This past weekend I jumped on the highway to head west to my state’s capitol for the Texas Book Festival. This was the 20th anniversary for this event at the Capitol Building and on the grounds surrounding it. It was beautiful weather and lots of squirrels running around as we traipsed through grounds attending author speaker sessions and book signings.
I attended sessions of some famous people that are also authors, Attica Locke (Executive Producer of Empire), Wendell Pierce (Actor), Taye Diggs (Actor) and Leonard Pitts (Pulitzer Prize Columnist). I also discovered some impressive authors for the first time, who are listed below:
Harry Hunsicker
Wendy S. Walters
Jason Sokol
James Hannaham
Saeed Jones
Margo Jefferson
Laila Lalami
Jeffery Renard Allen
Now, I am in the process of purchasing some new books from these authors that should keep me reading for the next year. One of the most memorable terms I heard in one of the sessions was “historical erasure” which emphasized how the history we have been taught is in the one-sided perspective of the victor.
Also, while in Austin, I had the opportunity to have breakfast at Cisco’s Restaurant in the east end of Austin. It is one of those historical places prevalent in Austin with an autographed picture of President Lyndon B. Johnson on the wall. I had migas, sausuage, ranchero beans, picante sauce, tortillas, biscuits with butter/honey, and coffee. It was a good traditional Tex-Mex breakfast and I loved it.
Overall, I had a great time in Austin. It is worth the 6-hours roundtrip to hang out there for the weekend – especially for the book festival. I will definitely return next year.
QUESTION(s):
How is your reading life?
Do you attend book festivals?
If so, what do you like best about them?
