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One of the most highly anticipated literary events of the year, Broward Library Foundation's Literary Feast will celebrate its nineteenth anniversary this year with a weekend of events that range from panel discussions to dinner parties. Literary Feast 2007, held annually by Broward Library Foundation, Nova Southeastern University and a host of sponsors, will take place Friday, March 23 and Saturday, March 24, and will include three distinct events, each showcasing guest authors and open to students, critics, and book lovers.
Nationally-renowned authors have been invited to participate in Literary Feast 2007, which includes an educational program held at local high schools, a cocktail reception and dinner party series, and a day-long program of panel discussions, author discussions, book signings and book sales that are free and open to the public.
"In blending elegant social events with intelligent conversation, a love of books, and the support of writing in the school, Literary Feast accomplishes it all," says Dave King, chess expert, author and a past-participant in Literary Feast.
This year the weekend kicks off with Novel Day for Students, a casual, conversational program that brings authors into area high schools to talk to students about their lives, their careers, and about writing. Students are invited to ask the writers questions about their lives and their work.
"I had the opportunity to not only connect with and be inspired by other writers, but to also give something to a community of readers and teachers that is so obviously and thoroughly passionate about literary arts," said author Stephanie Kallos, who penned the award-winning debut Broken For You, and was twice a featured guest at Literary Feast.
Later on Friday the festivities begin, and the first stop is a glittering reception held at Main Library's elegant Bienes Center. Celebrated authors and book lovers mingle at Main Library, enjoying conversation, cocktails, and a shimmering view of downtown Fort Lauderdale.
The first Literary Feast was held in 1988, the brainchild of Betty Lou Rose, founder of Broward Library Foundation's fundraising group, Byblos. Patterned after Night of 1,000 Dinners, an event held to raise funds for the New York Public Library system, Literary Feast is more than just a dinner party - it's a series of intimate get-togethers featuring renowned authors as guests. The parties - all held on one evening in various elegant locales throughout Fort Lauderdale - allow dinner guests the opportunity to mingle with authors in a relaxed, fun-filled setting.
The following day is devoted to A Day of Literary Lectures; a series of panel discussions, lectures, book signings and guest authors are presented to thousands of South Florida book lovers and bibliophiles. The event, held at Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center on the South Campus of Nova Southeastern University, brings readers and writers together to discuss what they love most - books.
The first Feast featured eight noted authors including John Knowles (A Separate Peace) and Carl Hiaasen (Double Whammy, Hoot, Striptease) and raised $30,000 for Broward County Library. As the years went on, the event grew in size and scope, but never lost its focus - providing an entertaining, informative and enlightening weekend of top-notch literary events with top-notch participants.
Highlights since then include…
1994's author lineup featured Carol Higgins Clark, Robert Fulghum (All I Ever Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten), Susan Stamberg (former host of National Public Radio's All Things Considered and author of Susan Stamberg Considers All Things.
In 1995, Literary Feast drew 435 guests to the dinner parties, and 1,200 to A Day of Literary Lectures. Over $70,000 was raised that year, with 19 authors, including Russell Banks, Connie May Fowler, Olivia Goldsmith, James Grippando (Beyond Suspicion), James Randi and James W. Hall. A Day of Literary Lectures featured panel discussions on themes such as Creating Heroes, with Jim Lovell, author of Voyage of Apollo 13 and Eric Roth, the screenwriter of Forrest Gump as well as New York, New York, with First Wives Club and Fashionably Late author Olivia Goldsmith and Florida Fiction with Connie May Fowler (When Women Had Wings) and suspense master James Grippando.
The following year, (1996) approximately $100,000 was raised by Literary Feast, and 1996's eclectic roster of guest authors included politician Pierre Salinger; musician Ian Copeland; Darren Star, a television writer and creator of Sex and the City and Melrose Place; Robin Cook, author of countless bestselling medical thrillers; respected newsman Peter Jennings; Haitian-American novelist Edwidge Danticat; and four top South Florida authors - Carl Hiaasen, Edna Buchanon, James Connelly and Tanarive Due - who were all previously newspaper columnists at the Miami Herald.
In 1997, Literary Feast also hosted an all-star literary lineup that included Angela's Ashes author Frank McCourt, legendary New York Daily News columnist Jimmy Breslin and South Florida-based authors Aphrodite Jones (The Red Zone) and Barbara Parker (Something of Innocents); that year, over $100,000 was raised for the Broward County Public Library Foundation.
As the years went on, the guest lists for the events grew, with even more prestigious participants. Nationally renowned writers such as Rick Bragg (Ava's Man, All Over But the Shouting), bestselling mystery writer Carol Higgins Clark, Arthur Golden (Memoirs of a Geisha) and George Plimpton joined local favorites Ana Veciana-Suarez and Les Standiford at Literary Feast 1998. Helen Shaara, wife of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Shaara (The Killer Angels) donated her husband's collection of literary, personal and professional papers to the Bienes Special Collections and Rare Book Library at a ceremony held over the weekend, and seminars were held on Biography, Mystery, and Female Voices.
In its ten-year history, Literary Feast had raised over half a million dollars for Broward County Library, attracting a dazzling array of literary luminaries and book lovers alike. In 1999, five of the participating authors agreed to let the highest bidder during a special silent auction name a character in their next book. Guests that year included Dr. Brian Weiss (Many Lives, Many Masters; Only Love is Real), John Dufresne (Love Warps the Mind a Little), Jacquelyn Mitchard (Deep End of the Ocean) and Malachy McCourt (A Monk Swimming).
The new decade saw a few changes in the Literary Feast format. The year 2000 was the first time that all Day of Literary Lectures were first-come, first-seated, with no advance ticket distribution. Even with no tickets, over 2,000 people attended the day's lineup of discussions, author readings and question-and-and-answer sessions. All-star attorney Roy Black (Black's Law), C-Span founder and Booknotes host Brian Lamb, as well as bestselling author James Patterson joined poet Lucinda Roy (Hotel Alleluia), as she presented a special author reading and dessert reception.
More than $240,000 was raised by Literary Feast 2001, and 26 authors participated in the weekend's event, which included a "Meeting of the Minds" invitation-only welcome reception and dinner party for guest authors and their dinner hosts, held at a spectacular waterfront Fort Lauderdale home. That year's highlights include the participation of South Florida native Lolita Files, one of America's top young African-American writers and author of bestsellers Scenes from a Sistah, Getting to the Good Parts, and Blind Ambition, author Haven Kimmel (A Girl Named Zippy), actress Marsha Mason (Journey: A Personal Journey), Jack Canfield (Chicken Soup for the Soul) and David Bergen, author of Eyewitness to Power, editor-at-large of U.S. News and World Report, and the former advisor to presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and Clinton.
Novel Day for Students kicked off Literary Feast 2002 with over 2,500 local high school students participating. The opening cocktail reception and book signing attracted a crowd of 600 book lovers and literary fans, and for the first time, the Day of Literary Lectures was held at Nova Southeastern Library, Research, and Information Technology Center instead of at Main Library. The day's seminars and discussions included topics such as Lessons of War, Crime Stoppers, Understanding Men, and the American Dream, with participating authors such as columnist Art Buchwald, screenwriter Della Ephron (You've Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle), Lyn Sher, 20/20 journalist and author of America the Beautiful and former Miami Herald columnist Kitty Oliver (Multicolored Memories of a Black Southern Girl).
The next few years saw an astounding variety of authors - both fiction and non-fiction - and events. The library committee that oversaw the selection of invited authors each year carefully chose a varied group of writers including a mix of new and well-known authors and a mix of genres that included something for everyone. The only criteria for all invited authors - they had to have published a book within the last year.
Dennis Smith, author of Report from Ground Zero, actress/singer Carol Channing (Just Lucky I Guess), and Christina Schwarz (All is Vanity) participated in 2003's weekend of events that included a special presentation with Adriana Trigiani, author of Milk Glass Moon, documentary filmmaker, award-winning playwright, writer/producer of The Cosby Show. The morning included a continental breakfast and author reading at Nova Southeastern Library, Research, and Information Technology Center.
Literary Feast 2005 brought authors such as book writer, book reader and book lover Nicholas Basbanes (A Gentle Madness, A Splendor of Letters), mystery writer Robert Greer, and John Pollack (Cork Boat). Literary Feast 2005 featured Lorenzo Carcaterra (Sleepers, Paradise City), food critic Mimi Sheraton (Eating My Words), and interior designer and author Alexandra Stoddard (Things I Want My Daughter to Know; Living a Gracious Life). Of course, each year featured another round of exciting dinner parties and enlightening literary discussions, but authors such as John Pollack believed that the communication between authors and readers was one of the Feast's most important aspects.
"Literary Feast gives students an opportunity to learn directly from authors, authors an opportunity to share their work with passionate readers, and Broward County Library an opportunity to invest in the future," said Pollack "It's a great event."
In 2006, a stellar group of well-knowns made Literary Feast yet another success. Ed McMahon, one of America's best-loved entertainment figures provided a real view of an intensely private man - his friend and coworker, Johnny Carson - in his book Here's Johnny.
Kaye Gibbons, author of The Life All Around Me by Ellen Foster, the follow-up to her prize-winning novel Ellen Foster, Maria Amparo Escandon, author of Gonzales and Daughter Trucking Company, and Snow Flower and the Secret Fan author Lisa See joined together during the Day of Literary Lectures for a panel discussion, "Cultural Divide."
This year's Literary Feast promises to be better than ever. With a roster of highly acclaimed authors and notables, Literary Feast 2007 will bring together a nationally recognized group of writers to Fort Lauderdale, offering yet another program of exciting events and programs.
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