Off the Page Literary Celebration

Off the Page is a literary celebration hosted by Sarasota County Libraries and Historical Resources throughout the month of November. Events include author talks and book signings by bestselling authors, writing workshops, and more with all 10 library locations participating and partner locations, Ringling College of Art and Design and Hermitage Artist Retreat.

Amor Towles
Date: Friday, November 8
Time: 7PM
Location: Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave., Venice, FL 34285
Description: An award-winning author, and his novels have sold more than 6 million copies and have been translated into more than 30 languages. Towles graduated from Yale and received his M.A. in English from Stanford. He now resides in Manhattan, where he lives with his wife and two children.

Chef Edward Lee
Date: Tuesday, November 12
Time: 6PM
Location: Shannon Staub Library, 4675 Career Lane, North Port, FL 34289
Description: Chef Edward Lee is a celebrity chef, author and restaurateur.  His restaurants include 610 Magnolia, Nami and Succotash.  He earned an Emmy nomination for his role on “The Mind of a Chef,” was a judge on “Top Chef” and wrote and hosted the documentary “Fermented.”  He has also earned the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award in 2021 as well as the 2019 James Beard Award.

Lisa Unger
Date: Wednesday, November 13
Time: 2PM
Location: William H. Jervey, Jr. Venice Library, 300 Nokomis Avenue South, Venice, FL 34285
Description: Lisa Unger is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of over 20 novels. Her books are published in multiple languages internationally and she is known as a master of suspense.

Oliver James
Date: Wednesday, November 13
Time: 3PM
Location: Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Library, 2801 Newtown Blvd., Sarasota, FL 34234
Description: Oliver James, a TikTok sensation and motivational speaker, shares his journey of learning to read as an adult, discussing his challenges, triumphs, and mental health. His inspiring story has been featured on Good Morning America, NPR, and in People magazine. He received the 2023 National Literacy Honors Award from the Barbara Bush Foundation.

Oliver James
Date: Wednesday, November 13
Time: 6PM
Location: Fruitville Library, 100 Apex Rd. Sarasota, FL 34240

Sandra Gurvis
Date: Thursday, November 14
Time: 2-3PM
Location: Osprey Library and History Center, 337 N. Tamiami Trail, Osprey, FL 34229
Description: Author Sandra Gurvis invites us to come for the (slightly stale) circus peanuts, stay for the scoop on John Ringling, Sarasota and The Ringling. This presentation includes the early days of the natives, Blacks and settlers; the origins of the Ringling family and ahead-of-their-time ways of developing their circus; and the massive amounts of finagling that went into the creation of the Art Museum and Ca d’Zan.

Rebecca Renner
Date: Thursday, November 14
Time: 6PM
Location: Selby Library, 1331 1st St., Sarasota, FL 34236
Description: Rebecca Renner, an author and National Geographic contributor from Daytona Beach, Fla., has written for The New York Times, The Paris Review, The Washinton Post and more. Her debut book, “Gator Country,” has been acclaimed by the New York Times, NPR, and others, and featured on best of 2023 lists by BookPage and Amazon.

Curtis Sittenfeld
Date: Saturday, November 16
Time: 3PM
Location: Selby Library, 1331 1st St., Sarasota, FL 34236
Description: Curtis Sittenfeld, author of “Prep,” “American Wife,” “Eligible,” and “Romantic Comedy,” has books selected as "Ten Best of the Year" by top publications, translated into 30 languages, and optioned for TV and film. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker and The New York Times. She graduated from Stanford and Iowa Writers' Workshop.

Kirsten Hines
Date: Monday, November 18
Time: 6-7PM
Location: Gulf Gate Library, 7112 Curtiss Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34231
Description: Kirsten Hines is a Coconut Grove, Florida-based writer, wildlife photographer, and conservationist. In addition to illustrating her writing, Kirsten’s images have been featured in numerous photography showcases and exhibitions, public art programs, and magazines. She lectures widely on wildlife, conservation, naturalistic gardening, leads wildlife photography field trips, and provides photography workshops.

Rick Kilby
Date: Tuesday, November 19
Time: 2-3PM
Location: Osprey Library and History Center, 337 N. Tamiami Trail, Osprey, FL 34229
Description: Author Rick Kilby discusses his book "Florida's Healing Waters: Gilded Age Mineral Springs, Seaside Resorts & Health Spas." Filled with rare photographs, vintage postcards and advertisements, and fascinating descriptions from over 100 years ago, "Florida’s Healing Waters" spotlights a little-known time in Florida history when tourists poured into the state in search of good health. This book was awarded both a silver medal for Florida history in the Florida Book Awards and the Stetson Kennedy Award.

Roy Peter Clark
Date: Wednesday, November 20
Time: 6-7PM
Location: Fruitville Library, 100 Apex Rd. Sarasota, FL 34240
Description: Roy Peter Clark is America’s writing coach, devoted to creating a nation of writers. For more than three decades, Clark has taught writing at the Poynter Institute one of the most prominent schools for journalists in the world. He has taught writing at news organizations, schools, businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies in more than forty states and on five continents.

John Fowler
Date: Thursday, November 21
Time: 3-5PM
Location: Gulf Gate Library, 7112 Curtiss Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34231
Description: In "A Forest in the Clouds", John Fowler takes us into the world of Karisoke Research Center, the remote mountain gorilla camp of Dr. Dian Fossey, a few years prior to her gruesome murder. "A Forest in the Clouds" takes the armchair adventurer on a journey into an extraordinary world that now only exists in the memories of the very few who knew it.

For more information visit https://www.sarasotacountylibraries.org/my-library/events/off-the-page