BookExpo America Announces '06 Speaker Program

Barack Obama

On Wednesday, March 8, BookExpo America (BEA) announced the speakers for its events programs, which include the popular morning author events. With the convention's first return to Washington, D.C., in over 20 years, the speakers this year include a healthy dose of political pundits, including Pat Buchanan, Ariana Huffington, Frank Rich, and Andrew Sullivan. Also featured at this year's breakfasts will be Barack Obama, John Updike, and Monica Ali, while Tim Russert will host the Opening Night Keynote on Thursday, May 18, from 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. BEA is scheduled for May 18, through May 21, at the Washington Convention Center.

"I have always felt honored to be associated with BEA when the speakers are announced," said Courtney Muller, group vice president at Reed Exhibitions. "The book industry is built on the strength of its authors, and we are incredibly fortunate to be able to host these creative and talented individuals at our show," adding that "this year's speakers represent a terrific cross-section of authors with new books coming out, and I am grateful to all of them, as well as their publishers, for taking to the time to greet our audience."

John Updike Photo credit: Martha Updike

On Friday, May 19, Laurie Halse Anderson; Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson; and Marc Brown will be featured at the Children's Book & Author Breakfast, which is presented in cooperation with the Children's Booksellers and Publishers Committee [a cooperative committee of the American Booksellers Association (ABA), Association of Booksellers for Children (ABC), and the Children's Book Council (CBC)].

Saturday's Book & Author Breakfast will feature talks by Obama, Amy Sedaris,and John Updike, and will be hosted by Marie Arana. Admission for the Book & Author breakfasts is $30, and the events will be held each morning from 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. in Ballroom A of the Washington Convention Center.

In addition to the breakfast programs, BEA will offer its Saturday Book & Author Luncheon, from noon - 2:00 p.m. in Ballroom A. The luncheon will feature Pat Buchanan, Ariana Huffington, Frank Rich, and Andrew Sullivan, and will be hosted by Lynn Sherr. Admission for the luncheon is $49.

Also on Saturday, from 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.. will be "The Heard Word: BEA's Audiobook and Author Tea" in Room 147 A & B. This year's tea will feature Jim Belushi, Mark Bowden, Joseph Finder, and George Pelecanos. The event is hosted by the Audio Publishers Association and admission is $20.

At present, the line-up of BEA '06 Special Events include:

Thursday, May 18

Tim Russert photo credit: Kelly Campbell.

BEA's Opening Night Keynote, 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., Ballroom A

• Tim Russert, author of Wisdom of our Fathers: Lessons and Letters from Daughters and Sons (Random House)

Friday, May 19

Children's Book & Author Breakfast, 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m., Ballroom A, $30

• Laurie Halse Anderson, author of Speak (Puffin Books/Penguin Young Readers Group)
• Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, co-authors of Peter and the Shadow Thieves (Hyperion Books/Disney Publishing Worldwide)
• Marc Brown, who is celebrating the 30th anniversary of his popular Arthur series (Little, Brown & Company and Random House Children's Books)

Saturday, May 20

Saturday Book & Author Breakfast, 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m., Ballroom A, $30

• Barack Obama, author of The Audacity of Hope (Crown Publishing Group)
• Amy Sedaris, author of I Like You (Warner Books)
• John Updike, author of Terrorist (Alfred A. Knopf)
• Host: Marie Arana, author of Cellophane (Dial Press)

Saturday Book & Author Luncheon, noon - 2:00 p.m., Ballroom A, $49

• Pat Buchanan, author of State of Emergency (Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin's Press);
• Ariana Huffington, author of On Becoming Fearless: Advice for Women (Little, Brown and Company);
• Frank Rich, author of The Greatest Story Ever Sold: Bush's America from "Mission Accomplished" to "Heckuva Job, Brownie" (Penguin Press)
• Andrew Sullivan, author of The Conservative Soul: How We Lost It, How to Get It Back (HarperCollins)
• Host: Lynn Sherr, author of Outside the Box: A Memoir (Rodale Books)

The Heard Word: BEA's Audiobook & Author Tea, 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., Room 147 A&B, $20

• Jim Belushi, author of Real Men Don't Apologize! (Brilliance Audio)
• Mark Bowden, author of Guests of the Ayatollah (Simon & Schuster Audio)
• Joseph Finder, author of Killer Instinct (Audio Renaissance)
• George Pelecanos, author of The Night Gardener (Time Warner Audio)
• .Host: the Audio Publishers Association.

Sunday, May 21

Sunday Book & Author Breakfast, 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m., Ballroom A, $30

• Richard Ford, author of The Lay of the Land (Alfred A. Knopf)
• Monica Ali, author of Alentejo Blue (Scribner)
• Anderson Cooper, author of Dispatches From the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters, and Survival (HarperCollins)
• Host: Andy Borowitz, author of The Republican Playbook: Dirty Tricks, Distortions, and Other Keys to Victory (Hyperion)