220 Authors Confirmed For 2011 BROOKLYN BOOK FESTIVAL 9/15-18

On Sunday, September 18, 2011, more than 220 top national and international authors will join literary organizations, booksellers and bibliophiles at Brooklyn Borough Hall, Columbus Park, St. Francis College and the Brooklyn Historical Society for the sixth annual Brooklyn Book Festival. Additionally, 30 expanded "Bookend" literary-themed events will take place in venues from clubs to bookstores and theaters to libraries across the borough September 15 - 18.

The Brooklyn Book Festival is an initiative of Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz presented by Brooklyn Tourism and the Brooklyn Literary Council. It presents an array of literary stars and emerging authors representing the exciting world of literature today. One of America's premier book festivals, this hip, smart, diverse gathering attracts thousands of book lovers of all ages.

The Brooklyn Book Festival "Best of Brooklyn" or BoBi Award for outstanding contributions to literature will be presented this year to Pulitzer Prize recipient Jhumpa Lahiri. She also holds the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award, a PEN/Hemingway Award, an O. Henry Prize, and the Addison Metcalf Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters (among others). In 2010 Lahiri was appointed as a member of President Barack Obama's Committee on the Arts and Humanities.

Notable authors and participants (www.brooklynbookfestival.org for author lineup updates):

Non-Fiction
Kurt Andersen, Brooke Gladstone, Phillip Lopate, Sigrid Nunez, Christian Parenti, Jennifer Pozner, David Rakoff, Jeremy Scahill, Adrian Tomine, Touré

Fiction (Domestic and International)
Russell Banks, Lawrence Block, Eoin Colfer, Jennifer Egan, Nuruddin Farah, Jonathan Safran Foer, Diana Gabaldon, Amitav Ghosh, Pete Hamill, A.M. Homes, Nicole Krauss, Terry McMillan, Larry McMurtry, Walter Mosley, Joyce Carol Oates, Téa Obreht, Karen Russell, John Sayles, Craig Thompson, Colson Whitehead

Poetry
Mary Jo Bang, Timothy Donnelly, Jean Valentine

Children
Caldecott winner Bryan Collier, Sam McBratney, Jules Feiffer, Norton Juster, Sam McBratney, Mo Willems (NYT bestseller)

Youth
Judy Blundell (National Book Award winner), Kate Brian (NYT bestseller), Cory Doctorow (NYT bestseller), Rachel Hawkins (NYT bestseller), Jon Scieszka (former Ambassador for Young People's Literature), Jacqueline Woodson

This year's panel discussions include:

Defining the Moment, USA 2011: Where are We? Writers Deborah Eisenberg, Fran Lebowitz and Wallace Shawn discuss the difficulties in figuring out what exactly this moment is, why people are feeling enormous anxiety and why that anxiety is poorly understood.

Politically Incorrect Parenting. Adam Mansbach (author of Go the F**k to Sleep), Ta-Nehisi Coates and Alice Bradley confront the subject of what constitutes acceptable parenting when you just want the kids to go the *bleep* to sleep.

Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana in Conversation. McMurtry and Ossana, winners of the Academy Award for their screenplay of Brokeback Mountain, discuss writing, moviemaking and more.

Comics Writ Large and Small. Craig Thompson, Anders Nilsen and Adrian Tomine discuss the craft and artistry of long and short graphic stories.

Poet Laureates Past and Present. Poet Laureates Tina Chang (Brooklyn Poet Laureate), Justin Long-Moton, Mark Strand and Jean Valentine read from their work.

"Whether you're a voracious reader or someone who just likes to pick up the occasional ‘good read,' make sure you ‘book it' for our Brooklyn Book Festival this fall," said Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. "As the ‘Creative Capital of New York City,' Brooklyn is the perfect host for one of the world's most prestigious free literary festivals, and that's why I officially re-name our borough ‘Book-lyn' not just for the Festival on September 18, but for the four days of incredible Bookend events this year-from BAM and the Brooklyn Public Library to Brooklyn Bowl and the Bushwick Book Club-all celebrating the character and characters of our diverse literary community."

"Now in its sixth amazing year, the Brooklyn Book Festival is, without question, one of the premier literary destinations in the world," said Johnny Temple, chair of the Brooklyn Literary Council. "From our award-winning authors to our publishers big and small, from musicians and comedians to humorists and graphic novelists, the Brooklyn Book Festival represents our growing literary universe-and this year's expanded four days of events will be our biggest and best celebration yet."

The 2011 Brooklyn Book Festival is presented by Brooklyn Tourism and the Brooklyn Literary Council, initiatives of Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. Major partners include St. Francis College and NYC Department of Parks & Recreation. Major sponsors include AT&T and Target, with additional support from Astoria Federal Savings, Boarshead Brand, Brooklyn Community Foundation, Citi, Con Edison, Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, NYC & Company Foundation, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and New York State Council on the Arts. The New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge is the official hotel. Media Partners include ABC, The New York Times and Time Out New York/Time Out New York Kids.

Cultural and programming partners are BAM, Brooklyn Historical Society, Brooklyn Public Library, Cave Canem, The Center for Fiction, Housing Works Bookstore Café, The Nation, the National Book Foundation, The New York Review of Books, PEN American Center, Poetry Society of America and St. Francis College.