In 1992, the first Book Festival of the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta was so small—it featured just two novelists—that volunteers baked cookies as a thank-you for the writers. Nearly a quarter century later, the 18-day festival hosts 45 authors, and they still bake the cookies (now with help from a caterer). Festival cochair Susan Tourial attributes the event’s longevity to its interactive programming: Authors are interviewed by local media personalities, there’s a comedy night, and cookbook chats are often accompanied by lunches spotlighting the recipes. This year, catch stars like Judy Blume, Mitch Albom, Tess Gerritsen, Ted Koppel, and Arlene and Alan Alda.
On the calendar: More than 40 authors discuss their works at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta on November 5 through 22.
This article originally appeared in our October 2015 issue under the headline “Literary Tradition.”
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