Check out more than 100 of the nation's best authors, poets and illustrators, who will discuss their work and answer your questions at your National Book Festival.
Discover New Authors & Beloved Favorites
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BiographyElliot Ackerman Elliot Ackerman is the author of five novels, including “Dark at the Crossing,” “Waiting for Eden” and “Red Dress in Black and White.” His most recent book, “2034: A Novel of the Next World War External ” (Penguin), written with Adm. James Stavridis, became an instant bestseller for the New York Times. Ackerman is also an essayist, journalist and short story writer; his writing...
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BiographyJennifer Ackerman Jennifer Ackerman is the author of eight books, including “The Genius of Birds,” which was called a “lyrical testimony to the wonders of avian intelligence” by Scientific American, and “The Bird Way: A New Look at How Birds Talk, Work, Play, Parent and Think External” (Penguin), which was described as “exhilarating” by the San Francisco Chronicle. Her articles and essays have been published in...
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BiographyIsabel Allende Isabel Allende received worldwide acclaim in 1982 with the publication of her first novel, “The House of the Spirits.” Since then, she has written 25 bestselling and critically acclaimed books, which have been translated into more than 42 languages. In 2014, President Barack Obama awarded Allende the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and in 2018 she received the Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters...
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BiographyNoé Álvarez Noé Álvarez hails from a family of working-class Mexican immigrants. His debut memoir, “Spirit Run: A 6,000-Mile Marathon Through North America's Stolen Land External” (Catapult), chronicles his upbringing in Yakima, Washington, and his experience in the Peace and Dignity Journeys, a spiritual marathon that unites Indigenous runners across North America. The book was named an Editors’ Choice by the New York Times Book Review...
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BiographyKristen Arnett Kristen Arnett is the author of the short story collection “Felt in the Jaw,” which was the recipient of the 2017 Coil Book Award, and the novel “Mostly Dead Things,” which was a New York Times bestseller and named one of the best books of 2019 by The New Yorker and NPR. Her most recent novel, “With Teeth External” (Riverhead), has been called “exceedingly...
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BiographyDerrick Barnes Derrick Barnes is the author of “The King of Kindergarten,” which was a New York Times bestseller; “Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut,” which won the Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award and was named one of the best books of 2017 by NPR; and “I Am Every Good Thing External” (Nancy Paulsen), which was the winner of the NCTE Charlotte Huck Award....
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BiographyCatherine Belton Catherine Belton is the author of “Putin's People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and Then Took On the West External” (Farrar, Straus & Giroux), which was a Sunday Times bestseller and named one of the best books of 2020 by The Economist and The Telegraph. She currently works as an investigative correspondent for Reuters, and previously served as a correspondent for the Financial...
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BiographyBrit Bennett Brit Bennett is the author of “The Mothers,” which was selected as the best book of 2016 by NPR, and “The Vanishing Half External” (Riverhead), which was a No. 1 New York Times bestseller and named the best book of 2020 by The Washington Post and People magazine. In addition to publishing novels, Bennett has published essays and book reviews in Jezebel, The Paris...
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BiographyKai Bird Kai Bird is the author of “The Outlier: The Unfinished Presidency of Jimmy Carter External” (Crown) and “The Good Spy: The Life and Death of Robert Ames,” which was a New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice and a New York Times bestseller. He also co-wrote “American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer,” which was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Nonfiction....
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BiographySophie Blackall Sophie Blackall is the author of six children’s books, including “If You Come to Earth,” which was named the best children’s book of 2020 by The New York Times. She also received the Caldecott Medal for her illustrations in “Hello Lighthouse” and “Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear.” She has illustrated more than three dozen books and also creates...
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BiographyLeVar Burton LeVar Burton is an actor, author, director and television host. Since his breakthrough role as Kunta Kinte in the ABC miniseries “Roots” (1977), Burton has appeared in many prominent roles across film and television, including the renowned series “Star Trek: The Next Generation” (1987-1994). From 1983 to 2006, he served as the host and executive producer of the PBS Kids television series “Reading Rainbow.”...
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BiographyKacen Callender Kacen Callender is the author of “Hurricane Child,” recipient of a Stonewall Book Award and a Lambda Literary Award; “Queen of the Conquered,” winner of the World Fantasy Award; and “King and the Dragonflies External” (Scholastic), which won the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. Prior to becoming an author, Callender received a bachelor’s degree from Sarah Lawrence College and a master’s degree...
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BiographyOlivia Campbell Olivia Campbell is an independent journalist, essayist and author specializing in the intersection of women and medicine. Her debut book, “Women in White Coats: How the First Women Doctors Changed the World of Medicine External” (Park Row), chronicles the inspirational stories of the first women to become licensed doctors and their role in reshaping the way women receive medical care. Campbell’s journalistic work has...
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BiographyTraci Chee Traci Chee is the author of the young adult fiction books “The Reader,” which was an instant New York Times bestseller and a finalist for the Kirkus Prize, and “We Are Not Free External” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), which received both a Printz Honor and a Walter Honor, and was named a finalist for the National Book Award. Her forthcoming fantasy novel for young adults,...
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BiographyP. Djèlí Clark P. Djèlí Clark is the author of the novellas “The Black God’s Drums,” winner of the Alex Award; “The Haunting of Tram Car 015,” a finalist for the Nebula Award and the Locus Award; and “Ring Shout External” (Tor), which was named one of the best books of 2020 by NPR and The Washington Post. “A Master of Djinn External” (Tor) is his first...
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BiographyJay Coles Jay Coles is the author of the young adult novel “Tyler Johnson Was Here,” which was named one of the most anticipated books of 2018 by Entertainment Weekly. In addition to being an acclaimed author, Coles is a composer of concert band music and a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). Prior to becoming an author and composer, he...
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BiographyStacy Davidowitz Stacy Davidowitz is the author of the middle grade books “Camp Rolling Hills,” “Crossing Over,” “Breakout” and “Freefall.” She recently co-wrote the children’s book “The Chance to Fly External” (Harry N. Abrams) with Tony Award winner Ali Stroker. The book was featured by The Associated Press, “Good Morning America” and the “Today” show. Davidowitz has also written the plays “The Rubber Room,” “Pink!” and...
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BiographyRep. Sharice Davids Rep. Sharice Davids is the co-author of the autobiographical children’s book “Sharice’s Big Voice: A Native Kid Becomes a Congresswoman External” (HarperCollins Kids), which was included on Here Wee Read’s 2021 Ultimate List of Diverse Children’s Books. She is also a first-generation college graduate who earned a degree from Cornell Law School and has gone on to represent the state of Kansas as a...
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BiographyKate DiCamillo Kate DiCamillo is the two-time recipient of the Newbery Medal, a recipient of the Newbery Honor and a two-time nominee for the National Book Award in Young People’s Literature. She is also a former National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature (2014-15) for the Library of Congress. DiCamillo is the author of more than two dozen novels, picture books and chapter books, including “Because of...
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BiographyJoseph J. Ellis Joseph J. Ellis is the author of “Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation,” which was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in History; “American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson,” which won the National Book Award for Nonfiction; and “His Excellency: George Washington,” which was a New York Times bestseller. His most recent book, “The Cause: The American Revolution and Its Discontents, 1773-1783 External” (Liveright), challenges traditional...
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BiographyPatricia Engel Patricia Engel is the author of “Infinite Country External” (Avid Reader), which was both a New York Times and Washington Post bestseller and an Esquire Book Club selection. She is also the author of “The Veins of the Ocean,” named the best book of 2016 by the San Francisco Chronicle; “Vida,” called the best debut of 2010 by NPR; and “It’s Not Love, It’s...
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BiographyDanielle Evans Danielle Evans is the author of the short story collections “Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self,” which received the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize, and “The Office of Historical Corrections External” (Riverhead), named one of the best books of 2020 by The Washington Post, Slate and The New Yorker. Her stories have appeared in The Paris Review, A Public Space, The Sewanee Review and...
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BiographyEric Eyre Eric Eyre is the author of “Death in Mud Lick: A Coal Country Fight Against the Drug Companies That Delivered the Opioid Epidemic External” (Scribner), which was named a New York Times Critics’ Top Ten Book of 2020 and won the 2021 Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Fact Crime book. In 2017, Eyre’s investigation into massive shipments of opioids to West Virginia’s southern...
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BiographySharon G. Flake Sharon G. Flake is the author of “Money Hungry,” a recipient of the Coretta Scott King Award; “The Skin I’m In,” named a Publishers Weekly Flying Start; and “The Life I'm In External” (Scholastic), a sister novel to “The Skin I’m In,” published in 2021. Her honors include multiple Coretta Scott King Honor Awards, ALA Notable and Top Ten Recommended Books citations, and an...
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BiographyKelli Jo Ford Kelli Jo Ford is the author of the novel “Crooked Hallelujah External,” (Grove), which received the University of Central Oklahoma’s 2019 Everett Southwest Literary Award and was named a New York Times Editors’ Choice and one of Time magazine’s must-read books of 2020. Ford has also received a Katharine Bakeless Nason Award in Fiction, a Plimpton Prize and a National Artist Fellowship. Ford has...
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BiographyMichael J. Fox Michael J. Fox is an author, actor and advocate whose professional career has spanned more than 30 years. In 2000, Fox founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation in support of finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease, a degenerative neurological condition, which he was diagnosed with in 1991. Fox’s books, including “Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist” and “Lucky Man: A Memoir,”...
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BiographyTana French Tana French is an American-Irish writer who has received numerous accolades for her work, including the Edgar Award for Best First Novel, the Irish Book Award for Irish Crime Fiction and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. The Independent (UK) has labeled French the “First Lady of Irish Crime” for her body of work. French’s novels include “In the Woods,” “Faithful Place” and “The...
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BiographySarah Frier Sarah Frier is a senior technology reporter for Bloomberg News in San Francisco, writing regularly about the business decisions that shape the world of social media. Her debut book “No Filter: The Inside Story of Instagram External” (Simon & Schuster) chronicles the meteoric rise of the most culturally impactful social media app of the decade. It won the 2020 Financial Times and McKinsey Business...
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BiographyDiane von Furstenberg Diane von Furstenberg is a philanthropist, fashion designer and founder of the world-renowned fashion company Diane von Furstenberg (DvF). She is the former chairwoman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and in 2019, she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. Furstenberg is also the director of The Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation, which provides support to nonprofit organizations improving lives...
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BiographyRivka Galchen Rivka Galchen is the author of the novel “Atmospheric Disturbances,” the essay collection “Little Labors,” the short story collection “American Innovations” and the young adult fiction book “Rat Rule 79.” Galchen’s latest book, “Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch External” (Farrar, Straus & Giroux), has been described by The Washington Post as a “magical brew of absurdity and brutality.” She has received numerous...
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BiographyEric Garcia Eric Garcia is a journalist based in Washington, D.C., and a senior correspondent for The Independent. Previously, he was an assistant editor at The Washington Post’s Outlook section and an associate editor at The Hill, as well as a correspondent for National Journal, MarketWatch and Roll Call. Garcia’s work has appeared in The Daily Beast, The New Republic and Salon.com. His new book, “We're...
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BiographyBill Gates Bill Gates is the co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, founder of Breakthrough Energy and co-founder of the Microsoft Corporation. As part of the foundation, Gates leads strategy development and organizational direction in expanding opportunities for the world’s most disadvantaged. Gates is the author of “The Road Ahead” and “Business @ the Speed of Thought.” Gates’ newest book, “How to Avoid a...
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BiographyRoxane Gay Roxane Gay is the author of the essay collection “Bad Feminist,” the novel “An Untamed State,” multiple short story collections and the memoir “Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body.” Most recently, she published the full-length graphic novel “The Sacrifice of Darkness External” (Archaia) with Tracy Lynn Oliver and Rebecca Kirby. She is a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times. Gay is the...
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BiographyNikki Giovanni Nikki Giovanni is the author of more than a dozen poetry collections, including “Black Feeling, Black Talk,” “Blues: For All the Changes” and “Make Me Rain: Poems & Prose External” (William Morrow). She has also written a number of children’s books, such as “Ego-Tripping and Other Poems for Young People,” “The Girls in the Circle” and “I Am Loved.” Giovanni has served as an...
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BiographyPeter Godfrey-Smith Peter Godfrey-Smith is a writer, philosopher and professor in the School of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Sydney, as well as the author of six books exploring the philosophy of biology and of the mind that have been published in more than 10 languages. Godfrey-Smith’s books include “Complexity and the Function of the Mind in Nature,” “Darwinian Populations and Natural...
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BiographyAnnette Gordon-Reed Annette Gordon-Reed is the author of “The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family,” which won the Pulitzer Prize in History, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award and the National Book Award. Her latest book, “On Juneteenth External” (Liveright), quickly became a New York Times bestseller. Gordon-Reed completed her J.D. at Harvard Law School, worked as an associate at a New York law firm and served as...
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BiographyAdam Grant Adam Grant is an organizational psychologist, TED speaker, podcaster and No. 1 New York Times bestselling author. Grant teaches organizational psychology at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he has been the top-rated professor for almost a decade. His books inspire readers to consider the powers of motivation, generosity and creativity in their lives and include the titles “Give and Take:...
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BiographyNikki Grimes Nikki Grimes is a New York Times bestselling author and the recipient of the Children's Literature Legacy Award, the Virginia Hamilton Literary Award and the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. Her many books include “Bronx Masquerade,” winner of the Coretta Scott King Award; “Barack Obama, Son of Promise, Child of Hope,” which was a No. 1 New York Times bestseller; and...
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BiographyDan Gutman Dan Gutman is the author of the New York Times bestselling Baseball Card Adventures series, which includes the books “Honus and Me,” “Babe and Me” and “Jackie and Me.” He is also the author of the humorous My Weird School chapter book series, whose titles include “Miss Daisy Is Crazy,” “Ms. Hannah Is Bananas” and “Ms. Krup Cracks Me Up!” He recently published the...
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BiographyYaa Gyasi Yaa Gyasi is the author of the novel “Homegoing,” which won the PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel, the National Book Foundation’s 5 Under 35 Award and the National Book Critic Circle’s John Leonard award. Her most recent book, “Transcendent Kingdom External” (Knopf), explores religion, science, mental health and the complexities of her Ghanaian-American identity. The Washington Post called it “a book of blazing brilliance.”Check...
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BiographyElizabeth Hand Elizabeth Hand is a bestselling author, critic and essayist of more than a dozen novels and five collections of short fiction and essays. Hand has received Shirley Jackson, World Fantasy and Nebula awards for her body of work, and many of her books have been acclaimed by The New York Times and The Washington Post. She is best known for her critically acclaimed series...
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BiographyKristin Hannah Kristin Hannah is the author of two dozen novels, including “The Nightingale,” which was named the best book of 2015 by The Wall Street Journal; “The Great Alone,” which was deemed “epic” by The Washington Post and “riveting” by People magazine; “Firefly Lane,” which was turned into a Netflix original series; and “The Four Winds External” (St. Martin's), which was a No. 1 USA...
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BiographyJoy Harjo Joy Harjo, the 23rd Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress, is the first Native American to serve in the position. She is an enrolled member of the Muscogee Creek Nation. Harjo is the author of nine books of poetry, including “An American Sunrise.” She has also written a children’s book, “The Good Luck Cat”; a young adult book, “For a...
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BiographyBrayden Harrington When Brayden Harrington was 13 years old, he received national attention after delivering a speech at the Democratic National Convention urging people to vote for Joe Biden. In his memorable speech, Harrington spoke on overcoming his challenges with stuttering, an experience that he shares with President Biden. His recently published children’s book, “Brayden Speaks Up: How One Boy Inspired the Nation External” (HarperCollins), recounts...
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Biographyfrancine j. harris francine j. harris is the author of the poetry collections “allegiance,” “play dead” and “Here Is the Sweet Hand External” (Farrar, Straus & Giroux), which was the winner of the 2020 National Book Critics Circle Award. She has been awarded fellowships from the University of Michigan, the Cave Canem Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, and has published in journals such as...
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BiographyHawa Hassan Hawa Hassan is a Somali-born chef, entrepreneur and author. She is the founder and CEO of Basbaas Somali Foods, the only food line specializing in Somalian chutneys and sauces in the United States. Her cookbook “In Bibi's Kitchen: The Recipes and Stories of Grandmothers from the Eight African Countries that Touch the Indian Ocean External” (Ten Speed) was longlisted for the Art of Eating...
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BiographyMaria Hinojosa Maria Hinojosa is the author of “Once I Was You: A Memoir of Love and Hate in a Torn America External” (Atria), which was named one of the best books of 2020 by NPR. She is also the founder, president and chief executive officer of Futuro Media Group; the executive producer and anchor of the Peabody Award-winning show “Latino USA”; a co-host of the...
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BiographyMishal Husain Mishal Husain is a news anchor for BBC Radio and BBC Television. She is also the author of “The Skills: From First Job to Dream Job―What Every Woman Needs to Know External” (Harper Business), which teaches women how they can achieve their career goals. Husain has received numerous honors throughout her career, including the Broadcaster of the Year Award and the Amnesty International Media...
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BiographyKazuo Ishiguro Kazuo Ishiguro is a British novelist who has received honors around the world for his body of work, including the Nobel Prize in Literature, the Booker Prize and knighthood for Services to Literature. The Nobel Prize committee described Ishiguro’s novels as having “great emotional force” that have “uncovered the abyss beneath our illusory sense of connection with the world.” Two of Ishiguro’s novels, “The...
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BiographyHonorée Fanonne Jeffers Honorée Fanonne Jeffers is the author of the poetry collections “The Gospel of Barbecue,” “Outlandish Blues,” “Red Clay Suite,” “The Glory Gets” and “The Age of Phillis.” Her new novel, “The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois External” (Harper), explores the history of oppression in the United States. Jeffers has received numerous honors, including fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Rona...
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BiographyToni Jensen Toni Jensen is the author of “From the Hilltop,” a collection of stories inspired by American Indian oral traditions, and “Carry: A Memoir of Survival on Stolen Land External” (Ballantine), a memoir-in-essays about her experience as an Indigenous woman in the United States. Jensen teaches creative writing at the University of Arkansas and the Institute of American Indian Arts. Her essays have been published...
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BiographyRobert Jones Jr. Robert Jones Jr. is the author of “The Prophets External” (Putnam’s), a novel about two enslaved men who fall in love with each other on a plantation in the South. This book was named one of the best of January 2021 by CNN and Good Morning America, was called “a masterpiece” by New York magazine and became an instant New York Times bestseller. His...
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BiographyDaniel Kahneman Daniel Kahneman is professor of psychology and public affairs emeritus at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs. He is the author of the critically acclaimed book “Thinking, Fast and Slow,” which landed on the New York Times bestseller list and was named one of the best books of 2011 by The Economist, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times Book...
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BiographyPatrick Radden Keefe Patrick Radden Keefe is an investigative journalist and the author of four books, including “Chatter,” “The Snakehead” and “Say Nothing,” which was named one of the best books of 2019 by The New York Times Book Review and won the 2019 National Books Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction. His latest book, “Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty External" (Doubleday), explores...
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BiographyChang-rae Lee Chang-rae Lee is the author of six novels, including “Native Speaker,” winner of the PEN/Hemingway Award; “A Gesture Life,” winner of the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award; and “The Surrendered,” winner of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. His most recent novel is “My Year Abroad External” (Riverhead). He is currently the Priscilla B. Woods Professor of English at Stanford...
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BiographyRaven Leilani Raven Leilani is a writer hailing from New York. Her work has been published in The Yale Review, New England Review, Granta, The Cut, Conjunctions and elsewhere. Her debut novel, “Luster External” (Farrar, Straus & Giroux), was named one of the best books of 2020 by NPR, the Los Angeles Times, Vanity Fair, Kirkus Reviews and The Guardian, among many other publications. The book...
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BiographyAnn Clare LeZotte Ann Clare LeZotte is the author of the children’s books “T4: A Novel in Verse,” which Booklist called a “powerful debut”; and “Show Me a Sign External” (Scholastic), which was named a best book of the year by NPR, Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, the New York Public Library, the Chicago Public Library and American Indians in Children’s Literature. LeZotte is Deaf, and her...
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BiographyYiyun Li Yiyun Li is the author of the novels “Where Reasons End,” winner of the PEN/Jean Stein Award, and “Must I Go External” (Random House), named one of the best books of 2020 by Marie Claire and Esquire magazines. She is also the author of the short story collection “A Thousand Years of Good Prayers,” which received the PEN/Hemingway Award and the Guardian First Book...
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BiographyMargot Livesey Margot Livesey is the author of the essay collection “The Hidden Machinery: Essays on Writing” and the short story collection “Learning by Heart.” She is also the author of nine novels, including “The Flight of Gemma Hardy,” which was a New York Times bestseller, and “The Boy in the Field External” (Harper), named one of the best books of 2020 by The New York...
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BiographyAvi Loeb Avi Loeb is a theoretical physicist, astronomer, and the Frank B. Baird Jr. Professor of Science at Harvard University, where he directs the Black Hole Initiative and the Institute for Theory and Computation. A member of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, he also chairs the Advisory Committee for the Breakthrough Starshot Initiative and the Board on Physics and Astronomy of...
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BiographyTahereh Mafi Tahereh Mafi is the author of the USA Today and New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, which includes “Shatter Me,” “Restore Me,” “Defy Me” and “Imagine Me.” She is also the author of the young adult novels “A Very Large Expanse of Sea,” which explores the struggles of being Muslim in the United States and was longlisted for the National Book Award, and...
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BiographyKekla Magoon Kekla Magoon is the author of six young adult novels, including “How It Went Down,” “The Season of Styx Malone” and “Light It Up.” Her latest book, “Revolution in Our Time: The Black Panther Party's Promise to the People External” (Candlewick), provides a historical account of the Black Panther Party and its essential work of defending, nurturing and building community. She has received numerous...
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BiographyKatherine May Katherine May is a New York Times bestselling author of fiction and nonfiction, as well as the host of the podcast “The Wintering Sessions.” Her memoir “The Electricity of Every Living Thing: A Woman’s Walk in the Wild to Find Her Way Home” tells the story of the author’s experience with her autism diagnosis. May’s new memoir, “Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat...
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BiographyAlice McDermott Alice McDermott is the author of eight novels, including “Charming Billy,” which was the winner of the National Book Award and the American Book Award; “That Night,” a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Pulitzer Prize; and “The Ninth Hour,” named one of the top 10 novels of 2017 by The Wall Street Journal and Time magazine. Her latest book, “What About the...
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BiographyHeather McGhee Heather McGhee is the author of the New York Times bestseller “The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together External” (One World), which the Chicago Tribune called “required reading to move the country forward.” McGhee has also written for outlets such as NBC, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Politico and USA Today....
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BiographyMeg Medina Meg Medina is the author of “Tía Isa Wants a Car,” which won the Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award; “Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass,” which won the Latino Book Award for Best Young Adult Fiction; “Merci Suárez Can’t Dance External,” which won the Newbery Medal; and “Merci Suárez Can’t Dance” (Candlewick), which was named the most anticipated book of 2021 by...
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BiographyAlex Michaelides Alex Michaelides is a British-Cypriot author and screenwriter. His debut novel, “The Silent Patient,” was a 2019 New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller, and also won the Goodreads Choice Award in the Mystery and Thriller category. Michaelides’ new book, “The Maidens External” (Celadon), has been described by Publisher’s Weekly as a “spellbinding tale of psychological suspense, weaving together Greek mythology, murder and obsession.”...
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BiographySue Miller Sue Miller is the author of 11 novels, including “The Good Mother,” which was an instant New York Times bestseller; “While I Was Gone,” which was an Oprah’s Book Club selection; and “Monogamy External” (Harper), which was named the best book of 2020 by NPR. Miller is also the author of the memoir “The Story of My Father,” which documents her father’s struggles with...
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BiographySilvia Moreno-Garcia Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a short story writer, novelist, editor, columnist for The Washington Post and book reviewer for NPR. She has written the short story collections “This Strange Way of Dying” and “Love and Other Poisons” and has edited the anthology “She Walks in Shadows,” which was the recipient of the World Fantasy Award. Among her seven novels is “Mexican Gothic External” (Del Rey),...
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BiographyDavid Nasaw David Nasaw is the author of “The Chief,” which was awarded the J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize for Nonfiction; “Andrew Carnegie,” which received the American History Book Prize from the New York Historical Society; and “The Patriarch,” which was named one of the best books of 2013 by The New York Times. Most recently, Nasaw published “The Last Million: Europe's Displaced Persons from World...
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BiographyTrung Le Nguyen Trung Le Nguyen is the author of the young adult graphic novel “The Magic Fish External” (Random House), which explores the difficulties of growing up as a gay first-generation Vietnamese American. It was called “a sparkling debut” by The Washington Post and a “gorgeously drawn story” by Forbes. Nguyen is also a comic book artist who has worked with Image Comics, Boom! Studios and...
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BiographyViet Thanh Nguyen Viet Thanh Nguyen is the Pulitzer Prize-winning and New York Times bestselling author of “The Sympathizer.” He is also the author of the short story collection “The Refugees,” the nonfiction book “Nothing Ever Dies,” and is the editor of an anthology of refugee writing, “The Displaced.” His newest novel is “The Committed External” (Grove). Nguyen is the recipient of fellowships from the Guggenheim and...
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BiographyJanice P. Nimura Janice P. Nimura is a New York Times bestselling author of historical nonfiction, including “Daughters of the Samurai: A Journey from East to West” and “The Doctors Blackwell: How Two Pioneering Sisters Brought Medicine to Women and Women to Medicine External” (Norton). Nimura received the National Endowment for the Humanities Public Scholar Award in support for her work on “The Doctors Blackwell,” which explores...
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BiographyLupita Nyong'o Lupita Nyong'o has starred in movies such as “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” “Black Panther,” “Us,” “Black Is King,” “12 Years a Slave” and “East River.” She has received numerous honors for her performances, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, an Obie Award and a New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress. Nyong'o is also...
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BiographyJames Oakes James Oakes is the author of seven books, including “Freedom National: The Destruction of Slavery in the United States, 1861-1865,” which won the Lincoln Prize; “The Scorpion’s Sting: Antislavery and the Coming of the Civil War,” named a notable work of nonfiction by The Washington Post; and “The Crooked Path to Abolition: Abraham Lincoln and the Antislavery Constitution External” (Norton), which Kirkus Reviews named...
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BiographyChristopher Paolini Christopher Paolini is the author of the fantasy novels “Eragon,” “Eldest,” “Brisingr” and “Inheritance,” which form the Inheritance Cycle tetralogy. His new science fiction novel, “To Sleep in a Sea of Stars External” (Tor), is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller. It also received the Goodreads Choice Award for Science Fiction. Paolini’s books are influenced by his studies of folklore, his fascination...
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BiographyMatt Parker Matt Parker is an international bestselling author, stand-up comedian and YouTuber with over 100 million views on his videos from his “Stand-Up Maths” channel. He is the host of the Science Channel’s “Outrageous Acts of Science,” writer for The Guardian on math-related topics and has performed stand-up in front of audiences of thousands, including at the Hammersmith Apollo in London. Parker’s newest book, “Humble...
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BiographySarah Pearse Sarah Pearse is the author of the New York Times bestselling thriller “The Sanatorium External” (Pamela Dorman). She was born and raised in Devon, England, where she currently lives with her husband and two daughters. Prior to becoming a bestselling author, she studied English and creative writing at the University of Warwick, worked in public relations and lived in Switzerland. The Swiss town of...
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BiographyDeesha Philyaw Deesha Philyaw is the author of “The Secret Lives of Church Ladies External” (West Virginia University), which won the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, the LA Times Book Prize and the Story Prize, and was named a finalist for the National Book Award. Her work has been listed as Notable in the Best American Essays series, and her writing on race, parenting, gender and culture...
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BiographyJerry Pinkney Jerry Pinkney is the author and illustrator of “The Three Billy Goats Gruff,” which was named one of the best books of 2017 by Publishers Weekly; “The Lion & the Mouse,” which received the Caldecott Award; and “The Little Mermaid External” (Little, Brown), which was named one of the best children’s books of 2020 by The New York Times. Pinkney has received five Caldecott...
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BiographyClaudia Rankine Claudia Rankine is the author of “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely: An American Lyric”; “Nothing in Nature Is Private”; and “Citizen: An American Lyric,” which was the recipient of the National Book Critics Circle Award and the PEN Center USA Poetry Award. Her most recent collection of essays and poems, “Just Us: An American Conversation External” (Graywolf), explores the history of racism and white...
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BiographyAdrienne Raphel Adrienne Raphel is the author of “Thinking Inside the Box: Adventures with Crosswords and the Puzzling People Who Can't Live Without Them External” (Penguin), which explores the rich history of crossword puzzles and their rise to prominence in American culture. The book has received praise from numerous publications, including The Guardian, Publishers Weekly and The New York Times Book Review. Raphel also won the...
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BiographyGuy Raz Guy Raz is the co-author of “Wow in the World: The How and Wow of the Human Body: From Your Tongue to Your Toes and All the Guts in Between External” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), a New York Times bestseller written with Mindy Thomas. Raz and Mindy Thomas are co-hosts of the NPR podcast “Wow in the World,” which aims to inspire children and teach...
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BiographyJason Reynolds Jason Reynolds, the current National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, started writing poetry when he was 9 years old. He is the recipient of numerous honors, including a Newbery Honor, Printz Honor, NAACP Image Award and Walter Dean Myers Award, and he is the recipient of multiple Coretta Scott King honors. His many books include "When I Was the Greatest," "The Boy in the...
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BiographyMary Roach Mary Roach is the author of six New York Times bestsellers, including “Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers,” “Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void” and “Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War.” Her newest book, “Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law External” (Norton), was one of Bookpage’s Most Anticipated Nonfiction Books of 2021. Roach has written essays...
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BiographyPatrick Rosal Patrick Rosal is the author of several books of poetry, including “My American Kundiman,'' which received a Poetry/Prose Award from the Association for Asian American Studies; “Boneshepherds,” named a small press highlight by the National Book Critics Circle; and “Brooklyn Antediluvian,” which received the Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize. Rosal’s latest collection is “The Last Thing: New & Selected Poems External” (Persea). His poems and...
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BiographyYusef Salaam Yusef Salaam is a poet, motivational speaker and prison reform activist. He is known for being one of the five Black and Latino teens falsely accused and convicted in the attack of a Central Park jogger in 1989. In 2002, after having already served years in prison, their sentences were overturned. Salaam is a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from President Barack Obama,...
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BiographyMarcus Samuelsson Marcus Samuelsson is the author of the cookbooks “New American Table,” “The Soul of a New Cuisine” and “The Red Rooster Cookbook.” He is also the co-author of “Yes, Chef,” which was a New York Times bestseller, and “The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food External” (Voracious), which was described by Vogue magazine as “a declaration that Black Food Matters.” Samuelsson...
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BiographyGeorge Saunders George Saunders is the author of the short story collection “Tenth of December,” which was a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award. He is also the author of the novel “Lincoln in the Bardo,” which received the Booker Prize, made its way to the top of the New York Times bestseller list and was called “devastatingly moving” by People magazine. His latest book, “A Swim...
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BiographyRodney Scott Rodney Scott is a co-founder of Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ, a restaurant with two locations operating in Charleston, South Carolina and Birmingham, Alabama. For his culinary skills, Scott has received recognition from The Washington Post, NPR and the Los Angeles Times. He is the recipient of the 2018 James Beard Award for Outstanding Chef Southeast and he was inducted into the Barbecue Hall...
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BiographySonia Shah Sonia Shah is a science journalist and the prize-winning author of “Fever: How Malaria Has Ruled Humankind For 500,000 Years” and “Pandemic: Tracking Contagions, From Cholera to Ebola and Beyond.” Her newest book, “The Next Great Migration: The Beauty and Terror of Life on the Move External” (Bloomsbury), was named the best science and technology book of 2020 by Library Journal and the best...
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BiographyMaggie Shipstead Maggie Shipstead is the New York Times bestselling author of “Astonish Me” and “Seating Arrangements,” which was the winner of the Dylan Thomas Prize and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for First Fiction. Her latest novel is “Great Circle External” (Knopf), which was named “a breathtaking epic” and an “astonishing feat” by Publishers Weekly. Shipstead is a graduate of Harvard and the Iowa...
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BiographyWill Shortz Will Shortz is a puzzle creator and the author or editor of more than 500 puzzle books. He has been the crossword editor for The New York Times since 1993 and puzzle master on NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday since 1987. He is also the founder and director of the annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, the nation’s oldest and largest crossword competition. Shortz's two recent...
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BiographyDavid Allen Sibley David Allen Sibley is an ornithologist, author and illustrator of “The Sibley Guide to Birds,” a landmark guidebook to North America’s birds, as well as additional volumes on birding, including “Sibley’s Birding Basics: How to Identify Birds, Using the Clues in Feathers, Habitats, Behaviors and Sounds.” He is the recipient of the Roger Tory Peterson Award for Promoting the Cause of Birding from the...
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BiographySuzanne Simard Suzanne Simard is the author of “Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest External” (Knopf), which was an instant New York Times bestseller. She is also a professor of forest ecology at the University of British Columbia and is known for her groundbreaking research on the communication of trees, plants and forests as a whole. She has conducted a variety of...
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BiographyAdm. James Stavridis James Stavridis is a retired admiral of the U.S. Navy and bestselling author of multiple books, including “Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character,” a discussion of the lives and careers of renowned naval commanders, and “Sea Power: The History and Geopolitics of the World’s Oceans,” a naval history from the ancient world to the contemporary moment. Stavridis’ newest book, “2034:...
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BiographyDavid O. Stewart David O. Stewart is the author of several acclaimed books on American history, including “Madison’s Gift: Five Partnerships That Built America,” “The Summer of 1787: The Men Who Invented the Constitution” and “Impeached: The Trial of President Andrew Johnson and the Fight for Lincoln’s Legacy.” His newest biography is “George Washington: The Political Rise of America's Founding Father External” (Dutton), which was called “outstanding”...
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BiographyAli Stroker Ali Stroker made history as the first person in a wheelchair to appear on Broadway and win a Tony Award. She made her Broadway debut in the revival of “Spring Awakening” and then played Ado Annie in the revival of “Oklahoma!” Stroker has appeared in movies such as “I Was a Mermaid and Now I’m a Pop Star” and “Christmas Ever After,” and television...
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BiographyDouglas Stuart Douglas Stuart is the author of “Shuggie Bain External” (Grove), which was a New York Times bestseller, the winner of the Booker Prize and a finalist for the National Book Award. Stuart's essays and short stories have appeared in Literary Hub and The New Yorker. Prior to becoming a renowned writer, he received a master’s degree from the Royal College of Art in London...
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BiographyCass R. Sunstein Cass R. Sunstein is a legal scholar specializing in the fields of constitutional law, administrative law and behavioral economics. He is the author of dozens of acclaimed books, including “The Cost-Benefit Revolution,” “The Ethics of Influence” and “Impeachment: A Citizen’s Guide.” Most recently, he is the co-author of “Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment External” (Little, Brown), written with Daniel Kahneman and Olivier Sibony....
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BiographyJulia Sweig Julia Sweig is the author of four books, including “Inside the Cuban Revolution: Fidel Castro and the Urban Underground,” “Friendly Fire: Losing Friends and Making Enemies in the Anti-American Century,” “Cuba: What Everyone Needs to Know” and “Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight External” (Random House). Her latest book, which brings to light Lady Bird Johnson’s political contributions to the United States, was...
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BiographyAmbreen Tariq Ambreen Tariq is the founder of @BrownPeopleCamping, a social media platform dedicated to promoting greater diversity in public lands through storytelling and the power of visual representation. She is passionate about youth education and holds board member positions at City Kids Wilderness Project and Green Muslims. Tariq is currently a brand ambassador for many well-known outdoors companies. Her writing has been published in Outside...
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BiographyBrandon Taylor Brandon Taylor is the author of the novel “Real Life,” which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and named a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice. His work has appeared in various publications, including Guernica, American Short Fiction, O: The Oprah Magazine, The New Yorker and The Literary Review. His latest book is “Filthy Animals External” (Riverhead). Taylor holds graduate degrees from the...
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BiographyAngie Thomas Angie Thomas is the author of the young adult novels “The Hate U Give,” “On the Come Up” and “Concrete Rose External” (Balzer + Bray). Her first novel, “The Hate U Give,” which explores the origins of the Black Lives Matter movement, made its way to the top of the New York Times bestseller list within a week of its release, was adapted into...
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BiographyMindy Thomas Mindy Thomas is the co-host, with Guy Raz, of the NPR podcast “Wow in the World,” which aims to inspire children and teach them about science and technology. She also serves as the host of the “Absolutely Mindy Show” and as the program director of the Kids Place Live Channel. She has co-written the books “Wow in the World: Two Whats?! and a Wow!...
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BiographyKaren Tumulty Karen Tumulty is a political columnist for The Washington Post. Previously, she worked as a journalist for the Los Angeles Times, where she covered economics, business and U.S. politics. She also served as the White House correspondent and the national political correspondent for Time magazine. Her recent book “The Triumph of Nancy Reagan External” (Simon & Schuster) has received rave reviews from USA Today,...
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BiographyMartha Wells Martha Wells is the author of the fantasy novels “City of Bones” and “Wheel of the Infinite”; the fantasy series Books of the Raksura; and the young adult novels “Emilie and the Hollow World” and “Emilie and the Sky World.” Her latest book, “Fugitive Telemetry External” (Tor), is the sixth installment in her New York Times bestselling series The Murderbot Diaries. For her work,...
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BiographyAnna Wiener Anna Wiener is the author of the memoir “Uncanny Valley External” (MCD), which recounts her experiences working in Silicon Valley. It was named one of the best books of 2020 by NPR, The Atlantic, Forbes, The Boston Globe, the Chicago Tribune and The Washington Post. Wiener is currently a tech correspondent for The New Yorker, and her work has appeared in The Atlantic, New...
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BiographyIsabel Wilkerson Isabel Wilkerson is the author of “The Warmth of Other Suns,” which received the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Stephen Ambrose Oral History Prize and the Heartland Prize for Nonfiction. Her second book, “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents External” (Random House), made its way to the top of The New York Times bestseller list. In 1994, she received the Pulitzer Prize in...
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BiographyJoy Williams Joy Williams is the author of the novels “State of Grace,” “Breaking and Entering” and the recent “Harrow External” (Knopf); the essay collection “Ill Nature: Rants and Reflections on Humanity and Other Animals”; and the short story collections “Taking Care,” “Honored Guest” and “The Visiting Privilege.” She has received a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Rea Award for the Short Story; has published in journals...
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BiographyPhillip B. Williams Phillip B. Williams is the author of the poetry chapbooks “Burn” and “Bruised Gospels,” and the full-length collection of poetry “Thief in the Interior,” which received the Lambda Literary Award, the Kate Tufts Discovery Award and the Whiting Award. His latest collection, “Mutiny External” (Penguin), investigates the emotional landscapes of anger and rebellion. His work has appeared in journals such as Callaloo, The Kenyon...
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BiographySimon Winchester Simon Winchester has written dozens of books, including “In Holy Terror,” “The Professor and the Madman,” “The Men Who United the States: America’s Explorers, Inventors, Eccentrics and Mavericks, and the Creation of One Nation, Indivisible” and “Land: How the Hunger for Ownership Shaped the Modern World External” (Harper). Winchester’s journalism has been published in The Guardian, Smithsonian Magazine, National Geographic and Condé Nast Traveler....
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BiographyLawrence Wright Lawrence Wright is the author of “Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood and the Prison of Belief,” which was a New York Times bestseller; its HBO adaptation won three Emmy Awards. His book “The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11” was turned into a series on Hulu and was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction. His latest book, “The Plague Year: America in...
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BiographyJoshua Yaffa Joshua Yaffa is the author of “Between Two Fires: Truth, Ambition and Compromise in Putin's Russia External” (Tim Duggan), which was named a New York Times Editors’ Choice and one of the best books of the year by NPR and Kirkus Reviews. Yaffa has received numerous awards throughout his writing career, including fellowships from the New America Foundation and the American Academy in Berlin....
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BiographyTrisha Yearwood Trisha Yearwood is a critically acclaimed singer, chef, author and television personality. Since 2012, she has hosted her own television series on Food Network, called “Trisha’s Southern Kitchen.” The show won a Daytime Emmy Award in 2013 for Outstanding Culinary Program. Yearwood has also written three New York Times bestselling cookbooks, featuring Southern-inspired recipes passed down by her mother, aunts and cousins. Her latest...
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BiographyKevin Young Kevin Young is the author of the prize-winning poetry collections “Most Way Home,” “Book of Hours,” “Dear Darkness” and “Brown.” Young is also the author of the nonfiction book “Bunk: The Rise of Hoaxes, Humbug, Plagiarists, Phonies, Post-Facts and Fake News,” which received the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award and was named the best book of 2017 by the Los Angeles Times and National Public Radio....
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BiographyCharles Yu Charles Yu is the author of the short story collections “Third Class Superhero” and “Sorry Please Thank You,” and the novel “How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe.” His new novel, “Interior Chinatown External” (Pantheon), is a criticism of Hollywood and its perpetuation of Asian American stereotypes, and was both a New York Times bestseller and the winner of the National Book...
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BiographyKatie Zhao Katie Zhao is the author of the children’s books “The Fallen Hero,” which Booklist called “a delightful adventure that melds classic Chinese mythology with original, contemporary folklore,” and “The Dragon Warrior,” which bestselling author J.C. Cervantes called an “exhilarating tale that shimmers with adventure, love and loyalty.” Zhao makes her debut in young adult fiction with the publication of “How We Fall Apart External”...
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BiographyIbi Zoboi Ibi Zoboi is the author of the young adult novels “American Street,” which was a finalist for the National Book Award and named the best book of 2018 by Publishers Weekly, and “Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich,” which was a New York Times bestseller. She is also the co-author, with Yusef Salaam, of the young adult novel “Punching the Air External” (Balzer +...
