The Miami Book Fair returns next month for its 42nd edition, and the big-name talent attached to this year’s lineup is already turning heads. Running for eight days at Miami Dade College’s Wolfson Campus, the beloved celebration of all things books will welcome more than 500 authors—including some unlikely newcomers and well-known personalities.
On Sunday, November 16, country music star Kenny Chesney headlines the fair with his debut book Heart • Life • Music (out November 4). He’ll sit down with award-winning music critic and co-author Holly Gleason to talk about his career, rise to stardom, and the lessons learned along the way. Tickets go on sale October 13 at miamibookfair.com, with early access and discounts available to Friends of the Fair. (Maybe you should join?)
Padma Lakshmi—activist, cookbook author, and TV personality of Top Chef and Taste of the Nation fame—also headlines as part of the fair’s nonfiction program and its specialized series, ReadingEast: Voices from the Middle East and South Asia, which will also feature Megha Majumdar and Meenakshi Ahamed.
Other highlights include journalist and thriller author Daniel Silva in conversation with CNN correspondent Jamie Gangel, and businessman Barry Diller—a.k.a. Diane von Fürstenberg's husband—discussing his coming-of-age memoir, Who Knew.
A personal standout is Keith McNally, the legendary New York restaurateur behind Balthazar, Pastis, and Minetta Tavern, whose recent memoir, I Regret Almost Everything, I found both poignant and deeply insightful.
And because it’s 2025, expect a handful of BookTok influencers in the mix, plus a charming 75th anniversary Peanuts activation at Children’s Alley during the weekend street fair (November 22–23).
For the full lineup and ticket information, visit miamibookfair.com.