Top of page
Posted by: Neely Tucker
David McCullough, one of the nation's most decorated historians and authors, died today at the age of 89. A writer who valued deep research and lively narratives, he was a good friend of American readers and a good friend of the Library and its patrons.
Posted in: History, National Book Festival, U.S. Presidents, Writers
Posted by: Leah Knobel
The 2022 National Book Festival returns to a live audience this year in Washington, featuring popular authors and entertainers such as Jesmyn Ward, Janelle Monae, Nick Offerman, Sabaa Tahir, Louis Bayard and Xochitl Gonzalez.
Posted in: Books, Events, National Book Festival, Writers
Posted by: Neely Tucker
Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced today that the 2022 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction will be awarded to Jesmyn Ward. The 45-year-old Mississippian is the two-time winner of the National Book Award for the novels "Salvage the Bones" and "Sing, Unburied, Sing" among other major literary awards.
Posted in: African American History, Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction, National Book Festival, Women's History, Writers
Posted by: Neely Tucker
Madeleine Albright, the first female U.S. Secretary of State, died today in Washington at the age of 84. The cause was cancer, her family said.. Albright, who donated her papers to the Library in 2014, was a key figure in the administration of Bill Clinton, serving both as ambassador to the United Nations and then as Secretary of State during his second term. Outspoken to the end, she wrote an essay for the New York Times in late February warning about the effects of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. She included her notes from her first meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, more than two decades ago: "Putin is small and pale...so cold as to be almost reptilian."
Posted in: Manuscripts, National Book Festival, News, Women's History, World War II, Writers
Posted by: Neely Tucker
Jerry Pinkney, a renowned book illustrator and a longtime supporter of the National Book Festival, died last week. He was 81. He is fondly remembered in this short essay.
Posted in: National Book Festival, News
Posted by: Neely Tucker
The Library's first live event since the COVID-19 restrictions of 2020 took place on Sept. 21, 2021 during the National Book Festival, with a conversation between crossword puzzle gurus Will Shortz and Adrienne Raphel.
Posted in: Events, National Book Festival, Writers
Posted by: Neely Tucker
Nobel Laureate and Booker Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro, making a headlining appearance at this year’s National Book Festival, was asked why so many of his central characters work in service-oriented jobs. A metaphor, he said, for the lives most of us lead
Posted in: National Book Festival, Writers
Posted by: John Sayers
The Library of Congress and Every Child a Reader have announced that Jason Reynolds' term as National Ambassador for Young People's Literature will be extended to include a third year, for the first time in the history of the program.
Posted in: Literacy, National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, National Book Festival
Posted by: John Sayers
Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden and News4 Today journalist Eun Yang discuss the 2021 Library of Congress National Book Festival: Open a Book, Open the World, which takes place in various formats from Sept. 17-26.
Posted in: National Book Festival