Author Dan Brown opens Miami Book Fair International

Posted on 20 November 2013 by JLusk

By Rachel Galvin

Dan Brown talks about his childhood and encourages young writersFor this year, which marks the 30th anniversary, the Miami Book Fair International chose best-selling author Dan Brown to kick off the event. The performance by the New World School of the Arts Symphony Orchestra, Flamenco dancers and remarks by Miami Dade College President Dr. Eduardo J. Padron and his Royal Highness, the Prince of Asturias, Crown Prince of Spain was hard to follow, but Brown managed to do it with style. With wit and candor, humility, generosity and curiosity, he speculated on the dichotomy of religion and science, the schism and the commingling of the two.

His fascination with these subjects seem to stem from his upbringing. In front of his parents in the audience, he sheepishly told tales of his childhood, admitting he was self-editing a bit as he went along, mentioning they had not seen him speak before. Brown was raised by a math teacher and a church organist. While his mom conducted the church choir looking the part of SNL’s “the church lady,” his dad stood in line at the local pizza joint with his Texas Instrument calculator determining the most economical way to buy a pie. Home life was filled with reciting hymns in wilderness Sunday services held on canoes tied together drifting in the river and dinner time was math lessons about geometric shapes that could be made utilizing vegetables. His father also introduced him to the enormity of space and presented questions on infinity.

It wasn’t until he was an adolescent that he began to question religion and science. How could both be correct? The Bible said the world was created in seven days. In school, he learned about the Big Bang. The Bible talked about Adam and Eve. In school, he was learning about fossils. He asked his priest which world view was correct. His priest said, “Nice boys don’t ask.” But that answer did not satisfy him.

He began gravitating to science. However, he said that the more people study science, “the mushier it gets,” with margins of error, imaginary numbers and unanswerable questions. He realized that science and religion are actually “partners… two different languages telling the same story.”

In his stories, he explores science and religion, as well as real life situations and locations, interjecting fictional characters into the mix. It begins, he says, with location first. As a reader of only non-fiction, he enjoys dealing with real life circumstances primarily. His books **DaVinci Code,** **Inferno,** **Angels & Demons,** **Lost Symbol** and others take the reader on a suspense-filled journey through exotic locations. Brown also discussed the making of the movies based on his novels.

This prolific author is the first of about 400 authors who will be presenting at the Book Fair, which runs through Nov. 24. To get more information about the fair, visit www.miamibookfair.com.

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