Reading Frenzy

http://www.iainaitch.com/reading_frenzy.htm

Saturday September 24th, 12 midday to 5pm
The Horse Hospital, Colonnade, London WC1N 1HX

Authors, journalists, publishers, artists, illustrators, editors and, well, just good old readers have already pledged books for what promises to be the book event of the year. The Reading Frenzy will offer everything from brand new hardbacks and coffee table books to reference books and thrice-read novels at just £1.

The event is organised by London-based writer and journalist Iain Aitch and friends as a benefit for Chloe Eudaly, who runs Reading Frenzy in Portland, Oregon in the US. She has helped, encouraged and given space to countless artists, writers, comic artists, poets and activists and is one of the most giving people we know. As her store sells mostly independently-produced fanzines, magazines, books and art she is never going to make a fortune.

Chloe is a hardworking bookseller, arts promoter, arbiter of culture, and single mom to an adorable four-year-old who happens to have cerebral palsy. After years of 24-7 work she needs a rest and it is her dream to visit London, so we intend to make this happen. Any money above what it takes to get her to London will be used for the ongoing health care of Chloe’s son, Henry. During her visit she will be hosting a ‘show and tell’ style event about her work and Portland’s cultural output.

On 24th September we shall be holding The Reading Frenzy at The Horse Hospital from 12 midday to 5pm. We need you to come along and bring books and then buy books to take away. As we said everything is £1. This means brand new donations from publishers and writers, proof copies, cult titles, art books, novels and rarities.

Please bring your books in bags, if possible divided up into fiction and non-fiction. This is your entrance fee. If you don’t have books to bring you pay £1. You only need bring one book to get in free, but please bring as many as you can [omitting your 1993 Time Out restaurant guides and 1996 Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbooks please]. You will be able to come and go during the sale, so you can check back later on to see what else has come in, though we will be starting with some prime donations on sale. If you want to know the truth we have also been promised a very, very rare book, which will be auctioned at the start of the sale.

We can pick up large donations, but please bring down yourself if you can as this will help us keep costs down. Anyone with large donations or questions should get in touch with me at frenzy@iainaitch.com. We are keen to receive donations from publishers and will be happy to mention your name in any publicity should you wish us to (or, alternatively, to keep mum).

To follow the book sale we are having a film night, with a screening of 1971 masterpiece Harold and Maude, starring Ruth Gordon as an 80-year-old delinquent and Bud Cort as a death obsessed teen, making them perhaps the oddest movie couple ever. Music is by Cat Stevens. This is one of Chloe’s favourite movies and one of ours too. We will also be showing Times Square, a 1980 new wave/punk film featuring Tim Curry, which tells the story of mental hospital escapee, bin bag-wearing fictional proto-riot girl act the Sleaze Sisters. A lost classic featuring music by The Ramones, Talking Heads, Patti Smith and XTC. A must for any fan of The Fabulous Stains.

The films show at 7.30pm at the Horse Hospital. Tickets are £7, or £5 for Horse Hospital members. Pay at the door.

The Horse Hospital is at Colonnade, London WC1N 1HX. It is directly behind Russell Square tube station. Buses7, 59, 68, 91, 168, 188. Euston and Holborn stations are also short walk away should Russell Square be closed for any reason. Map of the Horse Hospital

We also need offers from people who may want to be librarians for a day – organising the donations into rough categories and novels into order. If it has always been your dream to wear thick-rimmed glasses and put your hair in a bun or wear a cardigan and sensible shoes then this could be for you. Librarian fancy dress code will be encouraged for volunteers but by no means compulsory. At the end of the sale you will, of course, be invited to shake down your hair and remove your glasses to a chorus of ‘b..bb… but miss, you are beautiful’. Male librarians will be offered the chance to flex their muscles and make the buttons fly from their brown shirt or M&S cardy.

Any offers of car/van time to pick up large donations are also appreciated.

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