At the inaugural Boston Book Festival on Saturday, October 24, 2009, more than 12,000 readers of all ages from across Greater Boston and New England came to Copley Square and The Boston Public Library, Old South Church and Trinity Church to attend talks and sessions by more than 90 world-renowned authors and presenters including Nobel, Pulitzer, Caldecott and Emmy award winners, and dozens of New York Times bestselling authors. More than 40 local booksellers, businesses and nonprofit organizations showcased their goods and services, and music groups – many from Berklee College of Music – performed live in the bustling Copley Square street fair. Boston Book Festival 2009 also featured many free participatory activities for festival-goers and their families including programming for children, writing workshops, open mic opportunities, and Writer Idol.
At the Teen Spoken Word Showcase, young Bostonians performed original works, participating in the long tradition of accomplished poetic expression in Massachusetts. In Old South Church’s Sanctuary, a rapt audience of over 1000 people listened to Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk deliver the keynote address, while in the Boston Public Library’s Rabb Lecture Hall, some of our country’s greatest thinkers – Michael E. Porter, David Gergen, Lani Guinier – discussed the first year of the Obama Presidency. At the 826 Boston Copley Square booth, children pounded away on typewriters and drew pictures of favorite words. In the E-Ink pavilion, festival-goers experienced the cutting edge in electronic paper and ereader technology including flexible and color displays.
At Boston Book Festival 2009, avid readers met authors and each other and exchanged thoughts, ideas, and book recommendations, aspiring writers received encouragement and direction from established masters, and children and their families interacted with book characters, authors and illustrators.
Video Production by: Paula Aguilera, Jonathan Williams, The Boston Phoenix, WGBH
Photography by: Norman Lang, Matt Teuten, Mike Ritter
“Awe-inspiring...how many times can you say you were in the same room as a Nobel Prize winner?
“Writer idol changed the way I look at my writing.”
“I am glad that the city of Boston finally has a festival. I saw a lot of people I have not seen in awhile. There was a wonderful mix of authors and topics. I think it was an amazing first year.”
“I just loved that so many people came out to be involved with books! It was nice just to meet and talk to so many interesting people brought together by the same passion.”
“Our family LOVED the Book Festival and cannot wait until next year!!!!
“Having an excuse to meet other local bibliophiles; we're a town of readers but never get together all at once. I loved the sessions, the star-studded talent, and grabbing all sorts of books at the booths outside. Holding the event at the Copley Square library was excellent! What a great excuse to visit our library! Also loved that events were free.”
“Correcting a long oversight. Getting a BPL library card. @bostonbookfest #bbf09”
“@AliciaSilv's talk about vegan eating may have just changed my life. I'm inspired to take the leap - finally. Thanks #bbf09”
Oct 29, 2009 - The Bay State Banner
First Boston Book Festival attracts both young and old
http://www.baystatebanner.com/local17-2009-10-29
Oct 28, 2009 - Blue Rose Girls (Blog)
Boston Book Festival
http://bluerosegirls.blogspot.com/2009/10/boston-book-festival.html
Oct 27, 2009 - Phoenix Online
The PHlog - Podcast and accompanying article:
Unreliable Narrator
Boston Book Festival
http://smithdell.blogspot.com/2009/10/boston-book-festival-recap.html
Oct 26, 2009 - Boston Neighborhood Network News
Chris Harding of Boston's Neighborhood Network News captured the Festival feel, plus Spoken Word, Hodgman/Perrotta, children's events and storyteller Irene Smalls.
VIDEO: http://vimeo.com/7279387
The wild Hodgman as seen in his natural habitat (Blog)
http://www.jon22.net/the-wild-hodgman-as-seen-in-his-natural-habitat/
Vernacular, the Emerson College Writing, Literature & Publishing Graduate Student Blog
Boston Book Festival - Chris Van Allsburg
http://v.tgdn.net/2009/10/boston-book-festival-chris-van-allsburg.html
Oct 25, 2009 - Flyby Blog at Harvard Crimson
Boston Book Festival a Nerd's Paradise
http://www.flybyblog.com/2009/10/25/boston-book-festival-a-nerd-paradise/
Pink Apron (Blog)
Meeting Cookbook Authors at the Boston Book Festival
http://pink-apron.com/2009/10/meeting-cookbook-authors-at-the-boston-book-festival/
Culture Junkie (Blog)
Boston Book Fest
Oct 20, 2009 - Bostonist
Interview with Boston Book Festival Participant Nicholas Negroponte
http://bostonist.com/2009/10/20/boston_book_festival_technology_nicholas_negroponte.php
Oct, 21 2009 - Boston Herald
Book it to Copley Square for literary fest
Oct 22, 2009 - Boston Globe
Don’t Miss the Boston Book Festival Saturday
http://www.boston.com/travel/blog/2009/10/dont_miss_the_b.html
Oct 23, 2009 - Boston Globe
Is this the end? Some people think book publishing is in its final throes. The Boston Book Festival begs to differ.
10/18/09 - Boston.com
Writers Out Loud
http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2009/10/18/boston_book_festival_features_90_authors/
10/15/09 - Dorcester Reporter
Lehane to launch "Boston Noir" at Book Festival
http://www.dotnews.com/2009/lehane-launch-boston-noir-book-festival
10/15/09 - Bay State Banner
Prize-winning Authors to Grace Boston Book Festival
http://www.baystatebanner.com/local18-2009-10-15
10/08/09 - HubArts.com
Boston Book Festival Schedule and Locations Announced
http://www.hubarts.com/weblog/2009/10/boston-book-fest-schedule-and-locations.html
09/15/09 – Boston Globe
Kidd In Town
http://www.boston.com/ae/celebrity/more_names/blog/2009/09/kidd_in_town.html
09/14/09 – HubArts.com
Boston Book Festival Highlights
http://www.hubarts.com/weblog/2009/09/boston-book-festival-highlights.html
06/25/09 – ArtsDaily.org
Chip Kidd to Design Poster for Inaugural Boston Book Festival
http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=31649
05/06/09 – Boston Globe “Off The Shelf” Blog
Marriage of Tech and Books In Boston
http://www.boston.com/ae/books/blog/2009/05/technoliteracy.html
05/05/09 – "Survival of the Book" Blog
Boston IS a Literary City!
http://booksurvival.blogspot.com/search?q=boston+book+festival
05/05/09 – Boston Globe
Technology Will Be The Subtext in Boston Book Festival This Fall
05/04/09 – Publishers Weekly
Boston Book Festival Slated For October
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6656045.html
05/04/09 – HubArts.com
Boston Book Festival set for Oct. 24 in Copley Sq.
http://www.hubarts.com/weblog/2009/05/boston-book-festival-set-for-oct-24-in-copley-square.html
Russ Aborn
Kurt Andersen
Alicia Anstead
Jessica Anthony
Tom Ashbrook
Jack Beatty
Jared Bowen
Stace Budzko
Ken Burns
Dana Cameron
Stephen Carter
Billy Costa
Harvey Cox
Callie Crossley
Carolina de Robertis
Anita Diamant
Brendan DuBois
Andre Dubus III
Joseph Finder
A. W. Flaherty
Jim Fusilli
David Gergen
Leslie Gilbert-Lurie
Ethan Gilsdorf
Mary Gordon
Michael Greenberg
Lani Guinier
Steve Haber
Jennifer Haigh
Lynne Heitman
John Hodgman
Jeffrey Howe
Walter Isaacson
Jennie Israel
Mary Lou Jepsen
Bret Anthony Johnston
Neil Jones
Sheryl Julian
Calestous Juma
Brewster Kahle
Jane Kamensky
Kathleen Kent
Scott Kirsner
Deborah Kovacs
Tim Kring
Corby Kummer
Reif Larsen
Dennis Lehane
Jill Lepore
Brian Lies
Grace Lin
Elinor Lipman
Bill Littlefield
Christopher Lydon
Barbara Lynch
Michael Patrick MacDonald
Jackie MacMullan
Scott Magoon
Megan Marshall
Kim McLarin
Ben Mezrich
Richard Michelson
Nicholas Negroponte
Elizabeth Nunez
Jay O'Callahan
Brian O'Donovan
Iyeoka Ivie Okoawo
John Orwant
Orhan Pamuk
Tom Perrotta
Robert Pinsky
John Pipkin
David Pogue
Michael Porter
Alicia Potter
Iqbal Quadir
Nancy Rappaport
Richard Russo
Katherine Roy
Hank Phillippi Ryan
Anita Shreve
R. Sikoryak
Alicia Silverstone
Irene Smalls
Jessica Stern
Glenn Stout
Grace Talusan
Michael Thomas
Paul Tremblay
Scout Tufankjian
Larry Tye
Chris Van Allsburg
Cornel West
Jared T. Williams