In the midst of a nationwide literary crisis, making time to read seems more important than ever — and what better way to do this than by exploring the local book scene at the Ithaca is Books Festival? The festival was four days long, from Sept. 10 to 13, and was hosted throughout local bookstores in and around the Ithaca Commons. It included a book fair with vendors, bookstores and various author discussions and book signings at local bookstores. There were about 40 authors and over 20 bookstores, libraries, radio stations and literary organizations, most local to Tompkins Country, tabling and hosting events throughout the weekend.
While I hadn’t been to a book fair since elementary school, I was still excited to see what would happen outside the confines of Scholastic selling their popular tween titles. Local Ithaca bookstores made up the bulk of the festival, and each had a unique aesthetic: some had a slightly punk and anti-censorship theme, while others went for a pastel aesthetic to curate a calming atmosphere to draw customers in. The vendors, of course, sold a variety of books and merchandise that included stickers, pins, T-shirts and tote bags to complement the bookstores’ styles. Many bookstores also featured a “date with a blind book,” which encouraged customers to purchase a gift-wrapped book after only reading its premise.
The fair wasn’t too packed and stayed within the bounds of the Commons and its surrounding bookstores. Everyone seemed excited and engaged while walking through the book stands and finding new books to read. I also saw that the Tompkins County Public Library was tabling to encourage people to use the library on Saturday, but I did not see them on Sunday. I love using my library cards and tend to only buy books if I have already read them or if I receive a stellar recommendation. While I would’ve loved it if the library promoted itself more during the festival, I appreciated that they were encouraging library use to the community.
I had originally heard about the festival through Prof. Marion Nestle’s book launch event. Nestle is a visiting professor of nutritional sciences at Cornell and prominent nutrition figure who I have seen in documentaries and cited in many of my nutrition assignments. I was excited to hear her talk about her new book about breakfast cereals Sugar Coated: Unboxing the Hidden Forces Shaping America’s Favorite Breakfast Food, as well as hear her opinions on contemporary nutrition topics.
Upon arriving at Autumn Leaves Books, a bookstore in the Commons, I made my way upstairs to a sectioned off alcove filled with books and chairs. The chairs quickly filled with latecomers choosing to stand in the back, but the room maintained a subdued atmosphere. The event started with a bookstore representative quickly promoting the festival and bookstore before passing it off to Nestle to discuss her book. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing Nestle speak, along with the cookies she provided at the book signing afterwards (as is all too common when going to nutrition events). She discussed her experience co-writing the book with former cereal executive Dr. Lisa Sutherland, her own attitudes on cereals (way too much sugar, especially considering their marketing towards children) and stories of finding the cereal boxes that were scanned and printed in the book. I found it well worth the hour of my afternoon — hearing about her writing process and opinions on nutrition was fascinating.
The next day before visiting the book fair I stopped by Buffalo Street Books and listened to a talk from author and illustrator Cat Willett, who was accompanied by three adorable kittens. Throughout the talk I remained focused, but the sporadic meowing in the back of the room would occasionally make me turn my head. I enjoyed listening to Willet read excerpts and show illustrations from her book Unconditional: Stories of Women and the Animals They Love. I deeply appreciated reflecting on my own pets, hearing her stories (one involved a rescued bat!) and of course seeing the kittens. After the talk, I explored the rest of the bookstore and found a few interesting titles that I added to my to-read list.
All these events were entertaining and promoted reading across a variety of fields and subjects. So, in the age of a literary crisis, festivals and events encouraging reading are more important than ever. I deeply appreciated Ithaca for encouraging me and the broader community to connect with our local authors and bookstores.
Melanie Delfosse is a member of the Class of 2028 in the College of Human Ecology. She is a staff writer for the Lifestyle Department and can be reached at md2262@cornell.edu.
