Our beloved Book Fair moves to new location this year at the Bernie Wohl Center, 647 Columbus Ave (at 91st). The Bernie Wohl Center is the home of our Community Arts program, so it’s a natural place to hold the Fair — as well as a great place to highlight the amazing plays, music and discussions staged there.
This year we’re also slashing prices on tickets to First Look Friday, our opening night fundraiser, where you can enjoy a cocktail and delicious snacks while browsing the books before the Fair opens!
Author James Mustich will be at First Look Friday to chat with shoppers and sign copies of his new book, 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die.
“I’ve been an avid reader since I was a kid, and most of my adult life has been spent as a bookseller,” said Mustich. “As a result, the search for what to read next—whether for myself as a reader or on behalf of others as a bookseller—has never been far from my mind.”
Mustich labored over the manuscript for 14 years, “making lists of thousands of titles and arranging and rearranging them.” Finally he hit on the organizing principle he was looking for. Perhaps not surprisingly, it was the notion of a bookshop.
“What if I had a bookstore that could hold only 1,000 volumes, and I wanted to ensure it held not only books for all time but also books for the moment, books to be savored over several months or devoured in a night?” he explained. ” A shop where any reading inclination—be it for thrillers or theology, or theological thrillers—might find reward.”
Just a peek into 1,000 Books is enough to get a book lover’s mouth watering. From heavy hitters like War and Peace to the obscure English mountaineering satire The Ascent of Rum Doodle, it offers short, engaging descriptions of each book, plus trivia, historical notes and suggestions for further reading.
As always, the Book Fair will also offer plenty of brand-new bestsellers in multiple categories — from Stephen King’s Outsider to Angie Thomas’ Young Adult sensation The Hate U Give to astronaut Scott Kelly’s memoir, Endurance, to name just a few.
We’re grateful to our many partners in the publishing industry who donate books to the Fair each year in support of our programs.
The Book Fair is open from 10 to 5 on November 17 and 18 and is free to the public. We look forward to seeing you there!