Morris, Korda among scribes at book signing

SHARON — The combination of a large enthusiastic group of readers, a roster of sought-after authors, nice weather and much genuine community support for the Hotchkiss Library of Sharon assured the library’s 15th annual book signing event was a success. Held on Friday evening, Aug. 5, the signing attracted about 400 people who were eager to purchase books and have them signed by the authors. The entry fee to the event was $25.Thirty-two authors sat at tables under the tent on the lawn outside the library and signed copies of their books. Some of them were nationally known names, such as Ann Brashares, James Buckley and his sister, Priscilla, Frank Delaney, Henry Kissinger, Michael Korda, Wendell Minor, Edmund Morris, Margaret Roach, the Rev. Christopher Webber (whose latest book was reviewed last week in the Wall Street Journal) and Bunny Williams.Sharon resident Robert Bird stood patiently in line, waiting to have Kissinger sign several copies of his new book, “On China.” “This is a great opportunity to support the library and also to see parents of our children’s friends from the days they all went to school together, whom we don’t get to see very often,” Bird commented.Webber said he had spent the previous day in northern New England, promoting his book, “American to the Backbone.” He returned home to Sharon to participate in the library event and left the next day to continue his book promotion tour.While most authors in attendance appeared to be busy throughout the two-hour event, Kissinger had the longest continuous line of fans waiting to have him autograph their copies of his book.Memoir writer Priscilla Gilman said that she lives in New York City but regularly visits her parents in Sharon — and while she’s in town, she always stops in at the Hotchkiss Library.