The Martha’s Vineyard Book Festival is celebrating its 20th year August 1–3. The theme this summer is “The Power of Perspective.” The festival includes a powerful lineup of novelists, journalists, historians, scientists, experts, and intellectuals whose work addresses the complexities of modern life — including American democracy, history, and climate change.
“Books are where we turn when the world feels overwhelming or opaque,” says Suellen
Lazarus, director of the Martha’s Vineyard Book Festival. “This year’s festival brings together
some of the most thoughtful voices of our time to help us make sense of it all.”
Highlights of the festival include:
- Friday, August 1, at 6 pm: The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeff Goldberg, and three-time Pulitzer prizewinner and staff writer Ashley Parker. When truth is a precious commodity, the Atlantic has emerged at the cutting edge of political reporting. Hear about Signalgate, journalistic ethics, and new directions in media.
- Saturday, August 2, all day: Panel discussions on politics and the press; tech power
and soft power; climate change, culinary and cultural legacy; reproductive rights; race, family, and identity; and activism and responsibility.
- Sunday, August 3, all day: Author talks and compelling conversations.
- Saturday and Sunday: Book signings throughout both days.
Saturday and Sunday events are free and open to the public. Friday night is a ticketed event.
All events take place on the grounds of the Chilmark Community Center.
The 2025 MVBF authors and books
John Abrams, “From Founder to Future”; Julia Blanter, “The Martha’s Vineyard Cookbook”; Nicholas Boggs Baldwin, “A Love Story”; Jaz Brisack, “Get On the Job and Organize”; Geraldine Brooks and Casey Cep, “Who Is Government?”; Jonathan Capehart, “Yet Here I Am”; Graydon Carter, “When the Going Was Good”; Susan Dominus, “The Family Dynamic”; Edward Fishman, “Chokepoints”; Rebecca Grant, “Access”; Steven Hahn, “Illiberal America”; Jessica Harris, “Braided Heritage”; Chris Hayes, “The Sirens’ Call”; Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, “What If We Get It Right?”; Wally Lamb, “The River Is Waiting”; Andrew Lawler, “A Perfect Frenzy”; Joseph Lee, “Nothing More of This Land”; Elinor Lipman, “Every Tom, Dick & Harry”; Keith McNally, “I Regret Almost Everything”; Evan Osnos, “The Haves and Have-Yachts”; Tyler Pager, “2024”; Adam Ross, “Playworld”; Steven Satterfield, “Vegetable Revelations”; Danzy Senna, “Colored Television”; Safiya Sinclair, “How to Say Babylon”; Curtis Sittenfeld, “Show Don’t Tell”; Jason Stanley, “Erasing History”; Kara Swisher, “Burn Book”; Jordan Thomas, “When It All Burns.”
Chilmark Community Center, 520 South Road, Chilmark. For details and schedule information, visit mvbookfestival.org.
