Express Yourself: Spotlight on ABFFE at BEA

The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE) will be helping attendees at this year's BookExpo America celebrate free speech in myriad ways. Among the highlights will be the ABFFE Lunch, the ever-popular Silent Auction, a benefit performance by the Rock Bottom Remainders, a party celebrating the publication of ABFFE President Chris Finan's new history of free expression in the U.S., and this year's BEA souvenir T-shirt.

"ABFFE will offer booksellers more than ever before at BEA," Finan told BTW. "We're particularly excited about our new video on handling censorship problems in bookstores, which will premiere at the lunch during the ABA Day of Education. We had a lot of fun making it."

Here's a look at ABFFE highlights at this year's show:

ABFFE Lunch: Thursday, May 31, at Hotel ABA

The ABFFE lunch, part of ABA's Day of Education on Thursday, May 31, at the Hotel ABA (New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge), will feature a short video dramatizing censorship issues that arise in the daily lives of booksellers. What to say when someone objects to a particular title, or requests a book that you loathe, will be among the topics explored in the film. Booksellers will also be invited to discuss with their tablemates how they respond to First Amendment challenges. The program is co-sponsored by the Freedom to Read Foundation and the Freedom to Read Committee of the Association of American Publishers. The event, open only to ABA member booksellers, is free; however, reservations are required.

Silent Auction: Some of the Best Bargains at BEA

The ABFFE Silent Auction is offering great bargains on dozens of items of interest to booksellers and other book industry professionals. A trip to Good Morning America; signed books by Gunter Grass, Danielle Steel, Tom Robbins, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Yann Martel, and Rita Mae Brown; Book Sense gift cards; tickets to sports and entertainment events; and trade show conference packages are just some of the items that will be open for bids.

The auction, located in the ABFFE booth in the Javits Center's Crystal Palace, begins Friday morning, June 1, and ends Saturday, June 2, at 5:00 p.m.

ABFFE is encouraging everyone in the industry to step up and show their support for Free Speech by bidding in the Silent Auction at the convention or in the online auction at ABFFE.com. The online auction will launch on Friday, May 25.

This year leading companies including AAP, Baker & Taylor, Book Sense, Chronicle, Henry Holt, Hyperion, Random House, Simon & Schuster, and dozens more have contributed generously to support ABFFE's important work in defense of Free Speech.

Hotel ABA Reception to Celebrate Chris Finan's New Book

On Friday, June 1, Finan will be feted at "A Publication Celebration!" marking the release of his new Beacon Press title, From the Palmer Raids to the Patriot Act: A History of the Fight for Free Speech in America, a comprehensive study of the growth of free speech in the U.S. The reception, sponsored by Beacon and the Friends of Chris Finan, will be a book signing, an ABFFE Fund Raiser, and dessert party (with coffee, tea, cookies, and fruit) rolled into one. The party will be held on Friday night between 9:00 p.m. and midnight at the Hotel ABA (the Marriott at Brooklyn Bridge, Legends Ballroom).

Rock Bottom Remainders Benefit on Friday Night

The legendary Rock Bottom Remainders will embark on their "Still Younger Than Keith" tour, to begin (and end) on Friday, June 1, at Webster Hall in New York City. The "tour" will mark Stephen King's return to the Rock Bottom Remainders after a five-year absence. The Remainders include Mitch Albom, Dave Barry, Roy Blount, Jr., Greg Illes, Kathi Kamen Goldmark, Stephen King, Matt Groening, James McBride, Amy Tan, and Scott Turow. Special guests at this year's show will be Frank McCourt, Andy Borowitz, and musician Roger McGuinn, co-founder of the seminal folk-rock group The Byrds.

The June 1 event will benefit three charities: 826NYC, the New York affiliate of the national organization founded by author Dave Eggers, to support students ages 8 to 16 with creative and expository writing skills; Get Caught Reading, a nationwide campaign designed to show people of all ages how much fun it is to read; and ABFFE. In its 15-year existence, the Remainders have raised more than $1.5 million for charities through annual concert tours. For ticket information, visit www.rockbottomremainders.com.

Colorful BookExpo America T-Shirt

ABFFE is once again offering a BookExpo America souvenir T-shirt. The 2007 shirt features "Globy," the mascot of this year's event, reading a book featuring the colorful Manhattan skyline on its cover. The $20 shirts are available in the ABFFE booth in the Crystal Palace. A store operated by ABFFE and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund will also sell several T-shirts with First Amendment themes.