By Claire Dietz
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Iowa City experienced a lot in 2008.

There were lows — parts of the city were devastated by flooding — and highs. The Main Library acquired its 5 millionth volume. Iowa City was named the third UNESCO City of Literature in the world, sparking the desire for a festival to celebrate that literature.

Seven years later, the pride of being the Americas’ only City of Literature remains.

The Iowa City Book Festival will begin 9 a.m. today and continue through Oct. 4 with events scattered in various venues. It will feature more than 100 presenters in the four days, including Sara Paretsky, Bryan Stevenson, and Robert Reich.

John Kenyon, who has been the executive director of the local City of Literature for more than three years, said the most rewarding experience, after mitigating the “million tiny details [that] go into making [a] festival,”, is the weeks following the festival.

“I always run into people who know I had programmed it who will say, ‘Oh my gosh, I had a great experience listening to this author,’ or  ‘I was blown away by what this person said,’ ” he said. “Creating these unique, memorable experiences in our community, that is really the payoff.”

While the city’s literary atmosphere may be taken for granted at times, Kenyon said, the festival allows people a moment to reflect on the cultural epicenter that is Iowa City.

“The other Cities of Literature have festivals like this to celebrate what we do,” Kenyon said. “This is our opportunity to do that as well and let people know we have a lot of home- grown talent [as well as] a community that a lot of top authors want to come to because they know they will find a receptive audience.”

Aron Aji, the UI director of M.F.A. in literary translation, will give two presentations, “How Books Travel: Literary Translation and International Writing” and “Theater Across Borders.”

“The goal of both of these events is to bring attention to how much of the world culture we experience through translation,” Aji said. “And also how translation requires special attention, special care to appreciate. How, in fact, the voices of the world require translation to be heard across their spaces.”

Aji said 400 to 500 works are translated each year, making up only 3 to 4 percent of the total literary market. Iowa City, he said, focuses on translated works more than most cities.

“We are consuming international writing much more widely and heavily than any other part of the country, so we are ahead of the curve,” Aji said. “But I would love to see the U.S. becoming more intentional about encouraging translations and international writing in secondary schools.

“The M.F.A. in Literary Translation Program is in the process of planning some workshops for secondary schools. We are hoping to start a book group that is focused exclusively on international writing … The goal is to sort of reach out to more people than are naturally predisposed to reading things in translation.”

“How Books Travel: Literary Translation and International Writing” will be held noon today in Meeting Room A of the Iowa City Public Library, 123 S. Linn St. “Theater Across Borders” will take place at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Mill, 120 E. Burlington St.

Salvatore Marici, a retired agronomist and a published poet, became “serious” about his poetry in 2002. Since then, he has published two collections, Mortals, Nature, and their Spirit and Swish, Swirl , and Sniff. He will read at 11 a.m.Saturday at High Ground Café, 301 E. Market St.

“It’s always been poetry,” he said. “I guess I fell more into it mainly because you show a lot in a little number of words, and that’s also a big challenge.”

He draws inspiration from the average, he said.

“I draw it from everyday life, the mundane, and of course, your past history keeps coming out, too,” Marici said. “The life experiences do come out, regardless of what you’re writing about. You’re not a blank slate; nobody’s a blank slate.”

WORDS
Iowa City Book Festival
When: 9 a.m. today-4 p.m. Oct. 4
Where: Central Iowa City
Admission: Free
A full list of events can be found on the 80 Hours Calendar on page 2B.