Inside Read With Jenna’s 1st Ever Book Festival in Nashville—
Jenna Bush Hager is overcome by emotion and admits she’s going to cry.
Standing on a stage at the W Nashville at 9 a.m., in front of navy-blue bookshelves created for this moment, Jenna reflects on six years of her book club. Or, as she puts it, “Read With Jenna is in kindergarten!”
Thebookclubstartedasadaretoprovethatpeoplestillread—thefestival,whichunfoldedoverMay30and31andwassponsoredbyMusicCity,isproofthatshewasright.
SinceReadWithJennalaunchedin2019,Jennahaschosen80booksandcounting,withafocusonchampioningdebutanddiversevoices.Fiftybooksbecamebestsellers.And15oftheclub’sauthorsareintheroomattheReadWithJennaBookFestival.
ThefirsteverlivegatheringofJenna’sbookcommunityandauthorsistheculminationofyearsofwork.Butit’salsotheproductofalifetime.
Jennacomingoutofthesecretdoorbuiltintotheonstagebookcase.JesseWattJenna,onstage,talksaboutthetwograndmothersandmotherwhoseloveofreadingmoldedherintothewoman,andliterarytastemaker,sheis.ShesaysJennaWelch,hernamesake,readto
