Geraldine Brooks is a Pulitzer-prize winning and New York Times bestselling author. She is also an award-winning journalist. In 1990, with her husband Tony Horwitz, she won the Overseas Press Club Award for best coverage of the Gulf War. The following year they received a citation for excellence for their series, “War and Peace.” Her novels People of the Book, Caleb’s Crossing, The Secret Chord and Horse all were New York Times bestsellers. Her first novel, Year of Wonders is an international bestseller, translated into more than 25 languages and currently optioned for a limited series by Olivia Coleman’s production company. She will be in conversation with New York Times bestselling author William Cohan, about her latest book, Memorial Days.
Winner of the National Book Award and critically acclaimed writer and thinker, Harvard Professor, Imani Perry, whose latest book, Black in Blues, continues her exploration of race, culture and history through the prism of the color blue. Imani Perry is a New York Times bestselling author of South to America and a spectrum of books and writing with a lens on contemporary issues through her scholarly and creative writing. Imani will be joined in conversation with writer and producer, and Co-Founder of the Nantucket Book Festival, Mary Haft.
Wally Lamb is the author of six best-selling novels including the #1 New York Times best-sellers and Oprah’s Book Club picks - She’s Come Undone and I Know This Much is True. The beloved writer will be in conversation with Nantucket Book Foundation President and creator of Tim Talks Books, Tim Ehrenberg to discuss Wally’s first novel in eight years, The River is Waiting, a propulsive story of a young father who, after an unbearable tragedy, reckons with the possibility of atonement for the unforgivable. The two will talk about our prison system, the act of forgiveness, emotional intelligence, and the transformative power of fiction.
Acclaimed author, Charmaine Wilkerson, continues to shape how the forces of powerful family legacy and history form the compelling character of the stories she tells. Good Dirt explores those family secrets and the threads that bind past, present and future. The bestselling author of Black Cake, which became a major television adaptation on Disney/Hulu, Charmaine will be joined in conversation with writer and producer, and Co-Founder of the Nantucket Book Festival, Mary Haft.
Alice Hoffman is the author of more than thirty works of fiction, including When We Flew Away, Here on Earth, which was an Oprah’s Book Club selection, and Practical Magic, which was made into a Warner Brothers film starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. She will be in conversation with author/Festival co-chair Sara DiVello, about her latest work, When We Flew Away, which explores the little-known details of Anne Frank's life before she went into hiding. Based on extensive research and published in cooperation with the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, Hoffman brings Anne Frank, a writer who will go on to change the world as we know it, to bold, vivid life.
In his long-awaited release of the already celebrated Playworld, the acclaimed author of Mr. Peanut and renowned editor of the Sewanee Review, Adam Ross, will be joined in conversation with Nantucket’s own beloved novelist, Elin Hilderbrand, author of over 28 bestselling novels. Sure to be a conversation to remember, these two masters of their craft have much to discuss about contemporary fiction, the publishing industry, and the art of storytelling.
Patti Callahan Henry is the best-selling author of over a dozen contemporary and historical novels, most recently The Story She Left Behind. With a belief that the power of story changes us and moves us, Patti will explore the untold stories of the past that affect us now as well as discuss her role as co-host of the weekly live web show, Friends & Fiction. Patti will be in conversation with Heather Reisman, founder and CEO of Indigo Books & Music, Canada’s largest book retailer. Two of Patti’s novels have been selected as “Heather’s Picks” – Becoming Mrs. Lewis and The Story She Left Behind.
Suzy Welch - bestselling author, business leader, and NYU professor - is known for helping people find purpose in work and life. Her new book, Becoming You: A Proven Method for Crafting Your Authentic Life and Career, draws from her decades of experience as a journalist, professor, and consultant to offer a practical roadmap for personal transformation. In conversation with Linda Henry, CEO of Boston Globe Media Partners, Welch will share stories and strategies for building a life of meaning, impact, and joy—on your own terms.
Every book is a journey, an exploration of an idea, of a history, of a people, of possibilities. Reading widely, seeking voices from different genres, perspectives, and worlds not traveled, expands the envelope of what it means to be human. Immersing ourselves in worlds real or imagined expands the depth and breadth, the shape and complexity of our thoughts, and bestows upon us a more nuanced understanding of the world and ourselves. The four writers presented tonight reflect the power of words to engage and expand the universe of our own humanity and the interconnectedness of our universal humanity through the transcendent power of reading. Becoming more. Presenting authors: Patrick Radden Keefe, Loretta J. Ross, Bob Woodward, and Lisa Genova
Enjoy a sumptuous buffet dinner overlooking the harbor while rubbing elbows with your favorite authors. The Dinner, presented by The White Elephant Hotel, is the perfect ending to a day filled with inspiring author conversations. As the only event designed to fundraise for the Book Festival, your ticket purchase helps to keep most of our events free and open to everyone. Purchase tickets HERE.
