The 25th edition of Literary Feast, a well-known community event that has brought more than 365 authors to Broward County since it began in 1988, will once again celebrate books and authors at a series of events from March 15-18, 2013. Last year, the Broward Public Library Foundation raised more than $130,000 at Literary Feast to support both children's and adult literacy programs and services for Broward County Library.
This year's event has a twist – an in-depth look at the works and life of legendary author Edith Wharton. 2012 was the 150th anniversary year of her birth, and the literary world took notice. "You know who's hot right now?" wrote Entertainment Weekly recently. "Edith Wharton. Even though she died 75 years ago... she's still one of the most influential writers today."
Four writers, all Wharton experts, will attend Literary Feast: Jennie Fields, The Age of Desire: A Novel, Irene Goldman-Price, author of My Dear Governess: The Letters of Edith Wharton to Anna Bahlmann, Francesca Segal, author of The Innocents and Richard Guy Wilson, Edith Wharton at Home: Life at the Mount.
More than 20 authors will be featured at this year's event, including Bob Spitz, author of Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child, Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery and Grill founder and CEO Lowell Hawthorne, author of the memoir, The Baker's Son and, graphic novelist Dwight Zimmerman, author of The Hammer and the Anvil: Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln and the End of Slavery in America."
South Florida's Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Dave Barry will be featured exclusively on Sunday evening, March 17 at Feast's Night Out poolside at the Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six.
"Literary Feast is crucial to sustaining the Broward Public Library Foundation's mission to support Broward County libraries' programs and services," said Joseph M. Goldstein,
a partner at Shutts & Bowen LLP who is serving as Literary Feast 2013 Co-Chair, along with his wife, Mary. "Projects such as the Summer Reading Program, Books 'n' Bears at the Holidays and computer instruction classes are supported through the dollars raised through this unique event." More than 50 community volunteers work on behalf of Literary Feast's five events.
Former Literary Feast author Ellen Crosby described the event, saying, "Literary Feast paired a passionate group of people who write books with a passionate group of people who read books – and want to keep their libraries alive and well. A terrific weekend!"
During the four-day festival, the Literary Feast authors will speak to donors, students and South Florida's book-loving community at these events:
LitLUNCH! – Friday, March 15: A luncheon featuring Lee Woodruff at the Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six's revolving Pier Top restaurant overlooking scenic Fort Lauderdale. Tickets are $65.
A Night of Literary Feasts – Saturday, March 16: The signature fund-raising event begins with an opportunity for ticket holders to meet all the Feast authors at a fabulous cocktail party, followed by intimate dinners featuring one or two authors hosted in private homes and upscale restaurants. Individual tickets are $175. A limited number of special $75 cocktail reception tickets will be available.
LitLIVE! – Sunday, March 17: This free public event features all the authors participating in a series of lectures, discussions and book signings at the Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center on the Davie campus of Nova Southeastern University.
Feast's Night Out With Dave Barry – Sunday evening, March 17: Humor columnist and prolific author Dave Barry will join Literary Feast at a poolside party at the Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six. His latest book is the comic suspense novel Insane City. Tickets are $40
Novel Day for Students – Monday, March 18: The authors will engage with students at Broward County high schools to discuss their work and the craft of writing. The authors will also announce the winners of the annual Novel Day for Students Short Story Contest, with more than 500 students participating each year.
Long-time Literary Feast supporter Mike Jackson, CEO, AutoNation, Inc., said "A successful society is, by necessity, a literate society. Reading is the first skill among all others, and the Broward Public Library Foundation plays an essential role in the civic, cultural and commercial well-being of our community."
This year's Literary Feast Title Sponsor is The Friends of the Mount, Edith Wharton's Home, and Presenting Sponsors are AutoNation, Inc. and Nova Southeastern University
The Literary Feast 2013 authors are:
Ace Atkins, The Lost Ones (A Quinn Colson Novel)
Melanie Benjamin, The Aviator's Wife
Dave Barry, Insane City
Melanie Benjamin, The Aviator's Wife
Peter Benjaminson, Mary Wells: The Tumultuous Life of Motown's First Superstar
Jennie Fields, The Age of Desire: A Novel
Randy Friedman and Linda Webb, Three Tools for Success
Meg Gardiner, Ransom River
Tess Gerritsen, Last to Die: A Rizzoli and Isles Novel
Irene Goldman-Price: My Dear Governess: the Letters of Edith Wharton to Anna Bahlmann
Michael Grunwald, The New New Deal: The Hidden Story of Change in the Obama Era
Lowell Hawthorne, The Baker's Son
Tania James, Aerogrammes: and Other Stories
Nathanael Johnson, All Natural
Jeanne Marie Laskas, Hidden America
Patrick Mascola, Hell on East Rock
Francesca Segal, The Innocents
Bob Spitz, Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child
Richard Guy Wilson, Edith Wharton at Home: Life at the Mount
Lee Woodruff, Those We Love Most
Dwight Zimmerman, The Hammer and the Anvil: Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln
and the End of Slavery in America
More information on Literary Feast 2013 is available at www.LiteraryFeastOnline.org or www.facebook.com/bplfoundation. Follow the event on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LiteraryFeast.
About the Broward Public Library Foundation Incorporated in 1982, the Broward Public Library Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization committed to enhancing the collections, programs and services of the Broward County Library system beyond the means of public funding. Broward County Library is the ninth largest library system in the United States. For more information, visit www.bplfoundation.org.
