Wordfest, Princes, and Just Kids

I’m just now catching up as last week was busy because our city’s annual writer/book festival called Wordfest was going on. I attended many of the book readings and talks, which were wonderful as usual. Of course a slew of Canadian authors read from their works including: Lawrence Hill, Patrick DeWitt, Nick Cutter (a.k.a. Craig Davidson), Elizabeth Hay, Andre Alexis, and Marina Endicott. Have you read any of these authors? I’m curious to read Lawrence Hill’s new novel “The Illegal,” which seems to be a big departure from his 2007 epic “The Book of Negroes.” I also hope to read Elizabeth Hay’s 2007 Giller prize-winning novel “Late Nights on the Air,” which I bought at the festival and had her sign.

Other authors I heard at Wordfest included: John Vaillant, Hannah Kent, Sarah Winman, Sara Blaedel, Cecilia Ekback, Yrsa Sirgurdardottir, and former child soldier Michel Chikwanine whose talk was very tragic and powerful. There were some neat discussions, and I was impressed by all the authors — some of whose books I’ve read. I especially liked Australian author Hannah Kent who was well spoken and is very bright for her years. Her bestselling 2013 novel “Burial Rites” has been translated into 23 languages and was written in her twenties. Have you read it yet?

Meanwhile last week I finished the 2011 nonfiction book “Little Princes: One Man’s Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal” by Conor Grennan. It’s not a genre I read often — that of a person going to a developing country, significantly helping others, and writing about his or her experiences — but I usually seem to benefit when I do as I often learn quite a bit in the process. This book was no exception, in fact “Little Princes” is as good as similar books — though I haven’t read Greg Mortenson’s “Three Cups of Tea yet — but “Little Princes” is informative and compelling. I read it for my book club, which plans to discuss it this week.

It’s about Conor Grennan who at the age of 29 in 2006 goes to Nepal — during the midst of a bloody civil war — to volunteer for three months at “Little Princes” orphanage. Reluctant at first to be a caretaker, Conor soon finds himself won over by the kids’ resiliency and fun nature. But while there he discovers a stunning truth: that they’re not really orphans but have been taken from their families like many others in the country, tricked by human traffickers promising the children’s safety from war for large sums of money. The traffickers in turn have typically either sold the kids into slavery, or left them somewhere terrible to fend for themselves — the lucky ones being the kids who’ve made it to the Little Princes orphanage or other safe havens.

Once stateside, Conor springs into action, starting a nonprofit organization to help rescue the lost or trafficked children of Nepal. He returns to the country and makes the dangerous journey to remote villages to contact the parents of “Little Princes” children, letting them know what’s happened to their kids and informing them of their whereabouts. Eventually Conor establishes a new orphanage in Katmandu to help save more children.

It’s commendable — his story and effort, and how much the organization he co-founded — Next Generation Nepal — has done to rescue hundreds of kids in Nepal and reunify them with their families. He put his life in danger a number of times to make it happen. I’m amazed by people such as Conor, who go against great odds to make the world a better place for others. The book kept my attention and is told very openly and modestly. It gives a vivid picture of the kids in the orphanage and what it was like then inside war-torn Nepal. There’s even a bit of a long-distance relationship Conor shares of a girl he comes to rely on stateside. So if you like books such as “Three Cups of Tea,” you might also like “Little Princes.”

Finally last week, I listened to the audiobook of Patti Smith’s 2010 memoir “Just Kids.” About time, right? She has a new book out now called “M Train, which reminded me to get on the stick about her first book. I had always wanted to read “Just Kids” even though I wasn’t a huge follower of Smith’s music or poetry. I remember in college my roommate always played Smith’s 1975 album “Horses” which I thought was definitely cool but different and a bit weird. I was a fan of her song “Because the Night” which she co-wrote with Bruce Springsteen. In fact, I really wanted to hear about this collaboration and song in the book but alas it’s only briefly mentioned in “Just Kids.”

Most of the memoir of course is about her relationship with artist and photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, who was her world back when they were both starting out as artists in New York City. And it’s great that Patti Smith reads the audiobook. I found her quite down to earth and articulate, relating how her life unfolded and was back then. She pronounces her prose clearly as a poetess would. In her memoir she doesn’t seem too weird or strung out on drugs and I liked her sensibility. In fact the book hardly talks about drugs or alcohol, which is pretty refreshing for a rock memoir. Instead what I took away from “Just Kids” was:

** the places Smith frequented (such as the Chelsea Hotel and CBGB etc.) and the atmosphere of New York City back in the ’60s and ’70s, as well as the famous folks Smith knew there. I had no idea she had a relationship with Sam Shepard once; wow he must have been a real looker back then!

** the deep and touching bond she had with Robert Mapplethorpe, long after they went on to other relationships and muses

** the perseverance of both Smith and Mapplethorpe to make it as artists and be themselves, how they supported each other and didn’t sell out their dreams — was pretty incredible

All of that struck me in the book. And although I haven’t been a huge fan of her music or poems, I respect Patti Smith, her commitment to her artistry, and what she was able to do. And I’m glad to have finally gotten to her illuminating and poignant memoir “Just Kids.”

What about you — have you read any of these books mentioned above, and if so, what did you think?