Yinz are Good Podcast
Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books was featured on an episode of Yinz are Good hosted by Tressa Glover.
Podcast can be listened to here, or on other sites such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and more.
Winter Newsletter
PIttsburgh Through the pages
Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books It’s coming May 14, 2022
• In East Liberty / Bakery Square + Beyond
• Come celebrate community literacy
• Hear more than 30 authors - representing many genres
• Listen to poetry – all day long!
• Kids! Bring your parents – lots of amazing stories and fun activities
• And enjoy puppetry, jazz, drumming and more
Sign up for our newsletter.
THANK YOU! KDKA
The Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books is pleased to announce KDKA TV as its Presenting Sponsor. As our Media Sponsor we are thrilled to have the support of Pittsburgh’s premier TV station in supporting our community of literacy and promoting this inaugural year.
“This is an exciting development for our vision of literacy and the Pittsburgh community,” said Marshall Cohen, Founder of the Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books. “KDKA has a long and strong history of supporting our communities, and we couldn’t be more pleased that the station has embraced this concept of a free, diverse, and inclusive festival to promote reading and education.”
“We are extremely grateful to KDKA for its support, which will provide a huge opportunity to highlight wonderful writers and illustrators. Together we are creating a strong community of literacy,” said Laurie Moser, Co-Chair of the Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books.
“There is no more critical skill than that of literacy. Literacy is the foundation of our development and provides us the opportunity to better understand societal differences, better employment, brightening our days and gaining a better perspective of the world around us. Partnering with the Greater Pittsburgh Book festival is an opportunity for us to help spread the importance of literacy and we look forward to a relationship that lasts for many years,” added Chris Cotugno, Vice President and General Manager of KDKA-TV.
HOLIDAY GIFTS
“A book is a gift you can open again and again.” - Garrison Keillor
“When I look back, I am so impressed again with the life-giving power of literature. If I were a young person today, trying to gain a sense of myself in the world, I would do that again by reading, just as I did when I was young.” - Maya Angelou
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” - Dr. Seuss
What are the best gifts at holiday time (and throughout the year)? BOOKS! Pittsburgh has a wonderful group of independent bookstores who are ready and able to help you select the perfect read: Amazing Books and Records, City Books, City of Asylum, Mystery Lovers Bookshop, Penguin Bookshop, Riverstone Books, Spark Books, White Whale and The Tiny Bookstore. Please click here for more information.
What’s a Book Festival without Children’s Lit?
Meet some of our friends who will share their creativity and joy of reading with our children on Festival day.
Sing a Song: Lift Every Voice and Sing
with Kelly Starling Lyons - Saturday, May 14, 2022
Kelly Starling Lyons is a founding member of The Brown Bookshelf, teaching artist and award-winning children’s book author. Her mission is to center Black heroes, celebrate family, friendship and heritage and show all kids the storyteller they hold inside. Two of our favorites are Sing a Song: How Lift Every Voice & Sing Inspired Generations, Going Down Home with Daddy. A native of Pittsburgh, she lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with her family. Meet Kelly Starling Lyons.
Karen Lynn Williams & Jessica Betancourt–Perez
Bring A Thousand White Butterflies to the Festival
Karen Lynn Williams has been writing for children for thirty years. She has published more than sixteen chapter books and picture books and have been featured on Reading Rainbow, the New York Times Books Review and Kirkus Book Reviews. Recent works include A Thousand White Butterflies (co-authored with Jessica Betancourt- Perez), Facing Fear and The Spirit of the Cheetah. Click here for more information about Karen Lynn Williams. Jessica Betancourt-Perez is originally from Palmira, Colombia, and moved to the US when she was fifteen. She currently works as a school psychologist in York, Pennsylvania with grades 4-6. Jessica speaks English and Spanish fluently and has a passion for advocating for families and children in need. A Thousand White Butterflies is her debut picture book. Click here to learn more about A Thousand White Butterflies.
Hear Sharon Flake to present The Life I’m In
A warm welcome to Sharon Flake. If you haven’t read her latest, The Life I’m In, drop everything and head to your local bookstore to purchase this outstanding book. It has received multiple starred reviews and answers the question, “Why do some people bully others?” Her themes include: second-chances, redemption and trafficking. In the novel, Char, a teenage runaway, attempts to find her way home through tenacity, the help of a friend whom she once bullied, and her former 7th grade teacher, who remains committed to students to the end.” Ms. Flake will be discussing The Life I’m In on May 14 at the GPFB. Visit www.sharongflake.com for more info.
NEXT NEWSLETTER / JANUARY Poetry: Pittsburgh is the national hub for poetry. Learn more about the Center for African American Poetry and Poetics at Pitt to the Madwomen in the Attic at Carlow. Look for some interesting interviews with our poets.
October Newsletter
Nathaniel Philbrick - Travels with George:
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/602063/travels-with-george-by-nathaniel-philbrick/
Sign up for the newsletter:
https://www.pittsburghbookfestival.org/get-involved
More about Toi Derricotte:
John Edgar Wideman interview:
https://www.pittsburghbookfestival.org/past-events
Yinz Are Good Podcast: with GPFB staff and Tressa Glover:
https://www.pittsburghbookfestival.org/podcast
Ken Gormley’s - The Heiress of Pittsburgh:
https://www.pittsburghbookfestival.org/book-launch
https://whitewhalebookstore.com/item/fkZNxVlzwQjchJT1EhJIZg
Kris Maher - Desperate:
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Desperate/Kris-Maher/9781501187346
Mystery Writer Annette Dashofy:
https://www.pittsburghbookfestival.org/annette-dashofy
https://zelienoplelibrary.org/
https://www.mysterylovers.com/
Jennifer Zaltman Consulting:
Pittsburgh Cares:
Click here to learn more about the Festival and/or become a donor, sponsor, or volunteer:
Congratulations to Toi Derricotte winner of the Academy of American Poetry Prize!
Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books congratulates Toi Derricotte, winner of the Academy of American Poetry Prize, the 2021 Wallace Stevens Award for her “proven mastery in the art of poetry.”
Toi Derricotte is an award-winning poet and professor emerita of English at the University of Pittsburgh, and will be one of the GPFB keynote speakers at The Festival on May 14th, 2022. You can read more about her here!
Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books hosts a conversation with John Edgar Wideman
University of Pittsburgh faculty interviewed Pittsburgh author John Edgar Wideman discussing his new book, You Made me Love You
The Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books (GPFB) premiered a conversation with internationally acclaimed Pittsburgh author John Edgar Wideman at 7pm on July 15 on our YouTube page!
The Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books (GPFB) premiered a conversation with internationally acclaimed Pittsburgh author John Edgar Wideman at 7pm on July 15 on our YouTube page!
Mr. Wideman, a native of Pittsburgh, is an internationally recognized novelist, short story writer, memoirist, essayist and the first author to win the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction twice. He was interviewed by University of Pittsburgh faculty Dr. Shaun Myers and Dr. Khirsten L. Scott, discussing his newest book, You Made Me Love You, a collection of the best of Wideman’s short stories over his fifty-year career. “If the writing is good, it brings you into the story,” Mr. Wideman stated. Many of the stories in the book involve the streets and people of Homewood, the Pittsburgh neighborhood where he grew up. Others range far and wide across the United States and the world. As Mr. Wideman shared, “We are houses of many rooms, of many shapes and sizes; and to realize that, all we have to do is listen to one another’s stories.”
Dr. Shaun Myers is Assistant Professor of English and affiliate faculty in the Center for African American Poetry and Poetics and the Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Program at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Khirsten Scott is an Assistant Professor of English and Faculty Fellow at the University’s Center for Urban Education at the University of Pittsburgh.
“We are honored and excited to have the opportunity for this conversation with Mr. Wideman, a cherished and perceptive chronicler of the meanings of Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods and history. It is a perfect realization of our vision, through this festival, to celebrate Pittsburgh authors and communities--their experiences and their accomplishments”, said Marshall Cohen, Co-Chair of the Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books. Laurie Moser, also Co-Chair of the Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books, stated that “We are delighted that Mr. Wideman is building on the Festival’s community of literacy.”
Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books partnered with Riverstone Books for this event discussing Mr. Wideman's latest book You Made Me Love You.
Summer Newsletter!
The Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books (GPFB) planning is well underway! Not content to have just one day dedicated to a love of literacy, we are planning events year-round! View our summer newsletter here!
Turning Recycled Street Boxes Into Free Little Libraries For Local Communities
Repurposed newspaper boxes got new life as promoters of a life-long love of literacy across Pittsburgh. The Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books partnered with Pittsburgh Cares and local volunteers to create free local libraries for the community.
This past Tuesday GPFB helped with Pittsburgh Cares’ Retired and Senior Volunteer Program’s summer celebration to build Little Libraries for distribution around Pittsburgh neighborhoods.
Volunteers met at Millvale Riverfront Park Tuesday June 8th, at 10am where they worked in groups to complete the Little Libraries as well as decorating bookmarks and terracotta pots. With live music and raffle prizes it was an enjoyable day for all involved.
Thanks to all the volunteers, 14 Little Libraries were created to be placed around the city for free public use! The event was also covered by the Post-Gazette and KDKA.
Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books Donates Over 1100 Children's Books
The Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books is taking advantage of their new date of May 14, 2022 to plan a whole year of events and happenings, all to encourage a love of literacy and to celebrate Pittsburgh’s rich literary heritage.
Last week they partnered with Reading is FUNdamental to distribute over 1100 children’s books to 31 locations across the city. Through the help and generosity of Google Pittsburgh we were able to hand out books focused on STEM, books featuring a diversity of characters, classics, and even a few monster books.
Readerella, the Festival’s Kid Mascot, was also on hand to distribute books and lead story time.
Books were distributed at the following locations:
East Liberty (3)
Hazelwood (3)
Hill District (6)
Homewood (3)
Northside (7)
Southside (3)
Wilkinsburg (3)
Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books Partners with Pittsburgh Cares to Celebrate National Reading Month
Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books has partnered with Pittsburgh Cares to celebrate National Reading Month with a book drive and free little libraries.
The Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books is thrilled to announce our partnership with Pittsburgh Cares and their Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) to celebrate National Reading Month with a Book Drive.
Books of all types, for all ages, will be collected the entire month of March and beyond! New and gently used books will be placed in the free ‘little libraries’ and donated to nonprofits and community organizations throughout the Greater Pittsburgh Area. The little libraries are a free resource where community members are encouraged to take books they would like to read, and also leave books to share with others.
Books can be donated through the Pittsburgh Cares office at 3505 Butler Street, with more options coming soon. For now, just drop your book(s) off Mondays between 11:00am-2:00pm, or place them through the Pittsburgh Cares mail slot. If these options don’t work or you have a larger donation email info@pittsburghcares.org.
Stay tuned for more volunteer opportunities at www.pittsburghcares.org and the locations of the little libraries coming soon!
GPFB Chairman, Steering Committee Featured in the Post-Gazette
The Chairman of our steering committee and the GPFB were featured in the Post-Gazette.
Read: “Shadyside book collector plans Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books for next April”
Photo Steve Mellon/Post-Gazette
Booked for 2021: Jewish Chronicle Article
Check out the recent article on the festival written by Jusin Vellucci of the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle.
Read: “Pittsburgh literary festival to be booked for 2021”
New Year, New Name
It’s official, we’ve got a new name. Say hello to:
The Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books.
Initial Survey Results
A big thank you to everyone who took the survey.
The goal was to obtain widespread citizen input about the overall desirability of a book festival in Pittsburgh, and to identify respondent preferences regarding specific book festival options. Our findings are below.
Number of respondents: 550+ with 38% having attended a book fair in another city.
Respondent Preferences
For the 38% who have attended a book fair elsewhere, by far the most enjoyable activities were author-based: readings, signings, panels, discussions.
For all 550+ respondents, similar author-based activities were likewise the most preferred activities to include in a Pittsburgh Book Fair
Programs/activities of highest interest:
Workshops and Panels
Author readings
Children, families and adolescents oriented
Vendor Displays
80% of respondents want more than just Pittsburgh authors at the book fair.
70% of respondents indicate a willingness to volunteer. Individual responses vary from offering specific skill sets to a general desire to participate in book fair activities.
79% recommended a weekend festival; Fall was preferred by 65%
Respondents self-designations
Readers—88%
Authors—-32%
Book Club members—26%
Parents——26%
Others included publishers, booksellers, teachers, creative writing faculty, magazine and literary editors, etc.
25% of respondents added additional comment, with strong statements of support and endorsement, offers of assistance, outreach to others, knowledge of publishers or writers, interest in participating in some fashion, etc.
If you have not yet shared your thoughts on a Pittsburgh book festival, you can take the survey here.