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20th Anniversary of Library’s Authors Visiting in Des Moines series kicks off March 28

Des Moines Public Library/Special to the Register
Des Moines Public Library/Special to the Register
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Library AViD 2020

The Des Moines Public Library’s annual Authors Visiting in Des Moines (AViD) speaker series returns for its 20th anniversary in 2020. The free series aims to connect local audiences with prominent authors.

The library will host six best-selling, award-winning authors for free events this spring.

The 2020 AViD lineup includes the authors of some of the most revered works of fiction and nonfiction in recent years, among them: a National Book Award winner, a 2020 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence Finalist, a Women’s Prize for Fiction winner, multiple Kirkus Prize finalists, and the writers behind more than a dozen bestsellers.

“We are thrilled to be able to bring such an impressive group of acclaimed authors to Des Moines this year,” Tim Paluch, Des Moines Public Library Community Engagement Supervisor, said. “These are speakers who are going to entertain, educate, and inspire central Iowans.”

The AViD series kicks off once again at the DSM Book Festival March 28, with Tayari Jones. Jones’ most recent novel, 2018’s "An American Marriage," has sold hundreds of thousands of copies, was awarded the Women’s Prize for Fiction and an NAACP Image Award and was chosen as an Oprah Book Club pick. The library is partnering with the Book Festival to bring Jones as a headlining author.

April 9, Hanif Abdurraqib will speak at the Central Library. Last year, he released two books: the poetry collection "A Fortune For Your Disaster" and "Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to a Tribe Called Quest." The latter was long-listed for the National Book Award, was a Kirkus Prize finalist and is a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for criticism.

Historical fiction author Kate Quinn will speak at the Central Library April 23. Her 2017 novel, "The Alice Network," was an early Reese Witherspoon Hello Sunshine Book Club pick and was the third-most requested novel at the Des Moines Public Library in 2019. Her 2019 novel, "The Huntress," was an instant bestseller and named one of the best books of the year by Marie Claire magazine.

British journalist and author Adam Higginbotham visits May 6 to discuss his debut nonfiction book, "Midnight in Chernobyl," at the Central Library. Higginbotham first started investigating the aftermath of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 2006. The book draws on hundreds of hours of interviews. It was recently named a finalist for the 2020 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence and was named one of the ten best books of 2019 by The New York Times.

Bestselling author and television host Brad Meltzer will visit the Central Library May 14. After years of writing best-selling thriller novels, Meltzer released his first nonfiction book last year, "The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington." His new nonfiction book, "The Lincoln Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill America’s 16th President – and Why It Failed," will be released in early May.

AViD concludes with acclaimed author Jacqueline Woodson at Sheslow Auditorium on the Drake University campus May 27. Woodson is a National Book Award winner and four-time finalist, and has served as the Young People’s Poet Laureate and National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Though she’s spent most of her illustrious career writing young adult books, her 2019 adult novel, "Red at the Bone," was an instant bestseller and was named one of the Best Books of 2019 by Oprah Magazine. The book is also nominated for an NAACP Image Award.

All AViD events are free and open to the public. Seating is first come, first served. Each author will also take part in a question-and-answer session and autograph books. Books will be available for purchase at each event.

With support from the Des Moines Public Library Foundation and other generous donors including Humanities Iowa and the National Endowment for the Humanities, AViD celebrates great reading, great writing, and the pursuit of lifelong learning.

For more information, please go to dmpl.org/avid. Note: Images of authors are available upon request.

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