A week ago I was in Washington DC for the National Book Festival and I somehow got asked to be one of the five speakers at the opening ceremony in the actual Library of Congress. I suspected this was a mistake and this seemed even more obvious when I found out that the four other speakers were:
Annette Gordon-Reed (brilliant Harvard law professor and historian)
Michael Feinstein (Super talented broadway star, Tony/Emmy award winner)
Arthur Sze (The incredible 2025 Poet Laureate)
Geoff Bennett (Charming and wonderful PBS NewsHour anchor/editor)
me (Forgets to shower and literally had to google “what State is D.C. in and also what does DC stand for?” the day before)
I hid in the green room while everyone else had cocktails because I was having several small panic attacks and decided to text my sister that I was somehow in the Library of Congress, waiting to follow the most intimidating line-up ever. (Why are all of these images different sizes? I can’t even screenshot correctly) :
Are you still here after all of that? AWESOME. Then I’m going to reward/punish you with my speech. We were supposed to talk about our most recent work but I sort of went off-script. This is where I would embed the youtube video but I keep getting an error messages because TECHNOLOGY HATES ME. So just CLICK HERE. I’m at about the 36 minute mark but the other speeches were awesome so watch them all if you have time.
Then I ran through the Library of Congress because I was too anxious afterward to properly stay and enjoy it even though it is literally the prettiest place I’ve ever been in my whole life, but the next morning they let me come back (thank you!) to look through the amazingness and I left with the best souvenir ever. A library card:
LIBRARIES FOREVER!
Loved the text exchange. So raw and real. Like improv skit or something.
We had to let our 19 year old cat go two weeks ago and it’s been sad and strange since. Feeling kind of lost. So this kind of content is life affirming.
They SO picked you on purpose, and I’ll bet everything that you have the best speech ever given there. Woo Hoo!! You rock SO MUCH. ❤️❤️❤️
You got the card! That was a phenomenal speech. It was perfect and charming and full of soul. You are just the bestest.
Fantastic job speaking at LOC! Your courage, your vulnerability, your genuine words — and passion for reading — represented so many of us. Bravo!
PS – extra thanks for the Texas ban concern
I once ended up on a panel with cataloging managers from the Library of Congress (over 100 catalogers), the Smithsonian (over 80 catalogers), the University of Pennsylvania (about 40 catalogers), and me (3 catalogers, but the token public library speaker). It was very cool to meet those people and hear them talk – and also gratifying, because all the questions but one after the panel were for… me!
Dude so proud of you! Get down with your bad self.
Just watched your speech and you were amazing!
What a lovely, meaningful speech. Brava! But I have to wonder who let that librarian out of the house dressed like that?
I’m crying. What a beautiful speech! I know you were beyond anxious, but it was perfection. As a librarian, I hand worlds of words to kids hoping they will find what they need. Thank you so much for sharing this!
I just love you so much. 100% would feel the same.
After each National Book Festival, attendees can take a survey and recommend authors for future festivals. I shrieked when I learned my (and many other people’s) Jenny Lawson recommendation was finally granted. YOU WERE FANTABULOUS.
Wow. I can’t believe how amazing you were! I’m absolutely speechless. Also, I, too, will no longer be making out with my (non-existent) brother in my (non-existent) attic.
Congratulations – your speech was exactly what I needed to hear. 🙂 Thank you for being a light in the world.
You totally stood toe to toe with all the other speakers, Jenny! Tell that imposter syndrome voice to f**k all the way off! (And say hey to your sister from an old acquaintance from
California)
Jenny, amazing! I feel like I was there. Also, crying laughing from the texts. Best souvenir ever! ❤
Your speech was the best of them all! You were the only one of all the speakers that really hit home the power of books, tho Geoff Bennett tried his best. Your humor and honesty and clear love of literature is relatable and endearing. Books opened up the world for me, gave me permission to be a work in progress and held my hand though it all. Your speech brought me back to that young kid with a flashlight under my quilt devouring a forbidden book. It was pure magic.
I’m sure that speech was hard to do, but oh my was it PERFECT!
You were wonderful!!!
Awesome speech! You totally belong there, along with all the quirky, strange, unique, wonderful people who love books and read them, wrote and write them, protect them, share them, and advocate them to the world!
I too, was that weird shy little kid who found books to be my savior, my escape, my secret garden, my enchanted wardrobe, my fortress of knowledge, and without books my childhood would have been a much lonelier place.
Thank you for being you and sharing your books to the world in more ways than one.
Wow – your sister sounds just like you!! Has she ever written a book?
Oh, Jenny, that was wonderful. I am so proud and grateful to have you as a book friend. Nancy
That is the COOLEST thing I’ve ever heard!!!❤️ ❤️ ❤️
I am so proud of you. You beat your demons & delivered a beautiful speech. It made me wistful for my mom & all the librarians who encouraged me to read. I loved reading to earn free books! It was my safe place, too. My mom always said that with a book you could travel anywhere & in any time. How true. And your books helped me cope with & not feel so alone in my depression & anxiety. And helped me explain it to my partner who ‘didn’t get it’ at first. I recommend you to people. You are amazing. Thank you.
Well done Jenny, nice speech! Thank you
P.s. I love how you and your sister communicate.
Wow! Wonderful! You so deserved to be there. And…you have a swell sister ❤️
I went to the LOC for the first time this summmer and I agree. It is one of the most beautiful buildings in America!
What they (above) said. I agree with all of it.
I am so glad you accepted the invitation and gave your talk.
You are the speaker who (for me at least) made the Library of Congress
into a possibly approachable fancy library! May all the good things happen to you and yours!
I had a Fellowship for two years in the LoC. I understand the intimidation. But it is glorious!!
Congrats!
So proud of you, and a little jealous! Thank you for sharing. Thank you for the joy and compassion I have felt discovering your books this summer. And thank you for loving Dolly and making her proud also.
Shit, Jenny, that was excellent. You done good.
Your speech literally brought me to tears, and I haven’t cried in a long time. Thank you for being you.
this is so very cool – wow!
All of us who have sisters with whom we have text conversations regularly are feeling hopelessly inadequate and extremely boring right now.
My daughter and I were at the vet with one of our cats during the covidy times. Our appointment was one of the last ones of the day. They had to do some tests on the cat so they took her to the back and left us in an exam room to wait.
We kept hearing people coming and going, then sounds like they were closing things up. After some time we both looked at each other and thought, I think that they forgot about us. Sure enough, when we exited the room, the lights were out except for the lab lights. Thank goodness the lab tech was still there! And after all of that, they totally forgot to run the cat’s tests!
So we had to wait again for the results. They were very apologetic, but still!
I cannot imagine a more beautiful, profound, moving, and exquisite homage to books, libraries, librarians, writers, and the worlds of words they hold together and uphold. Thank you.
I went there once years ago and felt like it was the most beautiful building I’d ever seen. I asked for a library card and they would only give me a temporary paper one. I took it, but I’ve lost it since then. 😢
That was an amazing speech! I don’t think they knew how nervous you were, you certainly seemed very prepared and confident. Thank you it was great!
I vote in support of your choice of attire for the LOC speech: A perfect fit for the venue and occasion. The print captured the cosmopolitan nature of the capitol city location. If you’d been locked in overnight it’d keep you cozy & they’d mistake you for a librarian. And it was long enough that…should you faint in a heap…you’d be covered. Speech was a great mix of serious and funny. Bravo!
Jesus woman that was amazing! It matters not if you sweat bullets, shake, think you are out of place or accidentally dye your gingernails. You captivated the room, you captivated me, you made me cry, you made me well up with joy at my own connection to books growing up. Who better to speak at that event?! You matter. You are much loved. You are enough and you belonged at that fancy as fuck place like no one else as books are in your DNA.
I will however now forever wonder…did she fix the dog toy or toss it? (And there is a book title if ever there was. To fix the dog toy, or toss it away).
Big love.
Omg, VC Andrews. Why were those books so popular? In retrospect I don’t feel like they were particularly well written, but I know they are still popular with a certain adolescent demographic.
I wish I’d been able to text with my sister that way, but I’m grateful for my funny friends who text me absurd and hilarious things. Congratulations on being a speaker at the LOC! So very cool and well deserved.
YOU DESERVE YOUR NAME UNDER THE DESK
Just wonderful. Thank you for sharing, and stick that imposter syndrome under the bed. You belong, and you were a highlight of the event.
I remember all those George Washington Slept Here signs. You could go around posting Barack Obama Peed Here signs, but then you’d probably get arrested and it would be my fault, so just forget I said anything.
Loved the text messages. Evidence that you’re not the only, um, interesting person in your family. I love you!
I just watched you and you were fantastic and relatable and of course funny and so poignant. Thank you for being the voice for us anxious readers – we love you!
Those other four should have been in awe of you. If they were worth their salt (I never have understood that) they would have been. It is such a cool place. They have clips of “The Best of Johnny Carson” he, and Dolly, belong there and so do you.
Just watched this, and after reeling from the recent deaths of Dolly and Tim, this was a MUCH needed balm…you ‘did good’!! I feel exactly the same way about the power of books and libraries and how they can mean so much to kids who maybe don’t fit into the world the way others do…
Ok, first of all, what a freaking HONOR! You ABSOLUTELY belonged there and huge kudos for getting up there and doing it!!!! Second of all, I work at a city library, it is my most favorite job I have ever had, and your speech was absolutely perfect and so great to hear. It’s what we all hope will happen for all of the people we see walk through our doors. You are an absolute treasure!!!!
OMG I love the discussion n
Between you and your sister. She is awesome and so good at distracting you. You did great, be proud of yourself you did it! What a great library card! I’m guessing no socks in the gift shop?
OMG Jenny – your speech was AWESOME! It blew me away! You should be so proud! You do realize that you got the loudest applause of all the speakers. It’s wonderful that your anxiety doesn’t get in the way of your public speaking. And you looked fabulous!
Please kiss your imposter syndrome goodbye for good. It was an honor and privilege for you to be there, and you absolutely deserved it.
The conversation with your sister is hilarious.
Thanks so much for sharing this with us. You’re amazing!
Love,
Linda S.
PS. I know you’ll treasure that library card!
I love you. That is all.
Your speech was beautiful. It hit just the right spot. Thank you. I’m proud of you!
I don’t think your invite was a mistake; I’ve never heard of those other speakers. Do any of them even have a blog where they post photos of their cats or their drawings?
OMG, Jenny! I very rarely comment on anything but you 100% deserved to be there! That speech made me cry and was by far the most engaging speech of the night! The applause that was so loud and long was not just being polite! They loved you as much as we all do here! I’m so pleased that the nation is recognizing all that you bring to the country! Congratulations! You rocked it!