PBS Anchor Jim Lehrer named Honorary Chairman for National Press Club's 34th Annual Book Fair & Authors' Night

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Press Club's Annual Book Fair and Authors' Night will take place Tuesday, November 15 at the Club's headquarters at 529 14th Street NW from 5:30 to 8:30 pm.  As many as 90 authors are expected to sign books and meet fans at this premier literary event of the holiday season.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080917/NPCLOGO )

"I love books because they enable us to expand a reader's reach beyond their own time and place, and to learn from people they will never meet.  I also love books because I am an author myself and appreciate the connection I have with my readers.  I hope everyone who comes to the National Press Club's Book Fair will be able to talk with favorite authors, and yes, to buy their books," said Jim Lehrer, Honorary Chairman for this year's Book Fair.  

Some of the authors who will be signing books and talking with fans include:

• Jim Lehrer – celebrated  broadcaster with his newest work Tension City:  Inside the Presidential Debates from Kennedy- Nixon to McCain-Obama
• Ann Coulter – political columnist and author of Demonic: How the Liberal Mob is Endangering America
• Tony Horwitz – author of Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Raid That Sparked the Civil War
• Ron Suskind – Pulitzer-prize winning journalist and author of Confidence Men: Wall Street, Washington, and the Education of a President
• Pamela Constable – journalist and author of Playing with Fire: Pakistan at War with Itself
• Senator Bob Graham – author of the mystery thriller Keys to the Kingdom
• Bob Edwards – talk show host and author of A Voice in the Box: My Life in Radio
• Chad Harbach – author of bestseller The Art of Fielding

Book lovers also have the opportunity to purchase tickets to win exciting prizes at the annual Book Fair Raffle held at the event.  A golf package for four, wine tasting, a private art gallery tour for 25 people, dinners at popular DC restaurants, original works of art, baskets of signed  books by award-winning  authors, gift certificates and gourmet baskets from area merchants are just a few of the valuable donated items that will be raffled off during the evening.

The Book Fair is a fundraiser for The National Press Club Journalism Institute, a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization.  The Book Fair helps the Institute's competitive scholarship program; it focuses on promoting diversity among the next generation of journalists, providing supervised internships, and conducting technological training programs.

For the third year, the Book Fair is partnering with The SEED Foundation, which helps under-served students prepare for college.  The young scholars attend one of two public boarding schools in the District and Maryland.  Students from the school will be on hand at the SEED School table to meet the Book Fair authors and attendees. Books will be available for patrons to purchase to help develop the Baltimore, Maryland SEED School library. 

Admission is free for NPC members, $5 for non-members.

Sponsors for this year's event include:  Syngenta, Brown Capital Management, The Hill and PR Newswire.

SOURCE National Press Club