OLLI at Ringling College to Host 'An Afternoon with Carl Hiaasen'

OLLI at Ringling College has announced that Carl Hiaasen, a New York Times bestselling author, will be the keynote speaker at the launch of OLLI Talks, a new speaker series and fundraising event featuring well-known authors, educators, and experts from various fields and disciplines. 

The series kicks off with An Afternoon with Carl Hiaasen—Can You Make This Stuff Up? on March 27 at 4:00 p.m. in McGuire Hall on the Ringling College Museum Campus at Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota. Tickets are $100 for OLLI members and $125 general admission and can be purchased by calling 941-893-2864. 

Hiaasen has written more than 40 fiction and nonfiction books. His novels, all set in his home state of Florida, are celebrated for their sharp satire and fearless portrayal of environmental and political corruption.  

From 1985 until his retirement in 2021, Hiaasen worked at The Miami Herald as a reporter and columnist. His work as a journalist has earned him numerous accolades, including the Damon Runyon Award and the National Society of Newspaper Columnists' Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Hiaasen began writing novels in the early 1980s, collaborating with fellow reporter William D. Montalbano on three thrillers before publishing his first solo novel, Tourist Season, in 1986. Since then, he has authored 11 national bestsellers, including Strip Tease (1993), Skinny Dip (2004), Bad Monkey (2013), and Squeeze Me (2020). 

His work has also found success on screen, including a major motion picture adaptation of Strip Teasestarring Demi Moore, as well as an Apple TV+ series based on Bad Monkey, featuring Vince Vaughn and developed by Ted Lasso co-creator Bill Lawrence.  

OLLI Talks guests can look forward to an engaging afternoon as Hiaasen reflects on how his deep connection to Florida has shaped his remarkable career as a writer and inspired the unforgettable stories that have captivated readers for decades.