For three weeks, Dunwoody will be abuzz with literati when the Book Festival of the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA) starts Oct. 28. Festivities kicks off with an appearance by actor John Stamos, aka Uncle Jessie from “Full House,” who will be discussing his upcoming memoir, “If You Would Have Told Me” (MacMillan, $29.99).
He’s not the only actor on the schedule, either. Henry Winkler, the proverbial “nicest man in Hollywood,” appears Nov. 5 to talk about his upcoming memoir, “Being Henry: The Fonz … and Beyond” (MacMillan, $30).
Celebrities aside, the festival features a terrific lineup of authors promoting an intriguing slate of books ranging from biographies and historical fiction to cookbooks and nonfiction examinations of science and politics.
Credit: Sourcebooks
Credit: Sourcebooks
Among the highlights is Benyamin Cohen, who won a Georgia Author of the Year Award in 2009 for his book “My Jesus Year: A Rabbi’s Son Wanders the Bible Belt in Search of His Own Faith,” in which he explored the modern Christian world by participating in a Christian rock concert, an African American megachurch and Easter sunrise services atop Stone Mountain.
Cohen has the unique distinction of being the manager of Albert Einstein’s official social media accounts. Considering the fact that Einstein’s been dead for 68 years, it came as a surprise to me that he had social media accounts, but it’s no surprise to his 20 million followers. Cohen’s latest book, “The Einstein Effect” (Sourcebooks, $16.99), is a cheeky exploration of how the genius remains relevant today. Cohen illustrates Einstein’s modern-day influence in everything from the GPS to the search for alien lifeforce to refugee rescue efforts. Cohen will be in conversation with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Rodney Ho on Oct. 29.
Speaking of Einstein, his biographer Walter Isaacson will be at the festival discussing his latest book, the biography “Elon Musk” (Simon & Schuster, $35). Isaacson was granted tremendous access to Musk and his associates over the course of two years, resulting in this 688-page brick about the world’s richest person, whom the author refers to as a “man-child.” Isaacson will be in conversation with Gail Evans, former executive vice president of CNN, on Nov. 4.
In 2019, Dani Shapiro published The New York Times bestselling memoir “Inheritance,” in which she explores her identity after taking a DNA test and discovering the man who raised her was not her biological father. Her latest book is the 2022 novel “Signal Fires” (Penguin Random House, $17), the paperback version of which publishes this month. It, too, has a deep, dark secret at its core. The novel jumps around in time from 1970 to 2020, but it always returns to 1985 and a car wreck that forever changed the lives of those touched by it. Shapiro will be in conversation with local author Jessica Handler Nov. 9.
Credit: Dey Street Books
Credit: Dey Street Books
Meanwhile, what can’t Judy Gold do? The standup comedian won two Emmy Awards for writing and producing “The Rosie O’Donnell Show.” She had two long-running off-Broadway shows. She has a popular podcast called “Kill Me Now with Judy Gold.” She had a recurring role on Pamela Adlon’s critically acclaimed show “Better Things.” On top of all that, she’s an author. Her 2020 book, “Yes, I Can Say That: When They Come for the Comedians, We Are All in Trouble” (Dey Street Books, $22.99), is part memoir, part history of standup comedy. On Nov. 11 she’ll perform an evening of standup followed by a book signing. This event is recommended for ages 18 and older.
And finally, Ari Shapiro, host of the NPR show “All Things Considered,” has written a collection of personal essays about his behind-the-scenes experiences in life and on the job reporting on stories around the globe. In addition to exploring Shapiro’s identity as a Jewish gay man and his side job as a singer for Pink Martini, “The Best Strangers in the World: Stories from a Life Spent Listening” (HarperCollins, $28.99) takes readers on board Air Force One with President Barack Obama. Shapiro will be in conversation with WSB-TV reporter Michael Seiden on Nov. 12.
For a full schedule of the MJCCA Book Festival and to buy tickets, go to atlantajcc.org.
Suzanne Van Atten is a book critic and contributed editor to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She can be reached at Suzanne.vanatten@ajc.com.
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