February 28, 2011 Authors Ann Patchett, Erik Larson, and Meg Cabot are among the bestselling writers who will be part of an event series at the Nashville Public Library. Salon at 615 will welcome a number of authors to Nashville in the spring and summer for readings, talks, and book signings.
The series is a partnership among Nashville Public Library, Humanities Tennessee, the Nashville Public Library Foundation, and Barnes and Noble Booksellers, which will be the on-site bookseller for the events.
“What better place could there be for author visits and book talks than the library? Nashville has always been a “book town,” and I’m so happy that our concerned citizens, public institutions, and organizations are all pitching in to keep it that way,” said Donna Nicely, director of Nashville Public Library.
“It’s important for Nashville to remain a regular, viable stop for authors on tour,” said Robert Cheatham, president of Humanities Tennessee. “Interaction between writers and readers, and events held in a community space, help to encourage civil public dialogue and enrich the cultural life of the community. We are pleased to work with the library and Barnes and Noble to help keep this tradition alive in Nashville.”
The full series lineup includes:
April 2: Hampton Sides, author of Hellhound on His Trail: The Stalking of Martin Luther King Jr. and the International Hunt for His Assassin (2010).
April 13: Jean Auel, author of The Land of Painted Caves: A Novel (March, 2011). Auel is the author of the beloved Clan of the Cave Bear series.
April 20: Andrea Wulf, author of Founding Gardeners (March, 2011). This new work looks at the lives of the founding fathers and how their attitude toward plants, gardens, nature, and agriculture shaped the American nation. Wulf is the author of The Brother Gardeners.
May 10: Erik Larson, author of In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Berlin (May, 2011). This true tale follows the story of William E. Dodd, who became the American ambassador to Germany in 1933, a pivotal year in global history. Larson is the author of the international bestseller Devil in the White City.
June 28: Ann Patchett, author of State of Wonder (June, 2011). The group is honored to host Nashville resident Patchett for the launch event for this new novel. Patchett is the author of the acclaimed bestseller Bel Canto.
July 1: Roy Blount Jr., author of Alphabetter Juice: or, the Joy of Text (May, 2011). Blount is a well-known writer and essayist and a panelist on the weekly NPR quiz show Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me.
July 5: Adam Ross, author of Ladies and Gentlemen (July, 2011). We are honored again to host the launch event for Ross, who lives in Nashville. His previous book,Mr. Peanut, was a bestselling mystery title in 2010.
July 7: Meg Cabot, author of Insatiable (2010). Cabot is the author of the beloved Princess Diaries young adult books. This new novel is aimed at adults, and offers a clever and compulsively readable twist on the current vampire craze in literature.
All events take place at Nashville Public Library, at 615 Church St., and are free. The Hampton Sides event, which occurs on Saturday, April 2, will begin at 2 p.m., and the Andrea Wulf event will take place at noon. All other events will begin with a reception at 6:15 p.m., followed by the author reading and book signing.
Humanities Tennessee presents the Southern Festival of Books: A Celebration of the Written Word, held annually in Nashville. The 2011 Festival takes place October 14-16.
Nashville Public Library offers a collection of two million items including books, DVDs, CDs and downloadable e-books and audiobooks, as well as more than 1000 public-use computers, 24/7 reference assistance, and free exhibits and programs. For more information, call 615-862-5800 or visit the library’s website, here.
For more updates on Tennessee authors, please visit Chapter 16‘s News & Notes page, here.
