Tickets available for Fed. 9, 2024 event at Municipal Auditorium
Award-winning author Colson Whitehead will be the featured speaker at the 12th annual Love Our Libraries Author Luncheon, to be held on Feb. 9, 2024 at the Municipal Auditorium in Sarasota, the Library Foundation for Sarasota County has announced.
“The Love Our Libraries Author Luncheon is the nonprofit Library Foundation’s signature fundraiser,” a news release explains. To date, the release adds, the annual sellout event has raised more than $2 million to support Sarasota County public libraries. “Since its founding in 2011, the Library Foundation has secured more than eight million dollars in private funds to help ensure a bright future for Sarasota’s libraries,” the release adds.
Whitehead is a No. 1 New York Times bestselling author whose most recent novels are Crook Manifesto (2023) and Harlem Shuffle (2021), the release notes. His book The Underground Railroad, an Oprah’s Book Club selection, won the 2016 National Book Award and the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, the release points out. His New York Times bestseller The Nickel Boys won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, making him the fourth author to win two Pulitzers in the Fiction category, the release adds. That novel also won the 2019 Kirkus Prize for Fiction and the 2020 Orwell Prize for Political Fiction, the release notes.
“We are delighted to bring Mr. Whitehead to Sarasota and look forward to welcoming everyone for a wonderful afternoon celebrating our public libraries,” said Alisa Mitchell, executive director of the Foundation, in the release.
“This event is made possible by Presenting Sponsor the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Author Reception Sponsor Bookstore1 Sarasota, and by the generosity of numerous community partners,” the release adds. For sponsorship opportunities or to purchase tickets, visit www.sarasotalibraryfoundation.org or call 941-404-3139. Tickets start at $225.