The Los Angeles Festival of Books took place at the University of Southern California (USC) campus in downtown L.A. over the weekend of April 20-21, 2024. The largest book fair in the US, organizers claimed about 200,000 in attendance over the weekend.
Mehring Books had a politically distinctive and welcoming presence, featuring our two most recent publications, Logic of Zionism and Leon Trotsky and the Struggle for Socialism in the 21st Century.
The event is free to enter and drew a wide audience with thousands of exhibitors, celebrity events, children’s events, food trucks and live music.
There was also a wide selection of Mehring books and pamphlets on offer.
Our tent was very popular over Saturday and Sunday. Some who made purchases returned later with additional questions and to discuss what they'd purchased.
Strong sales reflect growing interest in socialism, the recognition that the struggle against war implies a struggle against capitalism, and significant interest in the history of the Russian Revolution, of Trotskyism, and the critical battles of the 20th century against Stalinism and petty bourgeois nationalism.
This year's fair was highly politicized, taking place amid global campus protests against the Israeli genocide in Gaza and their suppression by university administrators and police.
Several of the festival book fair award winners spoke out on Saturday night in defense of the USC valedictorian Asna Tabassum's right to give the customary 2024 graduation speech after university administrator's blocked her address.
A protest took place on Sunday to oppose the genocide in Gaza.
