As we scurry to tie up the reamining loose ends on the 2003 Wisconsin Book Festival, we find ourselves repeatedly remarking how glad we are that books can be about anything in the world. In pulling together a festival of the book, our scope is not limited by subject, genre, or audience: if it's a book, or has the essence of a book, it's fair game. Thus, the Wisconsin Humanities Council is proud to offer a festival that we hope is as broad and diverse in content, and as appealing to diverse audiences, as are books themselves.

We're particularly excited about a new collaboration this year: our partnership with the organizers of the fifth annaul CineFest Nuestra America Latino Film Festival. Our special stream of joint events bridges the world between the written word and the stories of the screen, and once again allows us to open wider the definition of the book: essentially isn't it all about telling stories? The first books, or portable containers for stories and other information, included ancient rolls and scrolls--so is it really such a leap to a reel of film?

As part of the Book Festival's collaboration with CineFest, the Wisconsin Humanities Council is thrilled jo join in welcoming some of thoday's premier Latino authors and artists to Madison. This partnership is a genuine cultural collaboration, a unique effort to bridge artistic media and forge productive business and community relationships across cultural lines. Such efforts will continue to enhance the Wisconsin Book Festival as we strive in future years to open the book even wider.


--Alison Jones Chaim, Festival Director, and Tilney Marsh, Wisconsin Book Festival Associate Director