Highlights

• The National Book Festival is sponsored by the Library of Congress and is held at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. every year in September
• Laura Bush co-found this event that has grown from 30,000 attendees up to over 120,000 in 2008
• The first festival began just three days before the events of 9/11 in 2001
• The festival brings America's most popular and award-winning authors of children's books, fiction, poetry, and biography to inspire a love for reading
• To view the entire list of 2008's authors in attendance click here

Co-founded by Laura Bush in 2001, The National Book Festival is held every September at the National Mall in Washington, DC. Sponsored by the Library of Congress, the festival, which is free and open to the public, has grown to host over 120,000 attendees. The National Book Festival brings together over 70 popular and award-winning authors, illustrators, and poets who discuss their books and participate in book signings. The festival breaks its authors and books up into five categories: Fiction & Mystery, History & Biography, Children & Teens, Poetry, and Home & Family.

This year Zack Sherwood spoke with featured writers including: Cokie Roberts, David Maraniss, Michelle Singletary, R.L. Stine, Neil Gaiman, Paul Theroux, Tiki Barber, Salman Rushdie.