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Posted by: Erin Allen
The Library of Congress National Book Festival next weekend opens its latest chapter with a few new plots and the largest cast of characters in festival history. The 15th annual festival will offer its biggest-ever roster of speakers, take a first fling with literary love, go back to the movies, pay tribute to America’s warriors …
Posted in: Books, Education, Events, National Book Festival, Washington DC
Posted by: Jennifer Gavin
E.L. Doctorow, a giant of American letters who uplifted the genre of the historical novel, died yesterday at the age of 84. The author of “Ragtime,” “World’s Fair,” “Billy Bathgate,” “The March,” “Welcome to Hard Times” and “Andrew’s Brain,” among many other works of fiction, will be much missed. Doctorow was the recipient of the …
Posted in: Audiovisual, Books, Collections, Film, History, Manuscripts, National Book Festival
Posted by: Erin Allen
Calling all readers, the new Library of Congress National Book Festival blog launched this week! It’s one of the many ways that we will be celebrating the 15th anniversary of the nation’s premier celebration of books and reading. This year’s festival will take place during Labor Day weekend on Saturday, September 5, 2015, at the Walter …
Posted in: Blogging, Books, Events, National Book Festival, Washington DC
Posted by: Erin Allen
On January 5, 1502, prior to his fourth and final voyage to America, Christopher Columbus gathered several judges and notaries in his home in Seville to authorize the authentic copies of his archival collection of original documents through which Queen Isabella of Castille and her husband, King Ferdinand of Aragon, had granted titles, revenues, powers …
Posted in: Books, Collections, History, Manuscripts, National Book Festival
Posted by: Erin Allen
(The following is a guest post by Guy Lamolinara, communications officer in the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress.) Former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins (2001-2003), creator of the Library’s Poetry 180 website, has just published his first illustrated children’s book with artist Karen Romagna. The book features Collins’ poem “Voyage,” which …
Posted in: Books, Events, Libraries, National Book Festival, Washington DC
Posted by: Erin Allen
In August, the Library of Congress was busy with exhibitions and expositions, opening “American Ballet Theatre: Touring the Globe for 75 Years” on Aug. 14 and hosting the 14th annual National Book Festival on Aug. 30. “At the company’s heart was ballet theater, a physical way of creating a new world onstage,” wrote Sarah Kaufman …
Posted in: Civil War, Collections, Events, Exhibitions, National Book Festival, News, Newspapers, Preservation, Technology, Washington DC
Posted by: Erin Allen
Now in its 14th year, the Library of Congress National Book Festival welcomed book lovers to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center — a new venue for this year — on Saturday. More than 100 authors, poets and illustrators were featured throughout the day and evening, packing crowds into pavilions such as History & Biography, …
Posted in: Books, Education, Events, Libraries, National Book Festival, Photos, Pic of the Week, Washington DC
Posted by: Erin Allen
(The following is an article in the July-August 2014 issue of the Library of Congress Magazine, LCM. Award-winning novelist E.L. Doctorow discusses the role of fiction and storytelling. You can read the issue in its entirety here.) The story is the most ancient way of knowing. It preceded writing. It is the world’s first system for collecting …
Posted in: Books, Education, Events, Libraries, National Book Festival, Washington DC
Posted by: Jennifer Gavin
Ever wonder, while watching a film made from a novel you’ve known and loved, what the author of the book thought about that movie? Whether they thought it was true to their vision? Whether they were annoyed at what landed on the cutting-room floor? Four great modern novelists will share a dialogue on just that …
Posted in: Books, Education, Events, Film, National Book Festival, Poetry, Washington DC