For the past four years, I've faced an awful dilemma: choosing between Preakness and the Gaithersburg Book Festival, two stellar Maryland events held on the third Saturday in May. Well, maybe not such an awful dilemma... Since its inception in 2010, the Gaithersburg Book Festival has been on my list of must-attend events. The first two years I wasn't able to attend because of a work commitment to the Preakness. That changed last year. This year, I'm not just attending the festival; I have the honor of introducing author Beth Kanter, photographer Emily Goldstein and their book, Washington, DC Chef's Table: Extraordinary Recipes from the Nation's Capital. I will also be working at the Washington Independent Review of Books booth. Stop by and say hi! If saying hi to me isn't reason enough (kidding, that's my half reason), here are four reasons (plus a bonus reason) why you should forgo the Preakness infield for the Gaithersburg Book Festival. The Authors and Their … [Read more...]