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UPK Authors Showcased at Kentucky's Largest Literary Event

By Whitney Hale 

(Nov. 13, 2015) — Now in its 34th year, the Kentucky Book Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Frankfort Convention Center. This year’s fair will feature more than 200 authors and editors showcasing their most recent books including several writers from University Press of Kentucky (UPK).

Sponsored by The State-Journal, and co-sponsored by the Kentucky Department for Libraries and ArchivesJoseph-Beth Booksellers, UPK and the Kentucky Humanities Council, the Kentucky Book Fair attracts thousands of avid readers and patrons from across the country. With many books ranging from children's books and regional cookbooks to wartime histories and poetry collections, the fair has a book for everyone with a passion for reading. This year's fair is expected to attract an attendance of around 4,000 patrons.

Founded in 1981, the Kentucky Book Fair is the state's leading literary event. Since its inception, the fair has recognized outstanding Kentucky authors and editors. The largest and oldest event of its kind in the state, the Kentucky Book Fair has three key goals:

  • to honor the profession of writing in the form of a one-day celebration;
  • to provide a format for authors to meet their reading public; and
  • to raise money through the sale of books and donate all profits to mostly school and public libraries throughout Kentucky.

The proceeds benefit libraries that have few resources to expand collections, replace old books or fund literacy-related causes. Those contributions to date total more than $375,000.

University of Kentucky authors published by UPK participating in the Kentucky Book Fair include:

Other authors and editors with recent publications from UPK participating in the fair and their corresponding books are:

To see a full listing of authors and editors participating in the Kentucky Book Fair, visit www.kyhumanities.org/images/files/KBF_2015_ProgramFinal.pdf.

UPK is the scholarly publisher for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, representing a consortium that now includes all of the state universities, five private colleges and two historical societies. The editorial program of the press focuses on the humanities and the social sciences. Offices for the administrative, editorial, production and marketing departments of the press are found at UK, which provides financial support toward the operating expenses of the publishing operation.

For more information on the book fair and the featured authors, visit the fair's website, www.kybookfair.blogspot.com