In another star-studded lineup of authors, pop-stars and power brokers, the 33rd annual Book Festival of the MJCCA presents one of the country’s most powerful women in politics for its closing night event: Nancy Pelosi.
A middle-aged mother of five when she decided to run for office, the 84-year-old congresswoman and former Speaker of the House will discuss her new book, “The Art of Power” (Simon & Schuster, $30), with AJC political reporter Greg Bluestein.
“We’re very excited about it. She’s a fascinating woman and incredibly accomplished,” said festival director Pam Morton. “I was fascinated by her memoir because she came into politics later in her life.”
Pelosi won’t sign books at the event, but she will take questions from the audience following her talk.
Credit: Ballantine Books
Credit: Ballantine Books
The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta’s book festival takes place Nov. 2-17 in Dunwoody, and it opens with New York Times bestselling author Emily Giffin, promoting her latest beach read, “The Summer Pact” (Ballantine Books, $30). A departure for the Atlanta author, the novel focuses more on the bonds of friendship than romantic love.
Another big name on the marquee is Dr. Anthony Dr. Fauci, former chief medical adviser to the President of the United States.
“Talk about accomplished. Talk about amazing. He worked under seven presidential administrations,” said Morton. “He saw us through SARS and anthrax and West Nile — which, by the way, he’s just getting over — Ebola, the AIDS epidemic. He was the face of the pandemic. I think he’s got some things to say.”
Fauci will talk about his book “On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service” (Viking, $36) with Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice, president of Morehouse School of Medicine.
Credit: Amazon
Credit: Amazon
After a devastating year of violence in the Middle East, festival planners have organized much of its programming around the State of Israel.
“It’s been a really tough year for the Jewish community with everything that’s going on in Israel, and we have focused a lot of our speakers this year on Israel,” said Morton.
One of the headliners is Lior Raz, executive producer and star of the Netflix series “Fauda.”
Raz does not have a new book out but is instead being presented as a special event. “We were so excited to get him to come in and talk about boots on the ground and what was happening in Israel from a firsthand point of view,” said Morton.
Credit: Book Festival of the MJCCA
Credit: Book Festival of the MJCCA
In related programming, Noa Tishby, an actor, producer, author and former special envoy to Israel, will speak with former Georgia Aquarium CEO Mike Leven about challenges facing Israel today. Ticket sales support an organization that provides services to victims of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack and ongoing war.
Representing the festival’s pop culture component is actor Michael Richards, who disappeared from the public eye after he launched a rant at some hecklers at a comedy club in 2006. Now he’s back with the memoir “Entrances and Exits” (Permuted Press, $35), which addresses the incident as well as his nine years playing the indelible character Cosmo Kramer on “Seinfeld.” Speaking of which, Jerry Seinfeld provides the foreword. Richards will be in conversation with AJC reporter Rodney Ho.
Credit: Permuted Press
Credit: Permuted Press
“He is very humble, charming, sweet, very unassuming. His story is an incredible one and, of course, he is one of the most beloved characters on television. But he’s so much more than that,” said Morton.
Cookbooks are also included in the mix. Notable among them is “The Eucalyptus Cookbook” (Gefen Publishing, $45), featuring recipes from Jerusalem chef Moshe Basson’s renowned restaurant of the same name.
Credit: Gefen Publishing
Credit: Gefen Publishing
“Moshe Basson was supposed to come last year,” said Morton. “We had a full house scheduled for him. And his flight was the day after Oct. 7 so, of course, we all know what happened. We are so excited he is finally coming for this book, which is his first cookbook. His fame is, he cooks food that you would find in the Bible, thousands of years ago — ancient grains, lamb and figs, things like that.”
Other highlights include:
• Mitch Albom of “Tuesdays with Morrie” fame promotes “The Little Liar” (Harper, $26.99), a Holocaust novel about lives torn apart by the war. 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11. $25
• Journalist Amir Tibon will talk about “The Gates of Gaza: A Story of Betrayal, Survival and Hope in Israel’s Borderlands” (Hachette, $30), his first-person account of escaping the Oct. 7 attacks with two generations of his family. Lior Raz has optioned the film rights. 7:30 p.m. Nov. 12, $38 including book, $55 two tickets and one book
• Journalists John Quinones and Maria Elena Salinas present their book, “One Year in Uvalde: A Story of Hope and Resilience” (Hyperion Avenue, $29.99), chronicling the lives of those affected by the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Texas. 7:30 p.m. Nov. 10, $25
• Adam Nimoy explores the changing nature of his relationship with his famous father, Leonard Nimoy, who portrayed the inscrutable Spock on “Star Trek,” and the parallel trajectories of their lives in “The Most Human: Reconciling with My Father, Leonard Nimoy” (Chicago Review Press, $30). 1 p.m. Nov. 10, $18.
• Andrew J. Mellen uses tough love and humor to help people separate themselves emotionally from their belongings and turn chaos into calm in his book “Unstuff Your Life: Kick the Clutter Habit and Completely Organize Your Life for Good” (Avery, $24). Noon Nov. 14. $15.
FESTIVAL PREVIEW
Book Festival of the MJCCA. Nov. 2-17. Dates, times and prices vary. Series pass $135. Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. 678-812-4000, atlantajcc.org
Opening night: Emily Giffin. 8 p.m. Nov. 2, $22
Dr. Anthony Fauci. 7:30 p.m. Nov. 3, $48 including book
Chef Moshe Basson. 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7, $22
Michael Richards. 8 p.m. Nov. 9, $45 including book
Noa Tishby. 8 p.m. Nov. 13, $72
Lior Faz. 8 p.m. Nov. 16, $65
Closing night: Nancy Pelosi. 7:30 p.m. Nov. 17. $48 including book, $85 two tickets and one book
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