Something he needed help with. It had been started early in 2001. Its an idea that really came from laura bush. She asked Jim Billington around the time of the inauguration in 2001, whether or not there was a National Book festival comparable to the one she had started in texas. He said there isnt yet but there will be. So i came up with the idea of how to put together a National Book festival. The idea was to do to the mall and a series of tents that was set up for the first year. It turned out that any sponsorships that were going to be more difficult than they thought it would be. He asked me if i would get involved and i told him i would do to and i began to be a sponsor and the cochair of the event. Ten years or so. Its very important to me that i enjoyed a great deep deal. Its a great gift for the country. As you know we get about 200,000 people come to the day of the festival every year. This year is going to be liberty weekend the saturday of labor day weekend. See map first of
Book festival . I got involved with the Madison Council which is a support arm of the library of congress, it gets most of its money from the federal government but it does not get all of its money from the federal government, there are support people around the country who support the library of congress. I have been involved for a while and i share the madison counsel as it is cold and part of the effort is to help with the National Book festival. For the last 10 or 12 years or so i have cochaired this with the library of congress, first with Tim Billington and with carla hayden. Is there money that you give to work this effort . I do. I have given. Money every year for quite a while and i enjoy it very it is a great free, effort to let people know more about authors and books. We get a couple or maybe 100,000 people or more every year coming here and the importance of it is i want people to learn how to read more and United States are roughly 120 fit in the world in literacy, 125th,
About myself. I hope people are helping you to challenge her own concepts and the concerts around you, of you should be or who you are, i think that as time goes on you will feel more yourself, i think you will find people who see you for you and love you and accept you as who you are and that is ok to challenge the world around you. World is not perfect, it is ideas made up by other people. It is ok to challenge ideas. And i love you, and i appreciate you being here. Thank you roswell that is such a perfect way to end this, rk russell everyone, on behalf of the library of congress, if you are for coming to the National Book festival discussions are coming up, he can find a schedule on my comment joining us now is the cochair of this years National Book festival, david rubenstein, how did you get involved with the National Book festival . I got involved with the Madison Council which is a support arm of the library of congress, it gets most of its money from the federal government but
Welcome to book tvs live coverage of the National Book festival. Some of the authors you will hear from today, and get a chance to talk with historian doug brinkley, rk russell and chest and buttigieg. Some of the topics to be discussed, black literary identity, Environmental Activism and food and culture. It is a full day ahead. We are glad you are here with us on book tv. As i mentioned, this is the 23rd year in a row book tv has partnered with the library of congress to bring you live coverage of the National Book festival. Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden is here to kick off our coverage. Dr. Hayden, for those who were not with us 23 years ago, how did this get started . It is so exciting to be here. You can hear the buzz behind us as everyone is coming in. In 2001, First Lady Laura Bush had been successful as a first lady of texas, starting the texas book fair. It was renowned. When she got to washington, d. C. , she asked my predecessor, dr. Billington, wouldnt it the nice if w
People. Its okay to challenge the ideas and i love you and appreciate you being here. [applause] that is such a perfect way to end. [applause] thank you for coming to the National Book festival. We hope to see you. The cochair, david rubenstein. I got involved with the council that is a support arm of the library of congress that gets its money from the federal government. I chair the council as it is cold and s part of the effort is to try to help with the National Book festival so for the last ten or 12 years or so i cochairedhi this with of the library of congress with jim billington. Is there money that you give towards this effort . I do. I enjoy it. It is a free effort to let people know. We get a couple hundred thousand or more coming every year. The United States is roughly 125th in the world and literacy. 125th. Thats not great. We have a large number of people that are functionally illiterate and a large number who dont readla books at all. 46 did not read a single book durin