Under water grottos, caverns
Filled with apes
That eat figs.
Stepping on the figs
That the apes
Eat, they crunch.
The apes howl, bare
Their fangs, dance,
Tumble in the
Rushing water,
Musty, wet pelts
Glistening in the blue.
-Barack Obama
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Archive for the 'Lit' Category
(pictured is Robin’s on 13th, just so there is no confusion)
Quite frankly, I am surprised that small bookstores in any proximity to larger retailers like B&N (as is the case of Robin’s on 18th) or Borders (as is the case of Robin’s on 13th) stay in business. I am all about the small, family owned… yadda, yadda. But the word today is browsing. And though I love Robin’s on 13th the selection is poor, if only because of the limitations imposed by a physically small store. (Their magazine section also sucks, but that’s a whole other story.) The whole lecture series that they host, among other events, is really smart, and it will be stuff like that that in the end will keep them rooted as a mainstay of the neighborhood or send them the way of the 18th st. store. I think the key is setting up shop away from competition from the big guys. Ever been to Bookhaven on Fairmount? Hands down the best bookstore in the city. But, because its in this residential area it is geographically buffeted from any competetion from B&N or Borders. Quality and location I think are key. The real question is when is Philly gonna get a larger independent bookstore, like the strand, that can go head to head with these bastards?
Oh, and everything is 60-80% off at Robin’s at 18th over the next 3 weeks or so.
Even after reading this NY Times piece I still have no idea what coudal partners really does. I love the whole swap meat [sic] thing - basically you send in something that you sell (t-shirts, art prints), they decide if they like it. If they do they ask for a small sample to sell on their site, say 100 pieces. You get paid, they take a cut, all is well with the world.
Anyway, they do other stuff too. Verse by Voice is this project where they invite people (famous and non-) to call this answering machine that they have set up and recite their favorite poem. Nice.
My favorie is Zadie Smith reciting Frank O’Hara’s Animals.
And the new Batman trailer.
