Oct 17th, 2010 by Marilyn
Laura Bush – Founder of the Texas Book Festival
The Texas Book Festival’s Quinceañera was celebrated in Austin, TX this past weekend. Laura Bush is the founder of this book festival, which benefits Texas libraries and literacy. We had the pleasure of listening to former First Lady Laura Bush speak about her memoir Spoken from the Heart.
Laura Bush said that “reading is the guiding passion of my life.” This passion has helped to donate more than $2.5 million in total grant awards to Texas public libraries, and has reached more than 35,000 children in economically disadvantaged Texas schools through the Texas Book Festival and also prompted her to found the National Book Festival on September 8, 2001 and launch the Laura Bush Foundation on June 4, 2002.
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I thoroughly enjoyed Mrs. Bush’s welcoming address and the Q&A session conducted by Mark K. Updegrove on Mrs. Bush’ memoir, Spoken from the Heart, in the historic Paramount Theatre. Mrs. Bush spoke with candor and elegance as she shared private moments and ancedotes from her eight years as First Lady of the United States. I found especially moving her reminiscences on 911 and her continued contact with families of 911 victims. Mrs. Bush was also witty and funny. At one point in her welcoming address she recalled the very first Texas Book Festival, predicted to be a bust because of a beer festival and gun show going on at the same time in Austin. However, the festival turned out to be a huge success and Mrs Bush quipped about the festival participants being “drunk and armed.” Time went by much too quickly and I was left wanting more. I plan on purchasing Mrs. Bush’s memoir.
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Comment by Annie on October 17, 2010 at 10:24 pm
I wish I lived close enough to attend the festival. Mrs. Bush sounds like a wonderful guest speaker. Her anecdote about the first festival made me laugh out loud!
Comment by Mary on October 18, 2010 at 8:04 am
Thank you for your comment Mary. This was the first time I attended and I only live an hour away! The experience was wonderful and the authors we had the pleasure of meeting were engaging and gracious.
Comment by Annie on October 23, 2010 at 12:32 pm