History Book Festival to host Gee Salisbury, Gooch and Chilton
The eighth annual History Book Festival is set for Friday to Sunday, Sept. 27 to 29, in Lewes. Live events will feature 23 distinguished authors of historical nonfiction and fiction including Katie Gee Salisbury, Brad Gooch and Lora Chilton. All three authors will conduct free presentations of their books Saturday, Sept. 28.
Gee Salisbury’s “Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong” celebrates the first Asian American movie star. Wong rose to fame in Douglas Fairbanks’ 1924 blockbuster “The Thief of Bagdad.”
“I hope that audiences come away with a newfound admiration for Anna May Wong’s incredible life and career – and that they leave with an understanding of her importance in not only early Hollywood, but also in American history at large,” said Gee Salisbury.
Gooch will present “Radiant: The Life and Line of Keith Haring.” “I lived in downtown New York City in the 1970s and 1980s, and was inspired to write this biography in part by realizing that those times are now significantly historical and that Keith Haring has entered art history as a seminal figure. I am fascinated by these reframings and re-evaluations in our cultural history over time,” said Gooch. The festival has partnered with CAMP Rehoboth Community Center and the Rehoboth Art League for this event.
Chilton will present “1666: A Novel,” which explores the massacre of the male members of the Patawomeck Indian Tribe of Virginia and the enslavement of women and children by colonists in 1666. “While the massacre of the tribe is a difficult story to tell, it is an inspirational story of strength and resilience. I hope the audience will be inspired by the bravery of the characters and their will to survive against all odds,” said Chilton.
Chilton, a member of the Patawomeck Indian Tribe, interviewed tribal elders, researched colonial documents and studied the Patawomeck language while doing research for this novel. The festival has partnered with Lewes Historical Society for Chilton’s event.
Books can be purchased at each venue, or they may be bought in advance at Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach, the official bookseller of the History Book Festival, or at Biblion in Lewes. Authors will be available to personalize books after their presentations.
For more information on all presenting authors and their featured books, go to historybookfestival.org.
The History Book Festival is presented by Delaware Humanities, National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Lee Ann Wilkinson Group, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty. Special thanks go to HBF’s Founding Program Partners for their continuing support: the Lewes Public Library for event promotion and production, and Browseabout Books.
