2015

HIGHLIGHTS

The seventh annual Boston Book Festival took place on October 23-24, 2015. We kicked off the festivities Friday evening with a keynote featuring Booker Prize-winning author Margaret Atwood in conversation with short story writer Kelly Link. Tickets to Atwood’s keynote had been sold out since July, and the 800+ attendees who packed Old South Church found the conversation well worth the wait.

BBF Saturday offered a preview of the colder months to come, with blustery winds and temperatures in the 40s making things brisk for our intrepid volunteers and exhibitors. But over 20,000 attendees, knowing that cold weather is the perfect time to curl up with some good books, flocked to more than sixty separate events at more than a dozen venues around Copley Square and throughout Back Bay.

Especially popular were the kids’ keynote session with Newbury medalist Louis Sachar and our first-ever YA keynote featuring Libba Bray (in conversation with Robin Brenner, who wore full flapper regalia in honor of Bray’s latest novel), as well as our keynotes for the grownups: architect Moshe Safdie, surgeon Atul Gawande, novelist and short story writer Colum McCann, and literary critic James Wood.

More than 150 other presenters also enthralled and engaged attendees at such sessions as “Speculative Science,” “Hits, Hooks, and Jam Bands,” “Racial Justice and Community Activism in the Age of Black Lives Matter,” and “The Science of Food,” as well as numerous sessions on fiction, from One City One Story to post-apocalyptic novels. We welcomed sessions developed by the Massachusetts Center for the Book, Design Observer magazine, and Pessoa magazine, as well as four community-developed BBF Unbound sessions on topics ranging from teaching religion to crossing genres.

Kids and teens had plenty to keep them busy, and many families flocked to the recently reopened Johnson Building at the Boston Public Library to see award-winning picture book authors and illustrators such as Paul O. Zelinsky and Molly Bang read from and demonstrate their work in the beautiful new Children’s Library. Older kids could head around the corner to the BPL’s super-cool Teen Central room, where superstar authors such as Rebecca Stead, M. T. Anderson, and Jason Reynolds spoke about their recent fiction for middle-grade and teenage readers.

Outdoors, our 70+ exhibitor booths featured (shivering) representatives from small presses, bookstores, literary nonprofits, and MFA programs. The centerpiece of our street fair was the big BBF tent, where BBF merchandise, membership, and info shared space with Brookline Booksmith and Presenting Partner 90.9 WBUR, whose on-air hosts chatted with visitors throughout the day (when they weren’t moderating some of our biggest sessions). Tour guides from Boston By Foot led history buffs on walking tours through the literary history of the Back Bay, and talented Berklee College of Music students warmed up the crowd with their funky beats and infectious energy.

Attendees ended their BBF Saturday with one of three wrap-up sessions: a “Poems and Pints” reading at a local nightclub, a conversation with longtime agent and first-time novelist Bill Clegg, or a sold-out memoir keynote session featuring musician Amanda Palmer in conversation with her husband Neil Gaiman. Attendees were treated to a musical performance by Palmer as well as one of the first glimpses at the couple’s brand-new baby. The good news is that no matter which option they chose, attendees really couldn’t go wrong!

2015 AUDIO

Thanks to our partnership with The Drum Literary Magazine, we’re crafting audio from selected BBF 2015 sessions into great new BBF podcasts that you can take on the go. Select podcast episodes are now available on the iTunes store and the Podcast app on your iOS device. Additional episodes will be posted soon (subscribe to the podcast via iTunes for all the latest content).

Android users: you can access our podcasts via the Stitcher app. Our episodes are available on Stitcher here.

You can also stream our podcasts on SoundCloud:

Fiction Keynote: Colum McCann, Host: Claire Messud
Nonfiction Keynote: Atul Gawande, Host: Meghna Chakrabarti
The Trial of Abraham: Harvey Cox, Alan Dershowitz, Host: Judge David Barron
YA Keynote: Libba Bray, Host: Robin Brenner
Art, Architecture, and Design Keynote: Moshe Safdie, Host: Sarah Goldhagen
The Supremes: A Towering Giant and a Pint-Sized Powerhouse: Irin Carmon, Wil Haygood, Shana Knizhnik, Host: Anthony Brooks
Hits, Hooks, and Jam Bands: Walter Holland, Alan Light, John Seabrook, Host: Tom Ashbrook
YA: Boys to Men: Matt de la Peña, Brendan Kiely, Jason Reynolds, Andrew Smith, Host: Amy Pattee
Racial Justice and Community Activism in the Age of Black Lives Matter: Laurence Ralph, Jason Sokol, Host: Callie Crossley

Additional 2015 Audio

Archival audio recordings are available for the following additional sessions from BBF 2015:

(Note: clicking the title of a session will play the audio file in a new window. To download the file to your hard drive, right-click (PC) or ctrl-click (Mac) and select “Download linked file” from the menu that appears.)

BBF Unbound: The New Debate Over Religion in the Schools: Katherine Stewart, Linda K. Wertheimer, Host: Erik Owens
BBF Unbound: Raising Each Other: Rachel DeWoskin, Carolyn Mackler, Cindy Rodriguez, Host: Kirun Kapur
BBF Unbound: Seven Ways to Make Your Content Stand Out Online: Karyn Polewaczyk
The Book As Creative Space: Laura Davidson, Susan K. Gaylord, Daniel E. Kelm, Host: Ruth R. Rogers
But Enough About Me: Heidi Julavits, Nina MacLaughlin, Host: Megan O’Grady
Creatures and Creators: Charlotte Gordon, Andrew McConnell Stott, Host: Julia Tejblum
Fiction: The End Is Near: Emily St. John Mandel, Sandra Newman, Host: Christopher Lydon
Fiction: The Kids Aren’t Alright: Camille DeAngelis, Jennifer McMahon, Rupert Thomson, Host: Rachel DeWoskin
Fiction: Portrait of the Artist: Peter Davis, Elena Delbanco, Courtney Maum, B. A. Shapiro, Host: Nancy Rubin Stuart
Funny Papers: Chip Kidd, Bob Mankoff, Host: Jared Bowen
Heroism and Hubris: How Concrete Saved Boston: Chris Grimley, Mark Pasnik, Host: Christina Crawford
Making Sense of War: Bryan Doerries, Joe Klein, Host: Lisa Mullins
Memoir Keynote: Amanda Palmer, Host: Neil Gaiman
Middle Grade: Friends and Family: Patricia Reilly Giff, Tamara Ellis Smith, Rebecca Stead, Host: Cathryn Mercier
New Threats in the Modern Age: Gabrielle Blum, Bruce Schneier, Jessica Stern, Host: Juliette Kayyem
One City One Story: Jennifer De Leon, Host: Alicia Anstead
Reading Like a Writer: Lives and Loves: Charles Blackstone, Holly LeCraw, Lily Tuck, Host: Dawn Tripp
Reading Like a Writer: Magic and Mystery: Kelly Link, Heidi Pitlor, Jessica Treadway, Host: Alicia Anstead
Reading Like a Writer: People and Places: Matt Bell, Megan Mayhew Bergman, Matthew Neil Null, Host: Henriette Lazaridis
Readings: Family Matters: Nadine Darling, Gregory Howard, Jonathan Papernick, Host: Michelle Hoover
Readings: Place: Lauren Acampora, Jabari Asim, Meg Mitchell Moore, Host: Henriette Lazaridis
Robert E. Lee: Jonathan Horn, Host: George Krupp
The Science of Food: Kenji Lopez-Alt, Anastacia Marx de Salcedo, Host: Robin Young
Sherlock: Josh Cook, Bonnie MacBird, Host: Lisa Rourke
Speculative Science: Juan Enriquez, John Markoff, Lisa Randall, Host: Deborah Becker
Star Wars and D&D: Chris Taylor, Michael Witwer, Host: Ethan Gilsdorf
Storytime: Molly Bang
Storytime: Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Storytime: Erin E. Stead, Philip C. Stead
Teaching and Learning: Lani Guinier, Michael Horn, Vanessa Rodriguez, Host: Louise Kennedy
The Vigor of Brazilian Literature: Luisa Geisler, Adriana Lisboa, Alexander Vidal Porto, Host: Nilma Dominique
What We Talk About When We Talk About Sex: Rachel Hills, Lauren Holmes, Dylan Landis, Host: Nancy Bauer
Why Books Matter–Design Edition: Chip Kidd, Allison Saltzman, Deb Wood, Host: Eugenia Bell

Audio is not available for the following sessions:

BBF Unbound: Crossing Genres: Amanda Gefter, Tasneem Zehra Husain
A Conversation with Bill Clegg: Bill Clegg, Host: Dawn Tripp
Courage and Rescue: Charles Kaiser, Steven Pressman, Lou Ureneck, Host: Laura Tavares
Digital Cultures: Antonio Casilli, Host: Willow Brugh
Fiction: Growing Up in Time of War: Simon Mawer, Chinelo Okparanta, Jim Shepard, Host: William Pierce
Humanities Keynote: James Wood
It’s a Crime: Deborah Halber, Stephen Kurkjian, Ben Mezrich, Host: Sacha Pfeiffer
Kickoff Keynote: Margaret Atwood, Host: Kelly Link
Kids’ Keynote: Louis Sachar, Host: Roger Sutton
Lead, Move, Share: Robin Chase, Chris Fussell, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Stanley McChrystal, Host: Anthony K. Tjan
Memoir: Coping with Grief: Sukey Forbes, Joseph Luzzi, Bob Morris, Host: Kim McLarin
The Only Street in Paris: Elaine Sciolino, Host: Christopher Muther
Poems and Pints: Sarah Kay, Lynn Levin, January Gill O’Neil
Sports Writing: Bill Littlefield, Leigh Montville, Charles Pierce
Storytime: Matt de la Peña
Storytime: Steven Savage
Storytime: Paul O. Zelinsky
When the US Spoke French: François Furstenberg, Host: Janet Polasky
Writer Idol: Ann Collette, Sorche Fairbank, Amaryah Orenstein, Host: Christopher Castellani
YA: Real Lives: M. T. Anderson, Sonia Manzano, Steve Sheinkin, Host: Carey Goldberg
YA: Regret and Recovery: Edwidge Danticat, Cammie McGovern, Host: Laura Koenig

2015 VIDEO

Memoir Keynote: Amanda Palmer, Host: Neil Gaiman (with special guest Maria Popova)

The following sessions were videorecorded by C-SPAN2 for broadcast on BookTV.

Clicking the title of the session will take you to BookTV’s website, where you can watch the videos online.

New Threats in the Modern Age: Gabriella Blum, Bruce Schneier, Jessica Stern, Host: Juliette Kayyem
Making Sense of War: Bryan Doerries, Joe Klein, Host: Lisa Mullins
Humanities Keynote: James Wood

2015 PRESENTERS

Lauren Acampora
M.T. Anderson
Alicia Anstead
Tom Ashbrook
Jabari Asim
Margaret Atwood
Molly Bang
Judge David Barron
Nancy Bauer
Deborah Becker
Eugenia Bell
Matt Bell
Megan Mayhew Bergman
Charles Blackstone
Gabriella Blum
Jared Bowen
Libba Bray
Robin Brenner
Anthony Brooks
Willow Brugh
Irin Carmon
Antonio Casilli
Christopher Castellani
Meghna Chakrabarti
Robin Chase
Bill Clegg
Ann Collette
Josh Cook
Harvey Cox
Deborah Cramer
Christina Crawford
Callie Crossley
Edwidge Danticat
Nadine Darling
Laura Davidson
Peter Davis
Matt de la Peña
Jennifer De Leon
Camille DeAngelis
Elena Delbanco
Alan Dershowitz
Rachel DeWoskin
Bryan Doerries
Nilma Dominique
Juan Enriquez
Sorche Fairbank
Sukey Forbes
François Furstenberg
Chris Fussell
Neil Gaiman
Atul Gawande
Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord
Amanda Gefter
Luisa Geisler
Patricia Reilly Giff
Matthew Gilbert
Ethan Gilsdorf
Carrie Goldberg
Sarah Goldhagen
Charlotte Gordon
Chris Grimley
Lani Guinier
Deborah Halber
Wil Haygood
Rachel Hills
Walter Holland
Lauren Holmes
Michelle Hoover
Jonathan Horn
Michael Horn
Gregory Howard
Tasneem Zehra Husain
Heidi Julavits
Charles Kaiser
Rosabeth Moss Kanter
Kirun Kapur
Sarah Kay
Juliette Kayyem
Daniel Kelm
Chip Kidd
Brendan Kiely
Joe Klein
Shana Knizhnik
Laura Koenig
George Krupp
Stephen Kurkjian
Dylan Landis
Henriette Lazaridis
Holly LeCraw
Lynn Levin
Alan Light
Kelly Link
Bill Littlefield
Kenji Lopez-Alt
Joseph Luzzi
Christopher Lydon
Bonnie MacBird
Carolyn Mackler
Nina MacLaughlin
Emily St. John Mandel
Bob Mankoff
Sonia Manzano
John Markoff
Anastacia Marx de Salcedo
Courtney Maum
Simon Mawer
Colum McCann
General Stanley McChrystal
Cammie McGovern
Kim McClarin
Jennifer McMahon
Cathryn Mercier
Claire Messud
Ben Mezrich
Leigh Montville
Meg Mitchell Moore
Bob Morris
Lisa Mullins
Christopher Muther
Sandra Newman
Matthew Neil Null
Megan O’Grady
January Gill O’Neil
Chinelo Okparanta
Amaryah Orenstein
Erik Owens
Amanda Palmer
Jonathan Papernick
Mark Pasnik
Amy Pattee
Charles Pierce
Heidi Pitlor
Janet Polasky
Karyn Polewaczyk
Steven Pressman
Laurence Ralph
Nuno Ramos
Lisa Randall
Jason Reynolds
Cindy Rodriguez
Vanessa Rodriguez
Ruth R. Rogers
Lisa Rourke
Louis Sachar
Moshe Safdie
Allison Saltzman
Stephen Savage
Bruce Schneier
Elaine Sciolino
John Seabrook
Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Richard Shacon
Stefany Shaheen
B.A. Shapiro
Steve Sheinkin
Jim Shepard
Tamara Ellis Smith
Andrew Smith
Jason Sokol
John Spooner
Erin Stead
Philip Stead
Rebecca Stead
Katherine Stewart
Andrew McConnell Stott
Nancy Rubin Stuart
Roger Sutton
Laura Tavares
Chris Taylor
Julia Tejblum
Rupert Thomson
Anthony Tjan
Jessica Treadway
Dawn Tripp
Lily Tuck
Lou Ureneck
Alexandre Vidal Porto
Joanna Weiss
Linda K. Wertheimer
Michael Witwer
Deb Wood
James Wood
Robin Young
Paul Zelinsky