Tonight: Nelson George talks with Toure!

It's a neighborly week at Greenlight -- tonight we're excited to have two amazing and respected Fort Greene locals talking about the neighborhood, friendship, music, writing, and lots more. Don't miss this one!

Thursday, April 8, 7:30 PM Nelson George reads and discusses City Kid: A Writer's Memoir of Ghetto Life and Post-Soul Success with Touré
Nelson George is the award-winning author of Hip Hop America (1998) as well as other books and films on popular culture, and was a long-time music critic with Billboard and The Village Voice. In City Kid, he writes about his coming-of-age right here in Fort Greene and elsewhere, encompassing family stories, cultural analysis, and his literary and musical influences. George talks about his story and his neighborhood tonight with his friend, fellow Fort Greene resident and music and culture critic Touré.

RSVP on Facebook (optional)

Toure, the Grinch, and other events!

Tomorrow morning (Saturday December 19) at 10:30 AM, you can catch our last event before Christmas: Touré reading How The Grinch Stole Christmas!

Touré is a noted novelist, cultural and literary critic, and TV personality (Greenlight was honored to have him speak at our launch party in October).

He's also a local parent and a Greenlight customer, and a great fan of the work of Dr. Seuss, including his essential story of Christmas humbuggery redeemed.

Join Story Time at Greenlight as Touré reads How The Grinch Stole Christmas!, and a cornucopia of other Seuss favorites. We'll have lots of Seuss classics on hand (they're great gifts for all kinds of folks), and everyone is welcome to enjoy the story of the heart that grew two sizes down in Whoville!

After Story Time, it's a great time to do a little shopping at Greenlight. We've got a storeful of beautiful books for everyone on your list, and our talented and bookish staff will be on hand to help you find the perfect book for everyone.

In the meantime, we've uploaded our January events to our Facebook page. Click here to see the great stuff we've got scheduled for the first month of 2010, from world-class novelists to hugely talented graffiti artists.

See you in the bookstore!

This Saturday: Authors (famous and underage) in Fort Greene Park!

We love our neighborhood. Not only is it home to some of the most exciting writers working -- including Colson Whitehead, Toure, and Nelson George, among many others -- but it's also a place that values education and community. They're putting it all together this weekend with the 5th Annual Fort Greene Park Literary Festival, hosted by the New York Writers Coalition.

The Festival is the culmination of a series of writing workshops for young people, and a chance for them to showcase their work at an event that, as the Fort Greene Park page puts it, "brings several generations of writers together to build on the rich literary traditions of the neighborhoods surrounding beautiful Fort Greene Park." Seriously, this makes me kinda choke up. What could be better or more important?

Starting at 3:00 tomorrow, Saturday August 22, writers ages 7 to 18 will be reading from their work. Around 4:00, the big names will take the stage: Colson, Toure, and Def Poetry Jam alum Staceyann Chinn. Rumor is there will even be free milk and cookies from local restaurant Rice.

Bring a picnic or some cold drinks, and enjoy the best of what Fort Greene has to offer, for free. I'll be there -- hope to see you.