MSU remains well represented at Mississippi Book Festival

MSU remains well represented at Mississippi Book Festival

Contact: Lexi Holdiness

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State is well represented at the upcoming 10th annual Mississippi Book Festival in Jackson.

This year’s “Literary Lawn Party” features more than 50 panelists and workshops open to the public in Jackson’s historic State Capitol building and grounds. Running from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday [Sept. 14], the Mississippi Book Festival is going big for its 10th anniversary.

The festival incorporates flavors of literature from all across the world, including many authors based in the Magnolia State. Of the featured panelists, Mississippi State is represented by two faculty authors and multiple alumni. English Professor Catherine Pierce and Department of Communication Instructor Josh Foreman have titles featured in this year’s lineup.

Panel discussion times, topics and locations from the MSU employees include:

Catherine Pierce headshot
Catherine Pierce (Photo by Megan Bean)

Panel discussion times, topics and locations from the MSU employees include:

­—Pierce, “Youth Poetry Writing Workshop,” 10:45 a.m., Galloway Tween Room; “Mississippi Youth Poetry Project,” 2:45 p.m., State Capitol 201A; “Book Signing,” 4:15 p.m., book signing tent.

—Foreman, “Mississippi Culture,” 2:45 p.m., State Capitol 103; “Book Signing,” 4:15 p.m., book signing tent.

Josh Foreman headshot
Josh Foreman (Photo by Beth Wynn)

Pierce is the author of four books of poetry including her featured book “Danger Days: Poems” from 2020. As the two-time winner of the Saturnalia Books Poetry Prize and a three-time recipient of the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters Poetry Prize, Pierce is an incredibly well-decorated author. Her work has been featured in many publications including The Best American Poetry, The New York Times, American Poetry Review, The Nation, The Southern Review and more.

Foreman’s featured novel “Wicked Mississippi,” with co-author Ryan Starrett, was published this year. The co-authors have published several titles in their series “Hidden History” surrounding histories of the South including Jackson, Natchez, the Mississippi Delta and others. This is Foreman’s fifth year participating in the festival as a featured author.

Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters. Learn more at www.msstate.edu.