I've read all four years of the marathon, the first few times as a member of a cohort, a bunch, a clot (specifically the late Wolseley Writers' Group) and the last few times as an individual whose former writing group colleagues happen to be reading around the same time.
My partner M has always worked the night of the marathon, but most years we read late enough that he's able to attend and snap a few pictures. You know, for my WWG ephemera...
2004 Freedom to Read Marathon, Mondragon Bookstore & Cafe, Winnipeg, MB.
This year, the marathon WAS his work. He's a newspaper photographer and has recently become interested in soundslides, a way of combining what are basically photo essays with sound.
And so, in pursuit of his first 'official' soundslide, M spent several hours, over the course of the 24 hours that make up the marathon, shooting EVERYthing.
And that was how I found myself, towards the end of February, standing among the bookstacks at my local independent bookseller, holding aloft a bible as though I was third or fourth generation thumper.
(But those are trade secrets. I'm not supposed to tell you that...)
So if you'd like to see what a marathon around banned and challenged books in late February in Winnipeg looks AND sounds like, click here...
1 comment:
This is terrific! This was my second year at the marathon. Last year I read, but this year I had a sore throat, and didn't feel up to it. Still, I wanted to participate. Seeing as I'm up so early I signed up to sit at the registration desk at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday. I learned that at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday there isn't much call for a registration desk. I was asked if I would like to read instead. I picked up Dubliners, and would have despite the throat, but they had a couple of people happy to read until I had to go. Perhaps one year I will try to join those who read through the night.
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