After a period of uncertainty due to National Endowment for the Humanities cuts — followed by a crucial partnership with Vanderbilt University — the beloved Southern Festival of Books is back, and it’s time to get fully excited for this year’s edition. The festival’s lineup of authors has just been announced, and there’s something for everyone: Pulitzer Prize-winning MLK biographer Jonathan Eig, journalist Beth Macy and Memphis-based sci-fi/fantasy writer Sheree Renée Thomas are on the short list of our favorites, but the list of more than 175 authors is bound to have multiple names that will excite readers of all kinds.
The Humanities Tennessee festival, presented in partnership with Vanderbilt University, will take place Oct. 18 and 19 in Nashville
Other authors scheduled to appear at the 37th annual event include: Beatriz Williams, Julie Clark, Peter Wolf, Alix E. Harrow, David Levithan, Sarah Penner, Michael W. Twitty, Kevin Wilson, John T. Edge, Rob Franklin, Erin Crosby Eckstine, Emma Pattee, Adam Ross and Chanda Bell.
The weekend-long event — which will take place Oct. 18 and 19 at Bicentennial Mall — features panel sessions, discussions, readings, events for kids, writers’ workshops, more than 60 vendors and food trucks, three performance stages, and lots of opportunities to find your new favorite book. Additional events, including an Oct. 17 Authors in the Round Dinner and an Oct. 16 Student Day, round out the festival’s events.
The press release also paid special attention to the festival’s new partnership with Vanderbilt, saying the fest's future had been in jeopardy after unexpected termination of federal funding:
The festival will be presented this year through a new partnership with Vanderbilt University. In addition to the expanded partnership, the continuation of the festival is possible because of overwhelming community support. After the unexpected termination of federal funding for Humanities Tennessee earlier this year, the future of the festival — and the organization — was in jeopardy but through community-driven efforts, the festival will return.
To see the full lineup of festival authors, visit sofestofbooks.org. Additional authors and other special announcements are slated to be added every Friday.
