Books, Books, Books

Books in a book market in June 2009, near Saint Sulpice

“… for some of us, books are as important as almost anything on earth.

What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid, squares of paper

unfolds world after world after world,

worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet or excite you.

Books help us understand who we are and how we are to behave.

They show us what community and friendship mean;

they show us how to live and how to die….

An author makes you notice, makes you pay attention, and this is a great gift.”

(Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, pages 14-15)

Hello Readers!

I wanted to let you know about something special going on on Paris this coming weekend.

WHAT: a book sale where one can buy paperbacks for only a euro and hardcovers for 2€

WHEN: Sunday, March 25, 2012, noon to 4 pm

WHERE: Orrick Law Offices, 31, avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie, 75016, Paris

WHY: The semi-annual book sale is one of the main fundraisers for the volunteer organization SOS Help, an English-language emotional support line for the international community in France.

Since 1974, SOS Help has been “listen[ing] to callers speaking about issues as wide-ranging as loneliness, depression, health concerns, bereavement, money problems, unemployment, difficulties with friends or family, or substance abuse.” Anonymous and confidential, the listening line is staffed from 3 pm to 11 pm every day of the year by volunteers who are trained by professionals “to provide empathetic, supportive, and non-judgmental listening to anyone going through a difficult or painful life experience.” (quotes from the SOS Help Facebook Info page linked above. For more information, also see their website: SOS Help)

I can’t imagine a more fun thing to do on a Sunday afternoon than to shop for inexpensive books and help out a very worthy organization at the same time. In fact, to inspire you, just check out this haul that Sion of Paris (Im)perfect came away with last October during the fall sale in her post Books, Glorious Books!

I am going this year with a really big bag and some babysitting cash in pocket. In fact, one wee one I watch has parents that volunteer for this organization, and they are really swell people. I’m happy to put some of my earnings back to an organization they support. Full circle, pay-it-forward, All That Jazz. Result? I get to read more in the process. Also, if you have books you would like to donate, you can take them with you! Lighten your load!

Can’t come to Paris to participate? Well, find something you can do in your community this weekend to support a worthy cause.

So, how am I seizing the day of late? How am I taking care of myself? Read on to find out what I have been up to in trying to accomplish these two goals.

MONUMENTA 2011 – Anish Kapoor: KA-POW!

Monumenta 2011 - Anish Kapoor: KA-POW!

It’s huge. It’s gigantic. It’s enormous! NO, it’s MONUMENTA.

In brief:

What is it?

It’s a gigantic, temporary, contemporary art installation called “Leviathan” by renowned artist/sculptor Anish Kapoor.

Where is it?

It’s at the Grand Palais in Paris, France. Enter at the Main Entrance, Avenue Winston Churchill, 75008.

When is it?

It’s from May 11 to June 23, 2011, everyday except Tuesdays.
Mon & Wed — 10 am to 7 pm.

Thurs-Sun — 10 am to midnight.

Please note that the last entry to the exhibit is 45 min before the closing time.

This upcoming Saturday, May 14, for the Night at the Museums (Nuit des musées), the exhibit will be open from 10 am to 1 am (free entry begins at 7 pm). For more information on the Nuit des musées in Paris, see here: Nuit des Musées. Select “Paris” to view all 231 events in the city.

How much does it cost?

It’s 5€ for the full-rate, half-price for those who qualify (unemployed, those aged 13-18, etc.). Free for Under-13s, journalists with press passes, and others who qualify (see Practical Information on the Monumenta website ). There is a 10€ pass for unlimited entry for the entire duration of the exhibition. Paid admission allows the ticket holder into the evening events on the same day.

Why should I go?

You should go because the sheer scope and scale of the installation will blow your mind. KA-POW!

To learn more about my own experience and thoughts on the MONUMENTA 2011 installation by Anish Kapoor, for which I attended the Press Opening on May 10, 2011, please keep reading.

Talking About Death for Better Living – The Salon de la Mort (Part 2)

April 12, 2011 Parc des Buttes Chaumont

Have you ever thought about how even within a season like Spring, there is a birth-death-rebirth cycle?

When I was in the Parc des Buttes Chaumont with lovely blogger Linda Mathieu of Frenchless in France a couple of weeks ago, I noticed how a lot of the spring flowers which were at their peak a week or so earlier were starting to look past-their-prime and beginning to fall off the trees, making petal confetti on the walkways. (In fact, Linda has some photos of that day, too. She shows the petal confetti perfectly!) It made me think about how those spring flowers die to make way for richer, more verdant summer leaves and ripe fruit. Later, of course, these things fall to the ground, too, and summer makes way for fall, and then we do it all again, at least in climates that have this kind of four-seasons pattern.

What with Easter just around the corner as I begin to write this (and just beyond us as I finish), the idea of birth-death-rebirth resonates. It is a good time to post my report on the Salon de la Mort, the Death Expo,which was held in Paris on April 8, 9, and 10th.

(If this is feeling familiar, it’s because I wrote the Part 1 post here, introducing the salon just as it was happening.)

To learn more about my impressions of the opening night for the press and other advance visitors, please continue reading.