Event and Guest Highlights

• The Library of Congress Hosts the2009 National Book Festival which brings over 70 popular and award-winning authors, illustrators, and poets together to discuss their books
• This year's authors include David Baldacci, Nicholas Sparks, Junot Diaz, and Colson Whitehead.
• ThinkTalk previously visited the National Book Festival in 2008

Event and Guests Overview

Co-founded by Laura Bush in 2001, The National Book Festival is held every September on 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. At 2009’s National Book Festival President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama will serve as Honorary Chairs.

This year’s festival will host writers such as David Baldacci, Junot Diaz, Nicholas Sparks, Colson Whitehead and Gwen Ifill.

Our Interview

ThinkTalk visited the National Book Festival on September 26th. This show features interviews with Junot Diaz (Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao), Lee Child (Jack Reacher Series), Nicholas Sparks (The Last Song), Kay Ryan (U.S. Poet Laureate), Colson Whitehead (Sag Harbor), David Baldacci (True Blue), Gwen Ifill (The Breakthrough), Paula Deen (The Deen Family Cookbook), Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson and The Olympians), Jeff Kinney (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) and James L. Swanson (Manhunt: The 12 Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer).

For related interviews, see our visit to 2008's National Book Festival.