Tens of thousands of participants on the first day of the Los Angeles Times Festival
Thousands gathered Saturday at the 30th Los Angeles Times Book Festival at USC, packing up the sold-out panels and awaiting signatures of their favorite authors in a huge way.
Readings for the annual festival, screenings and panels with authors and other speakers. The two-day event is expected to bring together more than 550 storytellers in seven outdoor stages and 15 indoor venues.
It is too early to know how many people have participated in the first day of the event, which is known as the country’s largest literary festival. But on a rainy morning with sunshine, one organizer said the festival looked “super crowded” and estimated that by the end of the day, 85,000 people will attend.
Among Saturday’s hosts are Matthew Specktor and Griffin Dunne, the author of the memoirs Exploring in Hollywood. They spoke with David L. Ulin, a former book editor and critic, who had a crowd of more than 150 people in the small town and dress ballroom at the University of Southern California.
Specktor is the author of several novel and nonfiction books, including “Golden Time: A Story of Family and Power in Hollywood.” Dunn describes intimate moments throughout his life in “Friday afternoon Club: Family Memoirs”, telling the stories of his late father, journalist Dominick Dunne, and his late uncle and aunt, famous writers John Gregory Dunne and Joan Didion.
During the midday group, Dunne talked about the latest family matters: Didion’s post-death publication, which includes diary-like entries for her husband, who describes her conversations with psychiatrists about her daughter’s alcoholism and possible suicidal tendencies.
Dunn said he learned about the publication of deep personal works only the day before the public announcement.
“I can debate how she feels about both sides,” he said. “She is a reporter for her own life.”
Also at noon, more than 100 people gathered in the Eileen Norris cinema to listen to authors Ea Hanks, Laurie Woolerver, Sloane Crosley and Kareem Rosser discuss writing and handling grief with host Elizabeth Crane.
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The author reflects on the nature and stages of grief during the hour-long panel. Many went through double losses – into their writing process thinking they would reflect on one loss, but just to cause another.
“Even if these five stages do exist, it’s so nonlinear.”
There are moments of humor in the writer’s tragic narrative. The crowd laughed as Crosley and Hanks laughed at the good Spotify playlist.
Crosley grieves her lost jewelry in “Sadness is for people,” until she is also forced to ignore the jewelry that lost her best friend and mentor to commit suicide.
Hanks, the author of “10: Memoirs of Family and Open Roads,” attempts to deal with her mother’s life and death, as she travels alone on Interstate 10, as well as the death of a close friend. She is the daughter of Tom Hanks and his first wife, the late Susan Dillingham, who used the stage name Samantha Lewes.
Hanks also shared some of her insights on the sad process.
“If someone was there and tried to write, then you knew it would be better,” Hanks said of “Suffocation” after receiving her first book deal. “It took a decade, so the catharsis of the publication…is about my creative recovery.”
Paige Desorbo and Hannah Berner, co-hosts of the popular podcast “The Giggly Squad”, bring the relaxed and candid conversation to the main stage of the festival. The ridiculous duo this month published “How to Cheer: A Guide to Taking Life Seriously,” a proposal similar to the early 2000s teen magazine filled with quizzes, exclusive photos of famous best friends and heartfelt relationship suggestions.
“I didn’t know we had so many smart people,” Bernard said as hello a crowd of fans named “The Fool.”
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In a conversation hosted by Alyssa Bereznak, editor of Time Health, Desorbo and Berner open up the beginning of their friendship, experiences on reality TV and how they cope with anxiety. Their jokes are laughed and snickered as they tease themselves and share their passion.
When asked how to find friendships like the ones they share, Desorbo replied: “You have to find someone who can really work with yourself.”
The festival begins Friday night at the 45th Los Angeles Times Awards ceremony at the Bovard Auditorium at the University of Southern California. These awards recognize outstanding literary achievements and celebrate the author’s highest writing quality at all stages of his career.
The winners announced 13 categories in their works published last year. Find one List of winners.
Additionally, award-winning writer Pico Iyer received the Robert Kirsch Award for his lifelong achievements and celebrated the Innovator Award for his Innovator for promoting literacy, enhancing youth capabilities and raising awareness of important issues.
The ceremony opened with a speech by Times executive editor Terry Tang, and was hosted by Times columnist LZ Granderson.
“In a world that feels so confusing and painful now, this weekend gives us all the opportunity to find a sense of unity, purpose and support,” said Don.
Book Festival lasts until Sunday. More information, including event schedules, can be found on the festival’s website.
