Brian Joseph Davis (author, Portable Altamont; book columnist, Eye Weekly)

Clifford Chase. His Winkie—the story of a teddy bear caught in a so-paranoid-it’s-true version of the war on terror—could the most fascinating left field hit since The Confederacy of Dunces.

Clifford Chase reads on Oct. 27 at 8 p.m. and is interviewed on Oct. 28 at 3 p.m.

Rachel Harry (host, BookTelevision)

Yes, the readings are terrific, the panels are always insightful and the interviews are guaranteed to be inspiring. But those of us in the book biz know the best moments of the festival take place at the parties. There are few things more exciting for a bibliophile than grabbing a glass of liquid courage and sauntering over to introduce oneself to the likes of Julian Barnes, Margaret Atwood, Alan Hollinghurst, Neil Bissoondath, David Gilmour, Louise Welsh, Colm Tóibín or Lewis Desoto. Hopefully this year’s party highlights will include cocktails with Jane Hamilton, buffet grazing with Thomas King and gossiping at the coat check with Wayson Choy. Then perhaps I’ll split a cab at the end of the night with Mark Z. Danielewski and he can make some sense of his novel, Only Revolutions, for me. Here’s hoping!

Mark Danielewski is interviewed on Oct. 21 at 1 p.m. and reads at 4 p.m.

Samara Walbohm (co-owner, Type Books)

My gut reaction first choice is the obvious—the round-table discussion with Kiran Desai, because well, everyone loves to meet and hear a winner. And with Desai at the same table as Gautam Malkani, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Jonathan Safran Foer (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is flying of the shelves at Type), this is a gathering of some of my favourite stars. Young, international, hip and award winning, what will they talk about?

Nicole Krauss is married to Safran Foer, so just to keep things in the family, I will be sure to stop in to hear her read from her exquisite novel, The History of Love. I’m already wondering which passage she will select—will she roll her “rrrs,” how will Alma sound? As Krauss shares the same air as Edward P. Jones, this will be an incredible hour of listening.

Closer to home, I won’t miss “On Libraries,” the round-table discussion with Rosemary Sullivan, Alberto Manguel and Bruce Whiteman. Hopefully they will talk about libraries as social and cultural institutions, libraries as intellectual economies and libraries as cozy nooks. Hearing the thoughts of these intellectual heavyweights on a subject so very dear to me is certain to be both enlightening and entertaining.

Nicole Krauss reads on Oct. 21 at 4 p.m. and is part of a round-table discussion on Oct. 22 at 3 p.m. Kiran Desai is part of a round-table discussion on Oct. 22 at noon and reads on Oct. 24 at 8 p.m. “On Libraries” takes place on Oct. 24 at 8 p.m.