Bamboo Ridge celebrated the publication of its 100th issue with a Wine and Words event at Kumu Kahua Theatre in downtown Honolulu. Around 100 guests wined and dined and enjoyed the casual local-style banter of Lee Tonouchi and Lee Cataluna, who introduced each reader after asking what high school they attended and what their first encounter with Bamboo Ridge was. The event featured readings by the Editors' Choice Award winners and others, some new to Bamboo Ridge, and some who have been appeared in BR since the first issue back in 1978!
Among the guests were a handful of students whose tickets were donated by local book distributor The Islander Group. The students were from the University of Hawaii West Oahu and Hawaii Pacific University; all had never attended a literary reading before. Some of their comments are recorded on this blog.
Talk story