The Miami International Book Fair 2013. By Geniusofdespair

Mitch Albom - is an American best-selling author, Tuesdays with Morrie.

Local Author Alex Flinn From Young Literature Panel

Amy Tan -  is an American writer whose works explore mother-daughter relationships. Her best-known work is The Joy Luck Club, which has been translated into 35 languages.

Edna Buchanan - is an American journalist and writer best known for crime mystery novels.

Scott Anderson - Scott Anderson is an American novelist, journalist, and a veteran war correspondent.

The Literary Band -- Not Playing

Literary Band playing -- Scott Turrow is lead singer on this number. Below is video of Mitch Albom singing lead.

Video on YouTube

More photos....

Just finished reading "Dead Last". By Geniusofdespair

I wrote about James W. Hall's appearance at the Miami International Book Fair on November 22nd.  Specifically that his book "Dead Last" was not available for purchase.  Feeling my pain he sent me an autographed copy for free.

I  just finished reading the book (I had a few ahead of his in my book reading line-up). Following in the footsteps of  John D. McDonald who created the reluctant PI, Travis McGee of Fort Lauderdale; Hall created Thorn, an eccentric, swept into being a investigator by circumstances. Thorn lives in the Keys and fishing is his passion. His full name, never used, is Daniel Thorn.

The mystery took the reader for a ride through Miami. He weaved the infamous Silver Sands Motel in Key Biscayne into the story along with Perricone's restaurant, the Miami River, Flagler and Spring Gardens among other places. I thought that one location sounded suspiciously like the Miami River Inn but it was not named that. Anyway, I enjoyed the read and I liked the character Thorn. Continuing characters are my favorite for mystery reading, if you like them you want to read more. One character I didn't like was April's mom - annoying. I was wrong about who the murderer was so I was surprised by the ending. I was hoping it was April's mom so she would go to jail and never be heard from again in Hall's books.

It made "Dead Last" better that I knew most of the places that Thorn was traveling through. Even some names were familiar. One character had the last name of Matheson. As I read, I wondered if Hall got his protagonist's name from Miami Architect Thorn Grafton. There were also lyrically written passages that could only describe Florida - for example:

"The sky was leaden and low and in the east the sunrise was muffled to a vague pink. The air smelled tense and electric from an incoming storm. Overhead in the lowering sky two parrots groused at each other as they made their morning rounds."

Thanks again for the book Mr. Hall, you reminded me, I have to make an appointment with Dr. Rivlin (you have to read the book).

Miami International Book Fair Review: I feel sorry for Author James W. Hall. By Geniusofdespair

James W. Hall wrote "Dead Last" a novel from his series about Thorn, a reclusive hero from Key Largo. 

I heard James W. Hall speak Saturday and enjoyed the panel he was on with fellow mystery writers Jeff Abbott, John Connolly and Jeff Lindsay (Dexter author - he is very amusing). There were tables for signing after the session and opposite the tables were books on sale for the four authors who spoke.  I wanted to buy James W. Hall's new book. They were out of it or maybe it wasn't released. No one knew.  He was only speaking a few minutes before. How could they be out of it? Anyway, he soon left the autograph area getting no takers...as we struggled to find his book.

Books and Books or the Fair itself didn't have their act together on Saturday. We were issued a $5 coupon with our tickets good at Books and Books but no one knew where we had to go to redeem them. 

We went to two events listed in the newspaper. Their locations were advertised in a pull-out of the Miami Herald. We never did find the sessions we wanted, instead we listened to bible scholar Richard Friedman talk about the Old Testament.  We looked for Mark Kurlansky's new book "What".  Couldn't find that either (we saw him by mistake too as he was not suppose to be in the room we went to).  My big complaint -- there were too many versions of the timetables/room assignments and you weren't sure which one was most up-to-date and finding the books after the sessions was a monumental task in most cases.

Other years it seemed like it was more organized and people manning tables didn't say "I don't know."

One more complaint, the band in the food area was so loud you couldn't order without screaming nor could you sit at the tables to enjoy the over-priced food. Crepes and drinks in hand, we ran out of there and ate on the run. Let me balance my criticism with something good: I did enjoy hearing Ron Suskind Thursday and I also was glad I was able to see the panel with  Mike Barnicle and Pete Hamill on it on Saturday. Also the mushroom, cheese and spinach crepe was good (what didn't end up on my shirt).

Looking Back At The Miami International Book Fair. By Geniusofdespair

I went Saturday and it was a good time. My only disappointment was that I missed hearing Eugene Robinson on Friday night. I am glad I missed George Bush the beginning of the week.

Jeff Lindsay, the writer of Dexter (the TV series and the Books by the same name) was pretty good humored. He mugged for the photo behind the book he signed for me -- as you can plainly see. He was a good guy.

I listened to Greil Marcus read from his new book Bob Dylan, Writings 1968-2010. He writes beautifully, but I didn't buy the book because I don't care enough about Bob Dylan after Lay Lady Lay came out in 1969. Forty more years of Dylan information wouldn't cut it for me. Marcus stopped his reading to comment on the rude people leaving the room after he only got about 3 sentences into his presentation. I guess he has never experienced a Miami audience before.

I included one other photo on the left. Don't know what the significance of the costume was, but it interested me somewhat. I urge all of you to do the Miami Book Fair next year. It is worthwhile and cheap and some of the strange religious books are extremely amusing. And, the roasted corn is the best eats.