Fwd: William Kennedy / Legs in today's New York Times
Dan Wilcox
From: Huber, Michael J <mhu...@albany.edu>
Date: Thu, Nov 13, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Subject: William Kennedy / Legs in today's New York Times
To: Huber, Michael J <mhu...@albany.edu>
Thank you to everyone who joined us for last Wednesday’s marathon reading of Legs. An update.
We made the New York Times!
The New York Times published a story today: “William Kennedy, Albany’s Bard, Reads a Story With Legs”
Here is how Dan Barry begins his story.
“He walked into this Albany bar like he owned the joint, dressed to kill in a black overcoat with room enough for a Tommy gun. But all he was packing was his weapon of choice, a book.
The crowd met him at the door with a blast of cheers. There he is, they called out. There he is. William Kennedy. Bill.
Kennedy may be nearly 98 and using a walker, but don’t kid yourself. He knows where the bodies are buried — he still speaks to them — and he can drink you under the table. He is Albany’s ageless bard, and his appearance had just consecrated the rain-slickened night.”
Here is a link to a gift article for those who aren’t subscribers:
More good news:
In a time of desperate need, this marathon reading of Legs raised $1,605 for the food pantry at Sacred Heart of Jesus Roman Catholic Church, which was Kennedy’s childhood parish. We received this note from the food pantry yesterday:
Miracles are happening for Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in North Albany. Thank you and bless you our beloved William Kennedy and the New York State Writers Institute that you founded!
Lost and found:
We found two paperback copies of Legs (one copy looks like it was borrowed from the William Sanford Library in Colonie) and one Warby Parker eyeglass case. Let me know if you’d like to claim your item.
Stay in touch with the NYS Writers Institute? Let me know if you’d like to join our 6,000-strong NYS Writers Institute email list. (We don’t sell/share our list.)
Thank you again. We’re thrilled to see how William Kennedy’s words still pack a punch. Let’s do it again next year!
Mike Huber
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Michael Huber
Communications / NYS Writers Institute
Adjunct professor / Dept. of Journalism
Science Library 320 | 1400 Washington Avenue | Albany, New York 12222
University at Albany
Albany NY 12222
http://twitter.com/mhuberny
518-605-3174 | nyswritersinstitute.org | albany.edu