LA Times Festival of Books

LA Times Festival of Books

Lauren von Aspen, Journalist

From Saturday, April 13 to Sunday, April 14, the 53rd annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books was held at the USC campus. The Festival of Books, held since 1966, features hundreds of different speakers, authors, artists, filmmakers, panels, vendors, and publishers. Over 150,000 people attend every year, making it the largest book festival in the United States. Panels with authors ranged in subject from crime fiction to old Hollywood to cooking demonstrations to political commentary. Booksellers, publishers, museums, and cultural organizations all had different booths, selling books or fun merchandise. There were also many musical performances by artists of various genres. Several interesting food trucks with all sorts of food including boba, cupcakes, pupusas, tacos, and sushi burritos. Some speakers of interest at the event included Chelsea Clinton, Roxane Gay, Sandra Cisneros Erica Jong, and Susan Orlean. Some memoirists include Valerie Jarrett, former senior advisor to President Obama, “Queer Eye” star Karamo Brown, and socialite and model Gigi Gorgeous. Some interesting events included a screening of the movie Bombshell and the impact old Hollywood has today and several panels on every genre of book imaginable. Overall, the Festival of Books was a fun event for all those who attended, with an event to attend for everyone.