Thousands of people gathered at the Mall yesterday for the fifth annual National Book Festival, sponsored by the Library of Congress. Over 80 authors attended the festival, hosted by first lady Laura Bush. Several tents were set up between Seventh and 14th streets, each dedicated to a different literary genre.
Authors Buzz Aldrin and David Baldacci were most popular among children, while R.L. Stine, author of the "Goosebumps" series, and Meg Cabot, author of the "The Princess Diaries" series, were most popular among teens.
Under the Fiction and Fantasy categories, authors Sue Monk Kidd ("The Secret Life of Bees," "The Mermaid Chair") and John Irving, who has written over 10 novels, had fans waiting up to two hours in line for their signatures. Irving, however, would only sign his most recent novel, "Until I Find You," and only one copy per customer.
David McCullough, author of the recent bestseller "1776," was surrounded by a large group of festival attendees during his interview with C-SPAN's "Book TV"
