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" You're listening to them Leonard Lopate show on AMA twenty and 93 point nine WNYC. Brooklyn has always been a favorite home for prominent writers beginning at Walt Whitman in the 1850s. This Sunday 220 hours we'll gather in New York's most literary borrow. To participate in the fourth annual Brooklyn book festival it all takes place in and around the Borough hall area in downtown Brooklyn and it's free. But tickets are required for some of the programs. Which include. Readings panel discussions and children's programs over a hundred publishers and booksellers will also be. President and here to talk about the event is our president Marty Markowitz. And Johnny temple chair of the broken literary council and one of them are more prominent publishers. From -- books a welcome to our show -- thank you thank you for inviting us Marty uses of the vessels fourth year running hasn't grown much since two things have."

" unbelievable I must tell you. When not a Johnny temple came in -- me about the fact that we ought to do a book festival. And when Manhattan drop dead Manhattan is book country New Yorkers book country I was twice what they did well you know what hey I'm -- I'm delighted they did actually. Because that really belongs in Brooklyn Brooklyn is the left bank of New York City. It has more authors illustrators and people on the creative fields and already live via. And work here. And there's so book festival off for the past three years and now this Sunday the fourth -- has grown dramatically and you know because Europe participant as well. And it attracts a 125000. People and especially what I love. Diversity in terms of I think diversity of every walk every ethnic group in Brooklyn minutes and especially the young families of the with there with their kids and but watching that children enjoy books speaking to the office and the thrill of seeing those kids really enjoyable."

" That's tremendous well you know other. Compiled the list of some of Brooklyn's greatest writers over the years. But there -- 220 at this special Johnny can't all be from -- because there. That's a common misconception about the Brooklyn book festival is that has an exclusive Brooklyn focus. And in the first year of book festival in 2006 it did have a more prominent Brooklyn focus but really. It's it's not just a national -- what's actually in international book -- effect the first the very first event. Is about John Updike and David Foster Wallace Sampson and neither of them were Brooklyn Heights that's right. Yet the -- so we're we we're we're going out of our way to have people understand that this is really it's it's a global you know we we have writers coming in from. Africa from Europe from Latin America from the Caribbean. The Brooklyn book festival will always have a strong Brooklyn flavor because where it's situated but it's it's a book festival that has something for everybody. And as the years go along and becomes more. It becomes better known you want to I'm sure finding a lot easier to get people to come in from all over the world. Absolutely although I have to say that one of the things that helped get the festival off the ground. From the very first year was how quickly. People supported the idea and and jumped on board and prominent offers international bestselling authors you know agreeing immediately to participate in the programming which was very heartening."

" Must tell you that we had a lot of losses or call us how come when not included we want to be part of it pleases it's hard to do it and obviously from a program that will share with you today it's it's. There's no room unless we -- extended to a second -- which we want to do and we hope in the very very near future that will be able to. I'm very excited about so new office even and it's a very much broken -- so -- Prospect Park west I live across from Paul west and and I'm delighted that she's one of our new office that'll be that it discuss the book enough. And many others am I giving out awards this year yes have you been doing that from certain the awards actually Saint Francis College is giving up -- 50000 dollar reward for an offer up. In my right whose. They're going to do their fourth focus their fourth."

" Book it's the -- wife fourth -- mean you've established herself as somebody who is. Going to be continuing to write yeah I I think that the idea is that there's a lot of awards for her debut novel it's an exciting new voices. But this is an -- at Saint Francis College designed for someone mid career. And I and I've heard a lot of great feedback from all sorts of authors who really appreciate the fact that Saint Francis is doing that. And with 50000 dollar purse it's. It's sides it's quite impressive who are they giving it and we don't know yet. -- and but also with the Brooklyn book festival does have an annual award as well this year which will be given to and we stand to catch patient writer who spent ten years of her life living in Brooklyn and who still has family living in Brooklyn. We started that the second year of the festival. And on that years it was presented to Paul -- and then -- subsequent year went to Walter Mosley."

" Well -- Brooklyn does have an advantage over many places may be queens is gonna catch up now. And that so many immigrants. Spent time in Brooklyn. Like that we stand cats family. So you catch them either when they're young or when they decide to move to -- more comfortable. Neighborhood is. A fair number of the writers who live in Brooklyn today have decided to do. And -- uniting your head you can coming going to it's okay of the once they. As we have an old saying Wednesday they get Brooklyn it to them you know bill though they never let -- out of them what's her Brooklyn what you always -- tonight. And indeed we be recognizing some of the great."

" From the past who've looked in Brooklyn absolutely. And in fact at every year the book festival does. I'm bookmarks commemorative bookmarks. To honor. Great writers in the past this year's bookmarks. I'm include while the bookmarks also have living writers. But the writers from the past and in this year is bookmarks include Hart Crane. And Norman Mailer and there is in fact a whole program dedicated to Norman Mailer which wolf feature Pete Hamel. Paul Paul hold graver from the New York Public Library. I'm as well as Norris church mailer Norman sailor's -- and in various discussions and Paul hold graver from the New York Public Library. We'll show a screening. Five or eight minute video. Of armed mailers last major public appearance which was at the new York public library and it's a cylindrical and hides -- absolutely yes and an -- and and that's a program that I think it's going to be very moving and powerful."

" I'm sure of how many people don't realize how many prominent writers lived in Brooklyn at one point or another. What dyed -- Thomas Wolfe who's famous for saying only the dead know Brooklyn died in Brooklyn. Truman Capote wrote -- house on the heights when he was living there. He -- I live in Brooklyn by choice. Hart -- you mentioned Henry Miller grew up in Williamsburg. Lewis Mumford Patti Smith Daniel Fuchs WH ought lived in Brooklyn for awhile when it when my favorite. Consummate colors she's -- a broken must have been self proclaimed that. The idea I'd as a four green resident resident. I was always charmed by the fact it Richard Wright. -- some of native son while sitting in benches in Fort -- park. That book became the first bestselling book by an African American author history. So EU you you don't wanna forget that this festivals taking place in Brooklyn because Marty you probably the Brooklyn's biggest booster. But at the same time. He you want this to be an international festival."

" I don't think is a question about since the we represented just about the entire globe. And as someone from any country in the world -- family right in Brooklyn no question about it and that's why it will be we will be doing. A number of international. Of programs as part of -- book festival. And and that brings in more why I want that it suffering in its tracks. We want that ethnic diversity attending we want we want the vols and abroad to -- the last few years we want them to attend. We want to the bring Mitchell's. Now it's for the record book -- I'm -- partly because the liberation is tonight because it could have been Brooklyn literary festival right. -- online might be the Brooklyn Kendall the oh not I hope not no disrespect to -- an -- to suspect the Sony Reader. Nothing will ever replace a book I'm sorry. The smell. The feel of a book and I want young people in early look at these screens but nothing will replace a book nothing. But but it is true though it adds books be are are consumed more and more in a digital format. That all the more reason why we need something like the Brooklyn book festival because the Brooklyn book festival is about people telling stories and people enjoying stories and stories will never go away. Now a lot of the of the festival takes place outdoors. Yes what happens if we have lousy weather no possibility -- will be a beautiful day because you've had so far you've had a perfect record we've been lucky. We've been lucky I I hope will be lucky and so and it looks good. We do avenue -- Brooklyn historical society saint Francis college and of course inside parole. But well we're hopeful but it'll be -- beautiful and there are a bunch of booksellers who are out in that park behind Borough hall. Behind -- buildings got an -- solid. Who's who's going to be participating. In terms of book selling one of the main booksellers has -- court one of the finest independent bookstores in the country. And -- All sorts of booksellers will be there actually. And we also have vendors exhibitors book publishers literary magazines magazines like. A public space relatively new literary journal that. Has been around for about two or three years on and publishers like my own company -- books will be they're selling our books directly to the public. But of of all the booksellers but court is probably the most prominent of them. And what is the range there is they're going to be readings. I'm involved in a panel discussion. -- allowed -- panels as well missile system for kids absolutely target com has been a major sponsor and they have -- ten. I'm with all sorts of activities for kids in addition to some of the finest children's authors writing today. Who will be reading for children but there's also all sorts of activities face painting etc. I have two little kids both of -- Brooklyn and it will certainly be there. And -- for adults there's. Poetry. -- fiction there's nonfiction. Like Marty mentioned there's an international focus so. We really think that there's something for everyone whether you're two years old. Whether you're 82 years old whether you're Jewish Christian Muslim Hindu Buddhist atheist when not show what you -- more not sure what you are. Are our goal is to have. Something their -- for everybody I might -- Mo Williams Judy Barrett wrote cloudy with a chance of peoples of Maureen Sullivan Allison Joseph K two Camilo -- to -- some of the children -- it'll be them."

" A by the I do want to remind remember that Frank McCourt was of -- tonight and he just recently passed away. -- about paper writers. I want to thank you so much for being with us Marty Markowitz -- president. And Johnny temple who is the chair of the Brooklyn literary council and also. The publisher cash books. It's been a real pleasure having you on the show and the big problem seems to me on Sunday. Is that so many events -- taking place at the same time people who have a hard time. Deciding which one to go to visit -- visit us first. 10 AM to 6 PM the Brooklyn book festival is this Sunday from 10 AM to 6 PM at Brooklyn's Borough hall. And the surrounding clauses in the surrounding buildings. All events are free and open to the public but. What happens to people. Did go to an event that requires tickets. How to get to."

" There will be ticket booths and we encourage people if there's an event that you wanna go to and you think it's going to be popular and I can guarantee that almost every program at the book festival will be popular. On then go to the ticket blitz early and stand in line and try to get yourself a ticket because. I can promise that there will be many -- up programs. And in fact our very first year when we were surprised to have a much larger audience than we even expected and we were being pretty optimistic. We had crowd control problems and so we've remedy that with the ticketing system like you said tickets are all free. But we can't have 600 people showing up trying to get into a room that holds only 200 people have many people projected for attendance this year. I would expect that we're gonna have. I'd say upwards of 30000 people a great. For more information that we can visit Brooklyn book festival done -- Thank you both so much for -- like this thank you for us."

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