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Explore interviews and insights from some of the nation's most prolific literary voices.
Explore interviews, insights and artistic expressions from some of the nation’s most significant and prolific literary voices with a glimpse into their creative processes and environments. Hosted by Hoda Kotb and featuring an impressive group of authors, including Colson Whitehead, Madeleine Albright, Melinda Gates, John Grisham, and many more.
Explore interviews, insights and artistic expressions from some of the nation’s most significant and prolific literary voices with a glimpse into their creative processes and environments. Hosted by Hoda Kotb and featuring an impressive group of authors, including Colson Whitehead, Madeleine Albright, Melinda Gates, John Grisham, and many more.
![Author Amy Tan of 'The Joy Luck Club']()
The Library of Congress National Book Festival: Celebrating American Ingenuity
Author Amy Tan of 'The Joy Luck Club'
Amy Tan shares words of wisdom about finding reason in one’s own personal story.
Author Amy Tan of 'The Joy Luck Club'
![Former First Lady, National Book Festival Founder Laura Bush]()
The Library of Congress National Book Festival: Celebrating American Ingenuity
Former First Lady, National Book Festival Founder Laura Bush
Former First Lady Laura Bush shares a message from Kennebunkport, Maine.
Former First Lady, National Book Festival Founder Laura Bush
Providing Support for PBS.org
Providing Support for PBS.org
Photos from the Library of Congress National Book Festival
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Hoda Kotb, whose mother worked at the Library of Congress, hosts the 20th National Book Festival from New York, NY.
Library of Congress
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The show features interviews with over two dozen of American Literature’s most creative minds.
Library of Congress
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Dr. Carla Hayden, the 14th Librarian of Congress, welcomes the audience from the Librarian’s Ceremonial Office.
Library of Congress
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Sandra Cisneros ("The House on Mango Street") speaks about the importance of memory from San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Library of Congress
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David Rubenstein ("How to Lead") interviews former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright about her book, "Hell and Other Destinations."
Library of Congress
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James McBride ("Deacon King Kong") discusses character with the help of his piano in Lambertville, NJ.
Library of Congress
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John Grisham ("Camino Winds," "The Guardians") talks about the state of the criminal justice system from Charlottesville, Va.
Library of Congress
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Dr. Carla Hayden interviews author and illustrator Mo Willems ("An Elephant & Piggie Biggie!") in his home studio.
Library of Congress
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Throughout its over 200-year-old history, the Library of Congress has found the ingenuity to persevere and carry on many times over.
Library of Congress
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The show also features glimpses inside some of the Library of Congress’ historic spaces, like the Main Reading Room.
Library of Congress
About the Show
“The 2020 National Book Festival” will feature a variety of interviews, insights and artistic expressions from some of the nation’s most significant and prolific literary voices as they give us a glimpse into their creative processes and environments. Hosted by Hoda Kotb, the program will feature an impressive group of authors, including: Colson Whitehead, Madeleine Albright, Melinda Gates, John Grisham, and many more.
For those of us who believe in the power of literature, we know that now more than ever our society needs books to fuel our imagination and help explore solutions to our problems. In a PBS show produced by Detroit Public TV’s PBS Books initiative, best-selling authors and thousands of book fans across the country will be brought together during a two-hour special celebrating the ingenuity of American authors.
“The 2020 National Book Festival” will feature a variety of interviews, insights and artistic expressions from some of the nation’s most significant and prolific literary voices as they give us a glimpse into their creative processes and environments.
The festival will feature an impressive group of authors, including many others in addition to the following:
- Colson Whitehead, 2020 Pulitzer Prize for fiction winner, discussing “The Nickel Boys”
- U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo on “An American Sunrise,” her stunning new volume of poetry
- Madeleine Albright, former secretary of state, addressing her memoir, “Hell and Other Destinations”
- Melinda Gates on “The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World”
- John Grisham exploring his new legal thriller, “The Guardian” and “Camino Winds”
Producer
- DPTV
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