Robespierre's idealism and cruelty was strange and lofty and alien, while Danton is so much more agreeably flawed and human, and he understood the nature of people better, and yet he still remains just out of reach. Would it have killed the man to write something down? He brought on terrors and he tried to stop The Terror, and then he lost his head for it. He loved working up crowds with speeches, and he was good at it, with a roaring voice that suited well since he looks rather like a lion.
I'm just talkin' and talkin' so I'll wrap up, do yourselves a favor and watch Andrzej Wajda's "Danton," it's great and it's part of the Criterion Collection. Here is a clip from Danton's trial, marvelous! And who can resist Depardieu? Well, it's always a good idea to quote someone who knows what they are talking about, so I will pull up JM Thompson's popular summary: "Not a great man, not a good man, certainly no hero; but a man with great, good, and heroic moments."
The book is still available for preorder on Amazon! So many exciting things happening.
Did you know that the actual book launch is very soon? It's September 27 here in New York, at Housing Works! Here are some details on Time Out New York!
I got a great review with Publishers Weekly, very proud!
Come see myself, Michael Kupperman, Keith Knight and Jennifer Hayden this Sunday at the Brooklyn Book Festival!
My good friends Emily and Tim are running a project called Border Town that you should check out there is also a Kickstarter with info and a chance to get involved! You know Emily of course from the wonderfulA Softer World.
The tour update is here! So much stuff going on!
BROOKLYN Sunday Sept 18th
http://www.brooklynbookfestival.org/BBF/Home
At Brooklyn Book Festival, 1PM
MANHATTAN Tuesday Sept 27th
http://www.housingworks.org/locations/detail/bookstore-cafe
http://www.desertislandbrooklyn.com/
At Housing Works with Desert Island, 7PM
SAN FRANCISCO Saturday Oct 1st & Sunday Oct 2nd
http://www.comic-con.org/ape/index.php
At APE
BOSTON Saturday Oct 15th
http://www.bostonbookfest.org/bookfest/schedule_detail/schedule_kate_beaton/
At the Boston Book Festival, panel "Funny Ha-Ha: Comedy in Comics", 1PM
VANCOUVER Friday Oct 21st
http://www.writersfest.bc.ca/
At the Vancouver International Writers Festival, panel "Conversations with Bill", 10 AM
PORTLAND Saturday Oct 22nd
http://www.livewireradio.org/
During Live Wire at Alberta Rose Theater, 7PM
LOS ANGELES Sunday Oct 23rd
http://www.skylightbooks.com/
Signing at Skylight Books, 5PM
TORONTO Saturday Oct 29th & Oct 30th
http://www.readings.org/?q=ifoa
At the IFOA
MONTREAL Tuesday Nov 1st
http://211blog.drawnandquarterly.com/
At our very own Librairie Drawn & Quarterly, 7PM
HALIFAX Wednesday Nov 2nd
http://www.strangeadventures.com/
At Strange Adventures, 7PM