National Book Festival

[Anonymous]

Did you go? If so, who did you see?

My favorite was Doris Kearns Goodwin. What an amazing woman and can't wait to read her new book.

[Anonymous]

Met Sandra Cisneros, which was thrilling for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Met Sandra Cisneros, which was thrilling for me.

That's awesome!

I love getting to see my favorite authors in real life. I feel like it's the equivalent of meeting an A-list celebrity for me.

[Anonymous]

It was great but it was super crowded. Maybe they can take over some more space at the convention center next year? Still had a great time.

[Anonymous]

Not to be a buzzkill, and I get why they changed, but I so miss the days of the festival on the Mall. Hasn't felt the same for me since.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not to be a buzzkill, and I get why they changed, but I so miss the days of the festival on the Mall. Hasn't felt the same for me since.

Same! I loved that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not to be a buzzkill, and I get why they changed, but I so miss the days of the festival on the Mall. Hasn't felt the same for me since.

I haven't gone since they moved it to the convention center!
I've always thought it just sounded crowded and from a PP remark, it sounds like it is.

[Anonymous]

I fondly remember seeing Sherman Alexie huddled under a tent on the mall while it was raining.

The main stage events can seat 5K or something crazy like that. Was that even possible on the mall?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I fondly remember seeing Sherman Alexie huddled under a tent on the mall while it was raining.

The main stage events can seat 5K or something crazy like that. Was that even possible on the mall?

No idea but it was kind of the charm! These huge authors in dinky tents. I once saw Julie Andrews being driven in a golf cart down the Mall (she had written a children’s book), and she waved to us as we passed. I was maybe ten and amazed. I also saw RL Stine greeting kids under a small tent, like the size you’d see at a farmer’s market. The line was literally only like ten people long!

Very charming and “small” but still got big people. I’m sure it’s too big now to do the same thing.

[Anonymous]

I went and got a first edition of Dead Wake by Erik Larson signed as a gift for my father's upcoming retirement. I hadn't been before so didn't have any expectations. It was crowded but fun!

I've never seen so many of the "What's more punk than a public library?" shirts that the Mount Pleasant library makes in one place lol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went and got a first edition of Dead Wake by Erik Larson signed as a gift for my father's upcoming retirement. I hadn't been before so didn't have any expectations. It was crowded but fun!

I've never seen so many of the "What's more punk than a public library?" shirts that the Mount Pleasant library makes in one place lol.

Ha you're right. There were a lot of those shirts. I enjoyed all the random geeky books / library gear that everyone had on.

[Anonymous]

Love going to this book festival -- this year seemed to be extremely crowded and too much overlapping on the schedule. I like it in the convention center but the space should be expanded

[Anonymous]

Love going to this book festival -- this year seemed to be extremely crowded and too much overlapping on the schedule. I like it in the convention center but the space should be expanded

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I fondly remember seeing Sherman Alexie huddled under a tent on the mall while it was raining.

The main stage events can seat 5K or something crazy like that. Was that even possible on the mall?

No idea but it was kind of the charm! These huge authors in dinky tents. I once saw Julie Andrews being driven in a golf cart down the Mall (she had written a children’s book), and she waved to us as we passed. I was maybe ten and amazed. I also saw RL Stine greeting kids under a small tent, like the size you’d see at a farmer’s market. The line was literally only like ten people long!

Very charming and “small” but still got big people. I’m sure it’s too big now to do the same thing.

Yes it was great on the mall! Miss that. We saw Julianne Moore read from her book about being a redhead in the little PbS Kkds tent and she was so sweet with the kids. She explained that she was normally a redhead but had her hair dyed brown to play someone in a movie—I think it was actually the Sarah Palin role she did! It always felt like just the most patriotic all-American thing — a massive book festival on the National Mall.