For Release October 11, 2000 Contact: Paxson MacDonald
(804) 977-1747
Charlottesville, VA (October 11, 2000) -- The Seventh Annual Virginia Festival of the Book announced today that renowned African-American author and MacArthur "Genius" Fellow (1992) Paule Marshall will deliver the keynote address at the Festival’s Annual Luncheon on Friday, March 23, 2001. Ms. Marshall’s writing spans four decades, from her debut novel Brown Girl, Brownstones to her just published The Fisher King.
The Festival of the Book (VABook! 2001) will take place from March 21st through March 25th in Charlottesville, Virginia. This five-day free literary event offers author readings, panel discussions, workshops, informal conversations among writers and readers, and book signings—in all more than 200 free events at venues around Charlottesville, designed for those who love to read. During the Festival, one entire day is dedicated to family literacy with Motheread and Fatheread Day, which draws huge crowds for storytelling and programming for children. VABook! 2001 is a unique literary happening for those who want to celebrate the written word.
The Annual Luncheon is among the highlights of the Festival each year. Paule Marshall, who writes and teaches in New York City and Richmond, Virginia, has maintained a distinguished career that began shortly after her graduation from Brooklyn College (Phi Beta Kappa). She has taught at Yale University, Columbia University and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. She initiated the "New Generation Reading Series" as Distinguished Chair in the creative writing program at New York University where she introduced such writers as Edwidge Danticat, Shay Youngblood and Colson Whitehead. Ms. Marshall is the recipient of numerous literary prizes and awards for her outstanding talent.
The Luncheon will be held on Friday, March 23rd at 11:45 a.m. at the Omni Charlottesville Hotel, located on the Historic Downtown Mall in Charlottesville. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are now available for $30.00 per person from the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, 145 Ednam Drive, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903 or by calling 804-924-6890.
Attending authors and programming events for VABook! 2001 will be released as they become available and will also be listed on the web site at www.vabook.org. For more information about the Festival, call VABook! 2001 at (804) 924-6890.
