Feb. 11: Book Burning!!!!

Here in Atlanta, Feb. 11th is the first ever literary book burning!!! (leave it to Atlanta to come up with such a potentially offensive event. I suppose we will all be getting crunk as well.)


Below is an email from the Duck & Herring Company, who are hosting the event!!! (do not ask me why there is no herring in the logo. I don't know. I feel sorry for the poor little herring who got left out of the picture, probably becasue he can't fly... which makes him feel bad enough to begin with. Damn duck!)


In all seriouslness, this will be WAY cool, and I plan to be there, maybe with Mose!


Friends of The Duck & Herring Co.:


As you might have heard, to celebrate the release of our Winter Pocket Field Guide, we're holding a book burning at Aurora Coffee next to Criminal Records on Moreland Ave. It's Saturday, February 11 at 7 p.m. But it's just not any book burning -- it's Atlanta's first-ever book burning and reading.


That's right; we love literature and we would never burn a book out of hate. Instead, we're hoping to redefine what a book burning is to all those who attend.


Here's what we hope you'll see, around the blaze of a trashcan fire, amid the smoke and ash of burning books, with sirens blaring in the background as the fire people approach and wonder what we're up to:


- a brief history of book burnings, including those held in Atlanta over the years, presented by The Duck & Herring Co.


- a brief history of other things that have been burned for unpleasant reasons over the years, presented by Terra Elan McVoy. editor at The Duck & Herring Co.


- an actual trashcan burning of books, in the parking lot


- a prize drawing


- music -- either a trumpet or a violin, it depends


- a prayer to the fire gods, or something along those lines, read by Johnny Pence of Athens, GA and Blotter fame


- a short story about a book burning presented by Jamie Allen, founder of The Duck & Herring Co.


- The Duck & Herring Co.'s patented Winter To-Do List, read by someone with a German accent


- and hosting and various factoid-presenting by Tom Bell, the Shelf Space writer at Creative Loafing


In short, this is the type of thing that can really kickstart a Saturday night. Imagine heading to a bar or a party after, and you're friends ask you what you did before you showed up there, and you say, "Oh, I went to this book burning ..." Interesting conversation ensues, guaranteed.


Also, HDNet is recording this for posterity, so you might get caught on camera at a book burning, and then you will have an FBI file, guaranteed, and everybody should have one of those during these crazy times.


Best of all, this event is FREE. Imagine it: music, readings, a history lesson, fire and smoke. And sirens, hopefully approaching toward the end.


Special thanks to Criminal Records and Aurora Coffee for co-sponsoring this. We didn't see Barnes & Noble stepping up to the plate when we started mentioning a book burning ...


Join us!
The Editors
The Duck & Herring Co.


In other news, I got some highlights put in my hair, but it is unlikely you will notice or care. That's how it is with hair, we all care about our own, but rarely notice anyone elses. But OH! it felt good to have someone shampoo me.