The National Book Festival, an idea that Laura Bush brought with her from Texas, will be held in Washington D.C. this weekend. This is the eighth year of the festival and it's the eighth time I've missed it despite best intentions of being there. Hurricane Ike ate up what remained of my travel budget for this year (and more) but maybe next year I'll be able to make it. I'm really proud that Laura managed to get a national book festival off the ground, and even prouder that the Texas Book Festival that she started in Austin when she lived in the governor's mansion is about to be held for the fourteenth year.I imagine that most of you will be, like me, there in spirit only, so here's a link to the National Book Festival website where you will find podcasts of author interviews, a look at the festival poster and lots of other ways to enjoy the festival from afar.
Just take a look at this list of attending authors and drool along with me over all the great interviews, presentations, panel discussions and ARCs that we'll be missing:
CHILDREN
Sponsored by AT&T
- Tiki Barber
- Jan Brett
- Marc Brown
- Laura Bush & Jenna Bush
- David A. Carter
- Doreen Cronin
- Betsy Lewin
- Kadir Nelson
- Doreen Rappaport
- David Shannon
- Judy Sierra
- Dionne Warwick
TEENS & CHILDREN
Sponsored by Target
- Mary Brigid Barrett
- Joseph Bruchac
- Sharon M. Draper
- Neil Gaiman
- Steven Kellogg
- Katherine Paterson
- Andrea Davis Pinkney
- Matthew Reinhart
- Robert Sabuda
- Jon Scieszka
- Charles R. Smith, Jr.
- R. L. Stine
- Judith Viorst
FICTION & MYSTERY
- Louis Bayard
- Geraldine Brooks
- Sandra Brown
- Marisa de los Santos
- Philippa Gregory
- Andrew Klavan
- James McBride
- Brad Meltzer
- Richard Price
- Francine Prose
- Peter Robinson
- Salman Rushdie
- Alexander McCall Smith
HISTORY & BIOGRAPHY
Sponsored by James Madison Council
HOME & FAMILY
Sponsored by Target
- Ellen Birnbaum
- Warren Brown
- Eleanor Clift
- George Duran
- Arthur Frommer
- Pauline Frommer
- Julie Morgenstern
- Mike Richman
- Nancy Schulman
- Cathy Scott
- Michelle Singletary
POETRY
Sponsored by National Endowment for the Arts
- Eavan Boland
- Dan Chiasson
- Elsa Cross
- Michael Lind
- Michael S. Harper
- Molly Peacock
- Stanley Plumly
- J. Allyn Rosser
- Kay Ryan, Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry for 2008-2009
I'll be going for my second year in a row. :)
ReplyDeleteJust rub it in, Annie...just rub it in.
ReplyDeleteSorry, Sam. I promise that the only reason I'm going is so I can become an expert and give you all the tips for when you go. ;)
ReplyDeleteI, like you Sam, would love to attend this festival. However, all my travel funds are being squirreled away for my trip to Los Angeles in April for the L.A. Times Book Festival. If only travel were easier and cheaper! :)
ReplyDeleteI still hope to attend this festival. I'm glad you posted the roster of authors. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI'm counting on you, Annie, for all kinds of tips and time-savers. :-)
ReplyDeleteJen, I've heard great things about that festival, too, and I'd love to get there one day. Unfortunately, it's just about as far away as Washington D.C., so not very doable.
ReplyDeleteHave fun, Karen. As I told Annie, I'm jealous.
ReplyDeleteAre you going to attend or participate in the Austin festival?
Laura Bush...I had no idea she was so kick ass.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, here in Canada, our wanky Prime Minister is making billions of dollars of cuts to literacy programs and the arts...
DreamQueen, Laura is a jewel, IMO. She's a former librarian and books are as important to her as they are to all of us who read book blogs every day. Sorry to hear that Canada is in the process of cutting literacy programs that way...
ReplyDelete