Elizabeth Marvel stars as Louisa May Alcott in Harriet Reisen’s documentary on the life of the writer of “Little Women.’’
(Liane Brandon)
Shelf Life
Writers out loud
Elizabeth Marvel stars as Louisa May Alcott in Harriet Reisen’s documentary on the life of the writer of “Little Women.’’
(Liane Brandon)
The 90 writers appearing at the Boston Book Festival on Saturday run the gamut from Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk to actress Alicia Silverstone, author of “The Kind Diet.’’
Not surprisingly, religion, politics, history, and sports will play a prominent role in the day’s discussions, but there’s a lighter side, too.
Cornel West, Mary Gordon, and Harvey Cox will talk about matters of faith. Harvard professors Lani Guinier and Michael Porter, Atlantic senior editor Jack Beatty, and political pundit David Gergen will assess President Obama’s record. Other panels will focus on historical novels set in and around Boston, star athletes, memoirs, thrillers, and cutting-edge fiction.
Novelist Tom Perrotta will grill his onetime student John Hodgman, known for his appearances on Jon Stewart’s “Daily Show’’ and his depiction of a PC in the “Get a Mac’’ ads.
For “Writer Idol,’’ a panel of agents and editors will pass judgment on excerpts of unpublished manuscripts read by a professional actor.
At the launch party for “Boston Noir,’’ a story collection edited by Dennis Lehane, noirish dress is optional, with prizes for the best femme fatale and hard-boiled private eye. The festival will be held at the Boston Public Library, Old South Church, and Trinity Church from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will be children’s activities and live music on the plaza in Copley Square.
Tickets are $12 for the opening night program on Friday and $15 for the “Boston Noir’’ party. All other events are free.
The festival schedule is at www.bostonbookfest.org.
Writers, continued
Now in its 17th year, the Concord Festival of Authors is infused with the spirit of Henry David Thoreau and other Concord luminaries, from Louisa May Alcott to Gregory Maguire. Authors will address the politics of race, the history of Catholics in America, the films of Robert Altman, and the mind-blowing discoveries of astronomer Edwin Hubble.The festival opens Wednesday with a talk by former Vermont governor Howard Dean about health care reform. It continues through Nov. 8 in Concord and Lowell.
Maguire of “Wicked’’ fame will introduce his new novel, “The Next Queen of Heaven.’’ The Concord Free Press will publish 2,500 copies and give them away to people who make a donation to a charity or person in need.
Marcia Bartusiak, an MIT professor, will talk about her book, “The Day We Found the Universe,’’ and Hubble’s discovery in 1925 that our universe was a thousand trillion times larger than believed.
Thoreau scholar Jeffrey S. Cramer will share what he learned in producing an annotated edition of “The Maine Woods.’’ It was Thoreau who on walks in the Concord woods taught Alcott to appreciate the natural world. She, in turn, modeled a character in “Little Men’’ on him. Harriet Reisen will talk about the lifelong fascination that led her to produce a book and PBS documentary called “Louisa May Alcott, The Woman Behind Little Women.’’
The schedule is at www. concordfestivalofauthors.com.
Coming out
■ “The Professional,’’ by Robert B. Parker (Putnam)■ “Rowing the Atlantic: Lessons Learned on the Open Ocean,’’ by Roz Savage (Simon & Schuster)
■ “Robert Altman: The Oral Biography,’’ by Mitchell Zuckoff (Knopf)
Pick of the week
Dana Brigham of the Brookline Booksmith recommends “Going Away Shoes’’ by Jill McCorkle (Algonquin): “These gems are written by a master craftswoman. Each story deserves savoring, as melancholy and humor work beautifully together in this artful collection.’’Jan Gardner can be reached at JanLGardner@yahoo.com. 
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