October 15, 2011 - 1:00 PM
Private Houseboat Pier
tba
SOLD OUT!
Welcome to the newest and zaniest literary afternoon of the year—atop the houseboats of Sausalito! Words on the Waves will showcase an amazing selection of writers from the North Bay literary sphere, surrounded by sunshine and plenty of fresh air. Join us for the first-ever WOTW featuring contemporary and historical readings, music and storytelling, hosted local food and beverages, including a brand-new cocktail called “The Anchor Out”—all within one of the world’s most unusual floating communities.
21 and over
Because this event is held on private houseboats, there is a maximum of 100 advance tickets, with another 25 available at the door. Exact location and transportation options will be sent after ticket purchase or upon request. For questions and more info please email [email protected]
Phase I: 1-2 pm
1. Celebrating Rumi with Ecstatic Poetry and Prose
Boat #20
The works of Persian writer and thinker Mevlana Rumi have been translated worldwide for over 800 years. Join authors Roger Housden and Holly Payne to celebrate this beloved ecstatic poet, and enjoy some Mediterranean-inspired cuisine to put you in the spirit.
Roger Housden, Holly Lynn Payne
2. The Last Free Ride: A Colorful History of the Sausalito Houseboats in Words and Images
Boat #42
Sausalito’s houseboats have long attracted writers, artists, musicians, filmmakers, and radicals. During the 1950s and ’60s, Anais Nin, Allen Ginsberg, Alan Watts, and the Weather Underground all lived in the community. Readings will illuminate this rich history, and include selected clips from the documentary Last Free Ride: A Hip Pirate Movie
Adam Fisher, Susan Frank, Rachel Lehmann-Haupt, Cyra McFadden, Barbara D. Hubbard
3. Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash: Tall Tales from the Boat Dwellers
Boat #34
The Sausalito waterfront is layered with folklore of pirates, herring runs, and water-skiing elephants. These local storytellers (and surprise guests) will regale listeners with tales of the Bay Area’s most unique and eccentric community.
4. Out to Sea: Writers on Travel
Boat #38
Set sail with some of California’s most accomplished travel writers as they hold forth on themes of water and boats—how the changing nature of the first reflects our own mutability, how the second provides a means of physical and metaphorical travel, and how the Bay Area became home to a culture uniquely built around the sea.
Jim Benning, Peter Delevett, Daniel Duane
Phase II: 2-3 pm
5. Turning the Tide: Coming of Age on the Water
Boat #3
The sea has always been a place of transformation, where people’s spirits are tested and they learn and discover unknown parts of themselves. Stories at this reading include a sea kayaking date gone wrong, a young boy’s fishing dreams, and teens adrift on a life raft.
Maria Finn, Tess Uriza Holthe, Rachel Lehmann-Haupt, Kristen Tracy, Jon Wells
6. Writers Ashore: Local Authors from Rebound Bookstore
Boat #34
For six years, Rebound Bookstore has served as the Marin County hub for bibliophiles and author events. These local writers offer up stories about zombies in love (complete with steamy scenes on houseboats), flash fiction, and more.
Frances Lefkowitz, Linda Watanabe McFerrin, Peg Alford Pursell, Marianne Rogoff
7. Water, Fire, Rocks: Life in Six Words
Boat #42
SMITH Magazine, home of the popular Six-Word Memoir project and book series, brings together storytellers to explore the themes of water, fire, and rocks. Each storyteller will offer a Six-Word Memoir and then reveal the backstory in under six minutes. At the end of the program, everyone is invited to share his or her own Six-Word Memoir in an audience participation slam. Featuring SMITH founder Larry Smith, with local writers and storytellers.
8. Vanda Marlow, Poetry Faerie
Boat #12
Enjoy a private audience with South Forty’s very own Poetry Faerie, atop a beautifully restored WWII landing craft. She will pick a poem especially for you from her extensive floating library, guaranteed to delight and perhaps even rock your world.
Phase 3: 3-4 pm
9. Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay: Contemporary Takes on Houseboats and Bay Area Life
Common Area
The grand finale event features Cyra McFadden, Stewart Brand, and a special performance of Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” by Joe Tate, which will include the Sausalito story behind the song, as well as the actual table on which it was written!
Phase 4: 4-5 pm
10. Tango Me Home: Music, Dancing, Mingling, and Munching
Common Area
Fish chowder, seaweed brioche, cocktails, and more. Oysters and wine courtesy of i love blue sea (voted best sustainable seafood by 7×7 magazine) and local/organic Verge Wine Cellars.
Sausalito author Maria Finn will begin with a brief talk on how the tango addiction can take hold, followed by tango musicians Marcelo Puig and Seth Asarnow for live music and dancing. Featured cocktail will be the Anchor Out, a modern riff on The Hemingway, mixing rum and sparkling cider with lemons and orange slices.
Words on the Waves Committee
Hillair Bell, Diana Cohn, Maria Finn, Rachel Lehmann-Haupt, Holly Lynn Payne.
Words on the Waves Sponsors
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