Montclair Literary Fest Announces 2018 Author Lineup

MONTCLAIR, NJ — After hosting the inaugural Montclair Literary Festival earlier this year, organizers have announced the initial lineup for the 2018 festival. Bestselling author Tom Perrotta who wrote “Mrs. Fletcher,” “The Leftovers,” “Election,” and “Little Children,” will appear alongside Patrick Wilson, who starred in the movie version of Little Children. They will talk about the process of transferring fiction to film and TV, and interpreting literary characters on film. Wilson’s wife, novelist and actress Dagmara Dominczyk, will moderate the conversation.

Also on the preliminary list of confirmed authors is New York Times bestselling author Anna Quindlen, who will talk about her forthcoming novel, “Alternate Side,” and National Book Award Finalist Min Jin Lee, author of popular bestseller, “Pachinko.”

Poet and MSU professor Michael Robbins will discuss how poetry and pop music serve as essential tools for living, and Joshua Zeitz will speak about “Building the Great Society: Inside Lyndon Johnson’s White House House” and his other books of political history.

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The 2018 festival will be held from Friday, March 16, to Sunday, March 18 at the Montclair Public Library, First Congregational Church, Montclair State University and Montclair Art Museum.

The 2017 festival highlights included a sold-out event with Trevor Noah in conversation at Montclair State University and distinguished New Jerseyan Paul Auster reading from his Man Booker Prize short-listed novel “4 3 2 1.”

• See related article: Daily Show's Trevor Noah To Headline 1st Montclair Literary Fest

Co-directors of the festival Jacqueline Mroz and Catherine Platt have been firming up authors and panel discussions since the summer.

“After the amazing feedback we had this year, we’ve been working hard to produce an even stronger program for 2018,” said Catherine, a former coordinator of the Bookworm International Literary Festival in Chengdu, China.

The festival is seeking sponsors to assist with the running costs of the event. All funds raised at the festival will support the non-profit founding sponsor Succeed2gether. Succeed2gether provides free tutoring, after-school and summer enrichment programs for children in need in Essex County, with the primary aim of closing the achievement gap.

More details about the festival, the current author lineup and sponsorship opportunities can be found on the festival’s website here.

This news release comes courtesy of the Montclair Literary Festival. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site here.

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Photo courtesy of Montclair Literary Festival / HBO