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As festivals go, the Texas Book Festival is probably one of the most consistent we have in Austin. For the past couple of years, Clay Smith–the festival’s literary director–has sought out and scored some of the most notable figures on the nation’s book scene. This year is no exception as the festival is sporting some very prominent names.
The festival “kicks-off” on Thursday night (7pm) at the Harry Ransom Center where Alan Furst will be reading from and signing copies of The Foreign Correspondent. On Friday night the First Edition Literary Gala at the Marriott at the Capitol officially starts the weekend’s festivities. Those lucky enough to snag an invite will be treated to a silent auction, seated dinner, and readings from Frank McCourt, Amy Sedaris, and Gore Vidal. Classy!
For the rest of the world, the Texas Book Festival starts at 10am Saturday when Senator Barack Obama–the “it” Senator of the 109th congress–presents and signs copies of The Audacity of Hope in the Capitol House Chamber. In completely unrelated news: Senator Obama has intimated that he may have plans to run for prez in 2008. This guy does not mess around.
The fun doesn’t stop after Obama. Both Saturday and Sunday are stuffed with great events that occupy such venues as the Texas Capitol, the Paramount Theatre, and the Austin Museum of Art. With over 200 authors participating in various presentations, panel discussions, and cooking demonstrations, there will be plenty to engage any brow, high or low. Most of the events are free, but it would be best to go to the Book Festival's main page for complete details, schedules, and rules of conduct.
Click below for some Book Festival Highlights:
Saturday 10/28:
Literary Nonfiction: Telling the Truth with Style
Lee Gutkind, Melissa Fay Greene
Mod: Robert Boynton
Capitol Extension Room E2.028
11am – Noon
Memoir: Dealing With Dad
Gail Caldwell, Robin Chotzinoff, María Elena Salinas, Rigoberto González
Mod: Sarah Bird
Capitol Extension Room E2.106
12:30 – 1:30pm
Advice and Consent: Presidential Advisors
Sidney Blumenthal, Clark Kent Ervin, Bill Minutaglio, James Moore, Wayne Slater
Mod: Paul Stekler
Capitol House Chamber
2 – 3pm
Amy Sedaris with David Rakoff, I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence
Cooking Tent
2 – 3pm
State of the Union: Politics in America
Matthew J. Dowd, Maureen Dowd, Nicholas Lemann, Victor Navasky
Mod: Paul Stekler
Capitol House Chamber
3:30 – 4:30pm
Sunday 10/29:
The Art of Book Design
Barbara Whitehead, DJ Stout
Mod: Elizabeth Crook
Capitol Extension Room E2.010
11am – Noon
Pitchapalooza
Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry with Will Clarke and Amanda Eyre Ward
Capitol Auditorium E1.004
Noon – 1:15pm
Mexico in Mind: Literary Impressions of a Distant Neighbor
Jeff Biggers, Maria Finn, C.M. Mayo
Mod: Katherine Oldmixon
Capitol Extension Room E2.010
12:30 – 1:30pm
Gore Vidal in Conversation with Maureen Dowd
Mod: Evan Smith
The Paramount
2 – 3pm
Mark Zupan, GIMP: When Life Deals You a Crappy Hand, You Can Fold Or You Can Play
Mod: James Gumbert
Capitol Extension Room E1.014
3 – 4:45pm
Again, a complete schedule of the Texas Book Festival can be downloaded here. In case you can’t make it, the entire festival will be liveblogged here and we'll have a wrap up post next week.
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If I can't get Barack to run, and let's face it, we all know he'd lose, as the racists would figure out how to punch a chad if the situation became that dire. And Stewart/Colbert is out, so how about...
Amy Sedaris/Maureen Dowd '08
I'm ready. is America?
adam, will you pinch obama's ass for me? i was wondering if its as tight and smooth as it looks.
I'm sure it is, but there will be no pinching or groping of senators. The secret service has a file on me.