Jaipur Literature Festival announces first US event

Nearly a decade after its inception, Jaipur Literature Festival is heading to Boulder in the US this September for three days of books, ideas, performance art, dialogue and debate on contemporary issues.
Over 100 authors, thinkers, poets and performers have been lined up to participate in the Zee Jaipur Literature Festival at Boulder in Colorado beginning on September 18, organisers said today.
"We at JLF are looking forward to a stimulating and inspirational edition in beautiful Boulder, Colorado," Namita Gokhale, author and co-director of the Jaipur Literature Festival said.
Participating authors include Jung Chang, Pulitzer Prize winning poet Vijay Seshadri, Moroccan-American essayist and novelist Laila Lalami, Israeli journalist, political commentator and author Gideon Levy, Chinese-American best-selling author Anchee Min and journalist, historian and award-winning author Simon Sebag-Montefiore.

"Boulder is a long way from Jaipur, and we are proud to erect our literary 'Big Top' in town and to bring the energy, sparkle and brilliance of Indian writing to a very different world," William Dalrymple, author and co-director, JLF said.
Scheduled to be held at the Boulder Public Library and Civic Lawns, the festival has lined up lead-up activities at the Boulder Public Library, the University of Colorado at Boulder, Naropa University, the Denver Public Library and the Denver Art Museum besides other venues.

"The program for JLF@Boulder will consist of interviews and panel discussions, along with audience Q&A, addressing timely themes of local and international importance each led by two to four authors," organisers said.

Themes are set to cover diverse subjects including migration; politics and conflict; environmental concerns, the poetic imagination and Native American voices.
"JLF@Boulder will include a focus on Native American, Latino, African American, Asian American and regional literature," organisers said.
The festival will bring together Indian-American, Asian and Latin American authors to explore a variety of literary topics and themes of local and international interest.
The festival was founded in 2008.