PBS Books was honored to host this virtual engagement event with author and musician James McBride on September 14 as part of our exciting partnership with The Library of Congress for the 2020 LOC National Book Festival: Celebrating American Ingenuity. This event was be moderated by WTTW’s VP of Community Engagement Tim Russell.
This year, LOC’s annual Book Festival with the theme “Celebrating American Ingenuity” will be held online between September 25 and 27. The Festival will culminate in a two-hour PBS Books special exploring ingenuity of acclaimed American authors. Hosted by Hoda Kotb, the special will premiere on Sunday, September 27th, from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM ET (Check your local listing). This event features diverse stories from special guests like Joy Harjo, Salman Rushdie, Madeleine Albright, and John Grisham.
Throughout the month of September, PBS Books is hosting ten events (just like this!) to showcase several talented, ingenious authors featured in this dynamic special. These intimate, moderated Q&As will be deep-dives into the work of some of the most celebrated literary luminaries of our time, all while providing insights into the upcoming festival. The events will be targeted to particular national regions, but are accessible to all audiences.
About the Author
James McBride is an accomplished musician and the author whose books have sold millions of copies around the world. He is the author of the National Book Award-winning and New York Times-bestselling novel The Good Lord Bird, the number one-bestselling American classic The Color of Water, the novels Song Yet Sung and Miracle at St. Anna, the story collection Five-Carat Soul, and Kill ‘Em and Leave, a biography of James Brown. Awarded a National Humanities Medal by President Obama “for humanizing the complexities of discussing race in America,” McBride is a Distinguished Writer-in-Residence at New York University.