• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About
  • Donate

The Arts Fuse

Boston's Online Arts Magazine: Dance, Film, Literature, Music, Theater, and more

  • Podcasts
  • Coming Attractions
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • Commentary
  • The Arts
    • Performing Arts
      • Dance
      • Music
      • Theater
    • Other
      • Books
      • Film
      • Food
      • Television
      • Visual Arts
You are here: Home / Books / Fuse Flash: Postscript on Wordfest at The Mount

Fuse Flash: Postscript on Wordfest at The Mount

July 31, 2010

At WordFest: Poet and Translator Peter Filkins
At Wordfest: Poet and Translator Peter Filkins

By Roberta Silman

Although all the statistical material about the demography of Wordfest has yet to be compiled, the word is out that this newest event at The Mount was an amazing success. About 500 people attended events at the grounds of The Mount and nearby at Seven Hills (the fundraising dinner) over the weekend of July 23–25; they were of all ages, though probably “about 10 years younger than our usual population of visitors here at The Mount,” said Susan Wissler, the director. “And there were about 60% women and 40% men, which is also a bit different from our usual population,” added Audrey Manring, a freelance writer and publicist who was brought in to help launch this new event in the Berkshires.

What was absolutely wonderful was the way the writers themselves “stayed on after their individual gigs—on panels, giving interviews, signing books—exchanging ideas with each other as well as the guests,” according to both women. Such generosity of spirit creates an atmosphere that is hard to convey in any report, but that was palpable and encouraging to those who came not only to meet these fine writers but to learn from them. It is also very hard to predict. Sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn’t. But the stars were in their right places in Lenox, MA last weekend. And the biggest surprise was the large audience on the Terrace for the poetry readings, mostly by Berkshire poets of varying ages.

All of the writers have called or emailed to report their pleasure, and “they all seemed to feel honored that they were here for this first Wordfest,” Susan said with delight. Although I could not attend because of pressing family obligations that weekend, I know I will clear my calendar for the next Wordfest, which is already being scheduled for September 2011. And when I stopped in to see the two women last week, I had the feeling that Edith Wharton herself was looking down, saying to herself: This is what I dreamed when I created this beautiful estate (which looks absolutely gorgeous, by the way, especially Edith’s garden), and this is exactly how the marvelous legacy of American writing should be disseminated to interested readers and a new generation of writers.

Bravo to all those who participated—you can look them up on The Mount’s website—bravo to the organizers, and a special bravo to those private contributors and businesses who made this unique event possible.

Roberta Silman is the author of Blood Relations, Boundaries, The Dream Dredger, and Beginning The World Again, as well as the children’s book, Somebody Else’s Child. She can be reached at rsilman@verizon.net.

Share
Tweet
Pin
Share

By: Roberta Silman Filed Under: Books, Featured Tagged: Fuse Flash, Lenox, MA, Roberta Silman, The Mount, Wordfest

Primary Sidebar

Search

Popular Posts

  • Music Review/Interview: Foxes & Fossils — 50 Million YouTube Views Can’t Be Wrong Even though they are a cover band, Foxes and Fossils' p... posted on February 1, 2021
  • Television Review: “Strip Down, Rise Up” — The Liberation of Pole Dancing An intriguing look at smashing the patriarchy through t... posted on February 1, 2021
  • Film Review: “The World to Come” — A Haunting Female Frontier Romance The excitement of these films – perhaps the word frisso... posted on February 5, 2021
  • Concert Review: Tedeschi Trucks Band — Fiery “Fireside Sessions” With the “Fireside Sessions,” Tedeschi and Trucks have... posted on February 21, 2021
  • Film Commentary: What If a Man Insinuates That a Woman Is NOT Attractive? And in Print? Variety is wrong and cowardly to give in to Cary Mullig... posted on January 31, 2021

Social

Follow us:

Follow the Conversation

  • Allen Michie February 25, 2021 at 10:27 pm on World Music Album Review: Michael Wimberly’s “Afrofuturism” — Journeying Forward Through DiversityThe gratitude is all mine! Thanks for putting together this great assembly of master musicians and letting them mix it...
  • Mark Favermann February 25, 2021 at 1:21 pm on Visual Arts Review: Trump Likes Minimalism? Really?President Joe Biden reverses Trump architecture executive order. Feb. 24, 2021
  • B Sloane February 25, 2021 at 1:13 pm on Visual Arts Review: Trump Likes Minimalism? Really?Right on! You got the T family exactly - both D and M have extensive experience in design, as we...
  • Thomas Garvey February 25, 2021 at 11:27 am on Visual Arts Review: Trump Likes Minimalism? Really?Is it that surprising that a fascist sensibility should be attracted to minimalism? Le Corbusier and Philip Johnson were sympathetic...
  • Michael Wimberly February 25, 2021 at 11:05 am on World Music Album Review: Michael Wimberly’s “Afrofuturism” — Journeying Forward Through DiversityThank you Allen. I truly appreciate your overview and the way you looked under the hood so to speak of...

Footer

  • About Us
  • Advertising/Underwriting
  • Syndication
  • Media Resources
  • Editors and Contributors

We Are

Boston’s online arts magazine since 2007. Powered by 70+ experts and writers.

Follow Us

Monthly Archives

Categories

"Use the point of your pen, not the feather." -- Jonathan Swift

Copyright © 2021 · The Arts Fuse - All Rights Reserved · Website by Stephanie Franz