“Having fun isn’t hard, when you’ve got a library card!” Come catch Arthur the aardvark roaming the streets of Copley Square this weekend, as GBH partners in its fourth year and first time as presenting partner with the Boston Book Festival. This year, over 200 moderators and authors are meeting in the city for literary discussions that are free to the public. GBH personalities are moderating eight sessions with authors and visitors can stop by the GBH tent outside of the Boston Public Library to meet GBH News reporters. The public will be able to meet them, as well as snag some GBH swag, from stickers to tote bags.

“Books are a huge part of everything we do,” GBH’s Chief Marketing Officer Tina Cassidy says. “Starting from our kids' content, GBH instills that love of learning from an early age. Books are a portal to imagination and information. At GBH, we give people the opportunities to learn and become lifelong readers and learners, and books are the bedrock of that.” Cassidy will explore recipes from history in a session with YouTube sensation Max Miller about his new cookbook.

Partnering with the Boston Book Festival is an opportunity to bring GBH out into the community.. GBH’s recent partnership initiatives have included the NAACP National Convention and Embrace Boston earlier in 2023. These in-person events bring GBH closer to audiences and this connection ultimately helps to ensure GBH’s content is reflective of its local communities. “As GBH continues to evolve and grow, we want to continue these partnerships within the community not just during the festival weekend, but throughout the year,” Cassidy says.

In addition to connecting face-to-face with audience members, GBH decided to partner with the Boston Book Festival to enhance the ongoing intersection of public media and literature. Between consuming media content and reading books, there’s a halfway point where audiences meet. For example, those who have watched Tom Jones on MASTERPIECE plan to later read the book and vice versa. Much of the content produced by GBH is informed by literature, bringing these timeless stories to life.

GBH will provide experts and talent from a broad range of subject matter to moderate sessions at the Boston Book Festival:

  • Susan Goldberg, GBH President and CEO, will interview author and nonfiction keynote speaker Heather Cox Richardson.
  • Julia Cort, co-executive producer of NOVA, will moderate a session about women in science. 
  • Raney Aronson Rath, executive producer and editor-in-chief of FRONTLINE, will engage in a conversation about political extremism. 
  • Cameo George, executive producer of AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, will talk about how to write history like a fast-paced thriller. 
  • Paris Alston, co-host of GBH News’ Morning Edition, discusses happiness.
  • Jeremy Siegel, co-host of GBH News’ Morning Edition, digs deep into knowledge.
  • Arun Rath, host of GBH’s All Things Considered, will moderate a session on democracy.
  • Tina Cassidy, GBH CMO, will interview YouTuber and now cookbook author, Max Miller.

Leading up to the Boston Book Festival, GBH‘s Book Club Beyond the Page hosted an event with author Tiya Miles. The Beyond the Page series features interactive sessions with renowned authors discussing their latest work and their writing process. View past book club sessions, and sign up for future Beyond the Page events here.

See more information about the Boston Book Festival here.