Here's a two-fer for you.

Check out the Central Library's Since Shakespeare: Reflecting on the Life of the Bard. You'll be celebrating both National Poetry Month and National Library Week (April 10-16) at the same time! The first of the Bard's plays were printed in 1623. Had these folios not been printed, these masterpieces might have been lost forever. They are now on display in Buffalo.

Four hundred years after Shakespeare's death, Buffalo's premier print event celebrates its tenth anniversary this weekend. The Small Press Book Fair will fill the Karpeles Manuscript Library (453 Porter Ave) with booksellers, authors, bookmakers, zinesters, small presses, artists, poets, and literary enthusiasts of every ilk. Be among them on either Saturday or Sunday - or both! Find unique gifts, meet unique people and revel in Buffalo's robust literary scene. I'll be at the Buffalo Heritage Press booth. Stop by and chat.

Just Buffalo is gearing up for the next Babel event. Karl Ove Knausgaard’s My Struggle, Book One book discussion is at Betty’s on Monday, April 11 at 7:00pm. Then hear Knausgård discuss his hyper-realism that tackles family drama with an unflinching frankness at Kleinhans on Thursday, April 21. Did you know that Just Buffalo has been bringing some of the world’s greatest authors, poets, playwrights to the Queen City for 40 years? Take a minute to click through the fascinating timeline that starts with Michael McClure and Tom Pickard in 1976. Remarkable.

I just stumbled across an interesting intesection of events. Spain will celebrate both Book Day and Lover's Day on April 25. Don't you just love this combination? I propose we import this one. Perhaps Talking Leaves, our excellent locally owned, independent bookstore will take this on. Jonathan Welch, what do you say? I volunteer to help.