The Southern Literature Festival starts today at Laurel Theatre with a 4 p.m. reading of Dr. George Garrett's children's play, Sir Slob and the Princess, direction by Marta Stout of Clarence Brown Theatre and music by Nancy Brennan Strange. The festival continues at 7 p.m. in the University Center Ballroom with the keynote address by Henry Taylor, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet. Events are open to the public.