The lectures, discussions, and presentations of this year's Hemingway Festival promise to stimulate deep thinking about the role of nature in Hemingway's works, as well as a deeper connection to the nature that Hemingway encountered in the greater Sun Valley area. The Festival will be keynoted on Friday, September 9, by the writer Rick Bass, a prolific author and the winner of Pushcart prizes, O’Henry awards, and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts. His books include The Book of Yaak, Colter, and, most recently, the novel All the Land to Hold Us. In addition, a group of Boise State University professors will present a panel discussion of the Festival’s theme, and the program also will feature talks by Hemingway Review editor Suzanne del Gizzo, University of Alaska professor Kevin Maier, College of Idaho professor Scott Knickerbocker, and small-group discussions of Hemingway’s story “Big Two-Hearted River.” The Festival’s program also includes cultural events that allow attendees to get a feel for the rich history, literary heritage, and natural vibrancy of Ketchum and Sun Valley, including an insiders’ tour of the Sun Valley Museum of History and a guided tour of Silver Creek Preserve. Registration is now open online and the registration fee is $60, which includes the Rick Bass lecture. Separate tickets for the Rick Bass lecture alone will be available later in the summer for $12 apiece. Because the Hemingway Festival typically fills to capacity, early registration is recommended. For more information, visit www.comlib.org or contact Anna Svidgal at (208) 806-2640 or hemingwayfestival@comlib.org.