Major Literary Celebs, Including the All-Time New York Times No. 1, are Headed to Houston: This Barbara Bush Author Reveal is Star Packed

The show must go on and so it did but not without its bittersweet moment. The author reveal and holiday fest for “A Celebration of Reading” was missing one vital component — the presence of Barbara Bush, namesake of the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, which benefits from the annual fundraiser.

The former First Lady, who made literacy the cause célèbre of both her tenure in the White House and throughout the remainder of her life, passed away several months earlier and former President George H.W. Bush joined her in Heaven only two weeks before the event.

Thus, there was a touch of melancholy to the cocktail buffet held in the elegant home of Sue and Lester Smith. But foundation co-founders Maria and Neil Bush lifted spirits along with foundation president Julie Baker Finck with announcement of the best-selling authors who will lead the May 2 “A Celebration of Reading.”

While guests mingled over cocktails and perused the buffet table by Culinaire on the ground floor, the announcement was held in the Smith’s second floor ballroom, setting for many a glam evening. Adding to the festivities was music by Moodafaruka.

Presenting authors will be Dr. David Eagleman, world-renowned neuroscientist and presenter of The Brain, an Emmy-nominated television series on PBS and BBC and author of  The Runaway Species: How Human Creativity Remakes the World; Ellie LeBlond Sosa, granddaughter of former President George and Barbara Bush and author of George and Barbara Bush: A Great American Love Story; Susan Page, Washington Bureau chief of USA Today, founder and host of the video newsmaker series for USA Today, “Capital Download,” and author of THE MATRIARCH: Barbara Bush and the Making of an American Dynasty; and Guinness World Record holder for the most  No. 1 New York Times best sellers, James Patterson, who will be releasing his latest book in his Alex Cross series, Target.

PC Seen: Melza and Ted Barr, Donatella and Fred Benckenstein, Cathy and Joe Cleary, Lilly and Thurman Andress, Molly and Jim Crownover, Harris County Judge Ed Emmett and Gwen, Ron Finck, Lily and Charles Foster, Trish and Rock Morille, Alice and Keith Mosing, Andrea and Bill White, Nancy Ames and Danny Ward.