2014 National Book Festival

David Taylor from the Library of Congress speaks with Louisa Lim, who will appear at the 2014 National Book Festival on August 30 in Washington, D.C.BiographyLouisa Lim is an NPR international correspondent based in Beijing. In her book “The People’s Republic of Amnesia: Tiananmen Revisited,” Lim uncovers a tragedy from China’s modern history that has been untold for nearly 25 years. Through eyewitness accounts and investigative research, she explores the disastrous events of June 4, 1989, when People’s Liberation Army soldiers opened fire on unarmed civilians in Beijing, killing hundreds of people.

Karen Jaffe from the Library of Congress speaks with Cokie Roberts, who will appear at the 2014 National Book Festival on August 30 in Washington, D.C.BiographyJournalist Cokie Roberts is a senior correspondent for NPR as well as a frequent guest on various Washington public affairs programs. Roberts is also an accomplished author, with several books to her credit, including “We Are Our Mothers’ Daughters,” “Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raise Our Nation” and “Ladies of Liberty: The Women Who Shaped Our Nation.” Roberts’ new book, “Founding Mothers: Remembering the Ladies,” is for young people.

Jennifer Gavin from the Library of Congress speaks with Anne Hillerman, who will appear at the 2014 National Book Festival on August 30 in Washington, D.C.BiographyThe characters Jim Chee, Joe Leaphorn and Bernadete Manuelito, made famous by Tony Hillerman, get a new story line in “Spider Woman’s Daughter,” by Hillerman’s daughter, Anne Hillerman. “Spider Woman” is Anne Hillerman’s first novel, though not her first book. She is the author of the award-winning “Tony Hillerman’s Landscape: On the Road with Chee and Leaphorn.”

Agnieszka Pukniel from the Library of Congress speaks with Laura & Peter Zeranski, who will appear at the 2014 National Book Festival on August 30 in Washington, D.C.BiographyHusband-and-wife cooking team Laura and Peter Zeranski have focused on the art of Polish cuisine for almost 40 years. Peter’s mother, Alina Zeranska, encouraged a love for Polish food in the family after publishing “The Art of Polish Cooking” in 1968, a critically acclaimed best-seller. Peter Zeranski continued the work of honoring Polish culture, publishing “Polish Classic Recipes” in 2011 with his wife. In “Polish Classic Desserts,” this cooking duo offers another addition to their Classic Recipes series, this time serving up Poland’s sweetest traditions.

George Thuronyi from the Library of Congress speaks with Nina Khrushcheva, who will appear at the 2014 National Book Festival on August 30 in Washington, D.C.BiographyAuthor and scholar Nina Khrushcheva is associate professor in the Graduate Program of International Affairs at the New School and a senior fellow of the World Policy Institute, where she is director of the Russia Project. In her part memoir, part investigative book, “The Lost Khrushchev: A Journey into the Gulag of the Russian Mind,” she gives a personal account of her family history and the story of her grandfather Leonid Khrushchev, eldest son of former Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev.

Martha Kennedy from the Library of Congress speaks with Liza Donnelly, who will appear at the 2014 National Book Festival on August 30 in Washington, D.C.BiographyAuthor and cartoonist Liza Donnelly is best known for her career with The New Yorker, where she has been drawing cartoons on culture and politics for more than 30 years. Her work has been featured in several notable publications, such as The New York Times, The Harvard Business Review and The Nation, and she is a regular cartoonist for Forbes.com and Women’s Enews, most often featuring cartoons about women’s rights.

Rosemary Girard from the Library of Congress speaks with Theodore Taylor III, who will appear at the 2014 National Book Festival on August 30 in Washington, D.C.BiographyTheodore Taylor III is a Washington- based artist, designer and photographer. He studied communication arts at Virginia Commonwealth University. Written by Laban Carrick Hill and illustrated by Taylor, “When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop,” offers kids an explanation of an underrepresented piece of history.

Isabella Hyun from the Library of Congress speaks with Billy Collins, who will appear at the 2014 National Book Festival on August 30 in Washington, D.C.BiographyFormer Poet Laureate (2001-2003) Billy Collins has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Guggenheim Foundation and the New York Foundation for the Arts. Bruce Weber of The New York Times has called Collins “the most popular poet in America.” While he was Poet Laureate, Collins created the popular Poetry 180 website (loc.gov/poetry/180/) for the Library of Congress, which offers a poem a day throughout the school year. Collins’ new collection of poems is “Aimless Love.”

Karen Jaffe from the Library of Congress speaks with Kate DiCamillo, who will appear at the 2014 National Book Festival on August 30 in Washington, D.C.BiographyThe National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature of the Library of Congress and the Children’s Book Council, Kate DiCamillo is the recipient of the 2014 Newbery Medal for her latest novel, “Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures.” Her first published novel, “Because of Winn-Dixie,” also won a Newbery.

Jennifer Gavin from the Library of Congress speaks with Carla Hall, who will appear at the 2014 National Book Festival on August 30 in Washington, D.C.BiographyCarla Hall first won the hearts of fans on Bravo’s “Top Chef,” where she was later voted Fan Favorite for her warmth, enthusiasm and delicious food. She is co-host of ABC’s popular lifestyle series “The Chew,” where she shares her love of cooking comfort food by using fresh, seasonal ingredients. In “Cooking with Love: Comfort Food That Hugs You,” Hall shares more than 100 recipes that feature her modern twists on food classics such as her revolutionized Chicken Pot Pie and Five-Flavor Pound Cake.

David Taylor from the Library of Congress speaks with Kai Bird, who will appear at the 2014 National Book Festival on August 30 in Washington, D.C.BiographyAward-winning author and journalist Kai Bird is best known for his biographies of political figures. Recognized with fellowships from the Thomas J. Watson, Alicia Patterson Journalism and Guggenheim foundations, Bird also co-wrote the Pulitzer Prize-winning biography “American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer.” In his latest work, “The Good Spy: The Life and Death of Robert Ames,” Bird uncovers the legacy of a remarkable operative in the CIA who held influential and effective intelligence on the Middle East.

Rosemary Girard from the Library of Congress speaks with David Sibley, who will appear at the 2014 National Book Festival on August 30 in Washington, D.C.BiographyOrnithologist, author and illustrator David Sibley first published “The Sibley Guide to Birds” in 2000, a book that quickly became known as the nation’s supreme and most comprehensive guide to birds. With his recent second edition of “The Sibley Guide to Birds,” Sibley offers a remastered version of his classic, expanded with updated information, new paintings, new and rare species and elegant design.

Roberto Salazar from the Library of Congress speaks with Meg Medina, who will appear at the 2014 National Book Festival on August 30 in Washington, D.C.BiographyAward-winning Cuban-American author Meg Medina is a writer of books for kids of all ages. She prides herself on being about “strong girls, tough circumstances and the connecting power of culture.” In March 2014 she was recognized as one of the CNN 10 Visionary Women in America. Her newest book is “Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass.” It is a young-adult novel that tells the story of a Latina teen who is forced to experience a journey of self-discovery when she is targeted by a bully at her new school.

Jennifer Gavin from the Library of Congress speaks with Bob Staake, poster artist for the 2014 National Book Festival on August 30 in Washington, D.C.BiographyBob Staake is a nationally acclaimed illustrator and children’s book author. With an extensive list of publications and design clientele such as Time, McDonald’s, Vanity Fair, Nickelodeon, American Express and countless others, he is known as one of the nation’s most successful illustrators, able to charm nearly any audience with his wide variety of work. Staake’s crisp illustrations, signature style and extraordinary knack for design made him the ideal choice to create this year’s poster and art for the National Book Festival.