Tayari Jones, Brian Goldstone on 2026 Decatur Book Festival lineup
The Decatur Book Festival will be returning for its 21st anniversary Oct. 2-3 in downtown Decatur. The festival announced the first 16 names of more than 70 authors set to present this year.
They are:
Tareasa “Reesa Teesa” Johnson, “What (TF) Do I Do Now?: Reclaiming Myself, One Piece at a Time”
The creator of the viral TikTok series “Who TF Did I Marry?” shares her memoir on surviving a toxic relationship, healing and self-reflection.
Tomi Adeyemi, “The Siren”
Adeyemi, a three-time New York Times bestselling author, will discuss her new dark academia novel about female rage and longing.
Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko, “I Am a Good Dog: A Dogtown Book”
“I Am a Good Dog” is a continuation of the New York Times bestselling children’s series “Dogtown” where Metal Head, a robot dog in the Dogtown shelter, looks to find a forever home.
Marcia Chatelain, “How Bright the Path Grows: The Untold Story of the Women Who Made the March on Washington”
Chatelain, a Pulitzer Prize winning author, shares the story of the Black artists and activists who were at the 1963 March on Washington.
Ryan Douglass, “Night of Madness”
This horror novel brings together teen influencers competing in a horror movie-themed overnight competition, only for them to realize it’s not just a game.
Brian Goldstone, “There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America”
This Pulitzer Prize winning book by former Decatur resident Goldstone focuses on the rise of the working homeless in cities across America through the stories of five Atlanta families. Goldstone will serve as the keynote speaker on Friday night.
Meherwan Irani, “No. 1 Best Indian Cookbook in the World: At-Home Recipes from the Streets, Truck Stops, Villages, and Palaces of India”
Irani, the co-owner of Chai Pani restaurant in Decatur and a James Beard Award winning chef, shares more than 100 of his recipes.
This Emory professor shares a novel about two lifelong friends whose worlds converge in the face of tragedy after many years apart.
Pedro Martín, “Mexikid Dreams: A Graphic Memoir”
This is the graphic memoir companion to Newbery Honor winner “Mexikid” that tells the story of a year of growth and change for a Mexican American boy and his family.
J. Tom Morgan, “A Rainy Night in Georgia: A Lawman’s Brutal Murder, a Rogue Southern Sheriff, and a Prosecutor’s Quest for Justice”
This book is part true crime thriller, part memoir as it follows the aftermath of Derwin Brown’s killing in December 2000.
Steven Raichlen, “Man on Fire: Of Life, Love, Literature, and Really Good Barbecue”
This memoir by former PBS TV host Raichlen reveals how a kid from Baltimore, armed with a degree in French literature, launched a barbecue revolution.
Eliot Schrefer, “Fatal Glitch: Let’s Play a Game”
In Schrefer’s latest book, AI has infiltrated the newest toy craze, a stuffed animal with spooky capabilities and sinister intentions.
Arthur Sze, “Transient Worlds: On Translating Poetry”
U.S. poet laureate delves into his personal poetry anthology that showcases a goal of global literary citizenship.
Aiden Thomas, “Cemetery Boys: Espíritu”
This book follows characters Julian and Yadriel as they aim to stop the threat of demons and spirits that could tear their world apart.
Nghi Vo, “The Scarlet Ball”
This book of ballrooms and bloodshed merges the worlds of “The Gilded Age” with the Gothic vision of Guillermo del Toro.
What else to expect
In addition to these authors, the Decatur Book Festival will celebrate the 2026 winners of the Lillian Smith Book Awards with a session in partnership with the Southern Regional Council, University of Georgia Libraries and DeKalb County Public Library/Georgia Center for the Book.
DBF will also have sessions partnered with Georgia Humanities, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
The full Decatur Book Festival lineup and schedule will be announced Aug. 18.
Readers can expect author panels, book signings and other activities. The event is free to attend. All book signing lines require a purchase of the author’s latest book.
“For 21 years, the Decatur Book Festival has brought together authors and readers for this beloved literary event,” executive director Bailee Yarbrough said in a prepared statement. “DBF remains committed to keeping literature accessible to all members of the greater Atlanta area with this free book festival.”
DBF was founded in 2005 by Daren Wang and Thomas Bell.
In 2023, the festival went on hiatus to regroup, and Yarbrough took over as executive director this year. Anna Dobben also came on board as DBF’s literary director.
For more information on the festival, visit decaturbookfestival.com.