It is that time of year again for all those who are in the California area. It is a great experience to go to this event, lots of people and interesting lectures to attend. It is really something to check out if you have a chance.

The event~

The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books is a two-day celebration of the written word and one of the country's premier literary events. The Festival is free to the public and held each year on the last weekend of April on the UCLA campus. The 2004 Festival will be held on April 24 and 25.

The events will include special lectures by celebrated authors, book reviews, writing workshops, and storytelling at two stages in the children’s area. A panel of respected judges from the literary world will also be on hand to award the annual Book Prizes for outstanding offerings from the past year.

The Festival promises something for everyone, from seemingly endless rows of booths to exciting events and demonstrations on seven different stages. The Festival also features book signings by today's leading authors, poetry readings, an extensive children's area and books for sale.

The Festival of Books celebrates books as a valuable source of learning, information and entertainment, and is an ideal way to spend your weekend. Don't miss America's largest literary event!


Free to the public, the 2004 Festival of Books takes place Saturday, April 24 (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) & Sunday, April 25 (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) on the beautiful UCLA campus.

A selection of Authors that are scheduled to appear at the 2004 Festival of Books

Sherman Alexie Tariq Ali
Clive Barker Francesca Lia Block
T.C. Boyle Ray Bradbury
Susie Bright Douglas Brinkley
Ana Castillo Iris Chang
Sandra Cisneros Mary Higgins Clark
Susie Coelho Rocco DiSpirito
Dave Eggers James Ellroy
Carrie Fisher William Gibson
Ray Harryhausen Carl Hiaasen
Karen Hughes Pico Iyer
Edward P. Jones Larry King
Elmore Leonard Christopher Lowell
Chris Casson Madden David Maraniss
George Packer George Pelecanos
Samantha Power Anna Quindlen
John Rechy Thomas Sanchez
Laura Schlessinger Joel Siegel
Tavis Smiley Jane Smiley
Henry Winkler Terry Wolverton

Please note: This list is subject to change.

If you have any more questions just check out this site.

So who is thinking about attending?

I have been many times and it is really fun and exciting meeting authors and seeing all the exhibits. I have a really great time when I go. I hope to go this year.

Damn! I wanna go!!

That really sucks strawberry, maybe one day if you come out to Cali, you can come in April and go to the Festival. It is a real great time. If I go I will give you my review and experience of it.

I hope so! And I'm looking forward to hearing all about it

How was it, SB?

Was there an admission fee at all?

Getty isn't letting me post any photos.. But you can find them all here: http://editorial.gettyimages.com/source/CF...58|0|0|0|0|&p=3 *hopes it works*

Grr, I could not attend, it was my sister's b-day this weekend and she had a party so I couldn't go. I am so upset because I love to go and haven't been since '02. I am definitely going to go next year for sure if I don't you can hurt me. I am so sorry that I don't have anything to tell you about it. But I can tell you about the times I did go. What do you want to know?

To answer you question though, no there is not an admission fee. All the discussions are free to go to just have to get tickets. The only thing of cost is possibly parking and if you want to by books and such from the hundreds of stands.

Let's see if I can post some~

Mary Higgins Clark
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I meet her one year, she signed my sister's book.

James Ellroy
[img]http://cache.gettyimages.com/comp/3467224.jpg?x=x&dasite=MS_GINS&ef=2&ev=1&dareq=E2399169AC85D6DEE312204821925149CBD38D61D85B507E[/img]
I love his books.

I don't know a lot of those writers and such there but it is still very interesting to attend a discussion.

Sorry I let you down strawberry. I promise I will go next year.

Oh sb, you didn't let me down!!!

I'm sorry you didn't get to go... I am trying to get there one year as well - possibly in 2008 if it's still around as I'll be on exchange - maybe even in California! We'll see.

Thanks, I will so go next year and tell you all about it.

I am sorry to, I really wanted to. I hope you do get to come out to Cali soon. I think you will really enjoy it. It most likely will still be around, it has been going on for years. You will be on exchange? Sorry what does that mean excatly? Like an exchange student?

Can't wait for you to come down, maybe I can show you around, lived
here my whole life.

I might be in Cali in June! But then, I might not.. depends on the money really (doesn't it always? ). My friend from Melbourne will be visiting LA (she's an LA/Matthew Perry/Friends freak!) so I was going to try and get down there. I've always wanted to see those stars in the pavement.. I'm so clueless so I don't know where they are But I want to see them!

Exchange = an exchange year, yes! Third year students in my uni degree have the option to do an exchange overseas.. there are about 3 or 4 colleges in the US I can go to and Uni of California is one of them.

If I do make it in 2008, I will drag you to the Festival of Books myself!! And you can show me where those stars are

Cool, great month to come, nice weather. To tell you the truth I have never been to the place were the have the stars hands and names, I have always wanted to go but just haven't gotten the chance yet. I've been pretty much everywhere else though.

Ah, okay, that is really cool, it is a chance to see the world. You must love it. I can't wait till you come to Cali you will enjoy it. Movie Stars all over the place.

Okay, I give you permission to drag me to the festivial if I have not gone. I will show you it all. I just wonder if I am still going to be living here then. I always wanted to travel and live different places. We shall see.

It's almost time again! I went last year and had a blast.

The 2005 Festival of Books will be held Saturday, April 23 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, April 24 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Chris Abani
Peter Abrahams
Floyd Abrams
Diana Abu-Jaber
Lorraine Adams
Madeleine Albright
Jason Alexander
Tariq Ali
Steve Almond
Robert Alter
Eric Alterman
Betsy Amster
Derek Anderson
Marie Arana
Reza Aslan
James Atlas
Ken Auletta

Andrew J. Bacevich
Bob Baker
David Baltimore
Russell Banks
Benjamin R. Barber
Ann Louise Bardach
Peter Bart
Norma Barzman
Karen Grigsby Bates
Bruce Bauman
Cari Beauchamp
Richard Beban
Beethoven's Wig
Louis Begley
Larry Beinhart
Aimee Bender
Toni Bentley
Elizabeth Berg
Michael Andre Bernstein
Peter Biskind
Sophie Cabot Black
Michelle Bloom
Bob the Builder
Sonja Bolle
Bob Bookman
Max Boot
Georges Borchardt
Patricia Bosworth
Mark Bowden
T.C. Boyle
Ray Bradbury
Ann Brashares
Leo Braudy
Adam Braver
Kate Braverman
Douglas Brinkley
Sylvia Brownrigg
Ronald Brownstein
Alex Brunkhorst
D.W. Buffa
Jan Burke
Sarah Shun-lien Bynum

Bebe Moore Campbell
Stephen J. Cannell
Lou Cannon
Patrick Carman
Cecil Castellucci
Terry Castle
Larry Ceplair
Veronica Chambers
Ron Chernow
Children's Museum of Los Angeles
Mary Higgins Clark
Carol Higgins Clark
Angelo Codevilla
John Cogan
Stephen F. Cohen
Sasha Cohen
K.C. Cole
Wanda Coleman
Eoin Colfer
Michael Connelly
Bernard Cooper
Marc Cooper
Miles Corwin
Geoffrey Cowan
Robert Crais
Mitch Cullin
Laura Shaine Cunningham
Thomas Curwen

Kamau Daáood
Mark Danner
Danza Azteca
Michael Datcher
Sampson Davis
Giada De Laurentiis
John W. Dean
Frank Deford
Barbara DeMarco-Barrett
Stacia Deutsch
Diane di Prima
Jared Diamond
Digby Diehl
Sandra Dijkstra
Michael Dirda
Chitra Divakaruni
Maureen Dowd
Kim Dower
Geoffrey Drummond
Pete Duval

David Ehrenstein
East West Players
Amy Ephron
Steve Erickson
Maria Escandon
Richard J. Evans
Harold Evans
Scott Eyman

Brian Fagan
Barbara Fairchild
Seth Faison
Susan Feniger
Gary Ferguson
Carrie Fisher
Janet Fitch
Noel Riley Fitch
Caitlin Flanagan
Susan Fletcher
Tyler Florence
Jonathan Safran Foer
June Foray
Carl Franklin
Flora Fraser
Steve Fraser
David Freeman
Alan Furst
Jim Fusilli

Neal Gabler
Elizabeth Gaffney
Kate Gale
Carolina Garcia-Aguilera
Marie Louise Gay
Elizabeth George
Merrill Joan Gerber
George Gibson
Debra Ginsberg
Dana Gioia
Robin Preiss Glasser
Barry Glassner
Lisa Glatt
Herbert Gold
Tod Goldberg
Barbara Goldsmith
Amy Goodman
Dana Goodyear
Bernard Gordon
Sue Grafton
Seth Greenland
Tracy Griffith

Daniel Halpern
Denise Hamilton
Catharine Hamm
Patricia Hampl
Happy Hatters
David Harris
Tom Hayden
Eloise Klein Healy
Chris Hedges
Michael Henry Heim
Stephanie Hersh
Hugh Hewitt
Tony Hillerman
Christopher Hitchens
Adam Hochschild
Alice Hoffman
Katharine Holabird
Joseph Horowitz
Richard Howard
Arianna Huffington
Michelle Huneven
Rameck Hunt

Eric Idle
Barbara Isenberg
James Ivory
Pico Iyer

Tamar Jacoby
Russell Jacoby
Al Jardine
Ricky Jay
Jay Jay the Jet Plane
George Jenkins
George Johnson
Bret Anthony Johnston
Junie B. Jones
Justin Roberts Band

Cynthia Kadohata
Joseph Kanon
Zachary Karabell
Brigit Pegeen Kelly
Dorna Khazeni
Michael Kinsley
David Kirk
Jonathan Kirsch
Adam Kirsch
Kishin Daiko
Norman Klein
Elisa Kleven
Leslie Klinger
Michael Konik
Jean Hanff Korelitz
Richard Knaack
Brooke Kroeger
Ron Kovic
Jarrett Krosoczka
Jim Krusoe
Mark Kurlansky

Sanoe Lake
Anne Lamott
Kelly Lange
A.J. Langguth
Terrill Lee Lankford
Afschineh Latifi
Eric Lax
Peter Lefcourt
Ludovic Lefebvre
Brad Leithauser
Phil Lesh
Diane Leslie
Aimee Liu
Alvaro Vargas Llosa
Sandra Tsing Loh
M.G. Lord

Alfred MacAdam
Melissa Boyle Mahle
Leonard Maltin
Larry Mantle
Malcolm Margolin
Connie Martinson
Richard Matheson
Ken McAlpine
Susan McCabe
Charles McCarry
James McCourt
Terry McDermott
Aaron McGruder
Jon Meacham
Joshua Mehigan
Ved Mehta
Melvin Eddy Blues Band
Nicholas Meyer
Jack Miles
Matthew Miller
Marjorie Miller
Tom Miller
Susan Miller
Mary Sue Milliken
Kay Mills
Jacquelyn Mitchard
Patt Morrison
Walter Mosley
Bernadette Murphy
Yxta Maya Murray
Carol Muske-Dukes

Bonnie Nadell
Tim Naftali
Gina Nahai
Victor Navasky
Kadir Nelson
Gerald Nicosia
Tom Nolan
Laurie Notaro
Kem Nunn

Geoffrey O’Brien
P.J. O’Rourke
Lynda Obst
Steve Oney
Jose Luis Orozco
Maureen Orth
Peter Osnos
Alicia Suskin Ostriker
Nick Owchar

Adam Parfrey
Richard Parker
T. Jefferson Parker
Ann B. Parson
Russ Parsons
Ann Patchett
James Patterson
Rachel Payne
Jim Peltz
PEN Center USA
Anne Perry
Frank Pittarese
Bill Plaschke
Samantha Power

Gregory Rabassa
Kit Rachlis
Ronald Radosh
James Ragan
Adam Rapp
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf
Richard Rayner
Michael Reaves
John Rechy
Spencer Reece
Carl Reiner
David Rensin
Rachel Resnick
Susan Salter Reynolds
Rhythm Child
Sally Ride
David Rieff
Donna Rifkind
Adam Rivera
Adam Rivera
Rob Roberge
Linda Robinson
Gregory Rodriguez
Amanda Roraback
Howard Rosenberg
David Rosenfelt
Michael S. Roth
Mark Rozzo

Benjamin Alire Saenz
Angie Sage
Barney Saltzberg
Barbara Saltzman
Mark Salzman
Paul Sammon
Thomas Sanchez
Lois Sarkisian
Greg Sarris
Robert Scheer
Jonathan Schell
Richard Schickel
Lisa See
Carolyn See
Asne Seierstad
Michael Serna
Michael Shermer
Maria Shriver
Lee Siegel
Barry Siegel
Clancy Sigal
Michael Silverblatt
Roger Simon
Lauren Slater
Jane Smiley
Kevin Smith
Alexander McCall Smith
Liz Smith
April Smith
Rebecca Solnit
David St. John
Karen Stabiner
Louise Steinman
Mark Stevens
Zanne Stewart
Geoffrey Stone
Susan Straight
Richard Steven Street
Annalyn Swan
Ariel Swartley

Johnny Temple
Alan Tennant
Scott Timberg
Hector Tobar
Colm Toibin
Michael Tolkin
Quincy Troupe
Catherine Tufariello
Kenneth Turan
Harry Turtledove

David Ulin
Loung Ung
Luis Alberto Urrea

Katrina van den Heuval
Marcos McPeek Villatoro
William Vollmann
Susan Vreeland

Elijah Wald
D.J. Waldie
Mary Walker
Rick Wartzman
Steve Wasserman
Charles Harper Webb
Eugen Weber
Robert Weil
Jonathan Weiner
Jim Weiss
Jack Welch
Rosemary Wells
Margaret Wertheim
Ronald C. White
Jon Wiener
Marianne Wiggins
Amy Wilentz
Edwin Williamson
Charlie Winton
Charles Wohlforth
Terry Wolverton
Paula Woods
Evan Wright
Write Girl
Gale Wronsky

Sherry Yard
Michael Ybarra
John Young
Alfred F. Young

Mariano Zaro

It must be a political year because a lot are journals or political writers. A lot of mystery writers too. The panel schedule still isn't up even though it says at the end of March. Hopefully that will go up soon.

Oh, I wish I could go!!! Eric Idle and Kevin Smith? In once place?! *dies* And my son loves Jay Jay the Jet Plane. He'd have a blast. Hopefully we'll be in L.A. this time next year and will be able to attend. It sounds like loads of fun.

Who is Eric Idle? I didn't know that name.

My mom is excited about Tony Hillerman--she's been a fan of his books for forever.

I'm excited about Ray Bradbury because I've missed him twice! Once last year at the Festival and this year he came to town and my dad was in the hospital so I couldn't go. I hope I catch him this time!

He's an actor best known for the Monty Python movies. He released a book in February, The Greedy Bastard Diary: A Comic Tour of America. I've not read it yet, but I've heard good things.

Good luck with Ray Bradbury! I didn't see his name when I skimmed the list. He'd be amazing to see.

Now I know who Eric Idle is! In fact, my dad will be excited about that one He's done a lot of animation voices too.

Whoa, it's hard to believe I opened this thread that long ago and it's that time again. I didn't get to go last year so I want to go this year. I always love going and checking out the different booths and getting to hear wonderful authors speak. I gotta drag my sisters with me, they better want to go. I mean hey it is free. I am really looking forward to going.

Thanks for posting the dates and authors that are going to be there Lisa.

I hope you get to go too! I'm not positive I'm going...I really want to but it depends on whether my dad can either a)be up to going or b)be able to move around enough to spend the day alone.

The Panels & Activities Programs are up!

I am so jealous Lisa and Liana! At least you two have the option being in California. Michigan is so far away, though I will be quite a bit closer when I am in Vegas in two weeks *runs off to check date *

Yeah, well I found out one of my sisters has something to do. So I'll see if my other sister wants to go. I missed last year so I really want to go this time.

Janelle, if I go I'll send you something. So it can be like you were there. Vegas is not far off from California, if you were to go it would probably take 5-6 hours.

Thanks for posting the link for that Lisa.

If I end up going, I'd love to meet anyone who is going on Saturday!

Anyone ever gone to a Panel before? I wanted to try to get tickets for Tony Hillerman for my mom but I noticed it's only through Ticketmaster (which we don't have around here anymore). Can you get them over the phone or on Ticketmaster online?

Well, I would love to meet you Lisa so I will see if I can go on that day.

I've been to a Panel before. I don't have a ticketmaster by where I live either. What I do is buy my tickets at The Wherehouse, in mostly all of them they have a ticketmaster center. I am sure they have one located somewhere near you. If want to find one in your area you can go here. You can call them up and ask if they are selling the tickets yet. In the past that is where I've gotten my tickets from. I think you may be able to get them over the phone and online. I was checking the ticketmaster site but I didn't find anything. I don't think they are selling yet though. Let me know if that helped. Good Luck.

Liana, thanks for the link! There's one an hour away from me.

I did a quicksearch on Ticketmaster and found they do have a Festival of Books venue so I'm thinking I might be able to get them online. They also had a Box Office Number for UCLA as a contact so I might be able to get them over the phone.

Wow, really. I know they don't have many of them around. I am lucky to have one close by me. Yeah, I'm sure you can get tickets from both those places. I know, it nuts trying to plan things. Best of Luck!

Damn, found out I can only go on Sunday. That sucks because it would have been really great to meet you Lisa. Well, hopefully someday. How are things going with the tickets?

Awwww. Do you live in Southern Cali? Maybe we'll both be in the same area again and will get to meet. You never know!

Not sure what's going on the with the ticket situation. My mom had to go get my dad's meds near the Wherehouse that had the Ticketmaster. She said she was going to try to get them there but I haven't had the chance to talk to her since yesterday. If she didn't get them, I'm going to try to do it over the phone.

Liana, are you planning on going to any panels on Sunday?

Yes, I live in San Bernardino County. I hope someday we do meet.

Well, I hope she gets the tickets she wants. They should be on sale now since the Book Festival is this weekend.

I am not sure if I will be going to a Panel. I have to see what my sister wants to do. I'll let you know.

Okay so did any of you go to this? If so give us some deets!!!

Sorry Janelle, I can't give you any details. I didn't go on Sunday, I was going to be it was rainy and it was a long drive so I just decided to not go, next year it should be hotter. Weather has been crazy here. I love going so I am really bummed I missed it. I can never find anyone to go with me.

Just a reminder that the Festival is going to be April 29 & 30 this year. The list of panels & authors are also up!

OMG The Fonze will be there~
I went to this festival two years ago when I still worked at UCLA. The parking situation was not a problem for me because I had a parking permit for employees only. Very convenient. My girlfriend mentioned that she wanted to go back this year. I'm planning on leaving that weekend open so that we can attend. I got some really cool detective books there. The UCLA campus really is beautiful.

Yep, thanks for letting us know. I may go it depends if I find someone to go with. All the info is up here.

Oh crud, looks like the festival passed, and I missed it. Boo-who.

Author List for this year is up. The dates will be April 28 & 29.

Thanks. I don't know if I will be able to make it this year, but there is going to be lots of great authors and people there. I wish I could.

I'm going on Saturday but I have to admit I don't recognize most of the authors. I'm sure once I see what they wrote, I'll know who some of them are!

Lol, I know what you mean. I am never good with names. Have fun, post on it once you get back.

So how was it Lisa? Did you meet some cool authors? I am so jealous, I would have loved to have gone! Hmm they need a festival of books in Grand Rapids

I'm in the middle of writing about the day on my site. I'll post it here too when I finish

My Post on the Event.