The Miami Book Fair International: Now Read This
2012 offical book fair poster Apparently if one reads regularly, you’ll be neurologically better off than those who listen to audio or video renditions of the same information. Ergo...time to turn off those techno toys and hunker down with a good book. As luck would have it, our high season parade of events is led by the always wonderful Miami Book Fair International, November 11th -18th. Stacks of terrific reads will be introduced during this week of gifted wordsmiths of all stripes and dots.
The excitement continues to build as authors commit and posters are chosen for the 29th edition of Miami Book Fair International.
Presented by the Center for Literature and Theatre at Miami Dade College, this year’s line-up is ramping up nicely. Each year, MBFI features the culture and noted authors of a particular country; the 2012 theme has been nominated as Discover Paraquay. Many facets of arts and culture of this nation will be offered up for your own discovery during the fair. Two hundred exhibitors from all over the United States will be selling books throughout the street fair...we suspect you can find many potential topics to keep those neurons firing on four cylinders with this super-sized selection.
Two skilled artists rendered award winning posters to represent the 2012 fair. The first artist, Rosa Naday Garmendia is a native of Havana, and an artist-in-residence at MAM in Miami as well as the ArtCenter/South Florida. Her poster suggesting South Florida flora is awash in vibrant colors with suggestions of words hidden like jewels nestled in bright fallen leaves.
Artist and author Daniel Kirk came up a winner for the Children’s Alley poster this year. Tome-laden character’s from his children’s books float 
2012 children's alley posterabove Miami’s skyline in a vibrantly hued hot air balloon...suggesting...the sky’s the limit? He has penned twenty-one books for the younger set. What child would not be inspired to write while reading Kirk’s Library Mouse, a book concerned with a cute rodent learning to write stories of his own. Toss in Snow Dude and Lunchroom Lizard and even I am intrigued to look up what these cleverly entitled Daniel Kirk books are about. Kirk has recently moved up to young-adult fantasy with the Elf Realm series. His 2012 poster is dedicated to the Center for Literary Arts and Theatre’s Generation Genius children-to-teens programs to encourage literacy in the community.
Daniel KirkStarting at 4:00pm, after inauguration ceremonies and a reception, the fair will open at 6:00pm Sunday, November 11th with author Tom Wolfe discussing his latest, Back to Blood. A novel concerning race relations in Miami, the title refers to bloodlines being the only connection with our past, emphasizing Miami’s immigrant population. Wolfe moved to Miami to fully immerse himself in the reality of our environment, to keep the note of his book singing on a truthful plane.
He’s been quoted to remark: "to see all of humanity crashing together." (He’s clearly been on I-95). The author of Bonfire of the Vanities, A Man in Full and The Right Stuff should have a lot to unearth about our city of many men. Don’t miss this kick-ass kick-off to the Book Fair.
Rosa Naday Garmendia and Mitch Kaplan
The Evenings With series, introducing us to our favorite and perhaps not-yet-favorite authors, continues to be a thought provoking and stimulating experience. MDC continually manages to amass eight days worth of back to back authors always well versed in the art of lively interchange. Indigenous to this Fair is the all-important Ibero-American Authors program, including a workshop led by Cuban author Teresa Dovalpage. Her books, Death of a Murcian in Havana was runner-up for the 2006 Herralde Award in Spain, and The Late Fidel won the Rincon de la Victoria Award in 2009; both precede her latest with the intriguing title The Astral Plane: Stories of Cuba, the Southwest and Beyond.
Irene Sperber and Mitch KaplanA selection of the on board author confirmations this year include Joan Didion with her deeply personal essays depicting portraits of modern America through the prism of her life with late husband author John Gregory Dunne. Fellow essayist Adam Gropnik will be on hand along with journalist Robert Caro and novelist Sandra Cisneros. Keep the Book Fair website on your favorites list to refer to as you plan your visits.
Don’t forget to sign up on line to make the most of this experience. Becoming a Friend of the Fair will ramp up your enjoyment and participation as well as support this winning activity on our culturally rich turf.
Miami Book Fair International
November 11th -18th
Miami Dade MDC’s Wolfson Campus
300 NE 2nd Avenue
Downtown Miami, 33132
Street Fair: November 16th- 18th (Friday, Saturday, Sunday)