What to Do on May Day
I think the most important thing you can do today other than, you know, getting the workers’ revolution going is to buy a copy of Maureen Johnson’s Suite Scarlett. It’s Maureen Johnson’s funniest book to date and is now appearing in the eminently affordable paperback edition.
Highlights include:
- A most appealing heroine: I hug Scarlett to my chest!
- Romance!
- Romance gone wrong!
- Romance gone right!
- Romance gone in between!
- New York City as you’ve never seen it before!
- The shabby gentility of a crumbling hotel!
- A crazy Broadway lady!
- A unicycle-riding, prat-falling, seriously hot older brother, Spencer!1
- Many!
- Other!
- Wonderful!
- Things!
I urge you all to go forth and buy it! If you’re broke and cannot afford it right now I urge you to encourage your library to buy a copy. Or bully your richer friends into buying one so you can borrow theirs. This tends to only work for books. I tried to get a richer friend of mine to buy a Vivienne Westwood ballgown in my size. She did not and now she isn’t my friend anymore. I’m not sure what went wrong . . .
Other things you could do on May Day:
- If you’re sick you could lie in bed and shiver or sit on the couch coughing up a lung.
- If you’re well why not prank call your enemies from a different enemy’s mobile phone?
- You could also spread panic by sending this link to all your guillible friends: ZOMBIE STRAIN OF SWINE FLU REPORTED BY BBC SO MUST BE TRUE! That’s not really a BBC site, by the way. You can tell by looking at the URL. Just sayin’ . . . (via Carrie Ryan.)
- Or if you’re in New York City you could go back to bed because it’s cold and grey and miserable. But that would be deaftist!
- The best plan of all is to wear red and dance in the streets. Well, unless there’s sniper fire. Or a zombie apocalypse . . .
Happy May Day, Everyone! Have a good one!
- I know he’s fictional and much younger than me but I can’t help it I really heart Spencer. [↩]
Posted by Justine at 13:07, 1 May 2009 under Frippery, New York City/USA | 11 Comments »

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bookwormchris Says:
Having just finished Suite Scarlett last night (after it arrived yesterday) I agree with most of what you have said.
May 1st, 2009 at 1:19 PM
alissa Says:
how did you get footnotes like that? i heart your footnoting code!
May 1st, 2009 at 1:41 PM
(past) margaret Says:
A quick tutorial on how to make real, linked footnotes using HTML:
http://tpvswp.wordpress.com/2008/08/16/how-to-make-footnotes/
And an affirmation of what Justine has said: Spencer is really, really, REALLY awesome. One of my top 5 all-time book crushes, I think.
May 1st, 2009 at 2:01 PM
Julia Rios Says:
Yes, Suite Scarlett is awesome! And as a bonus, the cover is not scary at all!
May 1st, 2009 at 2:59 PM
Liset Says:
HAPPY MAY DAY, Jusitne!!!
I’m celebrating by reading some more of Howard Zinn’s Voices of a People’s History of the United States. YAY!
May 1st, 2009 at 4:32 PM
Shveta Says:
I am reading Suite Scarlett right now. Yay!
Happy, happy May Day! I wish a Maypole were nearby. . .
May 1st, 2009 at 7:00 PM
Rachel Says:
This post requires an itemized comment.
a) Spencer, marry me!
b)I own Suite Scarlett. In HARDCOVER!
c) I didn’t even know that worker’s revolution side of may day existed until I was 12.
d) When I was in 6th grade I did a powerpoint on May Day for my Computer Apps class. I took a video of myself skipping in a circle and sprinkling flower petals, and made a slide saying “The darker side of May Day: did you know that every time you pick a flower, IT DIES?”
May 1st, 2009 at 7:40 PM
Karen Smith Says:
Sharing the love for May Day and Suite Scarlett! I’m looking forward to more.
Maureen does great work–I’ve been addicted since picking up a copy of Devilish.
May 1st, 2009 at 8:03 PM
Gillian Says:
We have our zombie apocalyse today. It’s a local apocalyse. Canberra pre-budget is always like this, round now.
May 2nd, 2009 at 1:05 AM
Carrie Says:
I got Suite Scarlett on May Day – huzzah!!
May 2nd, 2009 at 4:13 PM
Joey-la Says:
I agree – buy Suite Scarlett – especially becuase Maureen will go to Trapeeze school if you do!!
I do this acting course – and my teacher this term (when we are doing all this pyhisical acting stuff) is called Spencer!! I was so happy I think I screamed when I heared! AMAZING!
May 3rd, 2009 at 4:48 AM