As a prolific reader, I find myself drawn to libraries and bookstores. As a comedy enthusiast, I’m always interested when comedy is “put up” in unconventional venues. And when the two interests can collide with the help of comedians who are just as likely as I am to be browsing the shelves of their local indie? That’s a beautiful connection.
Luckily for me and for the area, Christina Ciampa sees that as well. The founder and owner of East Somerville’s intersectional queer feminist All She Wrote Books has been a local pioneer for bookstore comedy genre, and will mark Independent Bookstore Day with sets by a half-dozen smart comics in collaboration with the comedy collective New Normal Boston. It’s held at frequent ASWB event space Connexion, where the store maintains an extensive free library of queer and feminist literature. Independent Bookstore Day is Saturday; the show is the night before.
New Normal specializes in spotlighting comedians of traditionally underrepresented identities, and in this case selected performers most likely to interject “Hey, have you read … ?” into casual conversation. In fact, members of the Saturday lineup have curated a list of their favorite comedic books, which will be on display at the store through the end of the month. (Don’t worry if you haven’t “done the reading”: this show is a little less book club, a little more boisterous community celebration.)
Ahead of the show (at which I also perform), I chatted with Ciampa and New Normal producer Shruti Datari about why books and comedy align so beautifully, how to find the humor in intersectional feminism; and why that humor is so needed right now. Interview answers have been edited for length and clarity.
Christina, why do you think comedy and books are so well matched?
Books serve as one way to share all different types of stories and experiences; comedy can do the same, and sometimes in an even more powerful way – because the comedian has the ability to take words and bring them to life with their body, voice and mannerisms.
Shruti, what do you look for in comics for a show like this?
One of the great strengths of art is allowing us to see things from other people’s perspectives. We’ve got Nick, Zach, Madhuri and Laith, who all have wildly different backgrounds and are all insanely sharp writers of comedy, so smart and would obviously appeal to a smart audience.
Laith’s got incredible one-liners. Madhuri is just a joy on stage and is from Florida, which is really exotic to me. Zach is an incredible storyteller, and Nick just has so much energy and is so fun on stage, and also comes from a really unusual background – from Utah. It’s crazy seeing people from different religious, ethnic and other backgrounds and people of different genders and sexualities. I like to just put that together.
How does it feel to put queer and feminist identities front and center in your respective work?
Christina: It still remains important for us to continue to put those identities front and center on our bookshelves, despite the attacks we have received. All She Wrote Books is a beacon for folks within many of these communities to see themselves reflected in the books we stock on our shelves.
Shruti: All my comedy is queer and feminist because I am queer and I am a woman. And I picked people for this lineup who I feel have different perspectives of femininity and different perspectives of the gender spectrum in general. I have felt that Boston comedy is just very queer and straight segregated, and I would like to integrate it a little, especially in this political climate. It’s so important that we all see one another and see the humanity in one another. There are good people and people who share the same values everywhere. And I think that’s what unites us more than like these superficial markers of identity.
What approachable and affirming queer books would you recommend?
Christina: “He/She/They” by Schuyler Bailar, “Queer: A Graphic History” by Meg-John Barker and any queer romance out there!
Shruti: I just finished rereading “The Picture of Dorian Gray.” I feel like Oscar Wilde had this gorgeous way of talking about things without actually talking about them. And playing with the idea of facades that we wear when we are in certain company, like masking or code switching. “Heartstopper” by Alice Oseman feels very authentic to the genuine struggles that kids go through at that age exploring their new sexualities. I have to add “Giovanni’s Room” by James Baldwin. And I just read the graphic novel “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe. It’s great for everyone who has or doesn’t have a gender. It was just cool to see from someone who’s gendered nonbinary – their perspective on the world and how it feels to be seen or not seen in a specific way.
Why do celebration and laughter matter at a time when we might want to despair?
Shruti: I truly feel like comedy is helping me. Community and experiencing a feeling with a whole group of people in our room together is so healing. Even if we aren’t in the mood to socialize, knowing that people have your back is so healing. Knowing that there are art spaces where people are coming from all different walks of life – people with the ability to move an audience who may not necessarily want to be moved – is one of the greatest powers of art, literature, music and comedy.
Christina: Agreed! And also, we have to remember: To continue to fight in the resistance, we need to find the joy where we can. And that can be through laughter and comedy.
Bookworm Comedy opens All She Wrote’s slate of Independent Bookstore Day weekend programming at 7 p.m. Friday at Connexion, 149 Broadway, East Somerville. $15.
Disclosure: Amma Marfo is identified as a bookseller by All She Wrote Books.
A stronger
Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day.
We are now a 501(c)3 nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible.
Please consider a recurring contribution.