There is a certain kind of excitement that can only be found at a book festival. Readers wander from one title to another, authors share the stories behind their work, and unexpected discoveries happen simply because someone decided to pick up a book. That sense of curiosity and connection is what makes the Bookmarks Festival of Books & Authors 2026 such a special literary gathering. Taking place in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the festival brings together people who share a love for books while creating opportunities to discover new authors, explore different perspectives, and celebrate the many stories that bring communities together.
The Bookmarks Festival of Books & Authors 2026 concluded last September 26–27, 2026, marking the festival’s 21st anniversary. The main celebration transforms downtown Winston-Salem into a lively destination for readers, featuring author panels, readings, book signings, exhibitors, vendors, food trucks, and activities for visitors of all ages. The festival also welcomes young readers with a dedicated children’s area where children can participate in activities and receive free books, making the celebration an experience that families can enjoy together.
Literary festivals such as Bookmarks offer something that cannot always be found through a simple visit to a bookstore or an online search. They create a space where readers can encounter books in a more personal way. A panel can provide insight into an author’s creative process, a book signing can turn a title into a memorable keepsake, and an unexpected conversation can lead a reader toward a story they might never have discovered otherwise. It is this combination of literature and human connection that continues to make book festivals valuable to the publishing community.
Among the titles proudly represented by Citi of Books at this year’s festival is “J.F.K. Cold War Assassination” by Marc Birnbaum. The book offers readers another distinctive voice to discover and reflects the variety of stories and perspectives found within our publishing community. We are excited to introduce this work to the festival audience and give visitors the opportunity to explore the author’s ideas, experiences, and creative vision through the pages of the book.
This book explores John Fitzgerald Kennedy during the Cold War, and his much-too-brief Presidency.
Decades after the assassination, as the public largely disbelieved many of the conclusions of the Warren Commission, Congress passed the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992, directing the assembly and release of secret files from the National Archives and Records Administration no later than twenty-five years after enactment, or October 26, 2017.
As some of these documents became publicly available, my interest was drawn as I began to recall my emotions at the time of the assassination. One particular document was written on November 24, 1963, by J. Edgar Hoover, the Director of the FBI, two days after the assassination. It was a two-page memo to file, written within a few hours of Lee Harvey Oswald being shot by Jack Ruby in the garage of the Dallas Police Department and a week before the establishment of the Warren Commission. Referring to the investigation that would come, Hoover dictated, “The thing I am concerned about…is having something issued so we can convince the public that Oswald is the real assassin.” This tells us how, before the Warren Commission was announced, the Director of the FBI was not interested in the truth but rather to convince America and the world of a narrative allowing a cover-up of critical facts.
Looking at some of that history, the writing began, and I wanted to know more about the world realities of the Cold War and JFK’s experiences and contributions with three terms in the House of Representatives from 1947 to 1953, United States Senator from 1953 to 1960, and President from 1961 to 1963. The book explores JFK and his contributions and confrontations through the Cold War, the defeat of Richard Nixon for President, the space race, the Bay of Pigs, summit meeting with Khrushchev in Vienna, the Berlin Wall construction, the Cuban Missile Crisis, Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, and the reassessment of Vietnam.
The loss of John Fitzgerald Kennedy is a loss to history and what could have been. We can only imagine.
Citi of Books at Bookmarks Festival of Books & Authors 2026 — celebrating authors, discovering new perspectives, and giving more stories the opportunity to find their readers.