This talk was televised on C-SPAN and meant and means a lot to me. The Soft Edge had just been published in September 1997. I had already done a major talk about the book at the World Trade Center Borders on October 15, 1997. Tina - my wife and publicist - had been been in contact with C-SPAN about their interest in videotaping and broadcasting a talk I would be giving about The Soft Edge. The question was when and where.A few days before Christmas, we got the call from C-SPAN - they had a crew available to tape a talk on December 30, in New York City. Not exactly the best time of the year to give a public lecture about any book, let alone a book about the history and future of media. But I called the Borders store manager, and said, this might sound crazy, but how would you like to have me back in your store after just two months - something almost never done - to give another talk about The Soft Edge, except this one would be taped for later viewing on C-SPAN. The store manager said yes - The Soft Edge had been selling very well in the store - and we were in business.
That Borders at the World Trade Center was thereafter my favorite book store. In June 1999, I gave another talk there, this one about my next book, Digital McLuhan. That talk was covered in an article by Jesse McKinley in the New York Times.The store was lost, with so many other good people and precious things, on September 11, 2001. I'm glad that C-SPAN has preserved a little more than an hour in that store, forever, below...
8 comments:
Well said and done Paul.
I miss that bookstore too Paul.
You know, it's peculiar -- in my years in NYC, that was one of my favorite book stores as well.
Thanks, M.P.
How long did you live in NYC? Sorry we missed each other!
Hi Paul,
I am sorry that the subject never came-up before in our conversations here in the comments section or on Facebook. I actually grew-up in NYC, and lived almost my first 20 years of life as a resident of Queens. I didn't live there until after graduation from NYIT (I attended both Manhattan and Old Westbury, LI).
Of course, back in those days I wasn't as much of an extrovert as I am now. I think I attended a total of 2 Sci-Fi conventions, one in StonyBrook and one in Midtown. I think, I also attended a couple of lectures by Isaac Asimov... As I said, not very outgoing back then.
Now? I have to say, I miss NYC terribly. I miss the culture, I miss the people, I miss the theater, I miss the Broadway plays and musicals (I've been to a few of both). My father, my nieces and my nephews all miss me.
I'd love to come live there, if the right job came along!
I remember that bookstore well, too. Used to go there once a week as a matter of fact. So much of my life circa 2001 was spent going back and forth between Brooklyn and Chelsea and the WTC and its surrounding area were part of my routine.
Cool to be able to embed your C-Span talk here. New new media retrieving artifacts of the recent, yet distant, past.
By the way, who cleaned you up for that appearance? Did you have lunch at the Harvard Club prior to your appearance? ;)
Meant to say:
"I didn't LEAVE there..."
meaning, I grew-up in NYC.
Oh, well. I should edit myself better if I want to become a writer...! LOL!
Mike - believe it or not, that was my wedding suit :)
M.P. - Hey, I'll be at Stony Brook for ICon, weekend after this one. Let me know if you ever attend any cons in the Northeast, and we can try to connect.
PS on the suit - from 1976, no less!
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