Feature: Talks - Jewish Book Week 2011
Published: 17 February, 2011
by DAN CARRIER
THE book is not dead, according to comedian David Schneider, and no matter how many of us get Kindles, iBooks or any other funky reading devices, you won’t get rid of the printed page. David is a guest at this year’s Jewish Book Week, hosting a conversation with Russo-American novelist Gary Shteyngart – and one of the topics he is billed to discuss is what the future holds for the printed word.
“It’s the smell of them,” he says. “I don’t have a Kindle yet, and it’s because I love the smell and the touch of books.
“I’m not sure I’d use one either – perhaps when I go holiday, but even then, I love it when sand falls out from between pages when you get home. I don’t think Kindle yet has a facility for it to do that.
“But I’ll never say never – I am very nerdy so there is a battle going on between my computer techno-nerd self who quite likes the idea, and my love of real books.”
David’s talk is just one of a number of high profile authors invited. Other highlights include events featuring the likes of Michael Rosen and John Hegley, Howard Jacobson, Alain de Botton, Norman Lebrecht, Charlotte Mendelson, Kevin Bloom, Joan Bakewell, David Baddiel and Gary Younge.
The festival kicks off on Saturday February 26 at the Royal National Hotel, Bedford way, WC1.