UWS Massive Book Festival Kicks Off With Star-Studded List Of Authors

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — A two-month long book festival kicked off Thursday on the Upper West Side that will feature appearances by Chelsea Clinton, Cynthia Nixon, Jai Chakrabarti, and more.

The first annual Books That Changed My Life Festival will run through Feb. 28 at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan on Amsterdam between West 75th and 76th streets.

The UWS Jewish community center is partnering with the Jewish Book Council on the festival, and will also use the event to announce the 72nd National Jewish Book Awards.

“Jewish Book Council is an organization dedicated to the support and celebration of Jewish literature and its power to impact both the individual and community, and so it’s particularly fitting to collaborate with an institution like MMJCCM that champions Jewish culture and literature, putting it front and center as well," Jewish Book Council's Executive Director Naomi Firestone-Teeter wrote in a news release.

Here are some of the authors that will make appearances at the festival over the next two months.

• Chelsea Clinton
• Cynthia Nixon
• Emma Straub
• Stephen Dubner
• A.J. Jacobs
• Jai Chakrabarti
• Chef Claudia Fleming
• Allegra Goodman
• David Leviathan

The Books That Changed My Life Pop-Up Library and cover art gallery installation is now open to the public for free during JCC hours.

You can check out the full schedule for the book festival on the JCC's website.