Wasatch Festival of Books

Celebrate books with panel discussions, talks, and signings, and browse tables with independent publishers, booksellers, and authors. In partnership with Utah Humanities and the Utah Book Festival.

Lineup
Authors:
Jennifer Adams
Stephanie Bearce
Stacie Shannon Denetsosie
Laurie Lee Hall
Allison Hong Merrill
Lisa Mangum
Marci Monson
Chad Morris
Brandon Mull
Jeff Nichols
Zak Podmore
Paisley Rekdal
Bookseller/Library Panelists:
Matthew Daufenbach (SLCPL)
Orion Enceladus (Legendarium)
Nancy Funes (SLCPL)
Anne Holman (TKE)
Patrick Ramsey (Happy Magpie)
Catherine Walker (Weller)
Raelle Westwind (Legendarium)
In Conversation With / Moderators / Facilitators:
Noah Baskett
Barbara Jones Brown
Cal Crosby
Will Neville-Rehbehn
Jedediah Rogers

Schedule of Events

3:00 pm - 3:45 pm: Creative Tensions - "Freedom to Read" featuring Paisley Rekdal and Noah Baskett, facilitated by Will Neville-Rehbehn

Can stories be dangerous? Join this interactive discussion with poet Paisley Rekdal and SLCPL Executive Director Noah Baskett defending the freedom to read.  Together, we will explores the power of reading, book bans in Utah, and the impact of censorship in our communities.

4:00 pm - 4:45 pm: Discussion - "Timeless Stories for a New Generation"

Join two children's book authors as they discuss how turning classic novels into books for young children can instill a love of learning at an early age. From Jane Austen to Agatha Christie, these books will spark a passion for learning and reading that will last into adulthood

4:00 pm - 4:45 pm Discussion - Voices of the Great Salt Lake: A Journey Through Art, Words, and Experience

Moderated by Jedediah Rogers, writers, artists, and outdoor recreationists come together to explore the Great Salt Lake as a place of wonder, precipice, and hope.

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm: Keynote - Stacie Shannon Denetsosie, award-winning author of The Missing Morningstar, in conversation with Cal Crosby

Stacie Shannon Denetsosie (Diné) is the author of “The Missing Morningstar and Other Stories," which aas named a 2024 Southwest Book of the Year, was a 2024 PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize finalist, and a Gold Forward Indies award winner. Cal Crosby is co-owner of The King's English Bookshop.