Celebrate Books, Ideas, Conversation at Jetties
by Zoe Kirsch & Suzanne Daub
“Bookmark on the Beach,” an event in The Atlantic and Plum TV’s Bookmark 2007 series, will be held this Sunday, August 26th. From 5:00 to 8:30 pm on Jetties Beach, attendees will have the chance to witness a captivating debate; participate in a literary discussion with a Pulitzer Prize winner, a Poet Laureate, a musician, and an editor; see talented musician Josh Ritter perform (he’s been proclaimed an “under-accorded musical genius”); and chat over cocktails with a renowned author or two.
Bookmark on the Beach is the culmination of Bookmark 2007 events on Nantucket, defined as a celebration of “beautiful environs, fascinating books, thought-provoking conversations, and memorable experiences.” Preceeding the August 26th event were a Meet-the-Author Booksigning and a Meet-the-Author Lecture, which were held earlier this month, and a series of Plum TV interviews with authors that aired in July.
At the core of Bookmark 2007 is a recommended reading list, compiled by Atlantic editors. The ten books on the inaugural list are a diverse selection from among what those editors consider to be the best in recent fiction and non-fiction, along with two classic works and a local Nantucket recommendation. Though the books on the list vary widely in tone, style, and subject matter, they were selected because in various ways they all generate conversation. To name a few, there’s Christopher Hitchen’s God is not Great (subtitled “How Religion Poisons Everything,” which just might give you an idea about the book’s controversial topic); The Best and the Brightest, written by famed journalist David Halberstam about the war in Vietnam; and Claire Messud’s The Emperor’s Children, which is described by The Atlantic as “psychologically insight[ful].” Many of the books, including the classics, have been reviewed in the pages of the Atlantic. You can find a complete book list at Bookmark 2007’s website, www.bookmark2007.com/books.
Event organizers at The Atlantic and Plum reached out to the authors on their book list and to other writers they had reviewed or interviewed to encourage them to attend and participate in Bookmark on the Beach. And a number will be at Jetties Beach on Sunday.
Bookmark 2007 has been described by Amy Thompson, PR Director at The Atlantic, as “an exciting new program to celebrate books, ideas, and the spirit of community.” With its intrepid character, rich history, and incredible writers, it seems only fitting that Nantucket host the series. The books on the Bookmark 2007 reading list are not as light as the typical “summer reading books.” According to Thompson, if readers only have time for ten books this year, these are the ten The Atlantic editors recommend. “We want people to read and we love to get the authors involved...these are great, great books,” said Thompson.
Tickets to Bookmark on the Beach are available for $50 at Nantucket Bookworks, 25 Broad Street. Organizers are very excited at the prospect of sharing the ideas and conversation generated by the books, the debate, and the panel discussion. “We thought it was a great idea to bring these books to life, and it’s a great way to end the summer.”
Bookmark 2007 was created as part of a multiplatform partnership between its sponsors: The Atlantic and Plum TV. Since it was founded 150 years ago, The Atlantic has helped shape the national debate on the most critical and contentious issues of our times, from politics, business, and the economy, to technology, arts, and culture. The Atlantic's parent enterprise, Atlantic Media Company, is a Washington, D.C. based publishing company whose flagship properties include The Atlantic, National Journal, and Government Executive. Plum television programming celebrates the natural beauty and character of its communities and spirit and intellect of the people who live and visit there. Plum operates television channels and websites in Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, the Hamptons, Vail, Aspen, and Telluride.
