National Book Festival releases 2024 author lineup

The Library of Congress National Book Festival is back on August 24 with a lineup of more than 90 authors.

Why it matters: This year's theme is "Books Build Us Up," showing how books can "connect us and inform our lives."

What to expect: The free festival is held at the Washington Convention Center from 9am to 8pm. Events on the main stage will also be livestreamed .

Among the authors this year:

• James Patterson will discuss his recently published nonfiction book, " The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians ."
• James McBride will talk about his latest novel, " The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store ."
• Doris Kearns Goodwin will discuss " An Unfinished Love Story : A Personal History of the 1960s," which is dedicated to her husband Dick Goodwin's work when he was an aide and speechwriter to Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson — and she a White House Fellow — and later to the twilight of Dick Goodwin's life.
• Sandra Cisneros will celebrate the 40th anniversary of " The House on Mango Street. "
• Abby Jimenez (" Just for the Summer ") and Casey McQuiston (" The Pairing ") will talk about their romance novels.
• David Rubenstein will chat about his newest book, " The Highest Calling: Conversations on the American Presidency ," with historian Douglas Brinkley.
• Rebecca Yarros, author of the " Empyrean " series, will talk about writing fantasy romance novels.

Read more