Check out all the goings-on at the Texas Book Festival, which will be held November 4-5 in Austin, Tex. We interview festival authors, including headliner Dan Rather, Pulitzer-winner Jennifer Egan, Gretchen Carlson, the Bush twins, and many others.
Read individual stories below, or check out the whole Texas Book Festival supplement.
Dan Rather on 'What Unites Us'
In the Trump era, the news has become infinitely more divisive, confusing, and addictive. Whatever one's beliefs or political leanings, the swarms of notifications, sound bites, and updates that bombard us are so dizzying it can feel impossible to know where to look. Which is why we need Dan Rather more than ever.
Sisters in and Out of the Spotlight
In Sisters First, the Bush twins celebrate their bond and share private memories of their famous family
History Lessons with Jennifer Egan
Manhattan Beach is Egan's first historical novel. The success of 'A Visit from the Goon Squad' and the surprising challenges of wrapping her mind around the past made it unexpectedly tough to write.
Being Fierce: Gretchen Carlson
Former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson takes on workplace sexual harassment in her new book, Be Fierce: Stop Harassment and Take Your Power Back.
The Healing Power of Laughter: Samantha Irby
Essayist and humorist Samantha Irby started as a blogger. Her new book, We Are Never Meeting in Real Life, wrestles deeply—and hilariously—with everything from Irby's struggles with Crohn's disease and anxiety, to the ridiculousness of dieting, and the ways white culture silences black women.
Real News: Carino Chocano, Angela J. Davis, and Kevin Young
Whatever your politics, it's been a crazy year. There are endless questions to ask and too few clear answers. Perhaps that makes this a good time to be a nonfiction writer. We talked to three authors whose new books investigate sexism in Hollywood, the unjust treatment of black men by police, and the history and seductiveness of fake news. They are asking some of the true questions to which we crave true answers.
Rewriting History: PW Talks to Cristina Garcia and Min Jin Le
Lately, it can feel like there are far too many current events for anyone to process. Looking to the past is one antidote. Historical fiction has the power to grant us a reprieve from the present while also illuminating the contemporary world. We asked these two writers about what it takes to rewrite history.
Short Lives and Growing Pains: PW Talks to Jeffrey Eugenides and Claire Messud
The authors talked to us about the challenges and rewards of short fiction and writing younger characters, as well as what it means to write literature in these crazy times.
Meat and Veggies: PW Talks to Gail Simmons and Mark Bittman
Mark Bittman and Gail Simmons have a way with food. Whatever you want, they can cook it, and show you how