Big Blue Down the Shore

Tonight, August 7, Louis Greenstein will discuss Mr. Boardwalk at Big Blue Marble Bookstore in the Mt. Airy neighborhood of Philly. Sharing the bill will be photographer Michael Koehler, whose photos of shore scenes in Seaside and Seaside Heights turned suddenly into a memorial project when Hurricane Sandy walloped the area. Koehler has assembled the photos in a lovely and moving book aptly titled Seaside.

For those not familiar with Mt. Airy, we can offer a few pointers:

• Several years ago, residents of the mildly hilly neighborhood were responsible for a rash of bumper stickers proclaiming "This Car Climbed Mt. Airy."
• From the front door of the bookstore, you can reach a 41-year-old grocery coop, with an emphasis on natural foods and local produce, in about 20 steps. You have to cross the street, however, to find the pet food, vitamins, and dietary supplements.
• The street is one way on one block and two ways on the next block. Neighbors do not find this odd.
• Of course there's a coffee shop. Did you think there wouldn't be? It's on the same side of the street as the pet foods and vitamins.
• Demographics (from Wikipedia): "The area is recognized by many civil rights groups as one of the first successfully integrated neighborhoods in America. Mount Airy residents organized to resist blockbusting, panic selling, and redlining, especially during the period from the late 1950s to the early 1970s when those practices were prevalent. It continues to be a well-blended neighborhood and was recently cited in Oprah Winfrey's O magazine for its racial diversity and neighborhood appeal. The community has also been recognized by US News & World Report for racial harmony and balance."
• 96 percent of residents recognize that the locution "going down the shore" (Philadelphia-ese for going to the beach) is mildly ungrammatical or at least odd. The other 4 percent have overdosed on organic kale.
• Tonight there will be an ice cream truck outside the coop.

Upcoming Events for Mr. Boardwalk

Dates to be announced:

• Feature article and interview with author Louis Greenstein in The Press of Atlantic City
  
• Interview with Louis on the podcast This Creative Life

Thursday, 9/25: Reading and book signing at Penn Book Center, 130 S. 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, 8/30: Reading and book signing at Atlantic City Free Public Library, 1 North Tennessee Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ, 2:00 p.m.

Wednesday, 8/13: Guest post by Louis Greenstein at "Chaotic Compendiums: The Place to Find Your Next Book"

Tuesday, 8/12: Review by "Chaotic Compendiums: The Place to Find Your Next Book"

Thursday, 8/7: Reading and book signing as part of "Down the Shore" event, with photographer Michael M. Koehler and Zsa's Ice Cream Truck, at Big Blue Marble Bookstore, 551 Carpenter Lane, Philadelphia, PA, 7:00 p.m.

Past Events


Tuesday, 8/2: Review on "Svetlana's Reads and Views"

Sunday, 7/27: Reading and book signing at The Quadrangle, 3300 Darby Road, Haverford, PA, 2:00 p.m.

Saturday, 7/19: Appearance and book signing at "Celebrating Philly Publishers!", Musehouse: A Center for the Literary Arts, 7924 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19118

Monday, 7/14: Review in Cleaver Magazine

Wednesday, 6/18: Official book launch party, with reading and book signing, at Head House Books, 619 S. 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, 6/12: Reading and book signing at Main Point Books, 1041 West Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA, 7:00 p.m.

Monday, 6/9: Review in The Piker Press

Wednesday, 6/4: Guest post by Louis, "Three Things I Learned About Writing From My Day Jobs," on Maryann Miller's blog

Monday, 6/2: Maryann Miller discusses other work by Louis Greenstein in her Monday Morning Musings

Sunday, 6/1: Book review on Maryann Miller's blog, "It's Not All Gravy"

Thursday, May 8: Advance review in Philadelphia Review of Books

Monday, March 17: Advance review in Small Press Reviews