Westchester Book Festival debuts in Katonah

By LAURA SCHILLER 

“Reading brings us unknown friends,” wrote Honoré de Balzac, the French novelist and playwright.

That spirit of friendship takes center stage at the inaugural Westchester Book Festival, debuting Saturday, Nov. 8, in Katonah. 

With marquee authors in conversation at the Katonah Village Library, local voices featured at The Reading Room and literary activities in venues across town, the festival is poised to become a new anchor in Westchester’s cultural calendar.

The idea took root when publishing veterans John Glusman, vice president and executive editor at W. W. Norton, and his wife, Emily Bestler, who runs her own imprint at Atria Books, moved to Bedford. Surrounded by a vibrant cultural landscape of film, art and music, they noticed something missing.

“What we didn’t see,” said Glusman, “was a lively, sustained conversation around books. We thought, why not a festival?”

Over coffee with Bedford Town Supervisor Ellen Calves on a sunny May morning in 2024, Glusman described his vision. Calves suggested Katonah itself, ideal for its walkable hamlet and welcoming library in the town’s center. 

From there, the festival began to take shape. With the cooperation of local libraries and the support of a board filled with publishing veterans including figures from W.W. Norton, the Penguin Group, and prominent agencies like InkWell Management, The Gernert Company and many others, plans accelerated. Despite planning having started in earnest only in January, the team secured an impressive lineup of authors and community partners. 

At the festival’s core are author conversations taking place throughout the day at the Katonah Village Library. 

Rather than traditional readings, nationally acclaimed writers are paired in one-on-one dialogues. The goal, Glusman said, is to create “an informal feeling, almost as if you were eavesdropping on a conversation between two fascinating accomplished writers.”

Some writers were matched for their complementing subjects, such as environmentalist Bill McKibben (“The End of Nature”) and New York Times journalist David Wallace-Wells (“The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming”). They will launch the festival on Saturday morning at 10 a.m.

Others are paired for the mix of craft and insights they bring. These include Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Geraldine Brooks (“March”) and memoirist Veronica Chambers, (“Mama’s Girl”), who will share the stage at noon. In the afternoon, two New York Times best-selling authors, Emma Straub (“This Time Tomorrow”) and Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (“Friday Black”), will be in conversation, followed by nonfiction authors David Grann (“The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder”) and Patrick Radden Keefe (“Empire of Pain”).  

Each session runs 45 minutes and is followed by an audience Q&A. Tickets are required to attend the author conversations; proceeds will benefit the Bedford Village, Bedford Hills and Katonah libraries. 

At press time, tickets were still available for some author conversations in an overflow room on the library’s lower level. 

Book signings will be hosted upstairs at the library with titles supplied by The Reading Room, available only to ticketholders.

Local voices at The Reading Room

The festival also highlights regional literary talent in a day-long program at The Reading Room. A dedicated Author’s Corner at the bookstore and coffee shop, located at 19 Edgemont Road, will feature 18 local writers who will meet-and-greet and sign books throughout the day. 

“We’ve been a part of the bookish community in Katonah since 2012,” said Gretchen Menzies, shop owner and festival advisory board member. “These authors are our very favorite community members, those who write the best stories but who also strive to always support local indie bookstores.”

Special events

Two local art galleries will host lively literature-themed programs during the festival.

At Oak & Oil, “Children’s Publishing, from Concept to Creation” with Dan Potash, will offer a behind-the-scenes look at how children’s books come to life. Potash, who has spent 24 years at Simon & Schuster and now serves as vice president and creative director of the children’s division, will share insights from his extensive experience shaping beloved stories and illustrations.

At Chroma Fine Art Gallery, “The Ins and Outtakes of Making an Audiobook” with Robert Kessler and Dan Bittner, will explore the booming world of audiobooks. As festival director Glusman said, “Many people now spend more time listening than reading from the page or screen. It’s become an exciting and expanding part of the publishing world.”

The festival’s community flair extends well beyond the venues. Expect live jazz at the library, wine pairings curated by Katonah Wine & Liquor to complement authors, custom-designed book bags and bookmarks and colorful banners lining the village streets. 

Festival partners including the Katonah Museum of Art, Lasdon Public Gardens, Old New House, Petite Art Studio, and Bedford House will also host themed creative activities and events throughout the day.

Building a tradition

Glusman and the festival board envision the festival as an annual event. 

“Our goal is to bring awareness to this extraordinary cultural moment in terms of burgeoning literary talent,” said Glusman, “and to champion books at a time when in some cases they are under threat, while also creating a sense of community.”

With its walkable downtown, free parking and easy Metro-North access, Katonah offers the perfect setting. “You can step off the train, grab a coffee and be at the library in minutes,” Glusman said. Also right there, as Balzac said, are the friends, both known and unknown, that reading can foster.

Read our special section "Celebrating Books" here.