History Fort Lauderdale, proud steward of our community’s past by making our heritage accessible and engaging to residents and visitors, will present a free book signing and meet & greet with architect, photographer and historic preservation consultant Arthur Jay Marcus, author of The Architecture of Whimsy: Mid-20th-Century Architecture in South Florida. He will be available to meet guests and autograph copies of his book on Thursday, November 14, from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. His appearance is part of History Fort Lauderdale’s “Florida Scribes & Stories,” a meet the author series that offers literary and history enthusiasts a chance to speak with local authors, purchase their latest releases and have them signed.

The Architecture of Whimsy: Mid-20th-Century Architecture in South Florida is a lexicon examining the quixotic architectural expressions fund on select Mid-20th-Century Modern commercial buildings in South Florida. Showcasing the work of 13 noted architects from Miami Beach to Fort Lauderdale, Marcus highlights the decorative details and gestures – swooping overhangs, brise soleil, cheese holes and arches and screening – that expressed the era’s shiny optimism and the region’s carefree resort culture. With brief biographies of architects and street maps pinpointing the location of each building, this book offers tourists, architects, history buffs and preservationists a new context and appreciation for these works of art, many of which are endangered. The book is available on Amazon.

Architecture and photography have been Marcus’ lifelong passions from an early age. While maintaining an architectural studio in South Beach for 24 years prior to moving to Fort Lauderdale, Marcus continued to take photographs of South Florida’s architectural environment. His practice currently specializes in historic preservation consulting. A native of Philadelphia, Marcus graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Temple University and a Master of Architecture degree from Carnegie Mellon University.

Drinks and light bites will be provided. Guests may RSVP at https://bit.ly/FloridaScribesMarcus2024.

History Fort Lauderdale is proud to host a variety of engaging multicultural experiences, year-round. It seeks to bring awareness to the community through both traveling exhibits and multiple permanent exhibits including “Women Trailblazers,” “Fort Lauderdale – the Early Years,” “The African American Experience,” “Fashion & Musical Theatre,” “From Dugouts to Dream Yachts: the story of boatbuilding along the New River,” Seminole Arts & Culture,” “New River Archaeology,” and “Take PRIDE, a retrospective on LGBTQ life in South Florida.” The nonprofit museum also hosts an artists’ collective collaborative space.

For more information about History Fort Lauderdale, please call (954) 463-4431 or visit us online at historyfortlauderdale.org. Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/ftlhistory, on Instagram @ftlhistory and on Twitter @FTLHistory. Subscribe to us on YouTube at youtube.com/user/FTLhistory.