Author Rebecca Makkai enlisted more than two dozen writers to put on their '80s movie dancing shoes to help raise funds for Volumes Bookcafe & Bookstore, Chicago, Ill., which is crowdfunding to stay in business during the Covid-19 crisis. Chicago filmmaker Steve Delahoyde edited clips of the writers dancing in isolation to "We Are Not Alone," from The Breakfast Club.
Makkai posted the video on social media over the weekend, tweeting: "One of Chicago's best indies, @volumesbooks, is in danger of losing their home. I coerced 27 other writers into recreating the Breakfast Club dance with me when the fundraiser reached $35k. To quote You've Got Mail, 'Save [the indies] and you will save your soul.' #WeAreNotAlone."
In addition to Makkai, the dancing authors include Kristen Arnett, Chloe Benjamin, Alexander Chee, Kevin Coval, Danielle Evans, Garth Greenwell, Andrew Sean Greer, Lauren Groff, Mira Jacob, Mitchell S. Jackson, Mary Robinette Kowal (and puppets), Jean Kwok, R.O. Kwon, Victor LaValle, Alex Marzano-Lesnevich, Laura Lippman, Lisa Lucas, Rebecca Makkai, Susan Orlean, Mary Laura Philpott, Maurice Carlos Ruffin, Amber Sparks, Megan Stielstra, Luis Alberto Urrea, Sarah Weinman and Michael Zapata.