7th Annual Book Sense Luncheon Celebrates Books & Booksellers That Make a Difference

Biblio-love was in the air as booksellers, authors, and publishers gathered to celebrate the written word. The audience of 500 at Friday's Seventh Annual Book Sense Book and Author Luncheon included 50 authors: Book Sense Book of the Year winners and finalists, and those whose works have appeared on Book Sense Picks lists past and present.

ABA Vice President Gayle Shanks of Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, Arizona, hosted the luncheon, which she called "the one event that brings authors, booksellers, publishers, and ABA staff together to celebrate each other."

David Wiesner, author of Flotsam (Clarion) addresses his thanks to booksellers at the Book Sense Luncheon.

She added, "What independent booksellers do is create a literary landscape--and if the Book Sense Picks are any indication, we have created a wide, intelligent, creative landscape."

Shanks thanked booksellers for their Book Sense Picks recommendations, and the ABA for the opportunity to come together. "It's the seventh year, and this event just keeps getting better and better," she added. Shanks also thanked numerous ABA staffers by name, and noted that staying at Hotel ABA led to a delightful experience en route to the convention: unexpectedly encountering 12 fellow booksellers on the New York City subway.

All 50 Book Sense authors in attendance were acknowledged by name, and Shanks provided tidbits about each writer's and illustrator's career in books. In addition, several 2007 Book Sense Book of the Year winners and finalists made brief comments.

Michelle Knudsen, author of Library Lion (Candlewick), a Book Sense Book of the Year Honor Book in the children's illustrated category, said, "I know much of the book's success is due to independent booksellers, who have been so wonderful and welcoming to the book from the very beginning. Thank you very much."

Journalist Timothy Egan, author of adult nonfiction Honor Book The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl (Houghton), garnered enthusiastic applause when he said, "I travel all over the U.S., and independent bookstores are oases of intimacy and literacy and coziness. I make a point of finding independent bookstores in every town, and saying 'I'm home.'"

Rueful smiles spread across the room when Nora Ephron, winner of the Book Sense Book of the Year in adult nonfiction for I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman (Knopf), thanked everyone who supported her book, adding, "I know the reason they did is that the booksellers feel as bad about their necks as I do."

Markus Zusak, winner of the Book Sense Book of the Year in children's literature for The Book Thief (Knopf), said he'd like to thank all of the independent booksellers "for doing the impossible for us: you sold books we thought no one would ever read. An excellent example is my book, set in Nazi Germany and narrated by Death--it doesn't sound like it would cheer you up."

He added, "I've been in your stores, and you performed another miracle by getting people to come [to readings]. Thank you very much for having my book and having me, as well."

Robin Preiss Glasser, the illustrator of Fancy Nancy (HarperCollins) shows off her Honor Book plaque.

Isabella Hatkoff and her father, Craig, were Book Sense Book of the Year winners in the children's illustrated category for Owen & Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship (Scholastic). Isabella charmed the audience when she said, "Wow. Like, not many eight-year-old people get to do this. Thank you!"

Sara Gruen, author of Water for Elephants (Algonquin), the Book Sense Book of the Year winner for fiction, said, "I'm going to quote Isabella and say, 'Wow!' I'm so happy to be here and accept this honor, especially with the people who made it happen." She added, "Thank you, thank you, thank you for handselling the heck out of my book. It means the world to me."

Shanks referred to independent booksellers' role in the success of Water for Elephants as "a testimony of the power of who we are as passionate booksellers.... It's proof positive that good books and good booksellers can still make a difference."

As the lunch concluded, booksellers gathered up ARCs and mingled with fellow booksellers, favorite Book Sense Picks authors, and publisher colleagues. Jane Friedman, president and CEO of HarperCollins Publishers, noted that handselling is "no longer word of mouth--it's now called community." --Linda M. Castellitto