Just like the annual back-to-school Staples sale and the Labor Day Parade, the Brooklyn Book Festival ushers in the fall with tradition. This year, over 220 authors gathered on a picture perfect Sunday to celebrate literacy in Downtown Brooklyn’s Borough Hall area. Black literature was very well represented as Harlem Writer’s Guild, Mosaic Magazine, among other book and literary magazine publishers for writer’s of color shared tent space with over 150 vendors.Those who were seeking intimate panel discussions with renown authors also got their fill. Edwidge Danticat, author of the critically acclaimed memoir, Brother I’m Dying, participated in a conversation about the role of social history and culture in her works. Melvin Van Peebles drew in a packed auditorium at St. Francis College in conjunction with his new comic book, Confessions of a Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha. Pamela Newkirk (Letters From Black America) spoke on the importance of the independent media voice while Staceyann Chin, Cornelius Eady, and other lent their poetic lenses in the “Why Poetry Now” forum.
Nelson George, author of the memoir, City Kid, was a notably absence from the day’s festivities. The writer and film producer skipped out on a panel discussion on urban life with authors, Alyssa Katz and Tom Vanderbilt, at festival’s main stage.
All in all, it was another complete occasion as people all ages convened for the love of reading. The festival went on for eight hours 10 am – 6 pm and Brooklyn put a fine seal on its fourth anniversary.
