Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Miami
Cause: Personalized mentorships and activities designed to empower at-risk children and young adults President of the Women’s
Committee: Irene Korge
Cochairs: Sonia Gibson, Bronwyn Miller, Migna Sanchez-Llorens
Event: 12th annual Miracle Makers Luncheon and Fashion Show, Thursday, May 3, at 11 AM, The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Miami; bbbsmiami.org

Camillus House
Cause: Hospitality services and prevention programs for the homeless communities of South Florida
Celebrity emcee: Dave Barry
Host chef: Michelle Bernstein
Event: The Auction, Saturday, May 5, at 6:30 PM, The Coral Gables Country Club; camillushouse.org

Honey Shine Mentoring Program
Cause: Introducing positive role models to young girls and women from challenged backgrounds
Founder: Tracy Wilson Mourning
Event: 10th annual Hats Off Luncheon, Tuesday, May 8, at 10:30 AM, Jungle Island; honeyshine.org

March of Dimes
Cause: Preventing premature birth and ensuring the health of newborns through research and medical resources
Artist: Derek Wilson
Event: Paint the Town, Friday, May 11, at 6 PM, The Westin Colonnade, Coral Gables; marchofdimes.com

Jorge Nation Foundation
Cause: To send children with severe illnesses on a trip to a destination of their choice
President: Ruben Socarras
Event: First annual White Party, Saturday, May 19, at 7:30 PM, Sagamore Hotel; jorgenation.org

Informed Families/The Florida Family Partnership
Cause: Educational services and programs to prevent children from using drugs
President/CEO: Peggy B. Sapp
Event: 27th annual Fundraising Dinner, Monday, May 21, at 6:30 PM, Joe’s Stone Crab; informedfamilies.org

Cleaning for Cancer
Cause: Offers cleaning services for the homes of cancer patients
Executive director and founder: Nadege Desravines
Event: 2012 Cleaning for Cancer Gala, Thursday, May 24, at 8 PM, Fontainebleau Miami Beach; cleaningforcancer.org

Amigos for Kids
Cause: Community initiatives to address child abuse and neglect
Cofounder and chairman: Jorge A. Plasencia
Event: ING Miami Celebrity Domino Night, Saturday, June 16, at 8 PM, Jungle Island; amigosforkids.org

Florida Heart Research Institute
Cause: Research and education for the prevention of heart disease
Chairs: Fausto and Remedios Diaz-Oliver
Event: Driven to Dine, Saturday April 14 at 5 PM, Bunny Bastian’s home in Gables Estates; floridaheart.org

American Red Cross
Cause: Prevention programs and relief efforts for the victims of natural disasters and other major emergencies
Honoree: Frank V. Sacco
Chairmen: John Benz and John Primeau
Event: 2012 Humanitarian of the Year Award Dinner, Wednesday April 18 at 6 PM, The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa; southfloridaredcross.org

Roots in the City
Cause: Efforts to redevelop and beautify Miami’s inner city through the establishment of community gardens and tree nurseries
Executive chef: E. Michael Reidt
Event: Area 31’s Earth Day Outdoor Garden Party Benefitting Roots in the City, Friday April 20 at 5 PM, Area 31 at the Epic Hotel; rootsinthecity.com

Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Cause: Providing rehabilitation, research, clinical services, and technology education for the blind and low-vision community
Chairman of the board of directors: Michael Silva
President and CEO: Virginia Jacko
Event: Fifth annual Music Under the Stars: Bon Appétit Miami, Friday April 20 at 7 PM, Miami Lighthouse; miamilighthouse.com

United Way
Cause: Empowering people to reach financial stability, greater health, and a better education
Host chef: Thomas Connell
Event: United Way Miami Wine & Food Festival “Cellar-bration,” Saturday April 21 at 6:30 PM, Fontainebleau Miami Beach; unitedwaymiami.org

Locust Projects
Cause: Offering visual artists a place to express new ideas and create on-site installations
Chair: Debra Scholl
Event: Tenth annual Spring Fling, Saturday April 28 at 6:30 PM, 1111 Lincoln Road parking garage, 7th floor; locustprojects.org

Junior League of Miami
Cause: Encouraging at-risk women, children, and families to become community leaders and fostering volunteerism
President: Dana Wolpert Martorella
Chairs: Amanda Kessler and Lauren Dowlen
Honorees: Lea Black, Lauren Book, Kathleen Kennedy-Olsen, Amy Rosenberg
Event: 2012 Women Who Make a Difference Awards Luncheon: A Day in Her Shoes, Sunday April 29 at 11:30 AM, JW Marriott Hotel Miami; jlmiami.org

Big Brothers 
Big Sisters of Greater Miami
Cause: Improving the lives of children through mentorships
Cochairs: Bonnie Crabtree, William Jones
Event: The Big Event 2012, Saturday March 10 at 7 pm, JW Marriott Marquis Miami.

Citizens Interested 
in Arts
Cause: Providing grants for talented members of the South Florida visual and performing arts community
Emcee: Michelle Gillen
Event: Champion of the Arts Luncheon Gala, Thursday March 22 at 11:30 am, Fontainebleau Miami Beach.

American Red Cross
Cause: Prevention programs and relief efforts for the victims of natural disasters, war, and other life-threatening events.
Chair: Terry Buoniconti
Event: 30th anniversary American Red Cross Ball, Saturday March 24 at 7 pm, 
The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Miami.

Cancer Support 
Community 
Greater Miami
Cause: Guidance for individuals and families affected by cancer
2012 Champion of the 
Human Spirit: 
Jennifer Stearns Buttrick
Mistress of ceremonies: Diana Gonzalez
Event: 10th anniversary Heart & Star Award Dinner, Thursday March 8 at 6:30 pm, 
Temple Beth Am.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
Cause: Research and education for the conservation of tropical plants
Event chairs: Swanee DiMare, Frances Aldrich Sevilla-Sacasa
Event: Paradise Found Gala in the Garden 2012, Saturday February 4 at 6:30 PM, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden; fairchildgarden.org

American Cancer Society
Cause: Health resources to prevent cancer, save lives, and promote the search for a cure
Event chairs: Remedios Diaz-Oliver, Dorothy St. Jean, Brenda Nestor Castellano, James Murphy, Lilliam S. Machado, Sonia Gibson
Event: Fifth anniversary of the Inner Circle of Twelve luncheon and fashion show, Friday February 10 at 11 AM, InterContinental Miami; cancer.org

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Cause: Helping people with cystic fibrosis battle the disease through research and care
Event chairs: Alan and Anne Gerwig
Event: Wellington’s Finest—A Breath of Fresh Air Affair, Saturday February 11 at 7:30 PM, The Lodge at the International Polo Club Palm Beach; cff.org

Diabetes Research Institute Foundation
Cause: Fundraising to find a cure for diabetes
Event chairs: Linda and Barry Gibb, Sandra Levy, Sonja Zuckerman
Event: 38th annual Love and Hope Ball, Saturday February 18 at 6 PM, The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa; diabetesresearch.org

Miami Science Museum
Cause: Advancing science and technology through exhibitions, educational programs, a historic planetarium, and rehabilitative wildlife center
Event chairs: Nicole and Edgar M. Lozano
Event: The 10th annual Galaxy Gala, Saturday February 18 at 6:30 PM, JW Marriott Marquis Miami; Big Bang event at 10 PM, Hotel Beaux Arts Miami; miamisci.org

New World Symphony
Cause: Developing young, talented musicians for successful careers in orchestras and ensembles across the globe
Host committee members: Sarah Arison, Louis Aguirre, Matthew and Jennifer Buttrick, Adam and Chanin Carlin, Chad and Ilona Oppenheim, Clara Sredni, Mitchell and Elizabeth Taylor
Event: New World Symphony Gala, Friday February 24 at 6:30 PM, New World Center; nws.edu

Jessica June Children's Cancer Foundation
Cause: Financial assistance and advocacy for children with cancer across South Florida
Chair: Jen Klaassens
Event: Fourth annual Fancy Jeans Party, Friday February 24 at 7 PM, Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six; jjccf.org

The Society of the Four Arts
Cause: Serving the Palm Beach community with fine-art and cultural programs
Event chairs: Mary Baker, Sara Groff, Binkie Orthwein
Event: Studio 54 The Four Arts Contemporaries Gala, Friday February 24 at 7 PM, The Society of the Four Arts; fourarts.org

Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami
Cause: Showcasing the newest trends in contemporary art while hosting lectures, concerts, film screenings, and other artrelated events
Event chairs: Irma and Norman Braman, Rosa and Carlos de la Cruz
Event: 15th anniversary celebration, Saturday February 25 at 7 PM, Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami; mocanomi.org

Feeding South Florida
Cause: Providing food for the region’s hungry and underprivileged
Event chairs: Maria Millares, Allen Susser, Terry Zarikian
Event: Come Together, January 12 at 7 pm, The Margulies Collection at the Warehouse; feedingsouthflorida.org

Educate Tomorrow
Cause: Providing access to scholarships and educational opportunities for the underprivileged
Honorary chairs: Jackie Nespral (host), John DuBois, Robert F. Hudson
Event: Educate Tomorrow I Love the ’80s Gala, January 14 at 7 pm, private bayfront estate, Miami; educatetomorrow.org

Miami Art Museum
Cause: Celebrating individual contributions of those who speak out on behalf of Miami-Dade’s abused, abandoned, and neglected children
Honorary chairs: Paul and Swanee DiMare
Event: Be a Voice Gala, January 14 at 7 pm, Mandarin Oriental, Miami; beavoice.org

Youngarts
Cause: Recognizing talent and showcasing the achievements of young artists in the community
Honorary chairs: Micky and Madeleine Arison, J.W. “Bill” and Donna Marriott
Event: An Affair of the Arts Performance and Gala, January 14 at 6:15 pm, Olympia Theater at the Gusman Center/JW Marriott Marquis Miami; youngarts.org

American Red Cross
Cause: Providing assistance to victims of catastrophes, and assisting in the prevention, preparation for, and response to major emergencies
Honorary chairs: David and Polly Ober, Betsy and Wally Turner
Event: 36th American Red Cross Designers’ Show House Preview Party, January 18 at 6 pm, The Mansion, West Palm Beach; redcross-pbc.org

Jewish Adoption and Foster Care Options
Cause: Fundraising to care for abused, neglected, and specialneeds children in the Jewish community
Event chair: Flora Aranson
Event: JAFCO Madness Under the Royal Palms Luncheon, January 19 at noon, St. Andrews Country Club, Boca Raton; jafco.org

Jackson Memorial Foundation
Cause: Serving as the primary private fundraising source for the Jackson Health System
Honorees: Norman Braman, Dr. Sanford and Beatrice Ziff, Hope of a Miracle Foundation of Trinidad & Tobago, Greenberg Traurig
Event: Golden Angels Gala—A Royal Ball, January 21 at 7 pm, JW Marriott Marquis Miami; jmf.org

American Red Cross
Cause: Providing assistance to victims of catastrophes, and assisting in the prevention, preparation for, and response to major emergencies
Chairs: Mary Ourisman (chairman), Susan Keenan and Mary Mochary (co-chairs)
Event: 55th annual International Red Cross Ball, January 28 at 7 pm, Mar-a-Lago, Palm Beach; redcross-pbc.org

Food for the Poor
Cause: Investing in a brighter future for those in need of assistance and support
Honorary chairs: Arlette Gordon, Elizabeth Bowden
Event: Fine Wines and Hidden Treasures Gala, January 29 at 6:30 pm, The Breakers Palm Beach; foodforthepoor.org

Feeding South Florida
Cause: Providing food for the region’s hungry and underprivileged
Event chairs: Maria Millares, Allen Susser, Terry Zarikian
Event: Come Together, January 12 at 7 pm, The Margulies Collection at the Warehouse; feedingsouthflorida.org

Educate Tomorrow
Cause: Providing access to scholarships and educational opportunities for the underprivileged
Honorary chairs: Jackie Nespral (host), John DuBois, Robert F. Hudson
Event: Educate Tomorrow I Love the ’80s Gala, January 14 at 7 pm, private bayfront estate, Miami; educatetomorrow.org

Miami Art Museum
Cause: Celebrating individual contributions of those who speak out on behalf of Miami-Dade’s abused, abandoned, and neglected children
Honorary chairs: Paul and Swanee DiMare
Event: Be a Voice Gala, January 14 at 7 pm, Mandarin Oriental, Miami; beavoice.org

YoungArts
Cause: Recognizing talent and showcasing the achievements of young artists in the community
Honorary chairs: Micky and Madeleine Arison, J.W. “Bill” and Donna Marriott
Event: An Affair of the Arts Performance and Gala, January 14 at 6:15 pm, Olympia Theater at the Gusman Center/JW Marriott Marquis Miami; youngarts.org

American Red Cross
Cause: Providing assistance to victims of catastrophes, and assisting in the prevention, preparation for, and response to major emergencies
Honorary chairs: David and Polly Ober, Betsy and Wally Turner
Event: 36th American Red Cross Designers’ Show House Preview Party, January 18 at 6 pm, The Mansion, West Palm Beach; redcross-pbc.org

Jewish Adoption and Foster Care Options
Cause: Fundraising to care for abused, neglected, and special-needs children in the Jewish community Event chair: Flora Aranson
Event: JAFCO Madness Under the Royal Palms Luncheon, January 19 at noon, St. Andrews Country Club, Boca Raton; jafco.org

Jackson Memorial Foundation
Cause: Serving as the primary private fundraising source for the Jackson Health System
Honorees: Norman Braman, Dr. Sanford and Beatrice Ziff, Hope of a Miracle Foundation of Trinidad & Tobago, Greenberg Traurig
Event: Golden Angels Gala—A Royal Ball, January 21 at 7 pm, JW Marriott Marquis Miami; jmf.org

American Red Cross
Cause: Providing assistance to victims of catastrophes, and assisting in the prevention, preparation for, and response to major emergencies
Chairs: Mary Ourisman (chairman), Susan Keenan and Mary Mochary (co-chairs)
Event: 55th annual International Red Cross Ball, January 28 at 7 pm, Mar-a-Lago, Palm Beach; redcross-pbc.org

Food for the Poor
Cause: Investing in a brighter future for those in need of assistance and support
Honorary chairs: Arlette Gordon, Elizabeth Bowden
Event: Fine Wines and Hidden Treasures Gala, January 29 at 6:30 pm, The Breakers Palm Beach; foodforthepoor.org

Luminaire and Intramuros 
Cause: Cancer research, treatment, and prevention through an online auction of DuPont Corian pieces
Owners: Nargis and Nasir Kassamali (owners of Luminaire)
Event: The Love Series and DesignLove, Thursday December 1 at 6 PM, Luminaire Lab; online auction, Monday November 21 through Saturday December 3 at 6 PM; designlove. luminaire.com

Fabretto Children's Foundation
Cause: Fundraising to help foster health, nutrition, and education programs for the impoverished children of Nicaragua
Cochairs: Carlos Osorio and Maria Isabel Marin
Event: Miami Nica Night, Friday December 2 at 6:30 PM, Nikki Beach; fabretto.org

The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
Cause: Health and wellness resources to ensure the prosperity of people with multiple sclerosis
Guest of Honor: Ben Wade Thrower, MD
Event: Multiple Sclerosis Foundation Silver Anniversary Gala, Saturday December 3 at 6 PM, Marriott Hollywood Beach; msfocus.org

The Ring Art Center
Cause: An Art Basel Miami Beach project and artist trilogy benefiting Unicef, MOS AJ, Viva Rio, and FON DAM
Chief Curator: Sonia Taborda
Event: Time Is on My Side and Recycled Playground exhibition opening, Saturday December 3 at 6 PM, CASA (Design District); cocktail and benefit auction at 8 PM, The Webster

Miami Art Museum
Cause: Advancing and exhibiting art from the Atlantic Rim (the Americas, Africa, and Europe) with permanent collections and temporary exhibitions from the 20th and 21st centuries
Honorary Chairs: Darlene and Jorge M. Pérez
Event: 2011 Miami Art Museum Ball, Saturday December 3 at 7 PM, the Fontainebleau Miami Beach Glimmer Ballroom; Crash the Ball Afterparty at 10 PM, Glimmer Terrace; miamiartmuseum.org

Kiwanis Club of Little Havana
Cause: Scholarship opportunities and recreational activities designed to benefit the Hispanic population of Miami
Live performers: DJ Sama, DJ Tamara Sky, Spam Allstars, Tito Puente, Jr., and VJ Psyberpixie Chairs: Mario Hernandez-Fumero, Peter Isern, Carlos Morales, Ernesto Portuondo, and Guillermo Senmartin
Event: Christmas Gala 2011, Saturday December 3 at 8 PM, Miami Seaquarium; kiwanislittlehavana.com

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
Cause: Conserving the diversity of tropical plant life
Cochairs: Jane Battle and Susan Feldman
Event: 18th Annual Holiday Music at Fairchild, Sunday December 4 at 6 PM, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden; fairchildgarden.org

YWCA of Palm Beach County
Cause: Empowering women to become leaders, create better lives, and diminish racism
Guest speaker: Erin Brockovich
Event: Mary Rubloff YWCA Harmony House annual luncheon, “Winter Wonderland,” Monday December 5 at 10:30 AM, The Mar-a-Lago Club; ywca.org

Funding Arts Network
Cause: Support for the visual and performing arts of Miami-Dade County through member-supported grants
President: Terry Schechter
Event: The Sound of Chamber Music with the Amernet String Quartet, Tuesday December 6 at 11:30 AM, The Westin Colonnade, Coral Gables; fundingartsnetwork.org

Camillus House 
Cause: Providing free meals, medical care, drug treatment, and rehabilitation programs for the homeless of Miami-Dade County
Celebrity Emcee: Laurie Jennings
Event: 12th Annual Hope for All Gala: Guayaberas and Good Times, Saturday December 10 at 7 PM, Hilton Miami Downtown; camillushouse.org

American Red Cross
Cause: Crisis relief for the victims of disaster through physical and mental aid
Chairman: Bobby Leidy
Event: Red Cross Beach Bash, Thursday December 29 at 8 PM, The Beach Club (in Palm Beach); redcross-pbc.org

Million-dollar jam session: Cody Ray Slaughter (as Elvis Presley), Martin Kaye (Jerry Lee Lewis), Lee Ferris (Carl Perkins), and Derek Keeling (Johnny Cash)

Hip thrusts, a sneer, and a pompadour full of pomade might work for an Elvis Halloween costume, but it ain’t gonna cut it onstage. “To mimic the King is great and all, but you need to get inside his head and see where he was coming from,” says Cody Ray Slaughter, an actor from Harrison, Arkansas, who’s playing Presley in the new touring version of Million Dollar Quartet. The show, which premiered on Broadway just this past April, is now on the road and making a holiday stop at Miami’s Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, where it will play eight times from December 27 through New Year’s Day.

The Tony Award-nominated musical is based on an unlikely jam session 55 years ago that brought together Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis in Memphis. Writers Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux fashioned a play that is less about carving out perfect replicas than bringing the legends’ youthful spirit to the proceedings. “The way we’ve gotten to know each other, both on- and offstage, really allows us to convey that we’re just up there playing some great tunes,” says Lee Ferris, a singer-songwriter from Los Angeles who portrays Perkins, writer of “Blue Suede Shoes.” “That’s the essence of the show right there. It’s not about ‘acting.’ It’s about getting up there and jamming with friends.”

The musical features such well-known tunes as “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Hound Dog,” “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” and “Down by the Riverside.” But the show doesn’t try to re-create that fabled session as much as it pays tribute to the quartet through the music they made famous individually. Derek Keeling, a West Virginia native portraying Johnny Cash, boasts a résumé that includes “every ’50s musical there is,” including Grease. He says, “We do the songs as they were intentionally written, and we sing them the same way, in the same keys. Everything is as authentic as possible. And on top of it all, we’re playing the instruments.”

Each of the four men spent a good deal of time researching his role by watching videos, reading biographies, and learning about what his character was listening to in that era. But Martin Kaye, a pianist and songwriter who hails from Manchester, England, saw parallels between Jerry Lee Lewis’s histrionic piano persona and his own. “When I saw footage of him, I was totally like, Wow. This is me. I love this. This is exactly how I am onstage.”

Perhaps surprisingly, none of the actors feel intimidated by the reputations of the artists they’re portraying and the audience expectations that can create. They’re simply having too much fun. “I’m smiling at Johnny because he just did something amazing, or at Carl Perkins because he just shredded the guitar, or at Jerry Lee, and we’re all having the time of our lives,” Slaughter says. “And that’s awesome.” December 27 to January 1, Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, 305-949-6722; arshtcenter.org

Diabetes Research Institute Foundation
Cause: The largest diabetes research center, committed to finding a cure for diabetes
Cochairs: Tammy and Steven Klein
Event: 13th annual Pleasures of the Palate, Sunday November 6 at 6:30 PM, The Forge; diabetesresearch.org

	Lauren Santo Domingo hosts Give to Colombia, Formula Smiles, Genesis Foundation, and ArtNexus Foundation

Foster Care Review
Cause: Support for more than 4,000 Miami-Dade children who are overseen by the Juvenile Court because of abuse or neglect at home
Executive director: Ana Maria Pozo
Event: Sixth annual Fundraising Luncheon, Monday November 7 at 11:15 AM, Joe’s Stone Crab; fostercarereview.org

Miami Lighthouse for the Blind
Cause: Serving the blind and visually debilitated community with rehabilitation, low-vision services, research, and technology education
Cochairs: Michael A. Silva and Lisa Pisciotta
Mistress of ceremonies: Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
Event: 80th Ruby Jubilee Anniversary Celebration, Saturday November 12 at 7 PM, Biltmore Hotel; miamilighthouse.com

Florida Grand Opera and the SaludArte Foundation
Cause: Artistic, educational, and social programs designed to promote the arts from Miami to Madrid
Leading role: Plácido Domingo
Event: Gala night performance of Luisa Fernanda with Plácido Domingo, Tuesday November 15 at 7 PM, Sanford and Dolores Ziff Ballet Opera House, Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami- Dade County; fgo.org

Common Threads
Cause: Nutritional education and cooking lessons for low-income children, to promote physical well-being and curb childhood obesity
Host: Michelle Bernstein and Bar Lab
Cochairs: Michele Benesch and Mariana Martinez
Event: Second annual World Festival Miami, Tuesday November 15 at 7 PM, The Cruz Building, Coconut Grove; commonthreads.org

Give to Colombia, Formula Smiles, Genesis Foundation, and ArtNexus Foundation
Cause: Four US-based nonprofit organizations highlight Colombian social issues and provide aid to local communities in need.
Chair: Lauren Santo Domingo
Event: BeLive: Fifth Year Anniversary, Thursday November 17 at 7 PM, The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach; belivecolombia.org

Best Buddies International
Cause: Friendship, employment, and leadership opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Honorary chairman: Brett Ratner
Event: The 15th annual Miami Gala: Viva Italia, Friday November 18 at 6:30 PM, Fontainebleau Miami Beach; bestbuddies.org

The Vizcayans
Cause: Fundraising efforts to preserve the history and future of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens through educational lectures, restoration projects, and private events
Cochairs: Nancy W. Batchelor, William Meyersohn, and Norma A. Quintero
Event: 55th annual Vizcayan Ball, Saturday November 19 at 7 PM, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens; vizcayans.org

Miami Book Fair International cofounder Mitchell Kaplan

Don’t go looking for the word “literarian” in your dictionary. The Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community may be the latest honorific bestowed on local bookstore owner Mitchell Kaplan by the National Book Foundation, complete with a celebrity-studded ceremony later this month in Manhattan. And it certainly sounds as if it’s charged with tongue-twisting gravitas. But with all apologies to fans of slang, literarian is technically a made-up term.

Still, have pity on the thesaurus-challenged folks at the Foundation. Most lit-minded folks have simply run out of previously unused hosannas for Kaplan’s work, and deservedly so: Miami may remain an intellectual punch-line for many outof- towners, but even the most critical still hold their tongues come November when the annual Miami Book Fair International— cofounded by Kaplan—unfolds.

MBFI is now the largest book festival in the country. This 28th edition launches on Sunday, November 13, continuing its tradition of hosting a sea of book vendors on the downtown campus of Miami-Dade College, while turning the school’s classrooms and auditoriums over to a who’s who of visiting authors. Locals won’t need much prompting to turn out for essayist Calvin Trillin (at least, if the spillover crowd for his last Coral Gables appearance is any guide); expect a full house to hear him read from his latest, the career-spanning Quite Enough of Calvin Trillin: Forty Years of Funny Stuff. Humorist T.M. Shine mines a similarly dry wit for Nothing Happens Until It Happens to You, drawing on his time at a Fort Lauderdale weekly newspaper—as well as the personal disarray that resulted when he was laid off.

Also in a hometown vein, Miami poet Emma Trelles reads from her new Tropicalia; novelist Ana Menéndez takes a playfully experimental approach to the Cuban-exile experience in Adios, Happy Homeland!; and the queen of crime thrillers, Edna Buchanan, sidesteps into the world of romance with her latest, A Dark and Lonely Place. For a full schedule of events, visit miamibookfair.com.