A rare Critical Mass—-as stirring as the first time around?

by David Varno | Sep-12-2009

“Tonight we have a rare critical mass in the audience,” Jane Ciabattari said in her introduction, “of reviewers, authors, graduate students, and a ten-year-old girl who reads a book every day.”

Before introducing Linda Wolfe, she noted some changes over the years, such as the fact that members are comprised of more freelancers than book editors, but that we continue to be united by our passion for books. 

Wolfe was a contributing editor to New York magazine, and the NBCC, she said, invited her in hope for some kind of coverage.  Each of the winners, she said, gave excellent speeches, and she was was moved to join based on that. 

In closing, Wolfe quipped: “I only wonder now, will their speeches be as stirring as they were the first time?”