When she was seven, Rayya Elias and her family fled their native Syria, settling in Detroit. Bullied in school and caught between the world of her traditional family and her tough American classmates, she rebelled early and moved to New York City. At the height of the punk movement, life was full of adventure, creative inspiration, and temptation. This debut memoir charts four decades of a life lived in the moment, a path from harrowing loss and darkness to a place of peace and redemption. Elias’s wit and lack of self-pity in the face of her extreme highs and lows make Harley Loco (Viking, $27.95) a powerful read. Featuring a live acoustic guitar performance by Rayya and special guest: ELIZABETH GILBERT, #1 bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love. Elizabeth is such a fan of Rayya’s that she has made herself available to appear with her at this event and will sign copies of her books, including Eat, Pray, Love, with the purchase of Rayya’s memoir. 8pm

IN SPANISH: Con una trama de acción que transcurre entre Grecia, México y Londres, El secreto de Adán de Guillermo Ferrara es un thriller profundamente documentado, basado en datos verídicos e información científica, en el que conocerás lo que puede suceder en 2012, con una serie de pruebas, claves, conocimientos secretos, profecías, símbolos, planteamientos filosóficos y espirituales que pondrán a prueba tus creencias y tu entendimiento existencial. El secreto de Eva, lanzamiento 11 de mayo, 2013.  6:30pm
A riveting, poignant satire of societal ills, with an added dose of fantasy, Every Boy Should Have a Man (Akashic, $15.95) by Preston Allen takes place in a post-human world where creatures called oafs keep humanlike “mans” as beloved pets. Every Boy Should Have a Man traces the story of the boy and his three “mans”. Oafs and mans each gain insight and understanding into one another’s worlds, and the worlds that touch theirs—ultimately showing that oafs and mans alike share a common “humanity.” Filled with surprising twists and turns, the novel is in part a morality tale that takes on many of today’s issues including poverty, the environment, sexism, racism, war, and religion, all in lighthearted prose. 8pm

FOR KIDS: AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR DOUBLE HEADER: Learning to ride a bike is one of the most important milestones of childhood, and no one captures the emotional ups and downs of the experience better than Chris Raschka, who won the 2012 Caldecott Medal for A Ball for Daisy. In Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bicycle (Schwartz & Wade, $16.99) , Raschka uses very few words and lots of expressive pictures, here is a picture book that not only shows kids how to learn to ride, but captures what it feels like to fall…get up…fall again…and finally “by luck, grace, and determination” ride a bicycle!
In Bluebird (Schwartz & Wade, $17.99) his most beautiful and moving work to date, Bob Staake explores the universal themes of loneliness, bullying, and the importance of friendship. In this emotional picture book, readers will be captivated as they follow the journey of a bluebird as he develops a friendship with a young boy and ultimately risks his life to save the boy from harm. Both simple and evocative, this timeless and profound story will resonate with readers young and old. 6pm
During WWII, teenager Evelyn Roe is sent to manage the family farm in rural North Carolina, where she finds what she takes to be a badly burned soldier on their property. She rescues him, and it quickly becomes clear he is not a man…and not one of us. The rescued body recovers at an unnatural speed, and just as fast, Evelyn and Adam fall deeply in love. In The Enchanted Life of Adam Hope (Ecco, $15.99) , Rhonda Riley reveals the exhilarating, terrifying mystery inherent in all relationships: No matter how deeply we love someone, and no matter how much we will sacrifice for them, we can only know them so well… 8pm
CORAL GABLES GALLERY NIGHT OPENING: Florida Farmworkers and Their Children: “For the past thirty years I have been photographing farmworkers and the families who harvest the fruits and vegetables in Florida. In my capacity as an architect who works with various non-profit groups building housing, childcare centers, and community facilities for migrant and seasonal workers, I have had the opportunity to get to know and observe and photograph these remarkable people. I started with the children in the child care centers I built and what I tried to capture, mainly in their eyes, was the feeling that, despite the hard lives migrant children have, they exhibit the sprit and hope that all children share. As I got to know their parents, I was invited in the fields and began to see the hard work, dedication, and, yes, skill, these people demonstrated. My photographs try and capture the dignity and work ethic of these people as well as document for the many people who have no idea this work goes on, what the work entails.”– Ted Hoffman, a well-known Miami architect and photographer, will exhibit his photographs of farmworkers and their children through June 2. Taken over the last 20 years, they offer a rare glimpse into the little known world of seasonal and migrant farmworkers in Florida. Opening tonight: 7-10pm
Live Music in the Courtyard: Errol Rackipov — 7:30-11:30pm

The Curse of the Demon: The War for a Soul by Cynthia Aracena is the story of a family cursed by Lucifer. He was to have the soul of a newborn child and make the child his servant. However, when he came for his prize there were two children instead of one, and one was touched by an angel more powerful than Lucifer, himself. He cursed the family and said “For every twin birth born to the Bourbon family I will come for the soul of one”, and there began The War for a Soul. 2pm
Gabriella Llano and Tiziana Vazquez are fifteen year old cousins living in Coral Gables  with their families. They attend a local high school and have been involved with the Down Syndrome Association since its inception in 2006. Their first novel, In My World follows Mika, a nine-year-old girl who sees the world differently than anyone else. Even though she is going through what every girl may face, fighting with her best friend and feeling like an outcast, she is not like every other girl. Children with Down Syndrome, like Mika, are angels that help us see the world with our hearts, instead of our eyes. 5pm
PAPAL HISTORY: In 1938, Pope Pius XI was the world’s most prominent critic of Adolf Hitler. To make his voice heard, Pius enlisted American Jesuit John LaFarge to write a papal encyclical publicly condemning Hitler, Mussolini, and the campaign against the Jews. In The Pope’s Last Crusade (William Morrow, $27.99) , Peter Eisner combines shocking new evidence (released only recently from Vatican archives) and eyewitness testimony to create a compelling journey into the heart of the Vatican and the story of an American’s partnership with the head of the Catholic Church. A truly essential work, it brings staggering new light to one of the most critical junctures in modern history. 7pm
Live Music in the Courtyard —  7:30-11:30pm

FOR KIDS: AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR DOUBLE HEADER: Learning to ride a bike is one of the most important milestones of childhood, and no one captures the emotional ups and downs of the experience better than Chris Raschka, who won the 2012 Caldecott Medal for A Ball for Daisy. In Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bicycle (Schwartz & Wade, $16.99) , Raschka uses very few words and lots of expressive pictures, here is a picture book that not only shows kids how to learn to ride, but captures what it feels like to fall…get up…fall again…and finally “by luck, grace, and determination” ride a bicycle!
In Bluebird (Schwartz & Wade, $17.99) his most beautiful and moving work to date, Bob Staake explores the universal themes of loneliness, bullying, and the importance of friendship. In this emotional picture book, readers will be captivated as they follow the journey of a bluebird as he develops a friendship with a young boy and ultimately risks his life to save the boy from harm. Both simple and evocative, this timeless and profound story will resonate with readers young and old. 11am
If you believe life has a grudge against you, if you have ever wondered –How am I supposed to survive this? This is How (Picador, $15) . Augusten Burroughs is the number one New York Times bestselling author of A Wolf at the Table, Possible Side Effects, Magical Thinking, Dry, Running with Scissors, and Sellevision. This is a ticketed event. You will receive a free ticket with the purchase of the book. ($15.00).Books and tickets can be purchased by calling 954-262-0234 or visiting the Museum Store. 4pm

Here, for the first time, is a collection of short speeches by the charismatic doctor and social activist Paul Farmer. One of the most passionate and influential voices for global health equity and social justice, Farmer encourages young people to tackle the greatest challenges of our times. Engaging, often humorous, and always inspiring, these speeches bring to light the brilliance and force of Farmer’s vision in a single, accessible volume. To Repair the World (Univ of CA, $26.95) is a must-read for graduates, students, and everyone seeking to help bend the arc of history toward justice. Dr. Farmer will be in conversation with National Book Award-winning author Edwidge Danticat so, bring your family, friends and colleagues of all generations to renew the power of partnership against global poverty, climate change and other pressing problems today. Presented in collaboration with The Center for Literature and Theatre at Miami Dade College. Free tickets are required for this event and available at our Coral Gables, Miami Beach, and Bal Harbour Shops stores. 4pm

John “Iwan” Demjanjuk was at the center of one of history’s most complex war crimes trials. But why did it take almost sixty years for the United States to bring him to justice as a Nazi collaborator? Riveting and deeply researched, Useful Enemies (Delphinium, $29.95) by Richard Rashke is the account of one man’s criminal past and its devastating consequences, and the story of how America sacrificed its moral authority in the wake of history’s darkest moment. 5pm

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Running With Scissors comes a groundbreaking book by Augusten Burroughs that explores how to survive what you think you can’t. If you’re fat and fail every diet, if you’re thin but can’t get thin enough, if you lose your job, if your child dies, if you are diagnosed with cancer, if you always end up with exactly the wrong kind of person, if you always end up alone, if you can’t get over the past, if your parents are insane and ruining your life, if you really and truly wish you were dead, if you feel like it’s your destiny to be a star, if you believe life has a grudge against you, if you don’t want to have sex with your spouse and don’t know why, if you feel so ashamed, if you’re lost in life. If you have ever wondered, How am I supposed to survive this? This is How (Picador, $15) . Free tickets are required for this event and available at our Coral Gables, Miami Beach, and Bal Harbour Shops stores. 8pm

FOR TEENS LAUNCH EVENT:  The Passage meets Ender’s Game in 5th Wave (Putnam, $18.99) , an epic new series from award-winning author Rick Yancey. After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one. Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother–or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. 7pm
CONTEMPORARY ART HISTORY/PANEL DISCUSSION: At the time of his death in 2006, Agustin Fernandez ranked among Cuba’s most outstanding artists. Defying simple categorization, today his work is most recognizable for its ambiguous and precariously balanced forms, erotic overtones, surreal juxtapositions, and metallic palette. In 1980 Brian de Palma’s film Dressed to Kill famously included one of the artist’s paintings, launching him into the public arena. Agustin Fernandez: The Metamorphosis of Experience is the first comprehensive study of Fernandez’s work, which has been exhibited and collected in major museums and private collections throughout Europe, the United States, and Latin America. Tonight, the artist’s daughter, Clea Fernandez, who together with her brother runs the Agustin Fernandez Foundation in New York City, will be joined by Joey Perez-Gurri, Rafael Miyar, Carlos Luna and Julieta Vals – all key members of the Miami committee that helped nurture the book project from its inception to discuss “the making of” the book. The discussion will later be opened up to anyone in the audience who would like to share thoughts and observations about the artist and his work, including friends and collectors. 8pm

FOCUS ON BRAZIL: Books & Books and the Centro Cultural Brasil-USA da Florida continue the yearlong cultural exploration of Brazil, focusing on the culture, traditions, arts, music and gastronomy of the twelve Host Cities of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the exciting worldwide soccer tournament that will happen in Brazil next year. The cities of Fortaleza and Natal will be our next adventure. These two northeastern coastal cities are known for their sunshine, beautiful beaches, dunes and lively traditional dance music “Forró”. Allan Maquiera, Brazilian dance rhythms researcher and extraordinary dance instructor will demonstrate the “Forró” moves and invite all participants to join in a Forró dance class in the patio. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres, courtesy of the Centro Cultural Brasil-USA, will be offered. Come join us for a night of culture, food, drinking and dancing! 6:30pm

A riveting, poignant satire of societal ills, with an added dose of fantasy, Every Boy Should Have a Man (Akashic, $15.95) by Preston Allen takes place in a post-human world where creatures called oafs keep humanlike “mans” as beloved pets. Every Boy Should Have a Man traces the story of the boy and his three “mans”. Oafs and mans each gain insight and understanding into one another’s worlds, and the worlds that touch theirs—ultimately showing that oafs and mans alike share a common “humanity.” Filled with surprising twists and turns, the novel is in part a morality tale that takes on many of today’s issues including poverty, the environment, sexism, racism, war, and religion, all in lighthearted prose. 7pm

For more than a decade, photographer Sharon Socol accompanied her husband, retail visionary Howard Socol, then CEO of Barneys New York, to many of the fashion world’s most high-profile runway shows and VIP parties. An accomplished photographer of more than 30 years, she was never without her trusted Leica, capturing images everywhere she went, from backstage to front row. Socol’s debut photographic compilation, Plus One: An Outsider’s Photographic Journey into the World of Fashion (Books & Books Press, $60) features 100 candid images from seminal moments at famed fashion shows and parties in New York and Paris between 2001 and 2010. The book’s title and theme reflect Socol’s status as a self-proclaimed ‘plus one’ for husband Howard Socol. Using her unique Everyman perspective, Socol was able to capture stunningly intimate moments not only of industry icons including supermodels and designers including Diane von Furstenberg, Alber Elbaz, Narciso Rodriguez, Zac Posen, Tommy Hilfiger and Giorgio Armani, but also of those who toiled behind the curtain – the dressmakers, dressers, choreographers, makeup and hair artists, bouncers and waiters who provided the backbone for those glamorous, fleeting moments. Tonight, Socol visits the capital of fashion – Bal Harbour Shops – for a talk and book signing. You – plus one – are cordially invited! “My camera captured lives within lives,” Socol writes in the book’s forward. “To think that people can choose to control how they look, how they feel, and who they are on any given day is extremely powerful. That is something I would never have understood had I not exposed my film.” The book’s design and production were directed by book designer and author Petra Mason (Bunny Yeager’s Darkroom, Rizzoli, 2012) and Ausbert de Arce, whose credentials include Assouline, Taschen and Rizzoli. This event is presented in collaboration with Bal Harbour Magazine. RSVP: marketing@balharbourshops.com 6:30pm

When Will My Grown-Up Kid Grow Up? (Workman, $23.95) by Dr. Jeffrey Arnett covers every aspect of life for an 18- to 29-year-old, from that first taste of independence at college to that time at the end of the 20s, when the majority of kids are settling down. It explains what grown children are going through intense self-focus, instability, a feeling of being in-between mixed with a breathtaking sense of possibilities and how parents should deal with these changes, from six ways to listen more than you talk, to money 101, to troubleshooting their failure to launch, to, finally, the dos and don’ts of promoting a successful transition to adulthood. Because yes, they really will grow up. 6:30pm
William and Louisa Day are a suburban husband and wife confronting the question of what their relationship means to them and if and how it will survive. One day, after weeks of bizarre behavior–disappearing in the middle of parties, hoarding mail–Louisa approaches William with a stark request: “I want you to build us a house.” Caught off guard, William is suddenly forced to reckon with his own hopes and desires, his growing discomfort at home and work, and, in the end, his wife’s fight-or-flight ultimatum. The result is The Slippage (Harper, $14.99) , an emotionally powerful novel, marked by Ben Greenman’s trademark blend of yearning and mordant wit. 8pm

Brazilian author Ann Helen Wainer returns to Books & Books with her new book Jewish and Brazilian Connections to New York, India, and Ecology: A Collection of Essays . Ann Helen Wainer is an attorney in Brazil.  She earned a master’s degree in corporate law in Brazil, and a MA in religious studies at Florida International University.  Ann also has lectured extensively about the Holocaust and has written Family Portrait, her family history, published in the U.S. A Jewish Perspective on Ecology received the ecology award book prize of the year also in Brazil.  She was an ARIL/CrossCurrents Coolidge Fellow in NY, and a resident at the Vermont Studio Center.  She lectures in Brazil, the United States, and other countries on the various subject matters of her books such as the Brazilian connection to Jewish life in America. 6:30pm

IN SPANISH: El reconocido astrologo Mauricio Puerta lanzara su nuevo libro, Carta natal, el libreto de su vida. El lector encontrará en este libro una descripción breve y muy particular, acerca de la posición zodiacal de los más importantes factores astrales en su carta natal. Me refiero a la ubicación por signo y por casas, de las luminarias (Sol y Luna), planetas y otros focos energéticos de su carta astral natal; así como el significado de los signos y decanatos que ocupan cada una de las cúspides de las doce casas o sectores en los cuales está dividida la carta astral de cada quién. 6:30pm
In/formed by the Land tells the unique story of Carl Abbott from his youth in Georgia to his acceptance to Graduate School at Yale University. The book presents works, which span the decades of his career, and shows a range of works including affordable residences, large private estates, as well as inspired spiritual spaces. Abbott’s buildings are made of wave-like curves, dramatic angular forms, and stepped planes to enhance the way one experiences nature and its play of light. His buildings, like a seashell, are made of a solid protective side and a side that opens to the light. The spaces are intentionally designed not just for looking out at the beauty of nature but also for bringing nature and its dancing qualities into the spaces creating a unique synthesis of man and environment. 8pm
Live Music in the Courtyard 7:30-11:30pm

FOR KIDS: In the tradition of Diary of a Wimpy Kid comes Cartboy and the Time Capsule (Starscape, $12.99) by L.A. Campbell, a laugh-out-loud debut novel about sixth-grader Hal Rifkind—unfortunately nicknamed “Cartboy”—and his horribly historic, hilarious year. Hal hates history class, but his father is a big history buff, and unless Hal gets a good grade this year, he’ll never get his own room. Sixth grade gets off to a horrible start when history teacher Mr. Tupkin gives the class an assignment to write journals that will be buried in a time capsule at the end of the year. Things get even worse when his dad makes him take his neighbor’s old shopping cart to school, earning him the nickname “Cartboy.” What else could possibly go wrong? 1pm
Practice the art of the one-minute pitch before a panel of literary agents and other industry professionals. A tight, effective verbal pitch can help you sell your idea and, just as importantly, force you to keep your project focused and on track. Think of it this way: You’re in an elevator with the agent or editor of your dreams and you have one minute to pitch your book idea. What do you say? Get instant feedback on your book idea and some free advice. Best pitch gets a prize! This year’s judges include Jacquelyn Mitchard, Ariel Gonzalez, Teresa Mlawer and David Hale Smith. Participation in the Pitch-O-Rama is free and open to everyone by signing up, first come, first served. Writers Institute registrants may sign up beginning at noon on Saturday, May 11. Non-registrants may sign up beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 11. Click here for more information 2pm
CELEBRITY AUTOGRAPHING: When internationally known television and film personality George Lopez turned fifty, he was ready to kiss the first half-century of his life goodbye.  Lopez learns the hard way that when you hit the big 5-0, everything changes.  “You just say ‘fifty’ and people react like a bad smell just blew in.” In I’m Not Gonna Lie (Celebra, $25.95) , Lopez honestly invites readers into his world, as he shares the ups and downs of getting older—from his relationship with a much younger woman to a bizarre session with a pet psychic, from behind the scenes of Lopez Tonight to his intimate musings on his favorite pastime—golf. He also reveals for the first time in moving detail the story of his battle against kidney disease. Purchase a copy of “I’M NOT GONNA LIE” at Books & Books and you will receive entry for (2) two people to a special Q&A session with George Lopez prior to his autographing for the general public. Tickets are limited. Call or reserve your copy today. Signing Guidelines: Following the ticketed Q&A, there will be an autographing that’s open to the general public. George will personalize copies of I’M NOT GONNA LIE but will not sign memorabilia. Photos may be snapped from the line, but no posing or holding up the line for pictures. Thanks for honoring these guidelines for a smooth signing. Presented in collaboration with The Center for Literature and Theatre at Miami Dade College. 4pm
CELEBRATE: Lauren Oliver was born in Queens and raised in Westchester, New York, in a small town very similar to the one depicted in Before I Fall. Her parents are both literature professors, and from a very early age, her sister and her were encouraged to make up stories, draw, paint, dance around in costumes, and essentially spend much of their time living imaginatively. She started writing as a way of extending her love of reading; when she read a book she loved, she would continue to write sequels for it (she was inadvertently a fan fic writer, before “fan fiction” was even a term!). Later on, she began working on her own stories, and keeping company with a lot of imaginary friends. She pursued literature and philosophy at the University of Chicago, and then moved back to New York to attend NYU’s MFA program in creative writing. She simultaneously began working at Penguin Books, in a young adult division called Razorbill, and while there, started work on Before I Fall. She left in 2009 to pursue writing full-time, and now happily works in her pajamas every day. Requiem (HarperCollins, $18.99) is the exciting finale to Lauren’s New York Times bestselling Delirium trilogy, a riveting blend of nonstop action and forbidden romance in a dystopian United States. With lyrical writing, Lauren seamlessly interweaves the peril that Lena faces with the inner tumult she experiences after the reappearance of her first love, Alex, the boy she thought was dead. Sophisticated and wide-ranging, Requiem brings the Delirium trilogy to a thrilling conclusion! In Case You Hadn’t Heard…Fox Network has ordered a pilot for an adaptation of Delirium by Lauren Oliver, which the Mazur Kaplan Company–co-owned by Books & Books’ Mitchell Kaplan–is exec producing with Chernin Entertainment and Twentieth Television. Writer/executive producer Karyn Usher wrote the pilot. Come out and meet Lauren this evening and celebrate a book our young adult buyer calls, “Best. Book. Ever.” 7pm
Live Music in the Courtyard — 7:30-11:30pm

FOR TEENS: Fifteen-year-old Izzy Brannick was trained to fight monsters. But when Izzy’s older sister vanishes without a trace while on a job, Izzy’s mom decides they need to take a break. Izzy and her mom move to a new town, but they soon discover it’s not as normal as it appears. For a tough girl who’s always been on her own, it’s strange to suddenly make friends and maybe even have a crush. Can Izzy trust her new friends to help find the secret behind the hauntings before more people get hurt? Rachel Hawkins‘ delightful spin-off — School Spirits (Hyperion, $17.99) — brings the same wit and charm as the New York Times bestselling Hex Hall series. Get ready for more magic, mystery and romance! 7pm
Marianne Cusato is one of the most influential people in the homebuilding industry, designer of the Katrina Cottages, and go-to authority for the media on issues related to housing, and she’s written a comprehensive, interactive guide to finding the just right home. The Just Right Home (Workman, $12.95) helps readers understand not only what they want in a home but what they need. How to identify and assess the big three variables: function, cost, delight. How to get a realistic grip on budget, including factoring in maintenance costs. The five elements to look for when walking through a property. And so much more. 8pm

FOR TEENS: Stephen is used to invisibility. He was born that way. Invisible. Elizabeth sometimes wishes for invisibility. When you’re invisible, no one can hurt you. So when her mother decides to move the family to New York City, Elizabeth is thrilled. It’s easy to blend in there. Then Stephen and Elizabeth meet. To Stephen’s amazement, she can see him. And to Elizabeth’s amazement, she wants him to be able to see her—all of her. But as the two become closer, an invisible world gets in their way—a world of grudges and misfortunes, spells and curses. From the critically acclaimed and bestselling authors Andrea Cremer and David Levithan, comes Invisibility (Philomel, $18.99) , a remarkable story about the unseen elements of attraction, the mortal risks of making yourself known, and the invisible desires that live within us all. 7pm

FOR KIDS: This year best friends Sophie and Agatha will discover what it is to be a student at the fabled School for Good and Evil, where boys and girls are trained to be fairy-tale heroes and villains. With her pink dresses, glass slippers, and devotion to good deeds, Sophie knows she’ll earn top marks at the School for Good. Meanwhile, Agatha, with her shapeless black frocks, wicked pet cat, and dislike of nearly everyone, seems a natural fit for the School for Evil. But they find their fortunes reversed–Sophie’s dumped in the School for Evil, while Agatha finds herself in the School for Good. But what if the mistake is actually the first clue to discovering who Sophie and Agatha really are? The School for Good and Evil (HarperCollins, $16.99) by Soman Chainani is an epic journey into a dazzling new world, where the only way out of a fairy tale… is to live through one. 6pm
Dan Brown at Lincoln Center: An Evening of Codes, Symbols & Secrets: The #1 international bestselling author comes to Lincoln Center in New York City to speak about his new novel Inferno (on sale May 14th), plus a range of topics including science, religion, codes, book publishing, movie making, and a few surprise topics. This will be his only public appearance. Join us for this exciting live stream event tonight at 7:30pm. RSVP: marketing@booksandbooks.com

NEW SERIES: Unscripted Art Chat — featuring Thom Collins, Director of the Miami Art Museum in conversation with Christy Gast Unscripted Winning Artist, about her public art installation “Self portrait as the Barefoot mailman“, her performative practice and the support of public art in Miami. Sculptor and video artist Christy Gast is known for conflating the landscape and the body (often her own) through folk performance conventions. For past projects, Gast has tap danced around Lake Okeechobee, performed as a mermaid on trapeze and a cowgirl with an inflatable desert, and written andrecorded a cappella folk ballads about women in the military. Deeply engaged in the role of landscape in both art history and politics, most of the artist’s large-scale projects start with the notion of “public land,” in both practical and romantic senses. Thom Collins, an arts administrator, art historian, educator and author with more than 15 years of experience in museum leadership, joined Miami Art Museum as director in 2010. Since taking his post, Collins has been the driving force behind the museum’s transition to its new Herzog & de Meuron-designed facility in Miami’s Museum Park, opening in 2013 as Pérez Art Museum Miami. RSVP: unscripted@balharbourflorida.com 6:30pm

Cat behaviorist and star of Animal Planet’s hit television show My Cat from Hell, Jackson Galaxy, a.k.a. “Cat Daddy,” isn’t what you might expect for a cat expert. Yet Galaxy’s ability to connect with even the most troubled felines—not to mention the stressed-out humans living in their wake—is awe-inspiring. In this book, Galaxy tells the poignant story of his thirteen-year relationship with a petite gray-and-white short-haired cat named Benny, and gives singular advice for living with, caring for, and loving the feline in your home. An inspiring account of two broken beings who fixed each other, Cat Daddy (Tarcher, $15.95) is laced throughout with Galaxy’s amazing “Cat Mojo” advice for understanding what cats need most from us humans in order to live happier, healthier lives. 7pm
Live Music in the Courtyard: Zach Larmer, 7:30-11:30pm

In this collection of essays about Florida culture—the things that make Florida “Florida”— Jeff Klinkenberg sets his sights on the contradictions that comprise the Sunshine State. In Alligators in B-Flat (Univ Press of Fl, $24.95) , readers will join Klinkenberg as he roams through the twisted roots of past and present, describing a beautifully swampy place that is becoming increasingly endangered. From fishing camps and country stores to museums and libraries, Klinkenberg is forever unearthing the magic that makes Florida a place worth celebrating. Join him in contemplating Florida, both old and new, a place that is as quirky and enigmatic as it is burgeoning. 4pm
FOR TEENS: Following a bet, four teenagers decide to go on a quest to get to the summit of Mount Macaya. On the way, an old mage intervenes and explains to them that there are mysterious disappearances of all those who tried to climb the mountain. He tells them of an ancient legend called “The Legend of Quisqueya”. Nonetheless, our young and stubborn adventurers proceed to go on their journey head on… Hours later they reach the summit. But before they can celebrate, the ground suddenly opens up from underneath their feet. They tumble down to the center of the Earth landing in a tropical paradise completely unknown and inhabited by native tribes. Will they be capable of freeing themselves from the Island beneath the sea? Find out what happens in The Legend of Quisqueya by Margaret Papillon. 5pm
Over the radio and now on her TV talk show, Wendy Williams has always been known for her blunt, in-your-face words of advice. On TV, Wendy only has a few minutes to respond to each audience member, but in Ask Wendy (William Morrow, $25.99) she goes deeper, answering questions sourced from viewers across the country. Wendy reveals never-before shared intimate secrets about struggling with weight, navigating rough times in her marriage, and learning to accept herself. Along with the usual girlfriend, boyfriend, and family drama, Wendy straight-talks on topics like style, body image, and office etiquette, and of course she tackles your wildest sex questions. Filled with Wendy’s laugh-out-loud anecdotes, and tons of spot-on advice, Ask Wendy will help readers to end the drama in their lives. 7pm
Live Music in the Courtyard: Negroni Trio, 7:30-11:30pm

FOR TEENS: New York Times #1 bestselling author Alex Flinn is known for reimagining fairy tales, and now in Towering (HarperTeen, $17.99) , she retells the tale of Rapunzel. When Rachel was taken to live in a tower by a woman she calls Mama, she was excited. She felt like a princess in a castle. But many years later, Rachel knows her palace is really a prison, and begins to plan her escape. She is encouraged by the speed that her golden hair has been growing. It’s gotten long enough to reach the ground. And she’s begun dreaming of a green-eyed man. Could he be out there in the world? Is he coming to save her? Or will she find a way to save herself? 4pm

Traveling Heavy (Duke Univ, $23.95) is a deeply moving, unconventional memoir by the master storyteller and cultural anthropologist Ruth Behar. Through evocative stories, she portrays her life as an immigrant child and later, as an adult woman who loves to travel but is terrified of boarding a plane. Behar calls herself an anthropologist who specializes in homesickness. Repeatedly returning to her homeland of Cuba, unwilling to utter her last goodbye, she is obsessed by the question of why we leave home to find home. For those of us who travel heavy with our own baggage, Behar is an indispensable guide, full of grace and hope, in the perpetual search for connection that defines our humanity. 8pm

Emma Brockes grew up hearing only pieces of her mother’s past—stories of a rustic childhood in South Africa, glimpses of a bohemian youth in London—and yet knew that crucial facts were still in the dark. Looking to unearth the truth after Paula’s death, Brockes begins a dangerous journey into the land—and the life—her mother fled from years before. A beguiling and unforgettable journey across generations and continents, She Left Me the Gun (Penguin, $26.95) chronicles Brockes’s efforts to walk the knife-edge between understanding her mother’s unspeakable traumas and embracing the happiness she chose for her daughter. 8pm

IN SPANISH: El martes 3 de febrero del 2004, dos adolescentes de 14 años entraron a un baño en South Miami Middle School. Uno de ellos, Richard, embaucó al otro, Jaime Gough a que entrara en uno de los baños. Esta es la historia de lo que le ocurrió a Jaime en ese fatídico día. Jason Wood, autor de cuatro libros, nos cuenta la historia detrás de los encabezados y dentro de la vida de los padres de Jaime. Nos lanza dentro de la agonía de perder a un hijo y la fuerza para sobreponerse al odio para poder perdonar. Desde la escalofriante confesión del homicidio, hasta las cartas de perdón que los Gough escribieron al asesino de su hijo, De la lucha al perdón, es un viaje esperanzador. 6:30pm
Tonight, Liliana Paez, a sales entrepreneur and CEO of Global Smarts Products, will discuss specific strategies and techniques to reach economic growth. She will also address the challenges women often face professionally and how to overcome them. Additionally, Paez will answer questions during a Q&A session. Liliana’s book, Female Power A Women’s Guide to Becoming a Millionaire, equips readers with the necessary tools to succeed in business and embark on new business ventures. 8pm

David Ebenbach’s collection of short fiction, Into the Wilderness, explores the experience of parenthood from many angles: an eager-to-connect divorced father takes his kids to a Jewish-themed baseball game; one young couple debates the idea of parenthood while another struggles with infertility; a reserved father uses an all-you-can-eat buffet to comfort his heartbroken son. The Artist’s Torah , is an uplifting and down-to-earth guide to the creative process. In this book, you’ll find a year-long cycle of weekly meditations on a life lived artistically, grounded in ancient Jewish wisdom and the wisdom of artists, composers, writers, and choreographers from the past and present. 6:30pm
In Jenni Rivera: The Incredible Story of a Warrior Butterfly (Penguin, $16.95) , Leila Cobo—pianist, TV host, writer and Executive Director for Latino content and programming at Billboard—brings us Jenni Rivera’s intimate and moving biography, reflecting on the party girl, the elegant woman, the great diva, the friend, the mother, and the grandmother. En Jenni Rivera: La increíble vida de una Mariposa Guerrera, Leila Cobo nos regala una biografía íntima y conmovedora sobre Jenni Rivera, la parrandera, la elegante, la gran diva, la amiga, la mamá y la abuela. 8pm

IN SPANISH: Muchos hablan ya del misterioso caso de Matías de Stefano, el joven que recuerda la Atlántida y vidas en otros planetas. Se trata de un Niño Índigo que nació en agosto de 1987 en la Ciudad de Venado Tuerto, Argentina. En Vivir en el Universo, Matías De Stefano responde, con su claridad y sencillez habitual, a multitud de preguntas interesantes e inquietantes como: ¿Qué es Dios? ¿Qué nos diferencia a nosotros de Dios? ¿Qué es el Ego? ¿Existe el libre albedrío? ¿Qué es el amor incondicional? ¿Qué es el Mer-ka-bah?
Debut author Solange Mayo about her new book, A Very Bright Sun : “At the age of 29, I had three professional degrees and came from a family in which my parents had been married for 31 years, when I suddenly found myself in the darkest and loneliest place I had ever been. I was pregnant and divorced. I had no hope, no direction, and no guidance. I was completely lost in a tunnel and no matter where I looked; I couldn’t see any glimpse of light. One night I cried myself to sleep saying, “God please take me out of this darkness and show me the light at the end of this tunnel. Please God do it.” The very next day God showed me the way out of the darkness and into the light, and my life was forever transformed. It was the beginning of a journey where I would do what no one in my entire blood lineage had ever done. I would defy and break all of my family’s beliefs and traditions and fight against all odds. I only had one person by my side and I was willing to walk on the water for Him.” 8pm
Live Music in the Courtyard: Nick Tannura Trio, 7:30-11:30pm

Drawing on interviews with Cuban artists and intellectuals, Jacqueline Loss delivers the first book to show that Cuba remembers and retains many aspects of the Soviet era, far from shedding those cultural facets as relics of the Cold War. Weaving together intriguing, seldom-seen images, Dreaming in Russian (Univ of Texas, $63.25) showcases the ways in which Cuba’s relationship to its Soviet benefactors lingered after the disintegration of the U.S.S.R. in 1991. A departure from traditional cultural history, Loss’s approach instead presents a kaleidoscopic series of facets, reflecting the hybrid nature of the self-images that emerged in the aftermath of the Soviet aegis. As speculations about Cuba’s future under Fidel Castro’s heir apparent continue, the portrait that emerges in Dreaming in Russian is both timely and mesmerizing. Presented in collaboration with The Cuban Research Institute (CRI) at Florida International University. 7:30pm
Live Music in the Courtyard — 7:30-11:30pm

Lucky O’Toole, the vice president of Customer Relations for the Babylon, Las Vegas’s primo Strip property, has never met a problem she couldn’t handle. But when a young woman is found dead, in the Babylon’s on-site dealership, Lucky’s skills are maxed out. Of course her life is already on overload and The Smack-Down Poker tournament, the second-largest poker tournament in the world, is holding its final round at the Babylon. When one of the players turns up dead, Lucky starts to make connections between the two murders.. After a revelation by someone close to her sends her world reeling even further, Lucky struggles to keep her life in balance, and a murderer from killing again as bodies pile up. Find out what happens in Lucky Bastard (Forge, $25.99) by Deborah Coonts. 8pm

What’s the easiest way to make delicious and adorable desserts? Without an oven! That’s No Bake Makery (Grand Central, $19.99) — all of the fun, but none of the fuss. These creative, two-bite treats of all kinds are impossible for anyone to resist-on any occasion. In addition to tips for perfecting your technique, ideas for decorating, and sidebar recipes, Cristina Suarez Krumsick serves up simple step-by-step instructions for her favorite no-bakems. They’re all cute. They’re all bursting with flavor. And you don’t need an oven to make any of them. 8pm

Now everyone can own a piece of John Henry with the release of a fully colored, in-depth guide to the influential sculptor’s contribution to the art world. With an introduction by David Levy, text by Stephen Luecking, and photographs by David Finn, John Henry provides insight into Henry’s career by spanning over 45 years and 5 continents. The book gives readers a new perspective on John Henry and his structures with Levy’s insightful introduction and Luecking’s eloquent narrative. Finn’s photography illuminates Henry’s sculptures, and, finally, an interview with Henry allows readers to experience his vision through his own words. 8pm
Live Music in the Courtyard: RZ Surfaces, 7:30-11:30pm