14th annual Jewish Book Fair set in Lee and Charlotte

Shepard The Jewish Book Fair of Southwest Florida, in conjunction with Jewish Book Month, opens Sunday, Nov. 9 with two authors speaking in the morning in Port Charlotte at Temple Shalom at 10 a.m. and in the evening in Fort Myers at the Jewish Federation, located at 6237 Presidential Ct., Suite E, Fort Myers, at 7 p.m.

The event is produced by the Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte counties every November, which is Jewish Book Month. This year the federation will host 12 authors at six events in two counties over 10 days.

Sadia Shepard, who wrote "The Girl

From Foreign," and Maxim D. Shrayer, who wrote "Waiting For America," will be the opening speakers.

The book fair continues with an author luncheon at the Crowne Plaza Fort

Myers on Wednesday, Nov. 12. Advanced reservations and a fee are required to attend this event. Contact the Jewish Federation at 481-4449 to make your reservation.

All of the events are open to the public and only the luncheon has a fee. The luncheon speakers will be Joanna Hershon, discussing her book "The German Bride," and Mary Morris, discussing her book "The River Queen."

On Thursday, Nov. 13, there is a Holocaust theme to the evening, commemorating the 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht the night of broken glass) and the beginning of the Holocaust. Speakers will be Mimi Schwartz, discussing her book "Good Neighbors, Bad Times: Echoes of My Father's German Village." Guest speakers from Germany include Rita Schlautmann-Overmeyer and Gisela Mollenhoff, who wrote a book about the Jews in their town before and after World War II. Their book is called "Jüdische Familien in Münster" and is in German. The women will be speaking in English. The event begins at 7 p.m. at the Jewish Federation..

Sunday afternoon, Nov. 16, the Book Fair continues at Miromar Outlets in Estero with authors Ed Brodow, who wrote "Fixer," Peter Manseau, who wrote "Songs for the Butcher's Daughter," and Sanibel author Tanya Hochschild, who wrote "Sonja: A South African Story." They will speak at the Restaurant Piazza at 3 p.m.

The final Book Fair event will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 18, at the Crowne Plaza Fort Myers with authors Mark Werner, who wrote "Army Fatigues," and Mort Zachter who wrote "Dough." The event will begin at 7:30 p.m.

The authors' books and other new titles with Jewish content or books written by Jewish authors will be on sale at each event at a 20 percent discount off list price. Authors will be happy to autograph their books. All events are free (except the luncheon) and open to the public. For more information, call the Jewish Federation at 481-4449, ask for Naomi or e-mail naomirubin@ jfedlcc.org