The Savannah Book Festival (SBF) announces Jeanette Walls to deliver the Keynote Address on Friday, February 16, 2024. Jeanette is the #1 New York Times bestselling author and journalist. Her memoir, The Glass Castle, remained on the New York Times bestseller list for more than eight years.

Her newest book, Hang the Moon, is a propulsive novel centered on an indomitable young woman. It digs into the tensions of small town Virgina moonshiners during Prohibition. Walls took seven years and 17 drafts to get the story where she wanted it, whittling away at copious research. It was an instant New York Times bestseller. Jeannette is also the author of two more instant New York Times bestsellers, The Silver Star and Half Broke Horses. The New York Times Book Review named Half Broke Horses one of the best books of 2009.

“We believe Jeannette Walls perfectly completes the Savannah Book Festival 2024 Headliner lineup, with her address coming between Ruth Ware’s Opening Address on Thursday and David Grann’s Closing address on Sunday,” says SBF Board Chair, Rachel Young Fields. “The Savannah Book Festival has again curated a list of award-winning, beloved authors and debut authors ready to be discovered and we couldn’t be more excited for the 2024 Festival.”

SBF is celebrating its 17th year as one of the finest, invitation-only literary festivals in the country. It will be held February 15-18, 2024. Jeannette Walls will present the Keynote Address on Friday, February 16, 2024, at 6:00 pm at the Trustees Theater. Tickets for the Headliner Addresses will go on sale to the public on January 11, 2024. SBF supporters will be able to purchase tickets before the public sale. For information on becoming an SBF supporter and to receive special access to Jeannette Walls, Opening Address Headliner Ruth Ware or Closing Address Headliner David Grann tickets, visit www.savannahbookfestival.org.

The Savannah Book Festival Inc. is an independent, non-profit corporation committed to encouraging literacy and the love of books. SBF presents best-selling and emerging authors at a four-day Presidents Day weekend event featuring talks by dozens of authors. Festival Saturday, February 17th, which is free and open to the public from 9 am to 5:30 pm, showcases over 30 authors in locations in and around downtown Savannah. For more information, please contact Executive Director Tara Setter at 912.598.4040, [email protected] or visit www.savannahbookfestival.org.