Wordy Weekend

Insiders' guide to the most star-studded Texas Book Festival ever

It’s the time of year when the world's literati (and Tom Hanks!) descends on Austin to take part in the 2017 Texas Book Festival. With 300 authors in attendance, dozens of panels, and plenty of parties to sift through, we’ve plotted out some of the best places to catch these literary talents — from panels on the Texas State Capitol grounds to east side dive bars to mid-morning mimosas.

Saturday, November 4
10-10:45 am
Sisters First: A Celebration Of Sisterhood
Location: House Chamber

It’s certainly possible to have a very full Texas Book Festival experience without ever standing in a line for one of the “big name” sessions. That being said, if you’re up for waiting, then this is one you shouldn’t miss. Austin natives and former first daughters Barbara Pierce Bush and Jenna Bush Hager showed off their writing chops with this viral letter to Malia and Sasha Obama last year. Now their new memoir, Sisters First, is already getting lots of attention with USA Today recently naming it one of five new books you don’t want to miss. Moderated by Brooklyn Decker, this panel will be a buzzy one.

12-12:45 pm
What Unites Us National Launch: A Conversation With Dan Rather
Location: First Baptist Church

Okay, okay, you’ll definitely wait in a long line for this one, too. But we would be remiss if we didn't tell you Dan Rather is coming to this year's fest. If you’ve seen his Facebook posts all over your feed since the election, this panel might be for you. The journalist will be chatting with Texas Tribune CEO and co-founder Evan Smith about this past year, patriotism, our national identity and yes — his new role (at the age of 86!) on social media.

1-1:45 pm
The Monsters Within
Location: Capitol Extension Room E2.016

Fiona Mazel’s new novel, A Little More Human, is brainy and quirky and pretty much impossible to put down. Jac Jemc’s The Grip of It is part horror story, part love story and totally terrifying in the best kind of way. We’re excited to see Jemc and Mazel in the same room talking about haunted prose and twisted plots. We imagine this panel to be a little like their books: A little bit spooky and totally smart.

2-2:45 pm
American Wolf: A True Story Of Survival And Obsession In The West
Location: Texas Tent

Texas Monthly writer-at-large Nate Blakeslee’s new book is nonfiction, but it reads with the thrill of a rich novel. In it, Blakeslee tells the story of O-Sox, a Yellowstone wolf battling against hunters, cattle ranchers, and other wolves. Like any great piece of literature, American Wolf is about much more than O-Six, and we’re looking forward to hearing Blakeslee chat about the values clash currently happening in the West — and the United States in general.

SATURDAY NIGHT
Lit Crawl Austin is celebrating its eighth year with some kickass programming. Over the course of the evening, catch book fest authors reading, playing trivia, playing music, and engaging in general literary revelry all over the east side. Properly plot your crawling with the full schedule here.

SUNDAY, November 5
11 am-1 pm
Brunch with Gail Simmons
Location: Olamaie

Maybe the fanciest thing you'll do all weekend? Sit down for brunch with Top Chef judge Gail Simmons at Olamaie. Chef Michael Fojtasek will be cooking a three-course brunch based on Simmon’s cookbook, Bringing It Home: Favorite Recipes from a Life of Adventurous Eating. Tickets are $150 and can be purchased here.

2:45-3 pm
Connecting... Connecting...
Location: Capitol Extension Room E2.016

Do we have new, modern barriers to intimacy? It’s a question that authors Alissa Nutting and Lindsey Hunter will be tackling in their panel on Sunday. Both of their new novels — Made for Love and Eat Only When You’re Hungry, respectively — feature characters struggling to connect. Both also feature vivid scenes and serious emotional impact. As far as panels go, we’re pretty sure this is a near perfect pairing of two very talented novelists.

The Texas State Capitol will once again play host to the 2017 Texas Book Festival.

Photo by Stuart Seeger/Wikipedia

The Texas State Capitol will once again play host to the 2017 Texas Book Festival.

festivals books

Hill country retreat

Canyon Ranch now booking stays for new resort in the Hill Country

Courtesy of Canyon Ranch Austin

Find new tunes on vinyl in the music room.

One of the world's most celebrated wellness brands is finally ready to make its Texas Hill Country debut: Canyon Ranch Austin is now accepting reservations for stays beginning October 15, 2026, at its highly anticipated retreat in Spicewood.

First announced in 2022, Canyon Ranch Austin sits on a sprawling 600-plus-acre ranch at 600 Moonlight Bend in Spicewood, an hour from downtown Austin. The destination spa-resort boasts 141 luxuriously appointed guest rooms that overlook 1.5 miles of Lake Travis and the countryside beyond.

The retreat boasts the largest spa in Texas, at 40,000 square feet, encompassing 37 treatment rooms, whirlpools, therapy tubs, steam rooms, lounges, and more.

Canyon Ranch Austin will also debut a women-only wellness collective, which a press release states is "the world's only dedicated practice and program in a resort setting with specialized offerings for women in every chapter of life."

Canyon Ranch will also provide four food and beverage concepts for guests to enjoy. Notably, the resort's signature restaurant Estella will feature a world-class culinary program led by chef Val Cantú, who was born in Texas and whose San Francisco restaurant, Californios, just earned three Michelin Stars.

Estella Estella is the signature restaurant at Canyon Ranch Austin.Courtesy of Canyon Ranch Austin

Courtesy of Canyon Ranch Austin

Find new tunes on vinyl in the music room.

Additional features of the property include:

A 27,000-square-foot barn that includes a gym, fitness studios, and an outdoor turf field "for fitness, movement, and leading-edge recovery"
A 12,000-square-foot medical center
Private beach on Lake Travis and space for watersports
Five miles of hike-and-bike ranch trails
Tennis, pickleball, and padel courts
Two outdoor pools
A wildflower workshop, garden, and equestrian program

The Austin-area resort is the fifth property in Canyon Ranch's portfolio. The premier wellness brand opened its flagship in Tucson, Arizona, in 1979 and is now headquartered in Fort Worth, home to a Canyon Ranch wellness club and spa.

Since its founding nearly five decades ago, Canyon Ranch has become one of the best-known names in the wellness and spa industry worldwide.

Canyon Ranch CEO Mark Rivers said the new Hill Country resort represents the brand's "bold vision for the future" that shows "what's next in the intersection of travel, hospitality, well-being, care, and culture."

"People today are seeking something fundamentally different from their travels and getaways — life-changing experiences, connection, health, wisdom, and joy," Rivers said in the release. "Time at Canyon Ranch answers the call, with stays inspired to help our guests live younger longer, pursue happiness, reconnect, or relax and feed body, mind, and spirit."

Canyon Ranch Austin will be surrounded by a 134-home residential community, The Ranch Home Collection, that will receive exclusive access to the resort and an on-site concierge wellness program. Homes are currently under construction, per the release.

Stays at Canyon Ranch Austin start at $1,325 per night, which includes a $200 nightly spa and fitness credit that can be used on spa and treatment services. Stays for more than three nights include an additional $300 health and wellness credit. Stays can be booked on canyonranch.com.

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