The Mount's Berkshire WordFest 2012
Literati and Glitterati Gather September 14-16
By: Mount - Jul 25, 2012
"We are thrilled to present the second Berkshire WordFest, and honored to host some of the nation's finest contemporary writers," said Susan Wissler, The Mount's executive director. "For decades, the Berkshire region has been a proud showcase of world-class music, art, theatre, and dance. Since the area has a rich literary heritage as well, we felt it was time to celebrate books, writers, and readers. This lovely property, designed and occupied by Edith Wharton-the first woman to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize for fiction-is the perfect venue in which to do it.
"Berkshire WordFest is an exciting addition to this year's cultural calendar," said Christine Hensel Triantos, the 2012 festival director. "It creates a terrific opportunity for readers and writers to come together for an intimate 'literary house party' at The Mount, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful settings in the Berkshires."
Berkshire WordFest builds on The Mount's history of successful literary programming and deepens its commitment to celebrating the written word and legacy of Edith Wharton. The festival is generously supported by The Amy Clampitt Fund, a fund of Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation; Blantyre; Cranwell Resort, Spa, and Golf Club; and Berkshire Magazine.
For more information about the festival, visit BerkshireWordFest.org or call 413-551-5100.
Berkshire WordFest Speakers
About twenty nationally acclaimed writers and a renowned poet will speak at Berkshire WordFest in a "Main Stage" lineup over the course of the festival weekend. Speakers include: John Berendt, author of the bestselling books Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and The City of Falling Angels; New Yorker staff writer Adam Gopnik; bestselling novelist Matthew Pearl; novelist Heidi Julavits; journalist Kate Bolick; fiction writer and Wharton scholar Roxana Robinson; novelist Megan Abbott; novelist Jonathan Santlofer; novelist and memoirist Dani Shapiro; novelist Alexander Chee; author Suketu Mehta; novelist Claire Messud; writer Mary Morris; fiction writer Elissa Schappell; Nancy Novogrod, editor in chief of Travel + Leisure magazine; writer Francine du Plessix Gray; Noreen Tomassi, executive director for the Center for Fiction; writer, editor, and translator Harold Augenbraum; author and foreign correspondent Anne Garrels; and writer, actress, and comedian Alison Larkin. The featured poet will be Mary Jo Salter, whose reading on Saturday afternoon will be free and open to the public.
Berkshire WordFest will also include a lineup of local poets and writers, each of whom will read from published works or works in progress. These readings, which will be free and open to the public, will take place on the terrace throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday. These poets and writers include James Arthur, Richard Berlin, Karen Chase, Cassandra Cleghorn, Amy Dryansky, Gerald Elias, Peter Filkins, Cynthia Gardner, Michelle Gillett, Jessica Greenbaum, Daniel Hall, Joshua Henkin, John Hennessy, Susan Kinsolving, Jeffrey Levine, Kevin O'Hara, Lisken Van Pelt Dus, Irene Willis, and Mark Wunderlich.
Brief biographies of participants and a full schedule of events are available at the Berkshire WordFest site at BerkshireWordFest.org. Tickets for the festival can be purchase onlineor by phone at 413-551-5100. For more information, call 413-551-5100.
Admission, Tickets, and Festival Passes
Many events are free, including: readings by local poets and writers; a reading by renowned poet Mary Jo Salter on Saturday afternoon; Music After Hours on Saturday evening; and book signings. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend all ticketed and free events.
Tickets for each panel, interview, and the Friday night "Literary Laughs" performance are $25 ($23 for Mount members).
All-access passes and one-day passes are also available. All-access passes, which afford access to all public events including "Literary Laughs" on Friday night, are $175 ($165 for Mount members). One-day passes, which allow access to all public events on either Saturday or Sunday, are $90 ($85 for Mount members).
Tickets and passes can be purchased online at BerkshireWordFest.org or by telephone at 413-551-5100.
Program Details
Friday, September 14
Literary Laughs
5:00 - 6:15 pm, The Stables
Join us for opening night humor with a transatlantic twist! Local writer Kevin O'Hara shares his Irish-influenced insights, then internationally acclaimed comedienne and bestselling author of The English American Alison Larkin takes the stage to present her own revealing and hilarious journey to unearth her American roots. Reception and book signing to follow. $25 general; $23 members.
Saturday, September 15
Books and Bagels
9:00 - 10:00 am, The Terrace
Start the day on The Mount's beautiful terrace with a book-browsing session. Titles by all participating writers will be available for purchase, including some signed editions. Bagels, pastries, and coffee will be available for purchase. Free.
Readings by Berkshire Poets and Writers
10:00 - 5:00 pm, The Terrace
Come hear well-known local poets and writers read from their published and about-to-be-published works. Curated by poets Peter Filkins and Michelle Gillett, these prized presentations will introduce new work and celebrate longstanding favorites. Book signings follow most readings. Free.
When Bad is Good: The Literary Lure of Self Destruction
10:00 - 11:00 am, The Glen
A panel discussion with Alexander Chee, Elissa Schappell, and Dani Shapiro, with moderator Noreen Tomassi.
In life and fiction, personal choices matter. The decisions we make determine the paths we take. All humans are prone to bad judgment on occasion, but some misbehavior is more destructive than others: cheating on a spouse, habitual drug use, stealing from friends, killing a stranger. Hear leading authors of today discuss why literary characters--and, in some cases, writers themselves--elect to embark on not-so-noble journeys that alter lives irrevocably and forever. Book signings to follow. $25 general; $23 Mount members.
In Conversation: Adam Gopnik with Kate Bolick
11:15 am - 12:15 pm, The Glen
Listen in as writer Kate Bolick engages in a lively conversation with Adam Gopnik of The New Yorker. Book signing to follow. $25 general; $23 Mount members.
In Conversation: Matthew Pearl with Joe Donahue
12:30 - 1:30 pm, The Glen
Bestselling novelist Matthew Pearl joins WAMC's Joe Donahue to talk about unraveling historical mysteries, teaching creative writing, and giving voice to shelter animals. Book signing to follow. $25 general; $23 Mount members.
From Insider to Informant: Conveying Culture Through Literature
1:45 - 2:45 pm, The Glen
A panel discussion with Adam Gopnik, Suketu Mehta, and Roxana Robinson, with moderator Harold Augenbraum.
Like Edith Wharton, who laid bare the social dynamics of wealthy New Yorkers of her time, contemporary writers find inspiration in distinctive settings. By either circumstance or design, these writers are afforded access to interior worlds. What motivates writers to convey these personal spheres? Is this a privilege or a responsibility? How do essayists and memoirists structure their points of view; how do novelists fuse fact and fiction? Listen to our panel of "insiders" talk about the worlds they know, and why they're compelled to write about them. Book signing to follow. $25 general; $23 Mount members.
Poetry Reading with Mary Jo Salter
3:00 - 4:00 pm, The Glen
Join us for a special reading by one of the nation's leading poets, Mary Jo Salter. The reading will be followed by a book signing featuring her book A Phone Call to the Future (2008) as well as The Selected Poems of Amy Clampitt (2011), edited by Ms. Salter. Book signing to follow. Free.
In Conversation: John Berendt with Joe Donahue
4:15 -5:15 pm, The Glen
Pulitzer Prize finalist John Berendt joins WAMC's Joe Donahue for a captivating dialogue about the lure of eccentric personalities and casting light on the shadows in beautiful places. Book signing to follow. $25 general; $23 Mount members.
Music After Hours
5:30 - 7:30 pm, House and Terrace
Join festival authors and attendees on the terrace to relax, converse, enjoy the view, and listen to Music After Hours. Books and refreshments, including wine and beer, will be available for purchase. Free admission.
Sunday, September 16
Books and Bagels
9:00 - 10:00 am, The Terrace
Start the day on The Mount's beautiful terrace with a book-browsing session. Titles by all participating writers will be available for purchase, including some signed editions. Bagels, pastries, and coffee will be available for purchase. Free.
Readings by Berkshire Poets and Writers
10:00 - 5:00 pm, The Terrace
Come hear well-known local poets and writers read from their published and about-to-be-published works. Curated by poets Peter Filkins and Michelle Gillett, these prized presentations will introduce new work and celebrate longstanding favorites. Book signings follow most readings. Free.
Take Me There: The Power of Place
10:00 - 11:00 am, The Glen
A panel discussion with John Berendt, Claire Messud, and Mary Morris, with moderator Nancy Novogrod.
Place is potent. Where we are influences who we are: musings and lifestyles are shaped by our surroundings, altered by the happenstance of landing at particular geographic coordinates. Writers--and the characters they create, the scenes they portray--transport readers to places unknown, or give broader dimension to familiar settings. Join us for a lively discussion of why and how place has long been, and will likely long be, a leading literary force. Book signings to follow. $25 general; $23 Mount members.
In Conversation: Heidi Julavits with Kate Bolick
11:15-12:15 pm, The Glen
Heidi Julavits sits with writer Kate Bolick for a candid conversation about writing fiction, editing a magazine, psychic connections, and summering in Maine. Book signing to follow. $25 general; $23 Mount members.
In Conversation: Francine du Plessix Gray with Anne Garrels
12:30-1:30 pm, The Glen
Pulitzer Prize nominee Francine du Plessix Gray joins author and foreign correspondent Anne Garrels to share her stories about intriguing historical figures, glamorous parents, and choosing the rural life. Book signings to follow. $25 general; $23 Mount members.
A Sense of Menace: Fears, Foes, and Felons
1:45-2:45 pm, The Glen
A panel discussion with Megan Abbott, Heidi Julavits, and Matthew Pearl, with moderator Jonathan Santlofer.
What draws writers-and their readers-to the literary dark side? Since before Wharton's time, novels fraught with frightening undertones have captured public attention; Wharton herself was lured to the genre. Why do people find a delicious thrill in reading spine-tingling ghost stories or grisly tales of heinous crimes? Join us for a revealing discussion of why writers create narratives infused with a sense of menace, and why readers continue to embrace them. Book signings to follow. $25 general; $23 Mount members.