“THE RETIRED KID” Gables. Brian’s decided to retire early—VERY early. “It’s been a wonderful eight years, but I need a break.” So Brian does what any sensible retiree does – he more to Florida. At the Happy Sunset Retirement Community, there’s Ethel, Myrtle, Harvey, and Tex. And then there’s Brian. The retired kid. Join acclaimed author/illustrator Jon Agee for A Kids Retirement Party! Grandparents, bring your grandchildren for a shuffleboard competition and a reading from Jon’s newest picture book, The Retired Kid (Disney, $16.99, ages 4-8). Free, Monday, Sept.15, 4 p.m.

“DARK DUDE”. Rico Fuentes runs to Wisconsin to fit in, but he gives up a big part of his identity, being Latino, in the process. Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Oscar Hijuelos takes us this unforgettable journey about identity and misidentity in Dark Dude (Athenaeum, $16.99, ages 12 and up). Free. Tuesday, Sept.16, 7 p.m.

“BACARDI AND THE LONG FIGHT FOR CUBA” Freedom Tower, 600 North Biscayne Blvd., Miami. In Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba (Viking, $27.95), NPR correspondent Tom Gjelten chronicles the saga of this remarkable family and the company that bears its name, describing the intersection of business and power, family and politics, community and exile. Reception with the author begins at 7 p.m., to be followed by a reading and Q&A, and a booksigning. Presented in collaboration with WLRN and Florida Center for the Literary Arts. Free. Wednesday, Sept. 17, 7 p.m.

“ACEDIA & ME: A MARRIAGE, MONKS, AND A WRITER’S LIFE” Coral Gables Congregational Church, 3010 De Soto Blvd. Kathleen Norris’ Acedia & Me: A Marriage, Monks, and a Writer’s Life (Riverhead, $25.95) is part memoir and part meditation through her life, her marriage, its challenges in the midst of grave illness. Presented in collaboration with Florida Center for the Literary Arts. Free. Sunday, Sept. 21, 6 p.m.

“THINGS I OVERHEARD WHILE TALKING TO MYSELF” Temple Judea, 5500 Granada Blvd. Beloved actor and acclaimed author Alan Alda offers an insightful and funny look at some impossible questions he’s asked himself over the years — What do I value? What, exactly, is the good life? — in Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself (Random House, $15). Tickets are required for this event.  You will receive two (2) tickets with your purchase of Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself at any Books & Books location.  Presented in collaboration with Florida Center for the Literary Arts. Tuesday, Sept. 23, 7:30 p.m.

“BRISINGR” Lincoln Theatre, 541 Lincoln Road. Internationally bestselling author Christopher Paolini introduces his legion of fans to Brisingr (Knopf, $27.50), the much-anticipated third book in the Inheritance Cycle that began with Eragon.  Presented in collaboration with The New World Symphony. You will receive two free tickets with the purchase of Brisingr from any Books & Books location. Friday, Sept. 26. 7 p.m.

“LIBERTY” Temple Judea, 5500 Granada Blvd. In Liberty (Viking, $25.95), Garrison Keillor – America’s beloved ambassador for the small towns of the Midwest – brings us his Lake Wobegon as it’s always been: good loving people who drive each other crazy. Tickets are required for this event. You will receive two (2) tickets with your purchase of Liberty at any Books & Books location. Presented in collaboration with Florida Center for the Literary Arts. Saturday, Sept. 27, 8 p.m.

“LEFT IN DARK TIMES: A STAND AGAINST THE NEW BARBARISM” In Left in Dark Times: A Stand Against the New Barbarism (Random House, $25) Bernard-Henri Lévy, one of the world’s leading intellectuals revisits his political roots, scrutinizes the totalitarianisms of the past as well as those on the horizon, and argues powerfully for a new political and moral vision for our times. Free.  Wednesday, Oct. 1, 8 p.m.

“ONE FIFTH AVENUE” Bal Harbour Shops. From Candace Bushnell, one of the most consistently astute and engaging social commentators of our day, comes another look at the tough and tender women of New York City—this time, through the lens of where they live – One Fifth Avenue (Voice, $25.95). Free. Friday, Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m.

“SEARCHING FOR SCHINDLER: A MEMOIR” Temple Judea. Searching For Schindler: A Memoir (Nan A. Talese, $25) is the captivating story behind Schindler’s List, the Booker Prize–winning book and the Academy Award–winning Spielberg film. Author Thomas Keneally tells the tale of the unlikely encounter that propelled him to write about Oskar Schindler and of the impact of his extraordinary account on people around the world. Free. Thursday, Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m.

“SCIENCE FAIR” The hilarious (and bestselling) writing team of Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, authors of the celebrated Peter and the Starcatchers series, is back with Science Fair (Disney, $18.99, ages 8+) a hilarious adventure filled with mystery, suspense, levitating frogs and a terrorist plot to take over the American Government by infiltrating a middle school science fair. Free. Friday, Oct. 24, 7 p.m.

“BAREFOOT CONTESSA BACK TO BASICS” From one of the country’s most beloved culinary icons, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics (Clarkson Potter, $35) is the essential Ina Garten cookbook, focusing on the techniques behind her elegant food and easy entertaining style, and offering nearly a hundred brand-new recipes that will become trusted favorites. Autographing Only. Free. Wednesday, Oct. 29, Noon.

“THE LUMP OF COAL” Lemony Snicket has written many upsetting words, including those contained in A Series of Unfortunate Events.  His new book, The Lump of Coal (HarperCollins, $12.99, ages 4-8), is the story of a lump of coal who can think, talk, and move itself around.  Is there a more charming holiday tale to behold? Probably, but Lemony Snicket has not written one. Tickets are required for this event. You will receive one (1) ticket with your purchase of The Lump of Coal at any Books & Books location.  Seating limited. Tuesday, Nov. 11, 1 p.m.

“ANNIE LEIBOVITZ AT WORK” Temple Judea. In Annie Leibovitz at Work (Random House, $40) Annie Leibovitz, the most celebrated photographer of our time, describes how her pictures were made, starting with Richard Nixon’s resignation, a story she covered with Hunter S. Thompson, and ending with Barack Obama’s campaign. Tickets Required. Tuesday, Nov. 25, 7:30 p.m.

“THE MAN WHO INVENTED CHRISTMAS” Les Standiford, the author of Last Train to Paradise, Meet You In Hell, and Washington Burning, tells the uplifting story of how one writer and one book revived the signal holiday of the Western world in The Man Who Invented Christmas: How Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol Rescued His Career and Revived Out Holiday Spirits (Crown, $19.95). Friday, Nov. 7, 8 p.m.

Miami Book Fair International Sunday, Nov. 9-Sunday, Nov. 16    Street Fair: Nov. 14-Nov. 16 Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus  300 NE Second Ave., Miami  (305) 237-3258  www.miamibookfair.com

EVENINGS WITH…  The Congress of Authors begins on Saturday, Nov. 9 with the first “Evenings With....” featuring major literary figures reading and discussing their books in English and Spanish. Tickets required. Sun., Nov.  9- Friday., Nov. 14.     

WEEKEND AUTHOR PRESENTATIONS Well over 300 authors take part in the Fair’s prestigious line-up of back to back author presentations. They make Miami Dade College’s Wolfson Campus come alive with readings and panel discussions. Saturday, Nov. 15-Sunday, Nov. 16.

STREET FAIR At the Street Fair, over 250 publishers & booksellers exhibit and sell books in many languages. Festival-goers can visit the International Village, showcasing the literature, fine arts and folkloric traditions of many nations. Friday, Nov.14-16.

ANTIQUARIAN ANNEX The Antiquarian Annex showcases rare books, signed first editions, original manuscripts and other collectibles.

CHILDREN’S ALLEY At Children’s Alley is a full slate of activities, including book-inspired theatre and arts-and-crafts, storytelling and readings by children’s book authors from around the world.

INTERNATIONAL VILLAGE Showcases the literature, fine arts and folkloric traditions of many nations.