The Spring Schedule for Signings, Talks, Panels and Book Groups

The icy sidewalks of New York's snow bound streets happily have not stopped the city's avid readers from getting to their local book stores. Indeed the bad weather has given many a purchaser the time to curl up and get their copy read. Several critics, who didn't get to it immediately on publication in September gave the book excellent attention in November and December. It was included on two nationally published Holiday Gift Lists and some very gratifying new Customer Reviews popped up on Amazon's web site. You can see all of these in the News & Reviews section right here on my own site.

In fact country-wide, sales have continued at a brisk pace, well beyond the five boroughs of New York City and the shopping spree of the holiday season. In addition to New York City where the title has the advantage of home ground, the book is also proving popular in Boston, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Cleveland where I am proud to see that the fine museums in these cities are stocking the book in their stores.

In January I began a mailing campaign to draw the attention of university art history departments to the value of the book for their students. Initial reactions have been very encouraging and are also leading to invitations to speak with students or alumni. On Friday, March 7th I will be in conversation with my former academic adviser, NYU's Professor Emeritus Laurin Raiken, at an evening session entitled Arts & Society.

Alumni Arts & Society featuring Ann Fensterstock (MA '99) and ART ON THE BLOCK

Mar 7, 2014 | 6:30 PM-8:00 PM

 

Shifting markets, motives, and artist migrations continually re-shape the urban arts scene and ultimately New York City. This Alumni Arts & Society program will take you on a five-decade journey, following these creative communities across the five boroughs and examining the contemporary art that has emerged from this ever-evolving culture.

Join us as Professor Emeritus Laurin Raiken and alumna author Ann Fensterstock (MA ’99) discuss the commercialization of art, the gentrification of neighborhoods and New York City's response to it all. From Fensterstock’s debut work of cultural history, “Art on the Block: Tracking the New York Art World from SoHo to the Bowery, Bushwick and Beyond.”

The book is also now finding its way onto the shelves of public libraries and I have been invited to speak in June at the Mid-Manhattan branch of the New York Public Library. The date is still being nailed down but I will post it on the blog, Facebook and Twitter once it is firm. Needless to say, I am enormously honored by this particular invitation

Meanwhile, several private book groups have made Art on the Block their next title and I am looking forward this month to some lively discussions in more informal settings where the readership is likely to be broadly based and the questions provocative. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have an occasion in mind. Although some authors are now asking for an honorarium to do these events, (and so they should – most writers make so little from their published work), I am happy to join you for the pleasure of the discussion and the opportunity to promote the book.

New Year, New Calendar Openings to 'Book the Book'.

To everyone who has bought, read, given, mentioned – even raved – about Art on the Block since its publication three months ago, I send a heartfelt 'Thank You' and warmest wishes for the New Year.

If you have been following my Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/ann.fensterstock or my web site at www.annfensterstock.com you'll have seen that the book has been very strongly reviewed.

In addition to two radio interviews and a rather startled appearance on Loren Munk's infamous Rough Cuts, the book was reviewed or recommended in six print publications, on four on-line sites and was included in the Holiday Gifts lists of both The New York Times and Artinfo. I am enormously grateful to all of the critics, bloggers, radio hosts and videographers who picked it up, and thrilled with the serious consideration and 'on the mark' critiques it's received so far.

September and November were busy with signings at bookstores and galleries and in December I was invited to a number of private events where the history of art or the urban sociology of New York City were the subject at hand.

Large chain book stores and major museums had the book on their 'New Arrivals' tables and it was available in the D. A. P. booth at Art Basel Miami Beach. Again – sincere thanks to you all for your part in getting the title out there.

As the new year gets underway I am now scheduling events for February and  March. If you have plans for panel discussions, Q & A's, book groups or literary talks and think that I could add value to your discussion, please don't hesitate to contact me. Now that the book has been so well received I'm anxious to push even harder to promote it.

A lot of terrific people – artists, dealers, not-for-profit directors and other art world professionals – gave me their time and their trust in telling their stories. I want to get those stories onto as many book shelves as possible.

I can be reached at:

annfensterstock@gmail.com