The eighth annual AJC Decatur Book Festival Presented by DeKalb Medical starts in only 72 days away. Following yesterday’s press launch, we have lots of information on this year’s event. Here are some highlights:

The keynote address will be delivered by Congressman John Lewis, author of March, the first in a graphic novel trilogy, on August 30th — 50 years (and two days) after delivering his famous speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom as chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. Mr. Lewis is a man who has long known that words matter.

The revolution is at hand, and we must free ourselves of the chains of political and economic slavery. The nonviolent revolution is saying, “We will not wait for the courts to act, for we have been waiting hundreds of years. We will not wait for the President, nor the Justice Department, nor Congress, but we will take matters into our own hands, and create a great source of power, outside of any national structure that could and would assure us victory.” For those who have said, “Be patient and wait!” we must say, “Patience is a dirty and nasty word.” We cannot be patient, we do not want to be free gradually, we want our freedom, and we want it now. We cannot depend on any political party, for the Democrats and the Republicans have betrayed the basic principles of the Declaration of Independence.

Caldecott Honor winning author/illustrator Tomie dePaola will present this year’s kidnote address. His new book, Strega Nona Does It Again, features his beloved heroine.

Other amazing authors coming this year include Richard Blanco, Marcia Clark, Lev and Austin Grossman, Lily Koppel, David Levithan, Robert Morgan, Jason Mott, Naomi Wolfe, and Zane. Want more? Look here. Want even more? Here’s the entire list to date.

Saturday’s parade will be led by Jerry Pinkney, Caldecott medalist and author/illustrator whose new book is The Tortoise and the Hare. Tom Angleberger, author of The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppet, will kick off Sunday’s parade.

art | DBF is perhaps the most exciting edition to this year’s festival. A multitude of arts organizations will be bringing their creativity to downtown Decatur. This could be truly amazing.

This year’s poster was created by author/illustrator Dan Santat…

The AJC Decatur Book Festival’s website has all the news!

This Week

George Packer, author of The Unwinding: The Inner History of the New America, Wednesday, June 19th at 7pm, Carter Library, $10 or free with the purchase of the book.

Temple Grandin, author of The Autistic Brain: Thinking Across the Spectrum, Wednesday, June 19th at 7pm, First Baptist Church Decatur, sponsored by Georgia Center for the Book, free.

Neil Gaiman, author of The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Saturday, June 22nd at 7pm, sponsored by Eagle Eye Book Shop, tickets long sold out but I believe you can still order a signed copy.

Ren and Helen Davis, authors of Atlanta Walks: A Comprehensive Guide to Walking, Running, and Bicycling the Area’s Scenic and Historic Locales, Monday, June 24th at 6:30pm, Decatur Library, sponsored by Georgia Center for the Book, free and includes a walking tour of Decatur starting at 7:30.

Mary Kay Andrews, author of Ladies’ Night, and Claire Cook, author of Time Flies, Monday, June 24th at 6:30pm, Book Exchange, $7 and you must RSVP.

Dorthea Benton Frank, author of The Last Original Wife, Monday, June 24th at 7pm, Margaret Mitchell House, $10.

Kent Wascom, author of Blood of Heaven, Wednesday, June 26th at 7pm, Highland Inn Ballroom, sponsored by A Cappella Books, free.

The Decatur Book Festival announced this afternoon that Congressman John Lewis would deliver the keynote address at this year’s Labor Day weekend festival.

According to a press release sent out by the festival, Congressman Lewis will “deliver the keynote address (to be held at the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts at Emory, at 8 p.m. on Friday, August 30), sharing the first publication of his brand new graphic novel trilogy series – March: Book One.”

Other notable writers and illustrators at this year’s event include Tomie DePaola, Richard Blanco, Naomi Wolfe, Jason Mott and Lev and Austin Grossman.  And a whole host of others!

Click here for lots more details!