Just as the great oracle Joni Mitchell foretold, you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. That’s how it feels all over Nashville lately, and it’s just one of the reasons we’re so happy to have this news: The Southern Festival of Books — which was once in danger of going away — is back for its 38th year, thanks in part to its partnership with Vanderbilt University. What’s more, the just-announced author lineup is filled with literary luminaries and buzzed-about cultural figures.
Standouts include Ayad Akhta, who has won a Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and Belle Burden, whose novel/memoir Strangers might be the most talked-about book of the year so far. Ann Patchett, Margaret Renkl, Lamar Alexander, Silas House and Emily Lordi will likely be especially interesting to local readers, but the list of great authors, vendors and speakers is long.
In a press release, Tim Henderson — executive director of Humanities Tennessee, the organization behind the SFOB — credits his team with pulling off such a diverse lineup.
“Our team works tirelessly all year to build out diverse festival programming that appeals to readers of all ages and interests,” Henderson says. “The festival is a great opportunity to meet your favorite authors, find your next great read, and connect with fellow readers from across the city and state.”
C. Cybele Raver, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at Vanderbilt University, adds an excellent point: “The festival reflects the very best of what universities and cultural institutions can accomplish together — creating opportunities for people to engage with new ideas, encounter different perspectives, and connect through a shared love of reading and storytelling.”
The festival will take place on Oct. 17 and 18 at the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. For a full lineup of its authors — of whom there are more than 175 — visit sofestofbooks.org.
