Getting a Grip

admin October 10th, 2007

(Frances) The energy in the living room of seventy-plus guests last night was about as electric as the lightning show I could see through the picture window of Josh Mailman’s apartment.

Richard Rowe, Josh Mailman, Anthony, Frances, and Anna Lappe at the party.

The much anticipated Getting a Grip launch party became an evening I’ll carry with me for a lifetime. When the time came for our brief “program,” Josh began by telling everyone that our friendship began at least 30 years ago—in itself a message about how powerful it is to stick with our friends as we grow and change. (BTW: Josh had invited the Candle Café to cater the event with sumptuous vegan fare. Candle Café had contributed recipes to our book Hope’s Edge…so another circle felt completed by their beautiful presence.)

Anthony and Anna, my children, picked up with more stories. Anthony recounted how at age six in 1977, when a few boxes of my second book, Food First, were delivered, he exclaimed: ‘Mom, did you write all those books?’ In the crowd was Joe Collins, coauthor of Food First, beaming.

Then Anthony talked of how much it means to all of us that by creating Small Planet Media to publish Getting a Grip, we’ve been able to walk our values with new consistency—with a union printer, recycled paper, soy ink, and a “creative commons” copyright. And we were able to choose a distributor, Chelsea Green, who embodies our values, too. It just feels great.

Our program that interrupted the intense talk and laughter ended with our first Small Planet Media film, which you can view here, directed by Anthony: Getting a Grip on Money and Politics. As the film was shown on a high ceiling, we all looked up at Deb Simpson, a member of the Maine House of Representatives and my new hero. She, a former waitress and now co-chair of the House Judiciary Committee, was able to run and be elected because Mainers are far along the path of removing the influence of money from elections using voluntary public financing.

I introduced Howard Tomb, stepson of John Rauh, a founder of Just6Dollars.org, who amazed the guests with the simple fact that it would take the equivalent of only six bucks for each American to fund public financing for all national elections. John Rauh will appear in Part 2 of “Getting a Grip on Money and Politics,” coming soon, to explain more about how voluntary public financing works.

Then, my fabulous partner Richard Rowe, publisher at Small Planet Media, spoke passionately about the emails and other responses we’re getting from readers of Getting a Grip that bring tears to his eyes. Later, I got to introduce him to one of those email writers who came to the party!

And, finally, there’s Josie—my 15-month old grandbaby who played with guests throughout the evening and even uttered a charming “hi” to the entire group just at the appropriate moment!

If you are reading this and live near New York but weren’t there last night—and, I hope, wish you had been—consider: December 13^th is our annual Small Planet Fund Party, which is one of the most uplifting events you’ll ever attend. Email us for details!

At the evening’s end I had figured I would take the remaining books back to my son’s but, alas, we sold all 90 and could have sold quite a few more - marking the first time I’ve ever sold well over one book per person at an event!

What an evening of utter joy for me—supported by family and by life-long friends and new friends—as my tour begins.

Frankie

• Getting a Grip: The Book , Frances