The National Book Festival, the Library of Congress’s annual literary festival that draws prolific authors and bibliophiles from around the world, is set to return to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC, this month. The free event is set to take place from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, August 24. It will feature over 90 authors who will engage in thought-provoking author talks, panels, and book signings.
“Books Build Us Up” is the theme of this year’s festival. It centers around the ways that reading can foster connections and encourage new ways of thinking. “It’s through books that readers can develop strong bonds with writers and their ideas — relationships that open the entire world, real or imagined, to us all,” a news release said.
This is a full-day affair, so plan out your day with the online catalog of events. You can search for authors by name or sort events by genre, event type, and location. You can get a PDF of the event program and map before the event to help with your planning.
Here are some authors you won’t want to miss at this year’s National Book Festival.
Fairfax County local David Baldacci will discuss his most recent book, A Calamity of Souls. The courtroom drama follows as two lawyers work to defend their wrongfully accused Black defendants. The event begins at 9:30 a.m.
James Patterson will dive into his recent nonfiction book, The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians: Their Stories Are Better Than the Bestsellers with a talk starting at 9:30 a.m.
James McBride is this year’s recipient of the Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. He’ll discuss his bestselling novel The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store and the rest of his career beginning at 10:35 a.m.
Explore the role of violence in literature with Elizabeth Gonzalez James, author of The Bullet Swallower, a magical realism Western. She’ll be in conversation with Alexander Sammartino, author of Last Acts, beginning at 10:50 a.m.
Max Greenfield, one of the stars of popular sit-com New Girl, will present his newest children’s book, Good Night Thoughts, which focuses on how to overcome anxiety at bedtime. It begins at 12:45 p.m.
Sandra Cisneros celebrates the 40th anniversary of her renowned novel The House on Mango Street. Her event begins at 1:50 p.m.
Romance authors Abby Jimenez, known for Just for the Summer and Yours Truly, and Casey McQuinton, known for Red, White & Royal Blue and The Pairing, will talk together about their works. Their event begins at 2:55 p.m.
Feature image of David Baldacci by Allen Jones
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