The year 2021 was poised to be a great one for established, fan-favorite authors. We were blessed with new work from a buzzy roster of titans, from Colson Whitehead to Lauren Groff to Kazuo Ishiguro.

Times — and The Times — have changed since the first Festival of Books was held in 1996. What hasn’t is our commitment to this vibrant community of readers and writers, with the annual spring ritual ...