Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor to Join Main Stage of 2018 National Book Festival

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor will launch her first children’s book, along with a young readers adaptation of her memoir, as part of the Main Stage lineup of authors at the 2018 National Book Festival, the Library of Congress announced today. Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden will interview Sotomayor about her new book, “Turning Pages: My Life Story,” which tells about her childhood and her lifelong love of books.

This year’s festival will be held Saturday, Sept. 1, with doors opening at 8:30 a.m. and presentations beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at 7:30 p.m., at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. The festival will include presentations on a wide range of books, including fiction, mysteries and fantasy, graphic novels, history and biography, contemporary subjects and science, poetry and prose, and books for children and teens.

The 2018 festival also will offer visitors a chance to engage with the new PBS series “The Great American Read,” an initiative that celebrates the joy of reading and the most beloved books. The series, which premiered May 22, will introduce viewers to America’s 100 favorite novels and will culminate in a national vote to choose “America’s Best-Loved Novel.” Visitors will be able to cast their votes at the National Book Festival, as well as online and through social media.

This year’s Main Stage lineup includes a mix of authors and genres.

Main Stage Presenters

• U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor will discuss her new book, “Turning Pages: My Life Story,” written for children ages 4 to 8 and illustrated by artist Lulu Delacre. In the book, the first Latina Supreme Court justice tells her own story for young readers for the first time, including how books inspired her and helped her connect with family in New York and in Puerto Rico, to cope with her father’s death and to dream of a brighter future. Sotomayor also will launch “The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor,” the young readers adaptation of her memoir “My Beloved World,” in conversation with Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden.
• Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will present her new book, “Fascism: A Warning,” a history of fascism in the 20th century and how its legacy shapes the world.
• Author Isabel Allende will discuss her novel “In the Midst of Winter.” The story is about an academic who rear-ends a car driven by an undocumented immigrant and the adventure that unfolds.
• Presenting his new book, “The Monk of Mokha,” novelist Dave Eggers will tell the true story of a young Yemeni American who set out to resurrect the ancient art of Yemeni coffee but was trapped in a raging civil war. Eggers will appear with Mokhtar Alkhanshali, the hero of the book.
• Presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin will launch her new book, “Leadership: In Turbulent Times,” an examination of the art of leadership based on four presidents she has studied most closely.
• Historian Jon Meacham will present his latest book, “The Soul of America,” about critical times in our history when hope overcame fear and division.
• Best-selling author Amy Tan will discuss her new memoir, “Where the Past Begins,” delving into memories of her traumatic childhood, the inspiration behind her fiction and the way she thinks as a writer.

Additional authors will be announced in the coming months. More information and updates will be available on the National Book Festival website at loc.gov/bookfest/.

The Library also recently unveiled the 2018 National Book Festival poster with original art by Gaby D’Alessandro, a Dominican illustrator based in New York City. The poster depicts a whimsical hot air balloon carrying a young reader into space.

The National Book Festival is made possible by the generous support of private- and public-sector sponsors who share the Library’s commitment to reading and literacy, led by National Book Festival Co-Chairman David M. Rubenstein. Sponsors include Charter sponsors the Institute of Museum and Library Services, The Washington Post and Wells Fargo; Patron sponsors the James Madison Council, the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities; Champion-level sponsor PBS; Contributor-level sponsors National Geographic and Scholastic Inc.; and, in the Friends category, AARP, Booklovers Circle members, Bookshare - a Benetech initiative, Marshall B. Coyne Foundation Inc., Dollar General Literacy Foundation, Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction administered by The University of Alabama School of Law, The Hay-Adams, The Junior League of Washington, Library of Congress Federal Credit Union, J.J. Medveckis Foundation, Timothy and Diane Naughton, Reading Is Fundamental, Small Press Expo (SPX) and the Whittle School & Studios. Those interested in supporting the National Book Festival can contact the Library at devofc@loc.gov.

Later this summer, the National Book Festival app will be updated with complete presenter, schedule and wayfinding information for iOS or Android smartphones. Follow the festival on Twitter @librarycongress with hashtag #NatBookFest.

The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States—and extensive materials from around the world—both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov, access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov, and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.

Image: Original art for the 2018 National Book Festival poster was created by Gaby D’Alessandro, a Dominican illustrator based in New York City.