The Wisconsin Book Festival’s four-day celebration will take place October 17–20 in and around Madison Public Library’s Central Library. This year’s lineup includes:
- Maya Dusenbery, editor of the award-winning site Feministing.com, for Doing Harm: The Truth About How Bad Medicine and Lazy Science Leave Women Dismissed, Misdiagnosed, and Sick on Thursday, October 17, 7 p.m.
- Newbery Award-winning children’s author Kate DiCamillo for the Charlotte Zolotow Lecture on Thursday, October 17, 7:30 p.m.
- Orange Prize winner Téa Obrecht for Inland on Friday, October 18, 7:30 p.m.
- Economic Policy Institute co-founder Robert Kuttner for The Stakes: 2020 and the Survival of American Democracy on Saturday, October 19, 1:30 p.m.
- National Book Award finalist Marie Arana for Silver, Sword, and Stone: Three Crucibles in the Latin American Story on Saturday, October 19, 3 p.m.
- Olympic figure skating bronze medalist and Dancing with the Stars alum Adam Rippon for Beautiful on the Outside on Saturday, October 19, 4:30 p.m.
- Political strategists Donna Brazile and Yolanda Caraway for For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Politics on Saturday, October 19, 6 p.m.
- Activist Megan Phelps-Roper for Unfollow: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church on Saturday, October 19, 7:30 p.m.
- Acclaimed editor Michele Filgate for What My Mother and I Don’t Talk About on Saturday, October 19, 9 p.m.
The festival will feature more than 60 events over four days, with plenty of opportunities to meet authors, discover new books or favorite writers, and have books signed. View the full festival lineup here.
“It’s difficult to pick a favorite from this year’s lineup,” said Festival Director Conor Moran. “There are incredibly timely books about topics of national importance like gender equity, representation in the public sphere, and the ideas that make us who we are. We have Wisconsin authors writing in every genre, and the quality of our audiences and events continues to make Madison a marquee event destination.”
In addition to the four-day celebration each fall, the Wisconsin Book Festival offers author events throughout the year. Upcoming events include: Christopher Leonard for Kochland (September 13); Bud Selig for The Good of the Game (September 19); Jesse Lee Kercheval for America that island off the coast of France (September 19); Oliver Baez Bendorf for Advantages of Being Evergreen (September 20); Samantha Power for The Education of an Idealist (September 24); and Anna-Lisa Cox for The Bone and Sinew of the Land (September 26).
The Wisconsin Book Festival is hosted by Madison Public Library in partnership with Madison Public Library Foundation.
Become a Festival Member
If you love attending festival events, join our membership program! For a gift of $100 or more, you’ll receive:
- reserved seating at up to a dozen select festival programs
- an invitation to an exclusive members and sponsors event
Make your membership gift or learn more on the festival’s Give page.
Thanks to Our Festival Sponsors
Did you know that each year, Madison Public Library Foundation privately raises half the funds — more than $125,000 — needed to bring free Wisconsin Book Festival events to the community? We’re so thankful to the many businesses, foundations, organizations and individuals for their contributions.
SIGNATURE SPONSOR
Marvin J. Levy
PRESENTING SPONSOR
Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation
FESTIVAL PATRON
Cheryl Rosen Weston
CELEBRATION SPONSORS
American Girl’s Fund for Children
The Bass Family
National Endowment for the Arts
Nimick Forbesway Foundation
CONTRIBUTING SPONSORS
Capitol Lakes
Friends of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries
Great Dane Pub & Brewing Co.
Madison Gas & Electric Foundation
Stafford Rosenbaum LLP
University Research Park
IN-KIND SPONSORS
Isthmus
Park Hotel
Wisconsin Public Radio