The Ultimate Guide To The Festival Of Books

This year’s show will return spot Saturday and Sunday astatine nan USC campus, and it’s packed pinch a mind-boggling array of awesome participants and exhibitors. You tin peruse nan complete schedule, download nan book show app, and book your parking and sheet reservations here.

I person lukewarm fuzzy feelings astir nan festival, attending arsenic a budding writer successful nan early aughts. As personification who aspired to “go long” but had nary hint really to spell astir doing it, nan arena was an inspiration: each these hot-shot authors talking astir their craft, and free admittance nary less.

Of people nan arena wasn’t nan sprawling, magnificent behemoth it is now, pinch cooking demonstrations from nan world’s top chefs, and bestselling children’s authors reference to mini budding bibliophiles. The first show successful 1996 drew 75,000 book fans; past year, much than doubly arsenic galore group showed up.

As nan show grew, truthful did nan excitement. In 2007, I waited successful statement on pinch hundreds of different fans for nan privilege of proceeding Gore Vidal talk astir his trade successful UCLA’s Royce Hall. Gay Talese, 1 of my publicity heroes and a seasoned of immoderate of nan very first festivals successful nan precocious ’90s, was ever a pleasure. His stories astir breaking into nan New York Times conjured up a mislaid world that seems positively antediluvian now. “If you show up successful a three-piece suit and a hat, and you look for illustration you mightiness person taken a bath recently, they don’t footwear you retired arsenic fast,” Talese told a packed crowd successful 2008.

By that time, overmuch to my astonishment, I knew Talese personally. In 2004, I was moving connected a book astir nan New Journalism activity that he spearheaded. That year, he asked maine to subordinate him astatine nan book show arsenic a guest. It was my first clip successful nan “green room,” nan backstage area wherever authors socialize complete nutrient and drinks. After ogling each nan A-list talent successful nan room, I was asked by Talese to subordinate him for luncheon astatine a array on pinch novelists Jane Smiley and John Kaye, historiographer Doug Brinkley and societal professional Naomi Wolf, each of whom were appearing astatine nan festival. Reader, my mind was suitably blown. I conscionable kept my rima unopen and listened.

I will beryllium moderating a sheet Sunday astatine 1:30 p.m. astatine nan Ray Stark Family Theatre (plug) and I can’t wait. There is thing for illustration this festival; it is The Times’ yearly gift to nan Southland, and we should each beryllium grateful we get to bask it.

Here are immoderate of this weekend‘s show highlights. All panels are an hr successful duration.

📚 Ultimate Festival Guide

Saturday

Drawn to Life: A Conversation connected Graphic Novels

Graphic novelists Henry Barajas, Eagle Valiant Brosi, Anders Brekhus Nilsen, Mimi Pond and Angie Wang talk their latest schematic novels, each of which is based connected existent events aliases celebrated myths.

Where: Albert and Dana Broccoli Theatre
When: 10:30 a.m.

Robert Kirsch Award Winner Amy Tan successful Conversation pinch Thomas Curwen

Acclaimed writer Amy Tan is nan recipient of nan 2025 Robert Kirsch Award for life achievement, which recognizes a writer pinch a important relationship to nan American West. Tan’s expansive assemblage of work, including essays, memoirs and bestselling novels “The Joy Luck Club,” “The Kitchen God’s Wife” and “The Bonesetter’s Daughter,” is wide celebrated for its profound exploration of nan migrant experience, family bonds and nan quest for individual identity. Join america for a speech pinch Amy Tan and award-winning erstwhile Los Angeles Times writer Thomas Curwen.

Where: Bovard Auditorium
When: 10:30 am

Modern Family: Humor, Chaos, and nan Absurdity of Contemporary Life successful Fiction

Novelists Jade Chang, Kevin Wilson and Sarah Levin talk their caller novels, which are caller examinations of family successful modern life: nan ones we’re calved with, nan ones we make, and nan ways we scope retired for relationship successful an progressively isolated, chaotic, and lonely world.

Where: Hoffman Hall, Edison Auditorium
When: 11 a.m.

The Mirror Effect: When The Writer Becomes The Story

Lana Lin, Melissa Febos, Susan Orlean and Amanda Uhle person produced literate and creator activity that has shaped conversations, influenced civilization and established them arsenic leaders successful their fields. Now, they move nan pen inward and go nan story. Exploring their careers, relationships, sexuality and more, these writers connection a uncommon and friendly look astatine nan vulnerability, productivity and humanity down their work

Where: Town and Gown
When: 1:30 p.m.

Democracy, Fascism and America Today

Join California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta, Steven J. Ross, Omer Aziz, Erwin Chemerinsky and Los Angeles Times newsman Seema Mehta for a speech astir nan authorities of our freedoms coming and what our existent governmental ambiance could mean for nan early of our democracy.

Where: Hancock Foundation, Newman Recital Hall
When: 1:30 p.m.

Sunday

Raising Gen Alpha: Parenting Today

How do we raise children successful an property of accelerated technological change, governmental polarization and world uncertainty? Drawing from their caller books and their acquisition arsenic parents, Reza Aslan and Jessica Jackley will research really to person honest, age-appropriate conversations pinch kids astir analyzable and challenging topics, while scientist Darby Saxbe shares groundbreaking investigation connected nan subject of fatherhood.

Where: Wallis Annenberg Hall
When: 10:30 a.m.

The Mosaic of Us: Individual Memoirs and nan Collective Truth of Black Life successful America

Join Austin Channing Brown, Tre Johnson, Tamika D. Mallory and Carvell Wallace arsenic they bespeak connected nan moments that shaped their lives, activity and perspectives. Through individual stories of resilience, love, intent and self-discovery, their experiences weave together for illustration a mosaic to shape a deeper corporate image of Black life and personality successful America today.

Where: Hancock Foundation, Newman Recital Hall
When: 10:30 a.m.

Poetry, Power & Sovereignty

Panelists Matthew Cuban Hernandez, Karla Cordero, Sonia Guiñansaca and Yesika Salgado will dive into what it intends to beryllium autonomous, to beryllium your ain ultimate authority, to beryllium to yourself, nan land(s) and group you choose.

Where: De Los Stage
When: 12:50 p.m.

Lionel Ritchie successful speech pinch Mikel Wood

The legendary performer will talk his caller book “Truly” pinch nan Times’ popular euphony critic.

Where: Bovard Auditorium
When: 2:30 p.m.

Looking Deeper: The Asian American Experience successful Historical Fiction

Christine Bollow, Karen Tei Yamashita and Naomi Hirahara dive heavy into nan myriad Asian American experiences astatine turning points successful American history, shedding ray connected untold stories and basal characters successful our shared history.

Where: Hoffman Hall, Edison Auditorium
When: 3:30 p.m.