Arts I Life

FR

GREAT ITALIAN
FOOD AND SERVICE

Larco's restaurants
Family owned for over 50 years

Literature Lover

COME TASTE
THE DIFFERENCE!

ITALIAN CHOPHOUSE

ITALIAN GRILL

645 E. Big Beaver • Troy

6480 Orchard Lake Rd. • West Bloomfield

West of Rochester Road

NW corner of Maple and Orchard Lake

248-680-0066

248-626-6969

Reservations Always Welcome.

NMI

WPM MIMI MI.

NMI, ,

...Ilk NMI

=111 NMI

$ 10

NMI

III= 1=111

GIFT CERTIFICATE

L.--FR-Fzi CC)

SINCE 1920 THE TRADITION CONTINUES

'10 off with minimum
purchase of s40°°

This certificate entitles bearer to:

[Excluding tax, tip & alcoholic beverages)

Redeemable at both Larco's locations

Maximum discount $10.00. Offer not valid on Holidays and subject to Rules of Use.
Tipping should be 15% to 20% of the total bill before discount. Valid anytime.

765140

Private rooms
available for Parties
and Special Occasions

(We can accommodate
anywhere from
20-100 guests)

Excludes Pizza & Daily Specials • 2 coupons per table • Expires 10/31/03

• Catering Available

T %e H
,ea I t_
h s9

Mecliterranean Cuisine

Outstanding Exceilence &
Superior Quality

For Jewish

News

Readers

Orr
TOTAL BILL

with coupon

crnfrifilirG
i
SO04111
AFE
. PHOENICIA.
Se
t unCh
rvIng Breakfast
& Dinner
B a k ery &

Outdoor seating.

Expires 11/15/03

28639 Nortkwestern hwy. • 5outlifield (in the Fromenacle rlaza

2+8.827.0077 • fax:2+8.827.0099 cax us sour order

PRIVATE BANQUET FACILITIES FOR ALL OCCASIONS

r

OFF

10/10

2003

82

SLAB OF RIBS FOR TWO
BBQ CHICKEN FOR TWO

1

-

ALL DINNERS INCLUDE: SALAD OR COLESLAW.

POTATOES AND GARLIC BREAD
Exp. 10/31/2003 Js

Brass PointePY7 000/kg99
.

§

24234 Orchard Lake Rd., N.E. corner of 10 Mile • 476-1377

Alan Fisk chooses the notable writers who enliven

Metro-Detroit Book and Author Society luncheons.
"I read a lot of reviews and publish-
SUZANNE CHESSLER

Special to the Jewish News

ers' catalogues to come up with the
authors," Fisk explains. "I look for
ooks fill the St. Clair Shores
big-name writers we haven't had and
home of Alan and Margaret
others who are making their way up. I
Fisk, but only four remain
have to convince publishers to send
open and within easy reach.
them to Detroit because the publishers
That's because the quartet has to be fin- pay for the travel."
ished by Oct. 20, the day Alan Fisk will
Over the years, Fisk has noticed that
introduce their writers to the Metro-
book sales at this twice-yearly event
Detroit Book and Author Society.
usually are based on the talks, not nec-
Fisk, a writer-college teacher who
essarily the books.
has been finding and hosting society
"If authors speak well — are mes-
speakers for the past nine years,
merizing or funny — they usually sell
remains enthusiastic about the upcom- out," Fisk says. "David Roosevelt, a
ing mix — Sena Jeter Naslund,
grandson of Eleanor Roosevelt, hadn't
Richard North Patterson, Peter Straub
really been heard of, but he had great
and Ann Rule, who will
stories to tell
address an audience of
about growing
1,200 assembled at the
up in that family
Burton Manor in Livonia.
and sold every
Past speakers, numbering
copy he had
almost 100, have included
with him. Jane
Jewish writers, such as Erica
Seymour,
Jong, Letty Cottin Pogrebin
although a pop-
and Ruth Reichl.
ular and beauti-
"I love when I select
ful actress, was
authors months in advance
very me-orient-
and then read great reviews
ed, not particu-
as their books are released
larly liked by the
just weeks before they come
audience and
to Michigan," says Fisk, 56,
unsuccessful in
who started with the pro-
sales."
gram while an editor for the
Alan Fisk
One of the
Detroit News and continued
most memorable
after his retirement two years
speakers was
ago. "It indicates my taste is good and
Joyce Maynard, who wrote in At Home
makes these events sellouts."
in the World about her longtime affair
Fisk's speaker choices are based on
with another author, J.D. Salinger
what he thinks the group would like,
(Catcher in the Rye). An art enthusiast
the timeliness of the subjects and the
who visited the city on a day the
literary attention given to the writers.
Detroit Institute of Arts was closed,
As he reads the books of the upcom-
she convinced her host to try to get a
ing guests, he rotates chapters depend- personal tour, and a few calls brought
ing on which volume is nearby.
that about.
Nasland's novel, Four Spirits, goes
"I've had a wonderful relationship
back to the civil rights movement 40
with the people in the Book and
years ago and probes the murders of
Author Society," Fisk says. "They real-
four young girls at a church in
ly care a lot about books and reading."
Alabama. Patterson's book, Balance of
Fisk, born in a German displaced
Power, addresses gun-control issues
persons camp to Holocaust survivors,
with a plot similar to events earlier
came to the United States when he
this year with snipers shooting people
was 3 years old and was in a couple of
at random.
cities before settling in Detroit and
Straub's lost boy lost girl presents a
ultimately graduating from Mumford
story full of twists and turns, while
High School.
Rule's Heart Full of Lies follows a
When Fisk entered Wayne State
beautiful, seductive woman who mur-
University, he wasn't thinking of a
ders her husband.
journalism career, but that changed

B