March 10, 2022
Dear Tulane Community:
Part of the joy of working at a university such as Tulane is the opportunity to see and hear some of the world’s leading thinkers, writers and scientists up close and in person. Such an opportunity is available to you today and tomorrow as the New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University gets underway.
I encourage you to take a break from work and study today and Friday to attend one the fest’s free weekday sessions (and come back for Saturday, too!). All of these events take place in and around the LBC, just steps from your office, classroom or residence hall.
For instance, there is an opening night conversation with authors Jenna Bush Hager and John Grisham at 5 p.m. tonight in Dixon Hall. Imani Perry and Eddie S. Glaude, Jr., will follow this with a discussion on “Race and the American Soul” at 6 p.m.
Tomorrow begins with a session featuring Jenna Bush Hager and some of the country’s top authors including Rumaan Alam, Lee Cole, Emma Straub and Qian Julie Wang. You can also hear from the man who founded the Mark Twain Prize for Humor and historian Jon Meacham. Aspiring writers can sit in on a discussion with national literary agents and publishers. James Carville, Sister Helen Prejean, David Brooks, Charles Blow, our own Walter Isaacson and John Barry are also appearing in sessions throughout the day. The list of authors, commentators, thinkers, movers and shakers is seemingly endless.
If you love New Orleans food (and who doesn’t?) attend the New Orleans Cooking Symposium Friday at noon in the Hyatt Regency Festival Tent on the Berger Family Lawn. Celebrated local chefs and food personalities Edgar “Dook” Chase IV (Dooky Chase’s Restaurant), Justin Devillier (La Petite Grocery), Molly Kimball with Meg Bickford (Commander’s Palace), Melissa Martin (Mosquito Supper Club) and Alon Shaya (Saba) will have a discussion and a food tasting with writer Poppy Tooker as moderator.
I have just scratched the surface of what the Book Festival has to offer Tulane students, faculty and staff. For a full schedule please click here. One could not buy access to such a wide variety of popular writers, experts and culinary artists. And you don’t have to – just step outside your door. Classes are welcomed, too!
