Welcome to the 2010 Pages & Places Book Festival, Scranton’s celebration of books and the city.

After last year’s inaugural success, we are thrilled to present our second annual festival.  Pages & Places derives its name from the twofold emphasis on the panelists we feature (the “Pages”) and the downtown venues where we host the panel presentations (the “Places”). The primary mission of the Pages & Places Book Festival is to promote books, reading, writing, and literacy. We do this through a unique combination of literature and architecture that distinguishes Pages & Places from any other book festival in the country.

On Saturday October 2nd, Pages & Places will bring to downtown Scranton nationally and internationally recognized panelists featured on five panels in some of Scranton’s most recognized and treasured venues.

The 2010 festival has been organized around compelling questions on the nature of identity.  Our panelists will address why we face a dearth of access to world literature, civic and political responses to human death and catastrophe, how trends in neuroscience impact our understanding of art, law, and the humanities, how robust argumentation and debate has shaped civic life, and the significance of gendered viewpoints in documenting our lives.

Please join us also for this year’s expanded Pages & Places Book Expo on Courthouse Square. The Expo will feature publishers large and small from across the United States selling select titles, writing and industry forums, live author readings, historic tours, and our newly established Kid’s Fest full of family friendly activities and readings.

Scranton has turned a page in its renewal and we’re hoping you will celebrate it with us on October 2nd. We look forward to seeing you there!