Since February 2011, Charles J. Kropke’s book “South Beach – Stories of a Renaissance” has been the bestseller at Books & Books in Coral Gables and South Beach!  We are now delighted that Charles’ book has been chosen by the Miami Design Preservation League (MDPL) for their new program MDPL Reads which encourages everyone to read the same book leading up to the next annual Art Deco Weekend in January of 2012.  In their press release below, MDPL details the events leading up to October 5^th, 2011 with a trivia contest through their facebook page.

MDPL Reads is meant to bring attention to great books about South Beach and the Art Deco Historic District. The first event will take place on October 5^th, 2011 at 7pm at the Art Deco Welcome Center, 1001 Ocean Drive. The book chosen for the October event is South Beach – Stories of a Renaissance, by Charles J. Kropke and Eleanor Goldstein, who will be signing and discussing the book at the October 5^th event. Leading up to the MDPL Reads event in October, MDPL will be launching a 10 weeklong trivia series related to stories taken from the book via the MDPL Facebook page. Prizes will relate to each question and include museum passes, freebies at local restaurants, posters, and more!  All the prizes were donated from people and places mentioned in the book. You can purchase the book at the Official Art Deco Gift Shop or online.

“Our wish is to develop MDPL Reads into a Community Reading Program. It is a great way for South Beach residents to learn about the city they live in and meet other people within the community,” Richard Towers, MDPL Programs and Events Coordinator stated in a recent interview.  MDPL plans to produce this program a few times per year, incorporating unique and interesting books that complement their mission statement of protecting, promoting, and preserving the Miami Beach Art Deco District since 1976.

The first book, South Beach: Stories of A Renaissance ties the present to the past and ferrets out the most intriguing stories that bring South Beach to life. The book is a treasure trove of original stories and nascent legends. These stories are the culmination of over four dozen personal interviews with influential leaders of South Beach. When added to the original artwork and the stunning photography of Joe Davis, the book is a masterful addition to the existing literature of Florida history, lavishly illustrated with 150 full color images including 4 double page gate folds.

MDPL’s Facebook trivia series based on the book is “a fun way to get people’s attention, plus its educational,” Amanda Bush, Marketing Director of MDPL expressed. MDPL runs different trivia series on their Facebook page as a way to educate their fans on the history of Miami Beach, MDPL, and the Architectural Districts in Miami Beach. “This trivia series is special because we are promoting local businesses and organizations in Miami Beach, which is important to us,” Amanda continued. MDPL and South Beach: Stories of a Renaissance reached out to businesses and organizations mentioned in the book to get involved in the trivia. Many of these local places donated amazing prizes for the trivia series winners. If you are interested in participating in the trivia series, become a fan of the MDPL Facebook Page.