This year’s Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, an annual celebration of writing and writers, plays host to several faculty members from USC Annenberg at UCLA’s campus Saturday and Sunday, April 25-26.
The festival, which features more than 100 author panels, discussions, readings, book signings and other events, has been a frequent forum for many Annenberg literati – from both faculty and alumni ranks – during its 14 years in Los Angeles, and this year’s involvement offers a wide variety of subject matter, genres and issues.
Saturday’s festival panels feature journalism professor Richard Reeves speaking on “Biography: At the Gates of the 20th Century” at 12:30 p.m., journalism professor emeritus Murray Fromson moderating a discussion titled “Poof! Our Evaporating Economy” with communication professor Robert Scheer at 2 p.m., School of Journalism director Geneva Overholser speaking on “The Future of News” at 3 p.m., and journalism professor K.C. Cole moderating a panel at 10:30 a.m. called “Real Science.”
Journalism professor Joe Saltzman and his wife Barbara will host booth 824 to celebrate The Jester & Pharley Phund charity. They encourage visitors to help spread the word, buy books and dolls to help sick children, and support the Phund's Literacy-Charity Programs. They will host the booth both days starting at 10 a.m.
Adjunct journalism professor and Los Angeles Times theatre critic Kenneth Turan moderates Sunday’s “Biography: Hollywood Lives” at 12:30 p.m. and journalism professor Marc Cooper will speak on “Media: Where do We Go From Here?,” a panel that also features Arianna Huffington, at 10:30 a.m.
“I’m delighted that this festival includes the future of news as one of its topics,” said Overholser, calling the festival “remarkable” in its coverage of subjects relevant to Annenberg. “It’s a pretty important kind of written word.”
The Los Angeles Times Live Stage at the Los Angeles Times Pavilion will feature a talk with journalists Sandy Banks, Geoff Boucher, Steve Lopez, Russ Parsons and other special guests from the pages and columns of the paper, discussing news stories and the directions in which print journalism may be headed.
Festival of Books
Schedule of Panel and Speaker Sessions
General Festival Information
