The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, billed as one of the world’s most significant literary gatherings, will be held Saturday and Sunday, April 20-21, on the University of Southern California campus.
This celebrated event presents various authors representing diverse genres, from established literary figures to emerging talents each year. Whether you’re drawn to fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or children’s literature, the festival promises to captivate every literary palate.
The festival offers many family-friendly activities and entertainment options. Attendees can engage in panels and discussions, facilitating enriching exchanges among fellow book enthusiasts, authors, scholars, and thought leaders. From storytelling sessions to book signings and interactive exhibits, a wealth of experiences awaits visitors of all ages.
For schedule, tickets and participant list, go to: https://events.latimes.com/festivalofbooks/
Participants include (in alphabetical order by first name):
Duncan Ryūken Williams (“American Sutra: A Story of Faith and Freedom in the Second World War”). Saturday, 10:30-11:30 a.m., “Religion in the Public Sphere” (tickets required), Wallis Annenberg Hall. Presented by USC.
Hayley Kiyoko (“Girls Like Girls”). April 21, 12-1 p.m., “In the Age of Book Bans: The Freedom to Write and Read Young Adult Literature” (tickets required), Ronald Tutor Campus Center.
Joe Ide (IQ mystery series), April 20, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., “Welcome to the Underworld: Crime, Gangsters, and Hitmen” (tickets required), Seeley G. Mudd 124.
Julie Abe (“Our Cursed Love”), April 21, 3-4 p.m., “Love is in the Air: Coming of Age and Falling in Love in Young Adult Fiction” (tickets required), Ray Stark Family Theatre.
Karen Tei Yamashita (“Sansei and Sensibility”), April 21, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., “Mother Nature: Women and Wilderness” (tickets required), Albert and Dana Broccoli Theatre.
Marie Mutsuki Mockett (“The Tree Doctor”), April 20, 1:30-2:30 p.m., “Fiction: Women (and Men) on the Edge” (tickets required), Seeley G. Mudd 123.
Mariko Tamaki (“Skim”), April 20, 2-3 p.m., “AutobioGRAPHICal Storytelling: Real Life on the Page” (tickets required), Seeley G. Mudd 124.
Miwa Messer (“Poured Over,” the Barnes & Noble podcast). April 20, 10:30-11:30 a.m.,
L.A. Times Book Club Presents: Abraham Verghese, author of “The Covenant of Water,” in conversation with Miwa Messer (tickets required), Town and Gown.
Naomi Hirahara (“Evergreen,” “Clark and Division”). April 20, 3-4 p.m., “All in the Family: Mysteries Close to Home” (tickets required), Taper Hall 201.
Susan H. Kamei (“When Can We Go Back to America? Voices of Japanese American Incarceration during World War II”), April 20, 1:30-2:30 p.m., “Stories of Resistance and Protest” (tickets required), Wallis Annenberg Hall. Presented by USC.