7 can’t-miss events at this weekend’s Boston Book Festival
Among the presenters: Colson Whitehead, Susan Faludi, and Emma Donoghue.
This Saturday, more than 200 authors and literature enthusiasts alike will commander Copley Square for the annual Boston Book Festival. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., participants will debate, examine, and celebrate everything from nonfiction to poetry. Seven keynote speakers will also take the stage throughout the day to discuss their varied crafts, including fiction’s celebrated novelist Colson Whitehead, art historian Sebastian Smee, and Pulitzer Prize-winning memoirist (and Cambridge native) Susan Faludi.If you need help narrowing down the festival’s diverse offerings, check the list below for events you shouldn’t miss.
<h2>Storytelling for Page and Screen</h2>
Kick off the weekend with some impressive company: Celebrated authors Tom Perrotta, Emma Donoghue, and Maria Semple will join Robin Young, cohost of WBUR’s Here & Now, to explore the relationship between novels and screenplays. Perrotta, a Boston resident, is currently working on the third and final season of HBO’s The Leftovers, based on his own bestselling novel; Donoghue recently rose to prominence when the film adaptation of her novel Room became an Oscar- and Golden Globe-nominated hit; and Maria Semple will soon see her own bestselling novel, Where’d You Go, Bernadette, on the big screen. (Friday, October 14 from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Old South Sanctuary; 645 Boylston St.; free; all ages)<h2>Writer Idol</h2>This session is specifically designed for aspiring—and confident—writers. Bring the first 250 words of an unpublished manuscript to acclaimed author Christopher Castellani, who will perform it for the audience and a panel of three literary agent judges. The agents will then offer feedback and suggestions for improvement. And don’t worry, it’s all anonymous. (Saturday, October 15 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; Old South Mary Norton Hall; 645 Boylston St.; free; all ages)<h2>Reading Like a Writer: Social Commentary</h2>In the first of three “Reading Like a Writer” installments, novelists will lead 20-minute guided discussions, exploring how their most recent works engage with social issues. Suzanne Berne (The Dogs of Littlefield), Meg Little Reilly (We Are Unprepared), and Anna Solomon (Leaving Lucy Pear) will provide context for the decisions they made while writing and answer questions from the audience. The following two installments, focused on literary experimentation and character development, will be held at 2:15 p.m. and 3:15 p.m., respectively. (Saturday, October 15 from 10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.; BPL Commonwealth Salon; 700 Boylston St.; free; all ages)<h2>Fiction: My First Time</h2>Three first-time novelists will read excerpts from their recent debuts and dish on the entire publishing process, from editing manuscript drafts to finding an agent to embarking on book tours. The authors include former Car Talk producer Louie Cronin (Everyone Loves You Back), Louise Miller (The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living), and Hirsh Sawhney (South Haven). Author and Emerson College professor Jabari Asim will moderate. (Saturday, October 15 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Boston Common Hotel Carver; 40 Trinity Pl.; free; all ages)<h2>Boston By Foot Tour</h2>These 45-minute tours will offer three separate opportunities to explore the literary history of Back Bay. With this sampling of Boston’s rich artistic heritage, learn about some of the most important authors and poets who have lived and thrived in the neighborhood. (Saturday, October 15; 12 p.m. to 12:45 p.m.; 2 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.; 3 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.; BPL Civic Table; 700 Boylston St.; free; all ages)<h2>Politics: Is This Any Way to Elect a President?</h2>With just under a month left until Election Day, the entire process may still befuddle you—and you’re not alone. Join four authors, whose works deal with political science and commentary, as they try to make sense out of the country’s current political climate. Anthony Brooks, senior political reporter at WBUR, will moderate, with open invitations for audience participation. (Saturday, October 15 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Church of the Covenant; 67 Newbury St.; free; all ages)<h2>Poems and Pints</h2>Close out the day at Copley Square Hotel’s XHALE Lounge, where you can relax with a beer and raise your glass to fellow literature lovers. The event will be hosted by Sara Siegel, Mass Poetry’s program director, and will feature four celebrated poets— Liam Day, Jeffrey Harrison, Jennifer Markell, and Rose Styron—presenting brand new works. (Saturday, October 15 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.; XHALE Lounge; 47 Huntington Ave.; free; 21+)
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