The Javits Center was practically a modern day Algonquin roundtable as leading thinkers like country singer Wynonna Judd, sex kitten Kim Cattrall, window dresser Siimon Doonan, punk poetess Patti Smith and pop queen Gloria Estefan traded witty repartee over Steve Schirripa’s meatballs. Candace Bushnell participated in a panel discussion, where she divulged deeply-held convictions, like never date a guy who only has a hotplate, because if he can’t even commit to having a kitchen…

Disney big Michael Eisner and his son Eric were trotting around, perhaps looking for movie properties? Uber-paparazzo Ron Galella had his camera in hand while pitching a book concept. And who knew that SpongeBob SquarePants had a book in him? Truly inspiring.

Director Spike Lee’s book signing was interrupted when someone fainted, and emergency help was summoned. Later, someone congratulated Spike for waiting until the afflicted person was taken for medical treatment before going ahead with his signing duties. Now that’s class, especially when the person was passed out on the floor behind the author, out of the way of fans.

Scattered amongst this bumper crop of serious authors were novelty acts like Michael Cunningham, Tom Wolfe and Paul Auster, but no one takes them seriously.