Ah, springtime in Charlottesville. Everyone is enjoying the good weather, the trees and flowers are in bloom, classes for students are winding down, and skirts and shorts make their triumphant return to the sidewalks. The season also brings to town one of the biggest literary events on the East Coast: the Virginia Festival of the Book.
The 14th-annual Festival of the Book began yesterday morning and will continue with sessions, meet and greets, book talks and readings until Sunday. Charlottesville will host several authors and discussions, which in turn attract thousands of fans, readers, publishers and businesses.
Sponsored by the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, the festival began as part of its sponsor's commitment "to develop the civic, cultural, and intellectual life of the commonwealth by creating learning opportunities for all Virginians," Festival Program Director Nancy Damon noted.
According to the Festival's Web site, the event is a collaboration between local and national publishers as well as organizations and educators. Authors and publishing companies are invited and can apply to participate from the Web site. The large number of applicants each year is testimony to the festival's reputation and prestige, both locally and abroad.
Despite the festival's movement into its 14th year, the staff works hard to keep the festival up-to-date with the literary world.
"We don't really have 'themes' like [the Virginia] Film Festival because we don't start with just one body of books," Damon said. "Instead we track recently published books and what's new in literary circles."
This year's festival previews some of the changes to what and how we read. For example, the festival will host a session Saturday entitled "Graphics at Gravity: Comics and Novels" at Gravity Lounge at noon. The session will feature renowned graphic comics writer Peter David and author/illustrator Colleen Doran. Last year the festival featured some graphic novels, but this is the first year the festival has included a session on comics.
"We try to find something for everyone," Damon said. "We work hard to try to find something for young adults because they are the hardest group to attract" to the festival.
Another interesting addition to this year's festival is a session dedicated to changes in technology that helps us read. Sunday's "Delving into Digital: Electronic and Audio Books" -- also at the Gravity Lounge -- features representatives who will discuss the hardware and software of electronic books, including Amazon.com's software "Kindle" and "OverDrive."
The festival isn't just for fans of literature and poetry. Aside from some of the bigger names coming this year (like bestselling crime-writer Walter Mosely and Pulitzer prize-winning poet Claudia Emerson) and the additions to the schedule, the festival is a great opportunity for those interested in a career in publishing. There are several sessions -- especially Saturday -- about the publishing process hosted by publishing companies.
For U.Va. students, the Festival of the Book is a must-do before you graduate. Sure, you may not have had an interest in Richard Wright's Black Boy or in poems about Paris, but both topics will be featured in sessions this year and are worth checking out. You'll never judge a book by its cover again. 3
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