Six things not to miss at the Twin Cities Book Festival
Your weekend is booked.
On Saturday, the Twin Cities Book Festival will take over the Progress Center and Fine Arts Building at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. The day is packed with author events featuring local stars and national names, as well as an all-day book fair.
The full schedule is available from Rain Taxi, but here are six things we've circled on our calendar. All events are free and open to the public.
You can kick the festival off at its Friday night opening party, featuring a talk about the real-life forest that inspired Winnie-the-Pooh's Hundred Acre Wood.
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Taking the family? There's a whole range of events for children and young readers, too.
1) Are we making fun of us? A conversation on why rural Midwestern life is ridiculous
Saturday, 11 a.m.
Five humor writers from around the Midwest discuss how they craft their special brand of heartland humor. What is it about the snowy tundra and far-flung farms that makes for a laugh?
Panelists: Stephanie Wilbur Ash, Jason Good, Geoff Herbach, John Jodzio and Mary Mack
2) Phoebe Robinson, of 2 Dope Queens
Saturday, 2:30 p.m.
Comic Phoebe Robinson is everywhere right now, including on the must-listen podcasts 2 Dope Queens and Sooo Many White Guys. Her new book, "You Can't Touch My Hair: and Other Things I Still Have to Explain," is an essay collection that digs into everything from the NFL to Robinson's advice for the first female president.
3) The local author morning mingle
Saturday, 10 a.m.
Minnesota's literary scene is packed with talent, from prize-winning poets to best-selling YA authors to a Man Booker recipient.
This is your chance to chat with more than two dozen local authors at the fairgrounds, including Marlon James, Peter Geye, Dylan Hicks, Gretchen Marquette, Benjamin Percy, Faith Sullivan, Krista Tippett, David Housewright, Kirstin Cronn-Mills and more! The full list is available from Rain Taxi.
4) Literary legends in conversation: Francine Prose and Charles Baxter
Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
Francine Prose, who just published her twenty-first novel, and Minnesota's literary star, Charles Baxter, will discuss their latest books as well as the twist and turns of their careers.
5) The personal and the political
Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
These three novelists peel back the headlines for a look at the lives in the shadow of politics and world events. Whether it's bombings in a crowded marketplace in Delhi, a flood of Cuban refugees or the turmoil of 1980s Yugoslavia, these authors will discuss how they tell deeply personal stories in the face of political conflicts.
Panelists: Lidija Dimkovska, author of "A Spare Life"; Karan Mahajan, author of "The Association of Small Bombs"; and Derek Palacio, author of "The Mortifications"
6) The book fair
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Local publishers and bookstores will be on hand all day selling books, books and more books! The books on your shelves are looking a little lonely, so why not pick them up some new friends?