Books for Days

Once a year, the pleasures of the literary expand from you with a single book in your hands to you, along with thousands of others readers, connecting with hundreds of authors at signings and panels that seem to go on for eternity. You can call it heaven, but its official name is the Texas Book Festival. Now in its 23rd year, this annual celebration of the written word allows readers of all ages and all types of books – literature, true crime, biography, cooking, mystery, politics, science fiction & fantasy, Western, poetry, YA, Texana, you name it! – to engage with one another and with the writers they love face-to-face. This year, 300 authors will be on hand at the Texas State Capitol Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 27-28, to speak about their work and autograph copies of their books. The Chronicle Arts & Culture team has reviewed some of the literary riches in store here and at austinchronicle.com/texas-book-festival, with a few author interviews to sweeten the mix. For the full schedule of talks, panel discussions, readings, interviews, and booksignings, visit www.texasbookfestival.org.