Celebrated journalist and historian Colin Woodard, best known for books examining how America’s historically distinct regional cultures shape its politics, takes the next logical step in a book slated for publication this fall.
“Nations Apart: How Clashing Regional Cultures Shattered America” paints the portrait of a democracy on the verge of collapse, examining how we got here and offering a blueprint for bridging the rifts that divide us.

Woodard will introduce “Nations Apart” at Word, the Blue Hill literary arts festival scheduled for October 23-26. He will be in conversation with fellow journalist Alicia Anstead on Saturday, October 25, at 7 p.m. at Blue Hill Congregational Church.

Word Writing Contest winner Patty Morris of Cape Elizabeth will open the evening with a brief reading of her short story, “Sealy, a Rock.”

Other Word events feature crime writers Paul Doiron and Elizabeth Hand, Georgia O’Keeffe biographer Roxana Robinson and the documentary based on her book, poets including melissa christine goodrum, and many other writers from Maine and beyond, some of them offering craft workshops. An art show and a children's program featuring Phuc Tran and “Cranky Makes a Friend” round out the weekend.

Complete festival information is at wordfestival.org.

Word is funded by the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation and other generous donors. The festival’s media partner is WERU-FM. Its fiscal sponsor is Blue Hill Community Development.