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Deets: The LA Times Festival of Books is back, in person, April 23-24, 2022! It’s a celebration of storytelling that will open your eyes, fill your ears, and expand your mind.
Gorman — the first American National Youth Poet Laureate, who floored the country with her verse at President Biden’s 2021 inauguration — will headline the festival’s L.A. Times Book Club event.
As part of The Times’ “Ideas Exchange” series, musician and actor Monáe will answer questions about her upcoming collection of science fiction short stories, “The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer,” at USC’s Bovard Auditorium — the largest performance venue on campus.
Other notable figures set to participate include Valerie Bertinelli, Meena Harris, Ziggy Marley, Tony Alva, Terry Crews, Adam Schiff, Rachel Lindsay, Josh Peck, Chrishell Stause and Kelly Rowland.
Celebrated authors on the itinerary include crime novelists Michael Connelly, Megan Abbott, Don Winslow and Attica Locke; literary luminaries Jonathan Lethem, Roxane Gay and Amor Towles; and many more, ranging from Jasmine Guillory and Akwaeke Emezi to Imani Perry and Jean Chen Ho.
In addition to the main stage programming, a number of activities — including celebrity author interviews, family-friendly entertainment, cooking demonstrations, Spanish-language content, expert panels, live music and poetry readings — will be held on stages designated for the L.A. Times en Español, cooking, poetry, children’s authors and YA as well as USC and USC Friends and Neighbors.
Another stage will feature the ongoing Times series Ask a Reporter, in which reporters, editors, photographers and podcasters talk about their work and answer reader questions. Staff set to appear include Times Executive Editor Kevin Merida, columnists Carolina Miranda, Gustavo Arellano and Robin Abcarian and many others.
More than 250 exhibitors have also been tapped to provide an array of giveaways, merchandise and books for sale.
The evening before the festival begins, The Times will present the Robert Kirsch Award for lifetime achievement to Luis J. Rodriguez and the Innovator’s Award to Reginald Dwayne Betts. A dozen other literary works will also receive Book Prizes from The Times leading up to the main event.
Who You May Spot: Amanda Gorman, Billy Porter, Janelle Monáe, and hundreds of other participants
HInt for the Average Socialite: General admission to The Times’ Festival of Books is free, while tickets for individual author conversations will be available April 17 via the event website.
What’s Trending: @latimesfob @audible_com @LADWP @USC #bookfest