‘First reader’ celebrates written word

The Associated Press is reporting on the third annual National Book Festival.
Characterized as “first reader of our land” by Librarian of Congress James Billington, Bush, a former librarian and teacher, praised American authors for their “tales of mystery, history and heroism.”

She just returned from a book festival in Russia with Lyudmila Putin, wife of President Vladimir Putin of Russia. Motivated after attending Bush’s book festival last year, the Russian first lady organized her own festival in Moscow.