Donna Fales has lived in Miami since 1969, after relocating from New York City with her husband, Gordon. A longtime Friend, she first learned about the Fair as a patron of Books & Books and – with just a handful of exceptions – has attended every year. Married for 63 years, she has three children and two grandchildren.
What does Miami Book Fair mean to Miami, and what has it brought you personally?
It’s one of the best events in town. When you have something so terrific and unique, how can you not be there? It’s so nice to be around so many people who love books and who read. You’re with thousands of people who enjoy the same things you do, seeing 400-600 brilliant authors, at an event with a national – an international – reputation. And not only do you see authors you know, but you discover new ones. You walk into a session and you’re listening to someone you’ve never heard of, and all of a sudden you’re totally absorbed, and I think that’s one of the things that continually surprises me – how many authors I’ve been introduced to by accident at the Fair, who I then start following and reading. The energy of the Fair always excites me; I like poking around there. It’s wonderful!
What are your favorite FOTF benefits?
I like standing in a different line than anybody else [laughs], and I love going to the front of the room to the reserved seats. But what’s really great is that, invariably, you meet people from around the country. You’ll find yourself sitting next to someone from Minneapolis or Chicago, for example, and you start up a conversation about how did you end up here? And you find out that they’re in Miami expressly for the Fair.
I think the authors really like being here, too, and being a part of that energy and meeting and socializing with other authors – they, too, are in awe of who comes to the Fair. Amor Towles is a friend, and that’s one of the things that he likes so much about coming down – meeting other authors.
If you don’t mind sharing, how did you come to know him?
We go to the same summer spot; he grew up with my children. My granddaughter is very shy, and when we were there last year I asked my son how she was doing. He said, “You won’t believe this, but the only person she’s talked to the whole time is Amor.” [laughs] They were both watching tennis, which is a very common thing there, and she was also reading a book at the same time, so he engaged her about it. She had no idea who he was, but when she found out she went straight to the local indie bookstore and bought one of his books.
What’s an MBF experience that really stands out for you?
Twyla Tharp is someone I never would have seen, but I was going to hear the author who was going to be in the room after her. I got there early and thought, well, I’ll just sit down and listen – that’s another advantage to being at the Fair – and I’m so glad I did. She talked about how important it is to move and to continue to move, and then she said that through routine, you build your creativity. Both of those thoughts have stuck with me, and I’ve gone back to them again and again through the years.
I play tennis at a very high level – I’m 85 and I’ve been the world champion in my age group the last four times I’ve competed – and everyone asks me, how do you do it? And I say, you have to keep moving. As soon as you sit down, it’s over. [laughs]
Tell me about your summer reads.
The Women and The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah; they’re two of my favorites. Also Empress of the Nile: The Daredevil Archaeologist Who Saved Egypt’s Ancient Temples from Destruction by Lynne Olson and Kate Quinn’s The Diamond Eye. These are all strong women books, so I think there’s a theme here. [laughs] One you’d never guess I would have read is Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success by Russ Buettner and Susanne Craig, the fourth book I’ve read on him. This man is so unusual that I keep trying to figure out why he does the things he does, which is impossible, obviously. Right now I’m reading The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal by David McCullough.
Which MBF 2024 program did you find most engaging?
The Evenings With session with Erik Larson. I made a real effort to be there and I brought a friend who hadn’t been to the Fair before. I like to take people who are maybe new in town and don’t know about it.
If MBF came to you and said, “Who do you most want to see at this year’s Fair?” who would that author be?
I never get tired of seeing Amor. I’d ask him about how he develops his characters, because I’m eagerly awaiting to see Eve in another book. And I’d love to see Robert Caro. We’re all waiting to see if he’s going to finish his last volume on LBJ. He writes so well.
Interview by Elisa Chemayne Agostinho; responses have been edited for space and clarity.
