Literary Destination: Bucks County, PA

June 7, 2021 by Renee The Book Adventurer Posted in Authors, Book Festivals, Book Signings, Book Stores, Books, Destinations, Libraries, Museums Tagged Bucks County, Bucks County Book Fest, Bucks County Free Library, Byers' Choice, Charles Dickens, Fonthill Castle, Gerald Dickens, Henry Chapman Mercer, James A. Michener, Mercer Museum, Michener Art Museum, Pearl S. Buck

Bucks County, Pennsylvania is a wonderful place to visit. It has picturesque landscape and is steeped in history. Bucks County is also a fantastic destination for literary lovers. Here are some of the many places to include in your visit to Bucks County:

Michener Art Museum – Doylestown, PA

James A. Michener (1907-1997) was a native of Doylestown. He authored dozens of books, including the 1948 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction winner, Tales of the South Pacific. Rodgers and Hammerstein adapted this book into the 1949 Broadway musical South Pacific, which was then adapted into film in 1958 and again in 2001. Michener was an art lover and a philanthropist, and donated money to the project that established this museum. And here’s an interesting bit of trivia – the building that houses the museum was once the County Jail! The museum opened it’s doors in September 1988.

When you enter the museum and turn left, there is a permanent exhibit – “James A. Michener: A Living Legacy”. This is one of my favorite parts of the museum. You’ll see Michener’s desk, typewriter, and other items from his office, in addition to books, photos, and awards. The Michener Art Museum also has fantastic art displays, and variety of art classes for all ages. If you are a researcher, the museum has an art library and archive, for which you will need to make an appointment to access. For more information about the Michener Art Museum, please click here: James A. Michener Art Museum – Art and Education in Doylestown, PA.

If you would like to know more about James Michener, I recommend Michener and Me by Herman Silverman (USA: Running Press, 1999. ISBN: 978-0762406203). Silverman was a long-time friend of Michener and a founder of the Michener Art Museum.

Mercer Museum and Fonthill Castle– Doylestown, PA

Another prominent citizen of Doylestown was Henry Chapman Mercer (1856-1930). Mercer was a scholar with interests in archeology, anthropology, and art, and authored several books on these topics. Fonthill Castle was his home, which you can still visit today. Completed in 1912, Fonthill contains an amazing display of tile work from Mercer’s company, Moravian Pottery & Tile Works (located next to Fonthill). I mention this location because Mercer’s substantial personal library is one of the rooms you can visit in Fonthill.

About a mile or so away and located directly across the street from the Michener Art Museum is the Mercer Museum. Mercer built this to house his collection of pre-industrial tools and was completed in 1916. The museum also has the research library of the Bucks County Historical Society. What do Mercer’s home and museum have in common? They were both built almost entirely of reinforced concrete (including interior walls). To find out more about Mercer, Fonthill Castle, and the Mercer Museum, please click here: https://www.mercermuseum.org .

Pearl S. Buck’s home at Green Hills Farm

Green Hills Farm – Perkasie, PA

Another famous author, philanthropist, and activist who resided in Bucks County was Pearl S. Buck (1892-1973). Born in Hillsboro, West Virginia, Buck moved shortly after her birth with her missionary parents to China. She lived in China for a good portion of her early adult life, which greatly influenced her expansive literary works. She received many awards and accolades, including the Pulitzer Prize in 1932 for The Good Earth (film adaptation in 1937). Buck returned to the United States in 1934, and purchased Green Hills Farm around 1935. In 1964, she established the Pearl S. Buck Foundation (now known as Pearl S. Buck International). This organization provides aid for children, hosts a Global Leadership Program for high school students, offers writing classes and book groups for adults, and much more. Tours are available of the house, and there is also a gift shop and exhibit gallery. While visiting, you’ll get to see Buck’s office and personal library. If you’d like to know more about Buck and this organization, please click here: Home – Pearl S Buck .

Do you want to know more about the famous and talented people, such as Oscar Hammerstein, II, Dorothy Parker, and Moss Hart, who lived in Bucks County? I recommend The Genius Belt: The Story of the Arts in Bucks County by George S. Bush (editor) (Penn State University Press, 1996. ISBN: 978-0271016733).

Byers’ Choice – Chalfont, PA

Byers’ Choice got it’s start as a business in the 1960s when Joyce Byers began creating Christmas decorations (specifically Carolers) in her home. This at-home start up grew into an international business. Why is this being included with other entities that are book related? Well, if you check out the Carolers, or visit the Christmas Museum at their Welcome Center, you will notice the heavy influence of Charles Dickens. As you’re entering the museum, and on your way to the Observation Deck (where you can watch artists creating the Carolers), you’ll pass through a walkway that makes you feel like you’re walking through the Victorian streets of London. The connection with Dickens does not stop there. For many years Gerald Dickens, the great-great grandson of Charles, has been coming to Byers Choice to perform his one-may adaptations of several of Dickens’ stories. Unfortunately, due to Covid, Gerald Dickens was unable to hold his live performance of A Christmas Carol. I have seen his live performance and it really is exceptional. He plays the roles of each character without major costume or scene changes so seamlessly. If you get a chance to see him live, go and see him. If not, I believe you are still able to stream his recorded version. If you’d like more information about the show and Byers’ Choice, please click here: https://www.byerschoice.com . (For information on streaming Dickens’ performance, click on EVENTS, and scroll down.)

Okay, now you’ve traveled to Bucks County and are seeing the sites, and you feel the need to pick up a great book….where do you go? If you just want to browse in a public library, the Bucks County Free Library has its center in Doylestown, and is located right next to the Michener Art Museum, and directly across the street from the Mercer Museum. There are 17 other locations throughout the county. For more information about Bucks County Free Library, please click here: Home – Bucks County Free Library (buckslib.org) .

Feeling like you might want to purchase some books – something that you can take home with you? You might be interested in the Bucks County Book Fest. The Book Fest began in 2018 and has been held annually since then (2020’s was held virtually). Past authors have included Anna Quindlen, Ibram X. Kendi, and Kate Moore. The 2021 Book Fest will be held September 24 -26 and includes keynote speakers Christina Baker Kline and Jason Reynolds, and at least 18 other authors. For more information about this event, please click here: https://www.bucksbookfest.org .

You might also want to visit some of the wonderful independent book stores located throughout the region. Here is a listing along with their websites for more information:

The Doylestown Bookshop (Doylestown, PA) and The Lahaska Bookshop (Lahaska, PA): The Doylestown Bookshop .

Farley’s Bookshop (New Hope, PA): https://www.farleysbookshop.com .

Newtown Bookshop (Newtown, PA): Newtown Bookshop | Your Neighborhood Independent Bookshop .

Commonplace Reader (Yardley, PA): Commonplace Reader (commonplace-reader.com) .

(NOTE: Map of Bucks County in the above title box is from Visit Bucks County. Click here for more information if you’d like to plan your trip to Bucks : Visit Bucks County, Pennsylvania )

Spotlight: Grace Kelly

April 15, 2020 by Renee The Book Adventurer Posted in Authors, Book Signings, Books Tagged Alfred Hitchcock, Grace Kelly, Hazel Gaynor, Heather Webb, jennifer robson, Kerri Maher, Royal wedding

I have always enjoyed watching classic movies, and Alfred Hitchcock movies in particular. My top 3 favorite Hitchcock movies are Dial M for Murder (1954), Rear Window (1954), and To Catch a Thief (1955). Because I lived in Newport, Rhode Island for a few years, another classic favorite (not by Hitchcock but a favorite none-the-less) is High Society (1956). What do all these movies have in common? They starred the Oscar winning actress and the (then) future Princess of Monaco, Grace Kelly.

Over the years since her tragic death in 1982, I have added two Grace Kelly biographies to my library (see the photo in the title box above). I purchased The Bridesmaids: Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco, and Six Intimate Friends (New York: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1989. ISBN 1-555-84-067-1), written by a close friend of Kelly, Judith Balaban Quine. My mother-in-law indulged my book collecting habit and gave me a copy of Robert Lacy’s Grace (New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1994. ISBN 0399-13872-2). Both books give a very detailed look into the life and career of Kelly.

More recently, several novels have been published related to the life of Grace Kelly. In Meet Me in Monaco: A Novel of Grace Kelly’s Royal Wedding, by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb (New York: William Morrow, 2019. ISBN 978-0-06-288536-4), Grace is almost a secondary character and her wedding is more of a backdrop to the main story. Sophie Duval is a perfumer in the South of France, desperately trying to keep her family business from closing. While hiding Grace from the paparazzi, Sophie meets photographer James Henderson. This wonderful story spans three decades and reveals the intertwining relationships of friendship, love, and heartbreak (not necessarily in that order!) of these three characters.

These next two novels were published earlier this year. I was to attend a book event to be held at a local theater, which was going to show To Catch a Thief, and then have a signing and meet and greet with the authors. Alas, the event was cancelled, but I did receive my copies of the books. The Girl in White Gloves: A Novel of Grace Kelly, by Kerri Maher (New York: Berkley, 2020. ISBN 978-0-451-49207-4), follows Grace throughout her life and shows how she was determined to win independence from her parents, and at the same time win their approval. I admit while reading this book I sometimes forgot I was reading a work of fiction.

The second book from this event was The Grace Kelly Dress: One Dress, Three Generations of Women. A Lifetime of Love by Brenda Janowtiz (Toronto: Graydon House, 2020. ISBN: 978-1-525-80459-5). This very enjoyable book is also less about Grace Kelly and more about the lives of the women who were inspired by Grace’s wedding dress.

If you like The Grace Kelly Dress, you may want to check out another novel about a different royal wedding dress. The Gown: A Novel of the Royal Wedding by Jennifer Robson (New York: William Morrow, 2018. ISBN 978-0-06-267-495-1), is historical fiction based on the women who created the wedding gown for Queen Elizabeth II. I’ve never been disappointed when reading any of her books, as Robson is a superb storyteller.

I hope you get a chance to read and enjoy these books. If you’d like more information about the authors of these featured books, please click on the links below:

Hazel Gaynor – https://www.hazelgaynor.com/

Brenda Janowitz – http://www.brendajanowitz.com/

Kerri Maher – http://www.kerrimaher.com/

Heather Webb – http://heatherwebbauthor.com/

Jennifer Robson – http://www.jennifer-robson.com/

If you would like more information about the Princess Grace Foundation, please go to this website – https://pgfusa.org/

For more information on The Principality of Monaco, please visit this website – https://www.monte-carlo.mc/en/

Book Signing Tips

March 3, 2020 by Renee The Book Adventurer Posted in Book Signings, Books Tagged book, signings, tips 1 Comment

Book signings play an important role in the book world. For the author, signings are a big part of book promotions. Live events help to spark interest in not just their current book, but also in their past or future books as well. For the reader, they get to meet and speak with the person who they admire or who’s creativity they appreciate. The reader may also discover interest in a new author or book.

I attended my very first book signing in 1991. I was working at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, RI and Tom Clancy came there to give a lecture. This was after the release of the movie The Hunt for Red October, so you can imagine the long line of people waiting to see him. I had purchased two books for him to sign, and when I finally got up to him, I don’t think I said more than “Hello” and “Thank you”. Mr. Clancy took the books from my hands, signed them both, and gave them back to me. He didn’t look at me. He didn’t say a word. In his defense, there were A LOT of people waiting to meet him and I’m sure it was a long day for him.

One of my signed Tom Clancy novels.

After that, I avoided book signings at bookstores. I always felt too shy to approach the authors. What should I say? What should I do? So much pressure!! I finally broke out of my shell in June 2019 and attended a book signing at my local bookstore. I was a little nervous as I entered the bookstore. Fortunately, I met a very nice woman who was also there for the signing. As she had attended many of these events at this particular bookstore, she graciously took me under her wing and explained to me what to do. The author and her books were new to me. She turned out to be so lovely, I purchased two of her novels. I enjoyed reading both of those books and went back later to purchase three more. That was a good promotion for her – because of that one event I ultimately purchased five of her books! And I will probably purchase more of her books in the future.

Later, I discovered several book festivals taking place in my area, which I attended and was able to meet more authors – every one of them extremely nice and so interesting! I very much enjoyed listening to them and learning about their book, their writing process, and what inspires them.

With Rosemary Simpson, Susan Scott Holloway, and L.A. Chandlar at book festival in October 2019.

At book signing for Felida with Lidia Bastianich in November 2019.

After attending these events and posting my pictures on social media, friends and family members began to ask me questions about book signings. How do you find them? What do you do there? I’ve decided to list a few of my tips.

How to find book signing events:

Visit your local bookstore or check their website for events listings. Even if you have a certain author or book in mind, you may discover they have other authors coming to your area who may also interest you.
Check events that are being held at your local library. Many libraries will sponsor or co-sponsor author signings.
Check publisher websites as they will have information on their authors.
Last but not least, and my favorite source – check the author websites. (Author websites are how I found out about several book festivals I ended up attending.) If the author is not making an appearance near you, take a look at the bookstores they will be visiting. Even if you cannot attend an event at their store, many bookstores are happy to have you order books from them that they will have signed and shipped to you after the event.

Now that you have found an author event you’re interested in attending, here are some tips on what to do next:

RSVP. This helps the store to prepare for the signing and make sure they will have enough books on hand for the event.
Check the bookstore’s policy regarding the event. If you already own books that you would like to have signed, it has been my experience that as long as you purchase the author’s most recent release, they are fine with you bringing a book or two of your own. This will vary from store to store, and even from one event to the next so always be sure to contact the store for approval. Also remember that there will be other people attending the event and it may seem rude if you show up with a dozen books for the author to sign, especially if the author is only available for a short period of time.
If you’d like a picture taken with the author, most stores and authors are very happy for you to do so. Many are also happy for you to share your photos on social media. As a common courtesy, ask beforehand just to make sure it’s okay.
My haul of signed books from a book festival in October 2019.

2020 is shaping up to be a good signing year for me. (I’ve already attended two signings.) I hope it will be for you and that you find these tips helpful!