Marathon Pundit: Lock up your daughters: Peter Yarrow coming to Skokie

Earlier today I visited the Barnes & Noble store in Skokie, IL near my home. I brought Little Marathon Pundit, age 10, to the children's section. And it was there I discovered Peter Yarrow, a member of one of the most overrated musical groups of all time, Peter, Paul, and Mary, will be there for a book signing and performance there on Thursday, August 23 at 7:30pm.

The above photograph was taken a few hours ago in the children's section of the Skokie Barnes and Noble.

If you are too young to remember them, think of some of the performers in A Mighty Wind

Peter is a big liberal, and he was one of John Kerry's earliest celebrity supporters in his 2004 presidential run. Yarrow and Kerry have known each other for 35 years--and he's the godfather of Kerry's daughter Alex.

Yarrow's past raised some eyebrows that year, when his conviction for taking indecent liberties with a 14 year-old female fan, while the victim's sister was president. As a "welcome" to the girls, the folkie opened the door of his hotel room---while naked. Yarrow served three months of a one to three year sentence. Yarrow was pardoned for his crimes by Jimmy Carter in 1981.

Sentences for the offense committed by Yarrow are tougher now.

Yes, Yarrow says he's sorry, and the incident was "the most terrible mistake I have ever made."

But should Barnes & Nobles have shown better judgement in inviting Yarrow to perform and plug his book, Puff The Magic Dragon. I think so.

About the book. It's $16.95 and the co-author is Lenny Lipton. The illustrations by Eric Puybaret are great, but the verbiage, with a few additions, is not much more than a reprinting of the lyrics of the song of the same name. On the plus side, there's a four-song CD included with the book. That is, if you like watered-down folk-music. (Okay, I didn't listen to the CD, but I bet I'm right.)

And if you are in the area on Thursday night, take the escalator down to the basement, turn left, and head to the Barnes & Noble children's section, and see Peter Yarrow perform and sign his overpriced book.

UPDATE Sunday, Aug. 26: I was seriously considering attending this event for the humor element. However, because the night of Yarrow's Skokie's appearance was the same day as the worst non-winter weather in the Chicago area in twenty years, I decided not being on the road was a good idea, since local news was peppered with reports of cars in transit being crushed by falling trees. For all I know, Yarrow's show and book signing was cancelled. Golf Road was closed due to flooding in Morton Grove, near the Skokie Barnes & Noble at the time of the event, as was Interstate 94 just north of the store.

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