Author! Author! Behind the Scenes at East Hampton Library Authors Night 2023

Jann Wenner wants Michael Douglas to read his book on tape. Ryan Serhant thinks Ryan Reynolds could play him if his book ever becomes a movie. And Paulina Porizkova had “no idea what she was getting into.” Spoiler Alert: She liked it.

Welcome to Authors Night. An East Hampton Library fundraiser and summer highlight for the last 19 years.

“It’s snowballed over time. We hope to raise over $500,000 which would be a record breaker,” revealed library Executive Director Dennis Fabiszak. “We’ve had over 1,000 authors at this event over the years,” he added.

It’s also loud so he doesn’t get to “shhh” anyone. And hot. The big tent in Herrick Park is shoulder to shoulder. Susan Isaacs thinks I’m having a stroke. She gives me one of the free fans. Her table mate A.M. Homes says the two aren’t getting along. She’s kidding.

“Anything that gets people to come out and talk about books is an amazing moment. Every person here reads at least 10 books a week,” the author says.

That might be a slight overstatement. But maybe not. Geraldo Rivera‘s 18-year-old daughter Sol Rivera is there with a new book of essays and poetry called Restrict. Proud dad says she reads a book a day and calls her “The brains of the outfit.” He says the annual event is “intellectual without being snobby.”

Chris Whipple is here with his Joe Biden tome The Fight of His Life and calls the byline bonanza “One of the great book festivals in the country, in my opinion, and I’ve done a lot of them.”

When he’s done here it’s off to a private dinner. One of many that raises even more ‘overdue book bucks’ for the library. WLIW head Diane Masciale calls it “The biggest gathering of authors in the country.” And says it highlights the East end’s “Amazing history when it comes to the literary arts.”

PBS film critic Neil Rosen is a fanboy of Robert Caro. He’s not alone. Author after author tells me the same thing. “There was a big line to talk to him,” Rosen admits. “But I had my audience and I asked him, ‘If it wasn’t for Robert Moses would the Brooklyn Dodgers still be in Brooklyn?’ And he actually gave me an answer.”

Amy Zerner and Monte Farber are an area husband and wife writing team. Their books on astrology are in a lot of readers’ futures. And they’re pretty sure the stars had something to do with who they’re sitting next to: Neil deGrasse Tyson.

“I’m a servant for the public’s appetite of the universe,” Tyson tells me. He also sagely offers this: “Avid readers remain avid.”

Many of those signing the books have homes out here. ‘Gilmore Girl’ Lauren Graham has been “coming out here since I was a kid.” Shoebizzer Steve Madden too. “It’s good fun for me because I come out here in the summer,” says Madden. Then adds, of course, “I want to go see Robert Caro.” Okay FINE. Go. Neil Rosen says you’ll be a while.

Back to Graham, whose book Have I Told You This Already? is selling briskly. She has bad news for Monte and Amy. Stars didn’t align to put them next to Tyson. “We are all seated alphabetically which is very ‘librarian’ of them.” She’s funny! Just like on TV!

Ryan Serhant sells real estate when he isn’t on reality TV. His book is called Big Money Energy. He’s got it. And he’s always closing. “I wanted to connect with great readers. But I’m more excited to meet all the other authors who are here. And if they sell enough books here tonight maybe they get a downpayment on something cool.”

Paulina Porzikova has all her clothes on. A friend talked her into bringing her new book No Filter. She’s been vocal on social media about aging, body shaming, heartbreak. It’s all in there. “That’s the way I’ve always lived my life it’s just that until recently no one cared.” She eschews the seated behind-the-table routine of the other authors. She’s standing out front, supermodel style, gladly signing and posing for pictures.

Perrenial Tom Clavin‘s new book is called Follow Me to Hell. If it gets any hotter in this tent, we will all be complying. Okay, the Montauk beer helps. And the sushi seems to be holding up.

“I love being with other authors because sometimes I only see them once a year,” Clavin says.

Bill Boggs brought Spike the Wonder Dog. He’s paper and media trained. Spike not Bill.

Michael Wolff says his big takeaway is “Everyone in the Hamptons is an author.”

That’s good for Jane Ubell-Meyer. She has a company called Bedside Reading that places new books in high-end hotels. Some in the Hamptons. “Any time that an author can sell a book directly to a consumer it’s fabulous,” she says. Good for fans too. “It’s a special moment to meet an author and get them to sign it.”

And the authors? Signing all these books? Does that get old? Ubell-Meyer just laughs. “Are you kidding? This is like M&Ms to them, they gobble it up.”