Topic: History

Four years ago, Walter Isaacson had a great idea that resulted in many other great ideas. His concept was the Aspen Ideas Festival where writers, world leaders, artists, business people, educators, and thinkers would gather in Aspen for intimate and lively conversations across an array of topics. Through programs, tutorials, seminars and discussions, festival attendees and speakers get to indulge in a sort of university for adults.

Name the topic, and it's covered--politics, education, international affairs, energy, science, arts and culture, and more. The Aspen Ideas Festival brings some of the world's most pressing and complex issues to the table, and speakers and attendees can participate in thought-provoking dialogue about each topic.

For information on this year's sold out Ideas Fest please visit The Aspen Institute.

For more than three decades Aspen Writers' Foundation has hosted Aspen Summer Words, a literary festival and writing retreat where passionate writers and readers can indulge in a five-day celebration dedicated to the written word. From June 24 to 28, Aspen will be bustling with readings, workshops, panel discussions, and live music as a part of this festival for the mind.

This year's theme, "Africa: The Origin of Stories," honors the birthplace of storytelling. The Literary Festival centers around readings and lectures from six acclaimed African authors, including Wole Soyinka and Binyavanga Wainaina—both featured in this month's special Africa issue of Vanity Fair.

In addition to the literary festival, the writing retreat gives aspiring writers the opportunity to have their manuscripts individually critiqued by some of today's hottest editors and agents. Behind-the-books panel discussions and two-day symposiums offer passholders a glimpse into the screen, food, and magazine industries. Among this year's featured guests are United Nations ambassador Ken Adelman and Playboy Magazine editor Tim Mohr.

New this year, the event also boasts a sound track. Don't miss Malian musician Habib Koite at Belly Up or jazz icon Wynton Marsalis conducting the Lincoln Center Orchestra and the Ghanian percussion ensemble Odadaa! at the Benedict Music Tent. So put on your thinking caps and brace yourself for a literary exploration of Africa—the place where it all began.

Individual tickets can be purchased through Belly Up or the Aspen Writers' Foundation's online box office. For a full schedule of events, visit www.aspenwriters.org