Southern Festival of Books (Recap)
This past weekend, Nashville hosted the 31st annual Southern Festival of Books. It was an awesome weekend. Honestly, though, anytime literary-minded folks gather in one place, it’s sure to be a good time.
Book festivals are so enjoyable because, yes, books are the central topic of focus, but there’s also lots of engaging activities. There are panels to listen to, signings to attend, food to eat, games to play, and conversations to be had. The Southern Festival of Books, as it claims, is truly “a celebration of the written word.”
The panels are what I enjoy most. Listening in on these conversations and readings is a way to learn about writing, and it’s also a way to gain knowledge about all kinds of fascinating topics. I was able to sit in on several panels, and, below, I’ve included short recaps of the four that I (probably) enjoyed the most:
The Conversation between Ann Patchett and Margaret Renkl:
People in Nashville love Ann Patchett. Her newest novel, The Dutch House, is receiving all kinds of major buzz. It’s surely one to watch for the Pulitzer Prize. Margaret Renkl is also popular in Nashville--largely from her time at Chapter 16. Her debut memoir-in-essays, Late Migrations, is one of the best books of the year. It’s uniquely strange (which I mean in a good way) in that many of the essays contained within the slim book are only a few paragraphs. It’s safe to say that War Memorial Auditorium was packed to hear these two women talk about their work, literature in general, and the environment. It was one of my favorite hours of this year’s event.
Ted Chiang’s Talk on Exhalation:
Ted Chiang is one of the most popular and acclaimed writers of science fiction. What’s so unique about Chiang’s success is that he doesn’t have any novels. Nope, all of his many, many fans come from the short story world. In my opinion, he is one of the very best short story writers alive. His talk, via an essay he read, was about magic, fantasy, and science fiction. I was blown away by his thoughts. The whole thing was fascinating.
Belle Boggs, George Singleton, and Brock Clarke’s Talk about Humorous Stories:
A few weeks back, I read Belle Boggs’ The Gulf, which is a hilarious novel about MFA culture. When I saw Boggs was going to be at the Southern Festival of Books, I was excited to hear what she had to say about her book. Let’s just say I wasn’t disappointed. I’m not the biggest fan of long readings, but I might have to rethink that stance. Her reading, and the readings from everyone on the panel, made me laugh out loud. The writers on this panel also seemed to know each other, and there was a feeling of genuineness shared among them that I appreciated. I have read and enjoyed many of George Singleton’s stories. Now, I just have to read Brock Clarke’s work...
The WNBA’s Coffee with Authors with Taylor Jenkins Reid, Karen Thompson Walker, Anissa Gray, and Alexi Zentner (And… moderated by the always excellent Mary Laura Philpott):
Moderated by the best moderator in literary world, Mary Laura Philpott, the WNBA’s Coffee with Authors panel is also one of the Festival’s standout sessions. Always. This year was, of course, no exception. I hadn’t read any of the novels being talked about on this panel except for Karen Thompson Walker’s The Dreamers, but I still enjoyed the conversation. This year’s earliest panel was also one of the most crowded. (Don’t get me wrong, there are always lots of people lined up to enter the auditorium early for this annual panel, but there was a bigger group of book folks this year.) The Coffee with Authors session is always curated perfectly. It’s always cool to see what new writers will be featured.
I’m already looking forward to next year’s Southern Festival of Books...