Jennifer Egan is an author who defies. Her fictions often embrace unconventional forms, narratives, and literary styles. She has challenged the essentials of literature, whether by unfurling the stiff structure of the novel or reinvigorating the importance of the chapter as both self-contained unit and cog. And for it, there’s been no shortage of acclaim. Egan’s latest novel, A Visit From the Goon Squad, sparked controversy when it won the 2010 National Book Critics Circle Award and upstaged critic favorite Jonathan Franzen—the news of which brought the L.A. Times trouble when the story of Egan’s win ran alongside a curious feature photo of Franzen. And then last month, the once unassuming A Visit From the Goon Squad won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. more ›

This weekend’s LA Times Festival of Books was jam-packed with all things literary. USC’s campus swelled with book-loving Angelenos. Children enjoyed readings by R.L. Stine and Jamie Lee Curtis, USC students waxed poetic from the USC stage, and laughs ebbed from comedian Patton Oswalt's audience. Publishers met new readers, bookstores found new customers, and literacy nonprofits got due public attention. And this weekend’s panels were pretty entertaining. In case you missed any of the festivities, here are some highlights from the 2011 LA Times Festival of Books: more ›