Remember When HP Lit Fest Booked Chabon?

I began devouring Michael Chabon‘s Telegraph Avenue over the weekend, when I learned that the only Texas stop on his book tour will bring him to Austin in a couple of weeks. That brought to mind a question that has long simmered in my Chabon-loving brain: How in the heck did the Highland Park Literary Festival book him as a keynote speaker in 2005, when he was already a Pulitzer-winner for The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay?

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5 thoughts on “Remember When HP Lit Fest Booked Chabon?

  • October 1, 2012 at 10:41 am
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    No idea how that came to be. They’ve had some pretty high-powered literary types over the years. Off the top of my head I can recall Chabon, Tim O’Brien, and HPHS grad and Pulitzer Prize winner Doug Wright.

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  • October 1, 2012 at 11:31 am
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    Also Russell Banks, Billy Collins, George Plimpton, Anchee Min, and Tobias Wolff.

    They also get many fine authors, journalists, etc., to serve as workshop leaders.

    (Telegraph Avenue is pretty great, isn’t it?)

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  • October 1, 2012 at 2:17 pm
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    I’m delighted that you asked about HP Lit Fest – I’ve been involved with HPLF over the past several years and we got Michael Chabon just like we’ve gotten our other outstanding authors – we asked! He was especially intrigued with the opportunity to workshop and talk with high school students – I think that is what makes HPLF so wonderful for our HPHS students because it is an unique chance to learn from real published authors of all genres. The 2013 HPLF is no exception – on Feb. 21 & 22 we will have Markus Zusak (bestselling author of “The Book Thief” and “I am the Messanger”) as our keynote and the students will have workshops with many other authors as well. You can find out more at our website: http://www.hplitfest.org And one of the reasons we can afford to ask such great authors is because of the generosity of La Fiesta, HP Arts, HPHS PTA and other donors!! Any help is appreciated!

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  • October 1, 2012 at 5:39 pm
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    The Book Thief was stellar. Also liked Messenger. Both written for young adults but appreciated by this old adult. Chabon has a young adult book, too, Summerland, which was enjoyed by young and old in this house. Looking forward to Lit Fest.

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