the last 10 or 12 years or so i have cochaired this with the library of congress, first with tim billington and with carla hayden. >> is there money that you give to work this effort? >> i do. i have given. money every year for quite a while and i enjoy it very it is a great free, effort to let people know more about authors and books. we get a couple or maybe 100,000 people or more every year coming here and the importance of it is i want people to learn how to read more and united states are roughly 120 fit in the world in literacy, 125th, that is not great, we have a large number of people in this country who are functionally illiterate and a large number of people who do not read books at all. 46% of adults, they did not read a single book during the year. why do you want people to read? and makes the brain better and focuses the brain and it helps you with other aspects of life. >> apple this article out of the wall street journal yesterday by brendan cronan who works for the wall street journal. books resist digital domination. one quote from this article is reading is a commitment an

billington, wouldn't it the nice if we had a book festival, a national book festival because i do not think we have one? he said, we do now. in 2001, first lady bush, who was the first librarian to be first lady -- cut the ribbon on the national mall for the book festival. it has been successful ever since. she has been a supporter ever sense. >> is she still active in the book fair at all? dr. hayden: she makes commemorative videos and things like that. we keep her involved. we send her everything. we send her -- we sent her signed posters from every year. she has been a wonderful supporter. >> when you came on board in 2016, the fair was being held on the national mall. dr. hayden: it had just moved to the convention center, where we are now. that decision led us -- let us not think about the weather and all types of things that happen when you are outdoors. now that it has been in the convention center, it is wonderful. you have restrooms. [laughter] you have a food. you have all of these angst. it cannot rain. -- it can rain and everything and we can still enjoy dozens of authors.

washington before the inauguration she met with her predecessor and out of reception she said jim billington, we have a texas book festival do you have one here? and he said, no but we well. and we did. on the mall, right afterwards. they set up the national book festival on the mall. many remember the mall. it was a little dusty from time to time and it rained time to time but it was the first effort of the united states government to do something along the lines of having a book festival. over the years, the way the world works things happen by have us do this. you don't think it's good but it's better. for a while the park service said it's nice you're reading books and encouraging people to read but you're hurting the grass. what? the grass can't grow at the book festival. but people could read? but the grass will grow. we got kicked off the mall for a while and went to the convention center. it was supposed to be temporary as the grass grew back but ultimately, it's better the convention center so since you've all been to the mall and the convention center, is better the conventional ce

the western historicalte association, the prize from then society of american historians and the billington prize from the organization of american historians. those of you that have the good fortune to have been in class with him know that he is an outstanding teacher. he's been recognized with the faculty achievement award arkansas professor of the year recognition from the carnegie foundation. he was also named a finalist for the award for the nation's best college teacher. we think that he is the best. college teacher for sure. his latest book b the subject of tonight's talk is continental reckoning the american west and age of expansion. i read it over the break this is a monumental synthesis, that is my take. it also says a lot about the country as a whole. the elliott west that arrived in boulder colorado to study the american south has at last receivedat his wish, i guess. because this book aims to bring together the narrative threads of the westward expansion and the american civil war east and west to replace the american history. i hopee you will be inspired to pick up a copy aft

met with carla's predecessor and a reception the night before the inauguration she said to jim billington, well, we have a textbook festival and you have a book that's when washington and he quickly said, nope, but we will him and we did. so on the mall, right afterwards with that spring i believe it was, they set up the first national book festival on the mall. number? ? it was a little dusty from time to time and sometimes it rained from time to time but that actually was the first effort of the united states government really to do something along the lines of having a book festival, and so, over the years, the way the world work sometimes his things happened by happenstance and you don't think it is going to be good but it turns out it is actually better, so for a while, the national park service said, you guys, it's nice you are reading books encouraging people to read but you're hurting the grass. [laughter] what? yes, the grass can't grow with the book has appeared yeah, but people can read better. but yeah, the grass will not grow, so we kind of got kicked off the mall for a while

historical association, the francis hartman priced from the society of american historians, and the billingtonrom the organization of american historians. those of you who have the good fortune to bit in class with him know that he is an outstanding teacher. he has been recognized with the faculty achievement award, arkansas professor of the year recognition from the carnegie foundation, he was also named a finalist for the robert foster cherryry award for the nations best college teacher. we think' each he's the nat college teacher, for sure. this latest book the subject of tonights talk is "continental reckoning: the american west in the age of expansion" here this is, i read it over the breaker this is a monumental synthesis, that's my take, okay, monumental synthesis based on decades of research on the american west but it also says a lot about the country as a whole. the elliott west who arrived in boulder, colorado, to study the american south has at last received his wish, i guess because this book, this book aims to bring together the narrative threads of westward expansion at the amer

billington, wouldn't it the nice if we had a book festival, a national book festival because i do notnk we have one? he said, we do now. in 2001, first lady bush, who was the first librarian to be first lady -- cut the ribbon on the national mall for the book festival. it has been successful ever since. she has been a supporter ever sense. >> is she still active in the book fair at all? dr. hayden: she makes commemorative videos and things like that. we keep her involved. we send her everything. we send her -- we sent her signed posters from every year. she has been a wonderful supporter. >> when you came on board in 2016, the fair was being held on the national mall. dr. hayden: it had just moved to the convention center, where we are now. that decision led us -- let us not think about the weather and all types of things that happen when you are outdoors. now that it has been in the convention center, it is wonderful. you have restrooms. [laughter] you have a food. you have all of these angst. it cannot rain. -- it can rain and everything and we can still enjoy dozens of authors. >>