Sm oo th, Sailin g

Previous experience helps the 1999 Jewish Book Fair,
with its many components, fall into place.

SAM ENGLAND
StaffWriter

T

he Jewish Book Fair is
known for its depth and
longevity. At 48, the distin-
guished event has aged
gracefully and learned well from its
mistakes. So rather than scrambling to
bring everything together, as might
have been the case in previous years,
organizers this year say preparation for
the official opening night on Saturday,
Nov. 6, has been sure and steady.
"We really have reached a point
where we actually don't have a last-
minute panic," co-chairwoman Carrie
Kushner said. "We actually have it
under control as we go, versus flying
by the seat of our pants as Book Fair
approaches.
Of course, she allowed, there's
always the potential for snarls, such as
an author canceling at the last minute
because of illness.
"But we have worked very, very hard
to create a process that makes Book
Fair work and it's a process that we're
very proud of," she said. "The people
on our steering committee and those of
us who co-chair this year have been at
it long enough now that we know what
works and what doesn't. Every year's
improvements are based on experience,
not on theory. And it's just working."
This year's attractions include such
luminaries as Alan Dershowitz, Eddie
Fisher, Carl Reiner, Rabbi Adin
Steinsaltz and a complement of local
authors, all writing and speaking on a
variety of subjects. Events will take
place at the Jewish Community Center
of Metropolitan Detroit, in both the
D. Dan & Betty Kahn Building in
West Bloomfield and the Jimmy
Prentis Morris Building in Oak Park.
Local Author Fair co-chairwoman
Marilyn Weiss said her duties have
become easier to handle this year
because they've built on experience.
Now in its fourth year, the Local

"

11 1 5
1999

Carrie Kushner and Sylvia Gotlib, co-chairs of the 1999 Jewish Book Fair, prepare for the opening.

Author Fair "is an all-year-'round job
because we're always looking for our
authors to participate. And it's surpris-
ing how many local authors we have
in this area."
To decide which authors to fea-
ture, Weiss and co-chair Irene
Winkler go through books by
Michigan writers published in the
past year. The result is a sampling of
authors whose topics include finance,
child abuse, Michigan beaches, chil-
dren's poetry and African Jewry.
The Local Author Fair on Sunday,
Nov. 7, at the Kahn JCC Building
offers none of the celebrity fanfare of
the Book Fair's big names, but com-

pensates with a small and personal
atmosphere that allows readers a chance
to get to meet authors in closer quar-
ters than the larger events can provide.
"We're offering this to local
authors, to appear in a very nice set-
ting and to meet and speak with the
public. It's a chance for the public to
get to know them," Winkler said. It's
an opportunity for participants "to
speak with the author, and perhaps
buy a book, and they can have the
author sign it."
It's a formula, she added, that has
worked. "Believe me, the authors are
very happy to have somebody stop and
chat with them about their book." E

The 48th annual Jewish Book
Fair takes place Nov. 6-14 in
the two locations of the Jewish
Community Center of
Metropolitan Detroit:
D. Dan & Betty. Kahn
Building, 6600 W. Maple Road,
West Bloomfield, on the
Eugene and Marcia Applebaum
Jewish Community Campus
• Jimmy Prentis Morris
Building, 15110 W. 10 Mile
Road, Oak Park, on the A.
Alfred Taubman Jewish
Community Campus