Brooklyn Book Festival’s Author Lineup Revealed
MSNBC host Chris Hayes and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage will appear at BKBF, which kicks off Sept. 11.
By Chloe Morales
BROOKLYN, NY – The Brooklyn Book Festival Literary Council celebrated its 11th annual launch of the Brooklyn Book Festival (BKBF) on June 15 with an announcement of the first 150 authors who will gather for the literary extravaganza, beginning Sept. 11, as well as for Children’s Day on Sept. 16 and Festival Day on Sept. 17. Festival Day also includes a full week of special literary events that will be held across the boroughs as a precursor to the festival weekend.
According to a recent Brooklyn Book Festival press release, the lineup will comprise MSNBC host Chris Hayes, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage, Argentinean children’s book illustrator Liniers and Karl Ove Knausgård, author of internationally renowned autobiographical novels “My Struggle.”
“I am proud to welcome back the Brooklyn Book Festival for another year of engaging book lovers of all ages,” Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams said in the release. “It is important that we empower Brooklynites with the endless possibilities of human imagination by encouraging reading for all, particularly our youngest.”
Reflecting the diversity of New York City communities, the festival will welcome authors from all over the world, including Erna Brodber of Jamaica, Ali Cobby Eckermann of Australia, Santiago Gamboa of Colombia, Wioletta Greg of Poland, Peter Kimani of Kenya, Young-ha Kim of South Korea and others.
Pulitzer Prize winner Colson Whitehead, also attending, has been announced as the recipient of the annual Best of Brooklyn (BoBi) Award. Four Brooklyn-born writers — Maira Kalman, Lynn Nottage, Sean Qualls and Selina Alko — will be recognized during the event as well.
Brooklyn Book Festival was founded in 2006 by former Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, who wanted to showcase the “Brooklyn voice” in literature. Authors at all stages of their career and in various genres — nonfiction, fiction, poetry, comics and young adult — will participate in panel discussions on current political and cultural significance, such as the refugee reportage and the Supreme Court, for a total of nearly 100 programs across 13 stages on Festival Day.
Children’s Day will feature New York Times bestselling author Alexandra Bracken, five-time Coretta Scott King award winner Sharon Draper, National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson and other writers, as well as an international showcase of children’s book authors.
A full list of all participating authors is available on the Brooklyn Book Festival website.
