
Kalela Williams Named New Director of Virginia’s Center for the Book
Virginia Humanities announced that Kalela Williams is serving as the new Director of the Virginia Center for the Book. The Virginia Center for the Book, an affiliate of the Center …

SHELF LIFE—Living Queer History with Samantha Rosenthal
Samantha Rosenthal discusses Living Queer History: Remembrance and Belonging in a Southern City and the LGBTQ community in Roanoke, Virginia, that the book documents and celebrates. Interweaving historical analysis, theory, …

SHELF LIFE—Tastes Like War with Grace M. Cho
Grace M. Cho discusses her latest book, Tastes Like War, which was a nonfiction finalist for the 2021 National Book Award. Part memoir, part sociological investigation, Tastes Like War offers …

SHELF LIFE—EcoPoetics: Poetry and the Natural World
Poets Kathy Davis (Passiflora), Danielle Beazer Dubrasky (Drift Migration), and Cathryn Hankla (Not Xanadu) read from and discuss their recent collections. All three hold ties with Virginia and depict its …

SHELF LIFE—Rediscovering Earth: A Conversation with William deBuys and Bill McKibben
William deBuys (The Trail to Kanjiroba) discusses his latest book in conversation with Bill McKibben. In The Trail to Kanjiroba deBuys brings attributes of memoir and travel and nature writing …

SHELF LIFE—The Kissing Bug with Daisy Hernández
Daisy Hernández (The Kissing Bug) and Dr. Rachel Marcus discuss Chagas, the rare and devastating parasite-borne illness that is prevalent in the U.S. Latinx community. In The Kissing Bug Hernández …

Virtual Storytime Marathon
Cherie Fu (Little Messy Marcy Su), Shannon Hitchcock (She Sang for the Mountains), Juana Medina (Juana & Lucas: Muchos Changes), Sana Rafi (Little Seeds of Promise), and Brittany J. Thurman …

Virtual School Visit with Ruth Behar
On April 6 as part of the 2022 Virginia Festival of the Book, Ruth Behar (Tía Fortuna’s New Home: A Jewish Cuban Journey) discussed her picture book in a presentation …

2023 Festival Schedule
Our full 2023 schedule is live! We’re thrilled to share the diverse array of events that comprise this year’s Festival; from writing salons and book panels to immersive outdoor programs, there’s something for every reader.