Toronto's very first international authors festival in 1980 featured a mere 18 authors gracing Harbourfront's stages over six nights. Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the IFOA has become one of the premier literary events in the world, boasting a roster of more than 70 writers from 20 countries in a reinvigorated program that sees nearly as many roundtable discussions and lectures as traditional readings and author interviews. Here, our picks for this year's lineup highlights: Susanna Clarke
The British author's nearly 800-page first novel, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, created a stir on both sides of the pond. Graphic novelist Neil Gaiman described it as "the finest English novel of the fantastic written in the last 70 years" -- and then it made the Booker long list. Clarke reads with Ronan Bennett and Francisco Goldman, Oct. 24 at 12 p.m. (Premiere Dance Theatre). She is interviewed by Mark Askwith, Oct. 24 at 5 p.m. (Studio Theatre).
Chip Kidd
This New York graphic artist has created covers for the likes of Michael Crichton, Anne Rice and John Updike. Expect witty and engaging remarks from the man New York magazine dubbed the design world's "closest thing to a rock star." Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. (Lakeside Terrace).
Colm Toibin
The Irish author of the fictional Henry James biography, The Master, faces off against Brit Alan Hollinghurst, the Henry James-ish author of The Line of Beauty, in the race for the Booker Prize. With the Booker winner announced Tuesday, Toibin and Hollinghurst's on-stage interview conducted by Globe and Mail Books editor Martin Levin might prove something of a grudge match, although Toibin, an undisputed master in the art of reading, will have the edge. Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. (Lakeside Terrace). Toibin also reads with Colin McAdam, Michael Winter and Edgardo Vega Yunqué, Oct. 26 at 8 p.m. (Premiere Dance Theatre).
Jasper Fforde
A former IFOA audience favourite, the author of the Thursday Next novels ( The Eyre Affair and most recently, Something Rotten) borrows famous literary characters for cameos in his intricately clever comic thrillers. On-stage, however, he has plenty of original character to spare. Fforde reads with Per Helge Sørensen and Koji Suzuki, Oct. 25 at 8 p.m. (Brigantine Room). Paul Quarrington interviews him, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. (Studio Theatre).
Art Spiegelman
When Spiegelman won the Pulitzer Prize in 1992 for his Holocaust memoir Maus, a two-volume comic book featuring Jews as mice and Nazis as cats, he gave mainstream credibility to an oft-smirked-at genre and inspired a generation of cartoonists. Spiegelman will be interviewed by one of Canada's own comics stars, Seth, about his new 9/11 memoir, In the Shadow of No Towers. One of the hottest tickets of IFOA this year. Oct. 22 at 8 p.m. (Brigantine Room).
Glenn Murray
The New Brunswick author once said, "I'm turning farts into gold." It's no windy boast: His Walter, the Farting Dog book was a mammoth bestseller, spawning sequels and movie deals. Murray, one of the seven authors appearing at kid-friendly IFOA sessions, is a gas in person. Oct. 24 at 1 p.m. (Studio Theatre).
Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez
Dubbed the "Latina Terry McMillan" for her chick-litty books The Dirty Girls Social Club and Playing with Boys, this American writer issued a challenge to journalists to resist using the following words when describing her: hot, spicy, passionate, sassy, salsa, chili pepper, hot tamale, cha-cha, tango. She herself has never been at a loss for words: The saxophonist-turned-writer has a rep as a firebrand thanks to her legendary resignation letter to the Los Angeles Times. She reads with Emmanuèle Bernheim, Clare Boylan and Kate Pullinger, Oct. 23 at 4 p.m. (Brigantine Room), then appears at a roundtable moderated by Tina Srebotnjak for TVOntario's Imprint, Oct. 24 at 3 p.m. (Brigantine Room).
The Giller Night
The festival closer by the Giller Prize nominees is such a popular event that ticket sales were brisk even before the nominees were announced last week. This year's lineup should include Shauna Singh Baldwin, Wayson Choy, Pauline Holdstock, Alice Munro, Paul Quarrington and Miriam Toews. And yes, it's quite a coup that the normally event-shy Munro has confirmed her attendance. Oct. 30 at 8 p.m. (Premiere Dance Theatre).
WHERE: Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay W., 416-973-4000.
WHEN: Oct. 20 to 30; various times.
I'm on a panel . . . and someone in the audience says, 'I hope the other writers aren't offended, but I can't help but notice Alisa is the only one wearing cute shoes.' Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez, recalling an appearance at an L.A. book fest, on her website