60 residents of Belvedere and Tiburon and 20 from San Francisco crowded into Connie Wiley’s home on the Belvedere lagoon for a book party Connie and Gretchen Kimball gave to launch Paige Peterson and Jesse Kornbluth’s illustrated abridgment of Black Beauty.
This party had the feel of a reunion — many of these people had gathered two years ago to celebrate the launch of Paige and Jesse’s abridged edition of A Christmas Carol.
The difference this time, as Cheryl Bronstein of Book Passage pointed out in her introduction, is the mood of the world, which is sadder and angrier. Fortunately, Paige and Jesse choose stories with a common, very welcome theme: the healing power of relationships, commitment, and community. So heads nodded. Hands applauded. Stacks of books dwindled to a few copies, and at the end of the party, signed books were on their way to homes where children would meet a new friend: a horse that confronted every challenge, and triumphed.
Guests included Gretchen Kimball, Paige Peterson, Jesse Kornbluth, Sandra Swanson, Dr. Mark Pederson, Ralph Baxter, Sharon Levy, Cricket Jones, Dr. Rob Harvey, and Laleh Zelinsky.
To order Black Beauty, please visit Book Passage.
