Paul Madonna's ALL OVER COFFEE. Just what I expected. And more.

I'd been trying to grab a copy of Paul Madonna's book, ALL OVER COFFEE, (based on his work in the San Francisco Chronicle and just out from City Lights) since I first heard of it. City Lights was selling pre-sale copies but wanted to charge me to mail it over. Why? I can just walk down hill for pete's sake.

I dropped a note to Madonna. Can I arrange something through you? He said that City Lights would have signed copies when it came out and if I wanted something personalized I could come to his book release party.

I walked over to City Lights last week and they did have copies of the book but nothing signed. "You'll need to go to his book release party for that. He hasn't been by."

So, Friday (yesterday) we hopped on a 30 and took it down to Market, then hopped on an F and rode to Laguna/Guerrero, hopped off and walked down to Valencia and 14th -- Mina Dresden Gallery, to be precise, 312 Valencia.

Brilliant idea Madonna had. The gallery had his work hanging and for sale. They were selling books in back. If you snuck up on Paul where he was standing at a bar table schmoozing, he'd sign your book. (By the time we turned around twelve ... fifteen ... more people had had the same idea. ...)

The table with the "book signing 8:30p" wasn't keeping people from waylaying him while he tried to be sociable.

The small gallery was a crush. I'm obviously not the only person who really likes ALL OVER COFFEE.

The book is brilliant.
BUY THIS BOOK if you are at all intrigued by the snippets at his Web site.

I love this book.