inTown: Fall for the Book Festival
The 2012 Fall for the Book Festival kicked off on Wednesday, September 26, with readings and discussions at George Mason University and across Northern Virginia — just the start of this five-day festival, featuring events in Virginia, DC, and Maryland.
What began as a two-day literary event in 1999, organized by George Mason University and the City of Fairfax, has expanded into a week-long, multiple-venue, regional festival that brings together people of all ages and interests, thanks to growing community interest and generous supporting partners.
After a terrific opening night that saw Rita Dove accepting the 2012 Busboys and Poets Award, the festival’s second day will welcome novelist Alice Walker, celebrating the 30th anniversary of The Color Purple, on Thursday, Sept. 27, at 3 p.m. in the Concert Hall, Center for the Arts, on George Mason University’s Fairfax, Virginia, campus. (Please note that the festival has stopped taking advance reservations for this event and for events later in the festival with Neil Gaiman and Michael Chabon; all remaining seats will be given away at the event on a first-come, first-served basis.)
A second headliner, Amy Waldman, whose novel The Submission is this year’s All Fairfax Reads title, takes the stage at 8 p.m. at the Sherwood Center in downtown Fairfax. And the entire day promises to be the busiest of the festival, with events ranging from bestselling journalist Kurt Eichenwald talking about the first 500 Days after the 9/11 attacks to novelist Mat Johnson discussing both his critically acclaimed Pym and his new graphic novel Right State to naval historian Tim McGrath reviving a nearly forgotten Revolutionary War hero to sociologist Todd Gitlin exploring the roots of the Occupy movements. And Thursday evening, two of our bookstore partners host events in conjunction with the festival: One More Page Books in Arlington welcoming thriller writer Will Lavender and Politics and Prose in DC hosting essayist Pankaj Mishra.
Additionally, in conjunction with Fall for the Book, the Mason Inn and Conference Center will host its first Well Induction Ceremony on Thursday evening at 6 p.m. The bar and lounge at the inn, known as the Well, will be showcasing books authored by George Mason University faculty and staff, and this first ceremony welcomes Alan Cheuse, Amy Best, James Pfiffner, and James Trefil. Refreshments and hors d’oeuvres will be served.
Check out the full schedule at www.fallforthebook.org which has continual updates on the schedule.
