From Vonnegut to H.G. Wells, many students come to Madison in love with books, only to suppress their reading desires under the stress of midterms, research papers and the volumes of course reading UW-Madison throws at them. But, this weekend is a celebration for book lovers, as the Wisconsin Book Festival rolls into town with everything a literature fan could want.
From books to 'zines, poetry slams to documentaries, there is something for everyone at the 2005 Wisconsin Book Festival and, best of all, the events are free and open to all.
Most students might recognize Harvey Pekar from the 2003 movie \American Splendor,"" which Pekar based on his comic series. Pekar will hit the Orpheum Theatre, 216 State St., Friday to speak about his latest graphic novel work ""The Quitter."" Madison native Jim Fleming of Public Radio International's ""To The Best Of Our Knowledge"" will host the discussion with the cranky comic writer.
For anyone seeking bursts of creativity from the Midwest, this weekend's Madison Poetry Slam will bring together 45 teams of poetry slammers from throughout the region.
These teams will compete to see who can present poetry with the best flow, rhythm and beat.
Willie Ney, who helped organize the event, is proud of this Poetry Slam's multi-generational focus. He recruited noted poets such as Jessica Care Moore and Kalamu ya Salaam, whose poetry in the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s informed as it entertained. Ney said Salaam will provide unique viewpoints, as Hurricane Katrina recently displaced him from his New Orleans home.
After becoming immersed in the world of poetry at the Slam, the next stop might be the Orpheum Stage Door Saturday, to attend Amy Williams' ""Ask A Literary Agent"" session. Williams will tell the ins and outs of what it takes to succeed in the cutthroat world of publishing.
For those who have already written a hit first book and scoff at the thought of literary agent advice, the Wisconsin Book Festival brings Larry Baker. His first novel ""Flamingo Rising"" did not sell as well as critical acclaim predicted.
In this speech, Baker will talk about the pitfalls of writing a second novel, and the horror of finding an audience that did not exist the first time around.
