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Attention, LA Literati: An Inside Guide To The 2012 LA Times Festival of Books
Photo by montereypublicschools via Flickr
Let the onslaught of all things literary in Los Angeles begin. The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books is descending on our city this weekend and it promises to pack a seriously bookish punch. From fiction and poetry, to cooking, to a children’s stage and more, the 2012 LATFOB is only a few days away—and we can hardly wait. To tide you over until the gates open, here’s a rundown of all you need to know for this year’s festivities:Dates: April 21-22. Saturday: 10am-6pm. Sunday: 10am-5pm.
Digs: USC Campus at the intersection of Exposition Boulevard and South Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA, 90089.
Admission and Tickets: As always, general admission is free. But the panels are the best part! Don’t worry; panel tickets are ‘free,’ with a service charge of a whopping $1. Still, we suggest you reserve your tickets for some of the more star-studded panels, or for those panels you’re just dying to see—tickets for headliner talks can sell out fast. You can reserve individual tickets here.
Directions: The LATFOB recommends 2 easy entrance points: (1) take the Exposition Boulevard exit from the 110 and make a right at the end of the exit, one block down, onto the campus (2) take the Vermont exit from the 10 freeway south to Jefferson Boulevard.
Parking: $10. USC Lot 1, structures A, D, 1 and 2. Free shuttles will run from the USC parking center and the L.A. Coliseum Lot 2. Here’s a map.
Transportation: Target will be operating its Bullseye Buses again this year, free of charge to festival-goers. They will be on a continuous loop from Union Station to USC, and it’s a fine time to check out our city’s public transportation system if you haven’t yet. The F Line has scheduled pick-ups every 20 minutes and fare will be $.50 per ride. For more info, check out the LATFOB’s transportation page.
Authors: Among the many authors we’re dying to see, here are a few noteworthy authors, celebs, and attendees expected on the scene; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Ian Black, Aimee Bender, Reza Aslan, Judy Blume, T.C. Boyle, Henri Cole, Steve Erickson, Dan Fante, Janet Fitch, Jonathan Gold, Sugar Ray Leonard, John Cusack Amelia Gray, Etgar Keret, Rodney King, Ricki Lake, Tom Lutz, Haryette Mullen, Mary Otis, Tori Spelling, Cheryl Strayed, Louise Steinman, Betty White, and David Ulin. The full (and long) list can be found here.
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6 Panels We Recommend:
1. California Literature: The Big Picture with Ralph Lewin, Tom Lutz, Carol Muske-Dukes, and Oscar Villalon
2. Rodney King in Conversation with Patt Morrison
3. Fiction: California Dreamin’ with Steve Erickson, Hari Kunzru, Dana Spiotta, and David Ulin
4. T.C. Boyle with an introduction by Ralph Lewin
5. Fiction: Whimsical Visions with Amelia Gray, Etgar Keret, Sara Levine, Ben Loory, and Carolyn Kellogg
6. Poetry: Thoughts That Breathe, Words That Burn with Harryette Mullen, Douglas Kearney, David St. John, Dawn Lundy Martin, and Matthew Zapruder
*The full list of panels can be found here.
The LATFOB Smartphone App: To help you navigate the many features of this years festival, be sure to download the LATFOB app for your iPhone or Androiddevice. You’ll find a detailed schedule, map, and a chance to win giveaways at this year’s event.
For more information on the literary festivities set to take over USC campus this weekend, be sure to follow LATFOB on Twitter and Facebook for live updates on parking and scheduling.
Los Angeles Times Festival of Books @ USC
Saturday April 21, 2012 from 10am - 6pm
Sunday, April 22, 2012 from 10am - 5pm
General admission is free. Parking is $10.
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