Originally from New York, Nancy Zaretsky came to Miami 38 years ago for grad school and never looked back. Today this mom of three grown children teaches at the Miller School of Medicine and serves as the disability specialist for the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. She’s also set to tie the knot in May.
How did you first learn about Miami Book Fair?
Probably at Books & Books. When I first moved here I was always looking for things to do, and as someone who loves books going to the Fair was a given. And once I had kids we came every year.
What has Miami Book Fair brought to Miami and what has it brought to you?
I think Book Fair has created a very fertile landscape for more curiosity, more art, and more conversation. Personally, I participated in the Miami Writers Institute for about four or five years on and off, and one course I took was a two-day workshop that was really, really beautiful. It was an opportunity to be with like-minded people, to listen to writers, and to see yourself as a writer and consider what your thoughts and reflections and storytelling could be. It ended up taking me on a bit of a journey where I attended different writers’ workshops and hosted two, one in France and one in Spain, and it really lit a fire under me. I also made a friend – who was a writer and who has since passed – who I never would have met if not for the workshops. Book Fair has enriched my self-knowledge and my life.
What are your favorite FOTF benefits?
I like knowing who’s coming to town ahead of time so I can plan. And I love getting to see so many people I know! It’s nice having that kind of reuniting of community around reading.
What’s an MBF moment or experience that really stands out for you?
I saw Abraham Verghese a couple of years ago and he said something that stuck with me, something I use in my class at Miller. I teach in a fellowship program at the Mailman Center, which is for neurologists, pediatricians, occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists – people involved in interventions for neurological disorders. Verghese said that there are some people you can heal but not cure, and there are some people you can cure but not heal. I use that to really show the emotional side of the experiences that my students’ patients are going through, especially when you’re delivering a serious diagnosis that’s going to affect the entire family. What Verghese said really gave me a window into that, and if I hadn’t been sitting there to hear him say it – it’s not something that was written in his book – I would not have that tool. That to me is Book Fair.
Are you reading anything good right now?
I’m in three book clubs, so this was a hard question for me! [laughs] I recently finished Ia Genberg’s The Details, which I just loved. It was like a fever dream, modern-day skeleton version of Charles Dickens’ Christmas Past, reflecting upon your relationships and where you are in your life – I really like the way she writes. I also read in the past year James by Percival Everett. I loved the flip, loved the writing. And I just read Claire Keegan’s Small Things Like These. It was so beautifully written. She’s someone I’d love to see at the Fair
Which MBF 2025 program did you find most engaging?
Barry Diller. He totally eviscerated the guy who was interviewing him – it was almost difficult to watch – but then you realized, Barry Diller probably does this to everybody. [laughs] He said a couple of meaningful things, including that one of the most important things you can be is curious in life. That stood out for me. I also really loved the banter between Daniel Silva, who was interviewed by his wife, Jamie Gangel. And oh, my goodness, when the rabbi (Angela Buchdahl) sang Somewhere Over the Rainbow, that was just beautiful.
What three authors would you pick to be in your fantasy book club?
This one is a reflection of my evolution as a reader. It’s going to be Raymond Carver and Leo Tolstoy, with Alain de Botton moderating. He could understand the density and opulence of the Russian writer, and be able to suss out what a writer like Raymond Carver would bring to the conversation – the real challenges, the hard parts of life.
Interview by Elisa Chemayne Agostinho; responses have been edited for space and clarity.
