TOPEKA, Kan. – The Kansas Book Festival announces A Night for the History Books: Bill Kurtis Remembers, an evening with beloved journalist, documentarian, and author Bill Kurtis. On the 60th anniversary of the 1966 Topeka tornado, the Kansas Book Festival is asking the author of Whirlwind (University of Kansas Press 2025) to sit down with WIBW’s Emmy-winning News Director Melissa Brunner to speak on his legendary career, his foray into writing, and his memories of Topeka on that fateful day and beyond.
A Night for the History Books will take place on Monday, June 8 in the AB Ballroom of the Washburn University Memorial Union at 6:00 pm. Beyond his journalistic accolades, radio fans may know Bill Kurtis as the judge and scorekeeper of NPR’s Wait…Wait…Don’t Tell Me!. After their conversation, Kurtis and Brunner will take the hot seat in a fun gameshow that asks them to nail down Kansas facts and fiction, with a little help from the audience. Presented by April Kelsey of Farm Bureau Financial Services, as well as the English Department and the Center for Kansas Studies at Washburn University, this live, interactive event will feature archival items from the Kansas Historical Society, and Whirlwind for sale from the Ichabod Shop.
All proceeds will benefit the 2026 Kansas Book Festival, a free celebration of literary life taking place on Saturday, September 26. This year, the festival will feature over 40 Kansas-connected and bestselling authors, a vendor fair, food trucks, and children’s activities. A Night for the History Books is open to the public with a suggested donation of any amount that demonstrates the value of building community around Kansas literature. All those who give before June 1 will be entered to win a chance to attend a meet-and-greet with Bill Kurtis before the show.
For more on the Kansas Book Festival, and to donate for a chance to meet Bill Kurtis, visit www.kansasbookfestival.com.
