Press Releases

April 30, 2002
Best-selling Novelist Nelson DeMille Joins Over 90 Authors at "Meet the Writers" Book Fair

Traditional Kick-off of the Hamptons Summer Season Celebrates 25th Year

Contact:
Patricia Conway (PR@southampton.liu.edu)
(631) 287 8313
Fax: (631) 283 4081

Best-selling author Nelson DeMille will be one of over 90 East End writers participating in the 25th Annual John Steinbeck "Meet the Writers" Book Fair & Art Preview on Friday, May 10th from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Elaine Benson Gallery in Bridgehampton. This year's event marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Steinbeck, and the 25th anniversary of the Book Fair.

DeMille will be on hand to sign copies of his latest release Up Country along with other authors who have had books published within the past year including Peter Matthiessen (The Birds of Heaven: Travels with Cranes), Dava Sobel (Letters to Father), Helen Harrison (Hamptons Bohemia), James Brady (Warning of War) and ABC News correspondent Lynn Sherr (America the Beautiful: The Stirring True Story Behind Our Nation's Favorite Song).

In honor of the 25th anniversary of the Book Fair and the 100th anniversary of John Steinbeck's birth, Long Island University is publishing a commemorative journal that will be available at the Fair. The journal is a compilation of the project's history, news articles and photographs from the first 25 years, and excerpts from the literary works of past Award winners including E.L. Doctorow, Kurt Vonnegut, Edward Albee and Dava Sobel. The journal was edited by Southampton College English Professor William Peterson and Kimberly Goff, Director of the Elaine Benson Gallery, and is dedicated to Elaine Steinbeck and the late Elaine Benson.

Translator Gregory Rabassa will be the 14th recipient of the John Steinbeck Award. Rabassa is a distinguished professor of Romance languages and comparative literature at Queens College. He has translated over 40 works from Spanish and Portuguese into English, including the works of Julio Cortazar, Mario Vargas Llosa, Jorge Amado, Octavio Paz, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Since its inception in 1977, the John Steinbeck Project has raised funds for Southampton College of Long Island University, which have been used to establish a Visiting Writer's Program, the annual Steinbeck Lecture, student writing awards and scholarships, and acquisitions for the College Library.

Tickets can be purchased at the door. The Benson Gallery is located at 2317 Montauk Highway in Bridgehampton. For further information, please call Carol Gilbert at (631) 287-8348.