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Matthew McConaughey gets the 'Greenlights' to feature book at the Texas Book Festival
A family looks through a festival guide at the 2017 Texas Book Festival.
The Texas Book Festival is kicking off virtually for its 25th anniversary, featuring more than 125 guests including none other than actor, UT professor, Austin resident and now author, Matthew McConaughey.
The Texas Book Festival will take place entirely online from Oct. 31 to Nov. 15. All events will be available to the public for free, featuring content for readers of all ages.
"The 25th Anniversary Texas Book Festival will be one for the record books, and not only because we will be all virtual," said TBF executive director Lois Kim in a press release. "The authors we are hosting are so talented, and we can't wait to share dozens of unforgettable conversations with everyone, everywhere."
This year the event will feature plenty of prominent figures in addition to McConaughey, including chef David Chang presenting his book "Eat a Peach: A Memoir;" Kevin Kwan, who is famously known for the novel-turned-movie "Crazy Rich Asians," presenting his new book, "Sex and Vanity;" Pulitzer Prize winner Isabel Wilkerson presenting "Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents;" and National Book Award winner Sigrid Nunez with her new novel "What Are You Going Through," among many other authors, poets, journalists artists and illustrators.
We're so excited to share the lineup for the 2020 Virtual Texas Book Festival featuring @McConaughey, @davidchang,… https://t.co/jKls0YTrpQ— Texas Book Festival (@Texas Book Festival) 1600268521.0
McConaughey will discuss his new memoir "Greenlights," which he describes as his "sights and scenes, nices and means, successes and failures," and was derived from a lifetime of the actor's own journals.
The festival was originally started in 1995 by former First Lady Laura W. Bush and Mary Margaret Farabee with the goal of connecting readers and authors to one another and promoting a lifetime love of reading.
The nonprofit event helps bring authors to elementary schools, gifts thousands of books to students and has awarded more than $3 million worth of grants to more than 600 libraries.
This year The Texas Teen Book Festival will take place from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1, followed by children's programming from Nov. 2-6, with adult programming for the remainder of the festival.
A full schedule of events can be found here.
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Popular
(We Are Blood/Instagram)
Communities are rallying together after an 18-year-old shot and killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
Funds from organizations all around the state–including from Austin’s own Los Verdes–are being raised to support families affected by the tragedy. Here's how you can help.
Donate blood
If you are looking for ways to help, please consider donating blood. Your donation can help ensure we have supplies immediately available for the victims of this tragic shooting.
— University Health (@UnivHealthSA) May 24, 2022
Our donor room has availability the rest of the week. Please schedule online: https://t.co/0F2lKDqYzO
Austin-area residents can donate blood with We Are Blood.
South Texas Blood & Tissue was able to send a total of 25 units of blood both to the school and local hospitals to support treatment. After an emergency blood drive on Wednesday, the blood center is hosting a Memorial Day blood drive and should have appointments opening the following week.
The largest blood transfuser in the San Antonio area, the University Health System, is also asking members of the community to donate blood. Appointments may be scarce due to demand.
Donate
The Los Verdes community is heartbroken at today's senseless act of gun violence in Uvalde that ended 15 lives too early. We are currently raising funds to support the families who lost loved ones today, and you can join by donating here. https://t.co/52L1ZtbSND
— Los Verdes (@LosVerdesATX) May 24, 2022
There is a growing list of verified fundraisers through GoFundMe, where almost $2 million has been raised so far for families and victims of the tragedy.
- The VictimsFirst fundraiser is raising $2 million to provide “100% of what is collected” to the victims’ family members.
- Austin-based Los Verdes Supporter Group is raising $100,000 for the families “affected by the horrific school shooting at Robb Elementary.”
- Allison McCullough, the aunt of victim Makenna Lee Elrod, is raising $50,000 for her family.
- The Alithia Ramirez funeral fund is working on raising $8,000 for the young girl’s funeral.
- More are being added by the hour.
Additionally, both Rushing-Estes Mortuary Uvalde and Hillcrest Memorial Funeral Home are offering free services to families of the victims.
Other fundraisers
An official account with First State Bank has been set up for donations through UCISD to assist the families of this tragedy.
— Uvalde CISD (@Uvalde_CISD) May 25, 2022
Please know that the FSB account, is the only verified location to make any monetary donations. No other source is currently recognized. pic.twitter.com/psQb6fD6Ls
Uvalde CISD has opened an account to support families of the victims with the First State Bank of Uvalde. Checks to donate should be made payable to the "Robb School Memorial Fund" or through Zelle at robbschoolmemorialfund@gmail.com.
The League of United Latin American Citizens has created a fund for victims, which it says will donate 100% to families and University Health has also organized the Uvalde Victims Relief Fund to help provide care for victims.
H-E-B has also donated $500,000 to aid victims and is collecting donations for its Spirit of Giving Fund, which supports philanthropic efforts in the wake of Texas tragedies. Starting Wednesday, shoppers at H-E-B, Central Market, Joe V’s Smart Shop and Mi Tienda can donate at checkout or online.
(Sergio Flores/The Texas Tribune)
By Patrick Svitek
Beto O'Rourke caused a dramatic scene on Wednesday when he angrily confronted Gov. Greg Abbott at his news conference about the Uvalde school shooting, yelling, "This is on you."
After Abbott was done giving his initial remarks, O'Rourke approached the stage and told Abbott he was "doing nothing" to combat gun violence. He said the Uvalde massacre, in which a gunman killed 19 children and two adults, was "totally predictable."
Some of the Republican officials onstage with Abbott quickly denounced O'Rourke, telling him to go away. Another man onstage used expletives to criticize O'Rourke for interrupting the event. O'Rourke was eventually escorted away amid the unruly scene.
“I can’t believe that you’re a sick son of a bitch that would come to a deal like this to make a political issue,” Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin told O'Rourke at one point.
.@BetoORourke just showed up and shook things up. @statesmanpic.twitter.com/Z1FtBwUEdJ
— Luz Moreno-Lozano 🦇 (@LuzMorenoLozano) May 25, 2022
