Decatur Book Festival

Book Club Gang. I like the sound of that!

So the book club I'm a part of took a "field trip" to the Decatur Book Festival yesterday. This festival, in its 13th year, takes places in downtown Decatur, a picturesque suburb of Atlanta. The DBF is the largest independent book festival in the country according to its website, and takes place across multiple venues and stages that are in walking distance of each other. In addition to the festival panels scattered across downtown, there are multiple vendors featuring authors, booksellers, local libraries, colleges, and food. The local shops are also open for visitors' perusal. It has been a goal of mine to visit this festival ever since I moved to Georgia (almost) nine years ago. It was so much fun and there was so much to see. There were so many interesting concurring panels that I had to rank my choices (which came in handy when one of my chosen panels reached room capacity before I could get there). There were a ton of vendors- I ended up walking around with my eyes glazed over at one point. I only attended one day but next time I visit the festival, I want to book a hotel room so that I can experience the festival all weekend! 

Festival banner hanging from the courthouse.

The first panel I attended featured Madeline Miller, author of Circe, a modernized, feminine retelling of Circe from Greek mythology. Miller discussed why she wrote Circe: the Greek epics were always male-focused and never explained why the female characters acted the way they did. Miller also explained the symbolism behind the transformation of Odysseus and his men into pigs (pigs were viewed as sacrificial animals in the ancient world not as unclean animals from the Judeo-Christian viewpoint). Miller also explained the hierarchy of the Greek gods and goddesses and told the audience that her book explains one way of how Circe defied the social hierarchy. 

Left: Madeline Miller (left) and moderator Alison Law; Right: Circe book cover

 The next panel I attended was actually my third choice for that hour but my #1 pick (about women journalists) had reached room capacity by the time I arrived at the Marriott Conference Center. Luckily for me, my #3 choice was located in the room next door. This panel featured Dr. Lydia Kang and her new book, Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything. Dr. Kang co-authored this book with a friend and they focused on treatments that were well-intentioned but horrible. Dr. Kang and her co-author deliberately stayed away from featuring known charlatans that peddled known (to them) false hopes and treatments.

Left: Dr. Lydia Kang (right) and moderator Maryn McKenna; Right: Quackery book cover

The third panel I attended, "In and Out of Focus: Character Identity in the Midst of Murder," featured Florida author Lori Roy and debut author John Copenhaver. Both authors discussed the basis for their protagonists, read an excerpt from their novel, and answered audience questions regarding their characters and writing process. (A note for my Florida readers: one of the subplots of Lori Roy's book, The Disappearing, involves the infamous Dozier School for Boys).

Left: left to right: Lori Roy, John Copenhaver, and moderator John Lemley; Center: The Disappearing book cover; Right: Dodging and Burning book cover

The last session I attended, "Women Take Charge in Sci-Fi," featured Malka Older and Lisa Yaszek. For some reason the room captain discouraged the audience from taking pictures even though photography was allowed at all the other sessions I attended. Malka Older discussed her Centenal trilogy set 60 years into the future in a world containing thousands of self-governing districts that vote on the type of governance they will follow. Lisa Yaszek's book, Sisters of Tomorrow: The First Women of Science Fiction, lists numerous women that contributed to the science fiction genre, but whose accomplishments are little known today. She also briefly discussed why women sci-fi writers took on male-sounding pen names (for example: economic pressures regarding two sources of income during the Great Depression). Lisa and Malka also gave the audience some reading recommendations!

Left: Lisa Yaszek; Right: Sisters of Tomorrow book cover

Malka Older and the covers of her Centenal trilogy

Well, after sitting through four back-to-back panels, I was ready for lunch. I bought a monstrously huge yet delicious falafel pita and walked and shopped through the vendor area. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, one of the main festival sponsors, had a public crossword puzzle with dry erase markers at their booth so that festival goes could exercise some gray matter while walking around the festival: 

After walking through the vendor area, I found my friends in the Decatur Public Library. While relishing in the air conditioning, I took a look around the library (librarians love to visit other libraries).

Exterior of the Decatur Library

Reference section on the second floor

The Decatur Library is hosting a temporary exhibit titled, "Books as Art: Pulp" and the exhibit is filled with numerous and unique pieces that make you wonder, "How did they do that?"

Our last stop of the day included looking through the children's bookstore, Little Shop of Stories. Although it is a children's bookstore, there is a YA fiction and a small section for adult fiction and nonfiction. 

The floor is made of pennies!

So, if you ever have the chance to attend the Decatur Book Festival- do it! And don't forget to support any small, local book festivals, book fairs, author signings, book stores, or literacy initiatives in your area too. Authors love and need your support!