http://www.lapl.org/books-emedia/podcasts/aloud ALOUD is the Library Foundation of Los Angeles' award-winning literary series of live conversations, readings and performances at the historic Central Library and locations throughout Los Angeles. en-US Los Angeles Public Library episodic ALOUD Podcasts Los Angeles Public Library Los Angeles Public Library webmaster@lapl.org No http://www.lapl.org/itunes-aloud.php http://www.lapl.org/node/187405 Thu, 30 May 2024 19:00:00 -0800 This third program in our AI series focused on the critical issue of inherent biases in AI technologies, especially as they are deployed in law enforcement, healthcare, government, and education. We took a look at how these biases manifest and their profound implications. This third program in our AI series focused on the critical issue of inherent biases in AI technologies, especially as they are deployed in law enforcement, healthcare, government, and education. We took a look at how these biases manifest and their profound implications. 01:16:18 http://www.lapl.org/node/187404 Thu, 25 Apr 2024 19:00:00 -0800 From generating new forms of artistic expression to transforming industry practices, artificial intelligence is redefining the boundaries of creativity. This event brought together creatives from diverse backgrounds and industry experts to discuss the opportunities and challenges presented by AI in the performing and fine arts. From generating new forms of artistic expression to transforming industry practices, artificial intelligence is redefining the boundaries of creativity. This event brought together creatives from diverse backgrounds and industry experts to discuss the opportunities and challenges presented by AI in the performing and fine arts. 01:06:37 http://www.lapl.org/node/187403 Mon, 08 Apr 2024 19:00:00 -0800 Tommy Orange, the Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of the breakout bestseller There There, returns to ALOUD with one of TIME Magazine’s most anticipated books of 2024, Wandering Stars, which traces the legacies of the Colorado Sand Creek Massacre of 1864 and the Carlisle Indian Industrial School through three generations of a family. Orange’s new novel is piercing in its poetry, sorrow, and rage and is a devastating indictment of America’s war on its own people. Orange was in conversation with Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota actor, writer, poet, visual artist, and comedian Bobby "Dues" Wilson. Tommy Orange, the Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of the breakout bestseller There There, returns to ALOUD with one of TIME Magazine’s most anticipated books of 2024, Wandering Stars, which traces the legacies of the Colorado Sand Creek Massacre of 1864 and the Carlisle Indian Industrial School through three generations of a family. Orange’s new novel is piercing in its poetry, sorrow, and rage and is a devastating indictment of America’s war on its own people. Orange was in conversation with Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota actor, writer, poet, visual artist, and comedian Bobby "Dues" Wilson. 01:00:54 http://www.lapl.org/node/187401 Thu, 28 Mar 2024 19:00:00 -0800 Join us for the first of a special ALOUD series on AI, where we take a compelling look into the interaction between young people and AI systems, exploring subconscious perceptions and the significant effects of AI on youth mental health and development. ALOUD on Ideas is an ongoing series that will take a thematic look at subjects that are particularly relevant to our time. This season, ALOUD presents Navigating the AI Maze: Investigating Artificial Intelligence in Our Lives: A Three-Part Series curated by Avriel Epps, aimed at demystifying Artificial Intelligence, exploring its multifaceted impact on both society at large and our individual well-being. Join us for the first of a special ALOUD series on AI, where we take a compelling look into the interaction between young people and AI systems, exploring subconscious perceptions and the significant effects of AI on youth mental health and development. ALOUD on Ideas is an ongoing series that will take a thematic look at subjects that are particularly relevant to our time. This season, ALOUD presents Navigating the AI Maze: Investigating Artificial Intelligence in Our Lives: A Three-Part Series curated by Avriel Epps, aimed at demystifying Artificial Intelligence, exploring its multifaceted impact on both society at large and our individual well-being. 01:07:01 http://www.lapl.org/node/187400 Thu, 07 Mar 2024 19:00:00 -0800 Leslie Jamison has become one of our most beloved contemporary voices, a scribe of the real, the true, and the complex. The New York Times best-selling author of The Recovering and The Empathy Exams joins us in a program exclusive to ALOUD about her new memoir, Splinters, the riveting story of rebuilding a life after the end of a marriage—an exploration of motherhood, art, and new love. Jamison was in conversation with award-winning author and professor Sarah Manguso. Leslie Jamison has become one of our most beloved contemporary voices, a scribe of the real, the true, and the complex. The New York Times best-selling author of The Recovering and The Empathy Exams joins us in a program exclusive to ALOUD about her new memoir, Splinters, the riveting story of rebuilding a life after the end of a marriage—an exploration of motherhood, art, and new love. Jamison was in conversation with award-winning author and professor Sarah Manguso. 01:08:52 http://www.lapl.org/node/187399 Tue, 13 Feb 2024 19:00:00 -0800 The award-winning, beloved author of Pure Colour, Sheila Heti returns to ALOUD with her new thrilling confessional Alphabetical Diaries. Over ten years, Heti kept a record of her thoughts, then arranged the sentences from A to Z. Known for her experimental literary works—passionate and reflective, joyful and despairing—Heti masterfully structures her diary entries into a pastiche of unconventional structure that keeps the reader entirely engaged. Co-presented with Skylight Books. The award-winning, beloved author of Pure Colour, Sheila Heti returns to ALOUD with her new thrilling confessional Alphabetical Diaries. Over ten years, Heti kept a record of her thoughts, then arranged the sentences from A to Z. Known for her experimental literary works—passionate and reflective, joyful and despairing—Heti masterfully structures her diary entries into a pastiche of unconventional structure that keeps the reader entirely engaged. Co-presented with Skylight Books. 00:55:45 http://www.lapl.org/node/180099 Tue, 30 Jan 2024 19:00:00 -0800 Join us for a conversation with one of our country’s most prominent rabbis, Rabbi Sharon Brous of IKAR, discussing her new book, The Amen Effect, which explores what it will take, in a time of loneliness and isolation, social rupture and alienation, to rebuild our society.  Rabbi Brous was in conversation with celebrated Los Angeles-based activist and founder of Homeboy Industries, Father Gregory Boyle. Join us for a conversation with one of our country’s most prominent rabbis, Rabbi Sharon Brous of IKAR, discussing her new book, The Amen Effect, which explores what it will take, in a time of loneliness and isolation, social rupture and alienation, to rebuild our society.  Rabbi Brous was in conversation with celebrated Los Angeles-based activist and founder of Homeboy Industries, Father Gregory Boyle. 00:54:47 http://www.lapl.org/node/180100 Thu, 16 Nov 2023 19:00:00 -0800 In 2019, Cristina Rivera Garza traveled from her home in Texas to Mexico City in search of an old unresolved criminal file. "My name is Cristina Rivera Garza," she wrote in her request to the attorney general, "and I am writing to you as a relative of Liliana Rivera, who was murdered on July 16, 1990." Knowing there is only a slim chance of recovering the file, Cristina is inspired by feminist movements across the world and enraged by the global epidemic of femicide and embarks on a path toward justice. This is her account and the outcome of an amazing journey. Rivera Garza will be in conversation with Latin Grammy-nominated musician, songwriter, recording artist, and activist Ceci Bastida. This program is in partnership with the LA Phil’s Pan American Music Initiative and the new ballet called Revolución diamantina, reflecting on the Glitter Revolution in Mexico City, composed by artistic curator Gabriela Ortiz, inspired by Cristina Rivera Garza. In 2019, Cristina Rivera Garza traveled from her home in Texas to Mexico City in search of an old unresolved criminal file. "My name is Cristina Rivera Garza," she wrote in her request to the attorney general, "and I am writing to you as a relative of Liliana Rivera, who was murdered on July 16, 1990." Knowing there is only a slim chance of recovering the file, Cristina is inspired by feminist movements across the world and enraged by the global epidemic of femicide and embarks on a path toward justice. This is her account and the outcome of an amazing journey. Rivera Garza will be in conversation with Latin Grammy-nominated musician, songwriter, recording artist, and activist Ceci Bastida. This program is in partnership with the LA Phil’s Pan American Music Initiative and the new ballet called Revolución diamantina, reflecting on the Glitter Revolution in Mexico City, composed by artistic curator Gabriela Ortiz, inspired by Cristina Rivera Garza. 01:09:07 http://www.lapl.org/node/175856 Thu, 09 Nov 2023 19:00:00 -0800 ALOUD welcomes two-time Poet Laureate of the United States and Pulitzer Prize–winner Tracy K. Smith with her remarkable book To Free the Captives: A Plea for the American Soul. In 2020, heartsick from consistent assaults on Black life, Tracy K. Smith found herself soul-searching and digging into the historical archive for help navigating the "din of human division and strife." Bearing witness to the terms of freedom afforded her as a Black woman, a mother, and an educator in the twenty-first century, Smith etches a portrait of where we find ourselves four hundred years into the American experiment. Smith was in conversation with poet, essayist, and Morgan Parker. ALOUD welcomes two-time Poet Laureate of the United States and Pulitzer Prize–winner Tracy K. Smith with her remarkable book To Free the Captives: A Plea for the American Soul. In 2020, heartsick from consistent assaults on Black life, Tracy K. Smith found herself soul-searching and digging into the historical archive for help navigating the "din of human division and strife." Bearing witness to the terms of freedom afforded her as a Black woman, a mother, and an educator in the twenty-first century, Smith etches a portrait of where we find ourselves four hundred years into the American experiment. Smith was in conversation with poet, essayist, and Morgan Parker. 01:05:50 http://www.lapl.org/node/175857 Wed, 18 Oct 2023 19:00:00 -0800 Renowned art conservator Rosa Lowinger reveals in her beautiful memoir Dwell Time a journey of her difficult childhood in Miami growing up among people whose losses in the Cuban revolution, and earlier by the decimation of family in the Holocaust, clouded all family life. Through Lowinger’s relentless clear-eyed efforts to be the best practitioner possible, while squarely facing her fraught personal and work relationships, she comes to terms with her identity as Cuban and Jewish, American and Latinx. Lowinger was in conversation with L.A. Times’s art and design columnist Carolina A. Miranda. Renowned art conservator Rosa Lowinger reveals in her beautiful memoir Dwell Time a journey of her difficult childhood in Miami growing up among people whose losses in the Cuban revolution, and earlier by the decimation of family in the Holocaust, clouded all family life. Through Lowinger’s relentless clear-eyed efforts to be the best practitioner possible, while squarely facing her fraught personal and work relationships, she comes to terms with her identity as Cuban and Jewish, American and Latinx. Lowinger was in conversation with L.A. Times’s art and design columnist Carolina A. Miranda. 01:11:09 http://www.lapl.org/node/175858 Wed, 11 Oct 2023 19:00:00 -0800 Award-winning journalist Santi Elijah Holley brings us a long overdue look at the Shakur family, who, for over fifty years, have inspired generations of activists, scholars, and music fans. An Amerikan Family is the history of the fight for Black liberation in the United States, as experienced by the Shakurs. From Assata Shakur, the popular author and thinker living for three decades in Cuban exile, to the late, great rapper Tupac to roots in the Black Panther movement and beyond, the Shakurs have been at the forefront of fighting for racial justice in the United States. Holley was in conversation with American academic, civic leader, and founder of the Los Angeles chapter of Black Lives Matter, Dr. Melina Abdullah. Award-winning journalist Santi Elijah Holley brings us a long overdue look at the Shakur family, who, for over fifty years, have inspired generations of activists, scholars, and music fans. An Amerikan Family is the history of the fight for Black liberation in the United States, as experienced by the Shakurs. From Assata Shakur, the popular author and thinker living for three decades in Cuban exile, to the late, great rapper Tupac to roots in the Black Panther movement and beyond, the Shakurs have been at the forefront of fighting for racial justice in the United States. Holley was in conversation with American academic, civic leader, and founder of the Los Angeles chapter of Black Lives Matter, Dr. Melina Abdullah. 01:01:27 http://www.lapl.org/node/175860 Thu, 28 Sep 2023 19:00:00 -0800 From former White House aide to President Obama and Harvard graduate Alejandra Campoverdi comes a riveting, unflinching memoir on navigating social mobility as a first gen Latina. She offers a broad examination of the unacknowledged emotional tolls of being a trailblazer. Join us as we follow Campoverdi’s journey from being a child of welfare to becoming a candidate for U.S. Congress. Part memoir, part manifesto, First Gen is a story of generational inheritance, aspiration, and belonging–a poignant journey to "reclaim the parts of ourselves we sacrificed in order to survive."Campoverdi was in conversation with author and l columnist with Jean Guerrero. From former White House aide to President Obama and Harvard graduate Alejandra Campoverdi comes a riveting, unflinching memoir on navigating social mobility as a first gen Latina. She offers a broad examination of the unacknowledged emotional tolls of being a trailblazer. Join us as we follow Campoverdi’s journey from being a child of welfare to becoming a candidate for U.S. Congress. Part memoir, part manifesto, First Gen is a story of generational inheritance, aspiration, and belonging–a poignant journey to "reclaim the parts of ourselves we sacrificed in order to survive."Campoverdi was in conversation with author and l columnist with Jean Guerrero. 00:59:42 http://www.lapl.org/node/175861 Wed, 06 Sep 2023 19:00:00 -0800 In her bestselling books, celebrated activist and public intellectual Naomi Klein documents the effects of branding, austerity, and climate profiteering on our societies and our souls. Using her own story of an antithetical doppelganger, she looks at what she refers to as the "Mirror World" of our destabilized present, full of doubles and confusion. This is just the beginning of her part comic memoir and part chilling reportage about the world we’re living in and a path beyond confusion and despair. Klein was in conversation with the Canadian-British blogger, journalist, and science fiction author Cory Doctorow. In her bestselling books, celebrated activist and public intellectual Naomi Klein documents the effects of branding, austerity, and climate profiteering on our societies and our souls. Using her own story of an antithetical doppelganger, she looks at what she refers to as the "Mirror World" of our destabilized present, full of doubles and confusion. This is just the beginning of her part comic memoir and part chilling reportage about the world we’re living in and a path beyond confusion and despair. Klein was in conversation with the Canadian-British blogger, journalist, and science fiction author Cory Doctorow. 01:20:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/175862 Wed, 28 Jun 2023 19:00:00 -0800 Join Tess Gunty to discuss her debut novel The Rabbit Hutch, the winner of this year’s National Book Award. In her darkly funny and remarkable novel, we’re introduced to a string of overlapping characters and plots mostly centered around La Lapinière, otherwise known as "The Rabbit Hutch," a run-down apartment building in Vacca Vale, Indiana. The novel unconventionally jumps among perspectives, mediums, and tenses, revealing the building's quirky residents. Gunty keeps the plot moving, creating a story that has you hooked from the first page until the surprising finale. The novel touches on so many important issues—loneliness, consumerism, community, and mental illness all with great subtly and intelligence. Join Tess Gunty to discuss her debut novel The Rabbit Hutch, the winner of this year’s National Book Award. In her darkly funny and remarkable novel, we’re introduced to a string of overlapping characters and plots mostly centered around La Lapinière, otherwise known as "The Rabbit Hutch," a run-down apartment building in Vacca Vale, Indiana. The novel unconventionally jumps among perspectives, mediums, and tenses, revealing the building's quirky residents. Gunty keeps the plot moving, creating a story that has you hooked from the first page until the surprising finale. The novel touches on so many important issues—loneliness, consumerism, community, and mental illness all with great subtly and intelligence. 00:59:37 http://www.lapl.org/node/168756 Thu, 15 Jun 2023 19:00:00 -0800 "'Stories about empire,' Tobar writes, 'move us because they're echoes of the memories that reside deep in our collective consciousness.' Latinos, after all, are people' living with the hurt caused by war and politics, conquest and surrender, revolution and dictatorship.'" —The New York Times "Latino" is the most broadly defined major race in the United States. In Pulitzer-Prize-winner Héctor Tobar's new book, Our Migrant Souls: A Meditation on Race and the Meanings and Myths of "Latino," Tobar recounts his personal experiences as the son of Guatemalan immigrants and the stories told to him by his Latinx students to offer a thoughtful reproach to racist ideas about Latino people. Our Migrant Souls decodes the meaning of "Latino" as a racial and ethnic identity in the modern United States and seeks to give voice to the angst and anger of young Latino people who have seen Latinidad transformed into hateful tropes about "illegals" and have faced insults, harassment, and division based on white insecurities and economic exploitation. "'Stories about empire,' Tobar writes, 'move us because they're echoes of the memories that reside deep in our collective consciousness.' Latinos, after all, are people' living with the hurt caused by war and politics, conquest and surrender, revolution and dictatorship.'" —The New York Times "Latino" is the most broadly defined major race in the United States. In Pulitzer-Prize-winner Héctor Tobar's new book, Our Migrant Souls: A Meditation on Race and the Meanings and Myths of "Latino," Tobar recounts his personal experiences as the son of Guatemalan immigrants and the stories told to him by his Latinx students to offer a thoughtful reproach to racist ideas about Latino people. Our Migrant Souls decodes the meaning of "Latino" as a racial and ethnic identity in the modern United States and seeks to give voice to the angst and anger of young Latino people who have seen Latinidad transformed into hateful tropes about "illegals" and have faced insults, harassment, and division based on white insecurities and economic exploitation. 01:06:09 http://www.lapl.org/node/168753 Tue, 16 May 2023 19:00:00 -0800 “This surprising look at the nature of primates has a lot to say about what it means to be human.”―Publishers Weekly Renowned primatologist and bestselling author Frans de Waal has spent thousands of hours observing apes and monkeys both in the wild and in captivity. In his new book (now out in paperback), Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist, de Waal challenges widely held beliefs about masculinity and femininity and common assumptions about authority, leadership, cooperation, competition, filial bonds, sexual orientation, gender identity, and the limitations of the gender binary, exceptions to which are also found in other primates. With humor, clarity, and compassion, Different seeks to broaden the conversation about human gender dynamics by promoting an inclusive model that embraces differences. “This surprising look at the nature of primates has a lot to say about what it means to be human.”―Publishers Weekly Renowned primatologist and bestselling author Frans de Waal has spent thousands of hours observing apes and monkeys both in the wild and in captivity. In his new book (now out in paperback), Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist, de Waal challenges widely held beliefs about masculinity and femininity and common assumptions about authority, leadership, cooperation, competition, filial bonds, sexual orientation, gender identity, and the limitations of the gender binary, exceptions to which are also found in other primates. With humor, clarity, and compassion, Different seeks to broaden the conversation about human gender dynamics by promoting an inclusive model that embraces differences. 01:12:53 http://www.lapl.org/node/169009 Sat, 13 May 2023 19:00:00 -0800 Around the world, writers and journalists have been increasingly targeted for their work by waves of online harassment. From the missives of QAnon, to the rise of hate speech on Twitter, and the use of doxxing to weaponize an adversary’s personal information, our political context is building a perfect storm of harassment with ever-shifting targets. Join best-selling author Reza Aslan (An American Martyr in Persia: The Epic Life and Tragic Death of Howard Baskerville, Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth) and Black List founder Franklin Leonard for a conversation on the polarized climate in the United States, amidst the movement for human rights in Iran, and around the world. Together, they will discuss how antagonism in online spaces within this fractious moment launches outwards into offline reality, and the insidious impact of harassment on writers, scholars, and creators. Moderated by author and journalist Jean Guerrero. Around the world, writers and journalists have been increasingly targeted for their work by waves of online harassment. From the missives of QAnon, to the rise of hate speech on Twitter, and the use of doxxing to weaponize an adversary’s personal information, our political context is building a perfect storm of harassment with ever-shifting targets. Join best-selling author Reza Aslan (An American Martyr in Persia: The Epic Life and Tragic Death of Howard Baskerville, Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth) and Black List founder Franklin Leonard for a conversation on the polarized climate in the United States, amidst the movement for human rights in Iran, and around the world. Together, they will discuss how antagonism in online spaces within this fractious moment launches outwards into offline reality, and the insidious impact of harassment on writers, scholars, and creators. Moderated by author and journalist Jean Guerrero. 01:09:09 http://www.lapl.org/node/166794 Thu, 11 May 2023 19:00:00 -0800 David Ambroz, best-selling author of A Place Called Home, shares his story of survival on the streets of New York City and later through violence in foster care, always with the goal of moving people from empathy to action. He lays out his ideas, informed through lived experience and policy expertise, to fix foster care, address homelessness, and build a more humane and compassionate nation. David Ambroz, best-selling author of A Place Called Home, shares his story of survival on the streets of New York City and later through violence in foster care, always with the goal of moving people from empathy to action. He lays out his ideas, informed through lived experience and policy expertise, to fix foster care, address homelessness, and build a more humane and compassionate nation. 00:54:53 http://www.lapl.org/node/166793 Tue, 02 May 2023 19:00:00 -0800 In 2016, The Hidden Life of Trees began the conversation that trees can communicate with each other. Peter Wohlleben’s bestselling book changed the way we looked at ourselves and our environment. Now, after eight years, he follows up his groundbreaking work with The Power of Trees: How Ancient Forests Can Save Us, if We Let Them. This time, Wohlleben delves even further into the life of trees, describing how they pass knowledge to succeeding generations while also discussing their ability to survive climate change. The Power of Trees is a love letter to the forest and a passionate argument for protecting nature's boundless diversity, not only for the trees but also for us. In 2016, The Hidden Life of Trees began the conversation that trees can communicate with each other. Peter Wohlleben’s bestselling book changed the way we looked at ourselves and our environment. Now, after eight years, he follows up his groundbreaking work with The Power of Trees: How Ancient Forests Can Save Us, if We Let Them. This time, Wohlleben delves even further into the life of trees, describing how they pass knowledge to succeeding generations while also discussing their ability to survive climate change. The Power of Trees is a love letter to the forest and a passionate argument for protecting nature's boundless diversity, not only for the trees but also for us. 00:55:11 http://www.lapl.org/node/165546 Thu, 20 Apr 2023 19:00:00 -0800 Bestselling author Cheryl Strayed takes the ALOUD stage to discuss the transformation of her popular book, Tiny Beautiful Things, to the television screen with show creator and executive producer Liz Tigelaar. Tiny Beautiful Things tells the story of Dear Sugar, a respected advice columnist whose own life is falling apart. Told in multiple timelines with intimacy and candor. Strayed is able to mine the beauty, struggle, and humor in her life to show us that we are not beyond rescue and that our stories are ultimately our salvation. The eight-part series starring Kathryn Hahn debuts on Hulu on April 7. Bestselling author Cheryl Strayed takes the ALOUD stage to discuss the transformation of her popular book, Tiny Beautiful Things, to the television screen with show creator and executive producer Liz Tigelaar. Tiny Beautiful Things tells the story of Dear Sugar, a respected advice columnist whose own life is falling apart. Told in multiple timelines with intimacy and candor. Strayed is able to mine the beauty, struggle, and humor in her life to show us that we are not beyond rescue and that our stories are ultimately our salvation. The eight-part series starring Kathryn Hahn debuts on Hulu on April 7. 01:08:51 http://www.lapl.org/node/165544 Tue, 04 Apr 2023 19:00:00 -0800 Award-winning and bestselling author Emily St. John Mandel comes to the ALOUD stage to discuss her latest novel, Sea of Tranquility, with National Book Award Winner Charles Yu (Interior Chinatown). A genre-bending work of speculative fiction exploring the nature of time and reality through the eyes of characters living across a span of 500 years. Sea of Tranquility was on The New York Times bestseller list and is one of President Obama’s favorite books of 2022. Mandel is the author of five other novels, including The Glass House and Station Eleven, which was a finalist for a National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and was the basis of a limited series on HBO Max. Award-winning and bestselling author Emily St. John Mandel comes to the ALOUD stage to discuss her latest novel, Sea of Tranquility, with National Book Award Winner Charles Yu (Interior Chinatown). A genre-bending work of speculative fiction exploring the nature of time and reality through the eyes of characters living across a span of 500 years. Sea of Tranquility was on The New York Times bestseller list and is one of President Obama’s favorite books of 2022. Mandel is the author of five other novels, including The Glass House and Station Eleven, which was a finalist for a National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and was the basis of a limited series on HBO Max. 00:57:48 http://www.lapl.org/node/165541 Mon, 20 Mar 2023 19:00:00 -0800 Join international bestselling author and poet Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai in conversation with a host of The Vietnamese podcast Kenneth Nguyen to discuss her second novel written in English, Dust Child. Described by Viet Thanh Nguyen as “powerful and deeply empathetic… A heartbreaking tale of lost ideals, human devotion, and hard-won redemption,” Dust Child is set both during the Việt Nam War and in present-day Việt Nam. Dust Child tells an unforgettable story of how those who inherited tragedy can redefine their destinies through love, hard-earned wisdom, compassion, courage, and joy.Quế Mai’s debut novel in English, The Mountains Sing, was an international bestseller, runner-up for the 2021 Dayton Literary Peace Prize, winner of the 2020 Book Browse Best Debut Award, the 2021 International Book Awards, the 2021 PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award, and the 2020 Lannan Literary Award Fellowship for Fiction.;Co-presented with Skylight Books. Join international bestselling author and poet Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai in conversation with a host of The Vietnamese podcast Kenneth Nguyen to discuss her second novel written in English, Dust Child. Described by Viet Thanh Nguyen as “powerful and deeply empathetic… A heartbreaking tale of lost ideals, human devotion, and hard-won redemption,” Dust Child is set both during the Việt Nam War and in present-day Việt Nam. Dust Child tells an unforgettable story of how those who inherited tragedy can redefine their destinies through love, hard-earned wisdom, compassion, courage, and joy.Quế Mai’s debut novel in English, The Mountains Sing, was an international bestseller, runner-up for the 2021 Dayton Literary Peace Prize, winner of the 2020 Book Browse Best Debut Award, the 2021 International Book Awards, the 2021 PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award, and the 2020 Lannan Literary Award Fellowship for Fiction.;Co-presented with Skylight Books. 01:23:41 http://www.lapl.org/node/163900 Thu, 16 Mar 2023 19:00:00 -0800 "I wrote this book in the hopes of making grief less frightening, mysterious, and lonely for those of us who suddenly find ourselves on this difficult journey."—Colin Campbell When film and theater writer/director Colin Campbell’s two teenage children were killed by a drunk driver, Campbell was thrown headlong into a grief so deep he felt he might lose his mind. He found much of the common wisdom about coping with loss—including the ideas that grieving is a private and mysterious process and that the pain is so great that "there are no words"—to be unhelpful. Drawing on what he learned from his own journey, Campbell offers an alternative path for processing pain that is active and vocal and truly honors loved ones lost. Finding the Words gives readers practical advice on how to survive in the aftermath of loss, teaching how to actively reach out to their community, perform mourning rituals, and find ways to express their grief, so they can live more fully while also holding their loved ones close. "I wrote this book in the hopes of making grief less frightening, mysterious, and lonely for those of us who suddenly find ourselves on this difficult journey."—Colin Campbell When film and theater writer/director Colin Campbell’s two teenage children were killed by a drunk driver, Campbell was thrown headlong into a grief so deep he felt he might lose his mind. He found much of the common wisdom about coping with loss—including the ideas that grieving is a private and mysterious process and that the pain is so great that "there are no words"—to be unhelpful. Drawing on what he learned from his own journey, Campbell offers an alternative path for processing pain that is active and vocal and truly honors loved ones lost. Finding the Words gives readers practical advice on how to survive in the aftermath of loss, teaching how to actively reach out to their community, perform mourning rituals, and find ways to express their grief, so they can live more fully while also holding their loved ones close. 01:05:15 http://www.lapl.org/node/163331 Thu, 09 Mar 2023 19:00:00 -0800 Celebrated Irish writer Colm Tóibín (Brooklyn, The Master) returns with a new book of scintillating essays, A Guest at the Feast. This collection blends both the personal with the provocative giving us an intimate look at Tóibín’s experiences and his growing understanding of Catholicism. Again we are amazed by his ability to move with such grace between the interior life of his subjects to the conditions of the world around them. Tóibín will be discussing this collection and more with his good friend and fellow writer, Rachel Kushner (The Flamethrowers, The Mars Room). Celebrated Irish writer Colm Tóibín (Brooklyn, The Master) returns with a new book of scintillating essays, A Guest at the Feast. This collection blends both the personal with the provocative giving us an intimate look at Tóibín’s experiences and his growing understanding of Catholicism. Again we are amazed by his ability to move with such grace between the interior life of his subjects to the conditions of the world around them. Tóibín will be discussing this collection and more with his good friend and fellow writer, Rachel Kushner (The Flamethrowers, The Mars Room). 01:14:47 http://www.lapl.org/node/163176 Wed, 22 Feb 2023 19:00:00 -0800 This program features personal stories by various individuals who made a connection with P-22 and understand the immediate need for wildlife protection, along with guests who answered an open mic call to share their knowledge and admiration for P-22. The evening features California Regional Executive Director for the National Wildlife Federation’s Beth Pratt, writer Martha Groves, author Sherry Mangel-Ferber, LA Times reporter Laura Nelson, Senior Manager of Community Science for Natural History Museum Miguel Ordeñana, Chumash and Tataviam elder Alan Salazar, and illustrator Alexander Vidal. The open mic welcomes (in order of appearance) playwright, actor, and musician Amy Raasch, LAPL librarian Tommy Bui, longtime ALOUD attendee Terrence Butcher, and Seed Program Manager of Theodore Payne Foundation Genevieve Arnold to share their remembrances. This program features personal stories by various individuals who made a connection with P-22 and understand the immediate need for wildlife protection, along with guests who answered an open mic call to share their knowledge and admiration for P-22. The evening features California Regional Executive Director for the National Wildlife Federation’s Beth Pratt, writer Martha Groves, author Sherry Mangel-Ferber, LA Times reporter Laura Nelson, Senior Manager of Community Science for Natural History Museum Miguel Ordeñana, Chumash and Tataviam elder Alan Salazar, and illustrator Alexander Vidal. The open mic welcomes (in order of appearance) playwright, actor, and musician Amy Raasch, LAPL librarian Tommy Bui, longtime ALOUD attendee Terrence Butcher, and Seed Program Manager of Theodore Payne Foundation Genevieve Arnold to share their remembrances. 01:10:11 http://www.lapl.org/node/162443 Mon, 06 Feb 2023 19:00:00 -0800 Performance artist, comedian, activist, and local elected official Kristina Wong began sewing masks three days into the COVID-19 shutdown and spreading the word through her social media. Due to the overwhelming response, she enlisted friends and strangers to form the Auntie Sewing Squad to provide PPE and other relief to people all over the country. The Auntie Sewing Squad Guide to Mask Making, Radical Care, and Racial Justice tells the stories of these primarily BIPOC folks who took up the call to fill in the gaps of the U.S. government responded by creating a model for mutual aid in the 21st century. Join Wong and the Aunties on the ALOUD stage as they share their stories ahead of the highly anticipated Los Angeles premiere of Wong’s Pulitzer Prize finalist solo play, Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord. Performance artist, comedian, activist, and local elected official Kristina Wong began sewing masks three days into the COVID-19 shutdown and spreading the word through her social media. Due to the overwhelming response, she enlisted friends and strangers to form the Auntie Sewing Squad to provide PPE and other relief to people all over the country. The Auntie Sewing Squad Guide to Mask Making, Radical Care, and Racial Justice tells the stories of these primarily BIPOC folks who took up the call to fill in the gaps of the U.S. government responded by creating a model for mutual aid in the 21st century. Join Wong and the Aunties on the ALOUD stage as they share their stories ahead of the highly anticipated Los Angeles premiere of Wong’s Pulitzer Prize finalist solo play, Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord. 01:06:10 http://www.lapl.org/node/160552 Mon, 07 Nov 2022 19:00:00 -0800 Called the "best short-story writer in English," (Time) George Saunders is back with a masterful collection that explores ideas of power, ethics, and justice and cuts to the very heart of what it means to live in community with our fellow humans. With his trademark prose, Saunders continues to challenge and surprise—here is a collection of prismatic, resonant stories that encompass joy and despair, oppression and revolution, bizarre fantasy, and brutal reality. Join Saunders for an ALOUD program discussing these nine subversive, profound, and essential stories that coalesce into a case for viewing the world with the same generosity and clear-eyed attention Saunders does, even in the most absurd of circumstances. He will be joined in conversation by actor, comedian, and close friend Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation, A League of Their Own). Called the "best short-story writer in English," (Time) George Saunders is back with a masterful collection that explores ideas of power, ethics, and justice and cuts to the very heart of what it means to live in community with our fellow humans. With his trademark prose, Saunders continues to challenge and surprise—here is a collection of prismatic, resonant stories that encompass joy and despair, oppression and revolution, bizarre fantasy, and brutal reality. Join Saunders for an ALOUD program discussing these nine subversive, profound, and essential stories that coalesce into a case for viewing the world with the same generosity and clear-eyed attention Saunders does, even in the most absurd of circumstances. He will be joined in conversation by actor, comedian, and close friend Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation, A League of Their Own). 01:06:25 http://www.lapl.org/node/160551 Sun, 30 Oct 2022 19:00:00 -0800 U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy and renowned author and social scientist Dr. Robert D. Putnam join ALOUD for a wide-ranging conversation about the past and future of the community in America. In this exclusive conversation, Dr. Murthy and Dr. Putnam will discuss how we can begin to address some of the biggest challenges facing Americans today regarding connection, informed by thorough historical analysis and a wide-ranging listening tour across countless communities nationwide. This program is presented in association with the special exhibition, Something in Common, currently on view at Los Angeles Central Library, and further explores the importance of human connection and social capital for the health of our democracy, our communities, and ourselves. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy and renowned author and social scientist Dr. Robert D. Putnam join ALOUD for a wide-ranging conversation about the past and future of the community in America. In this exclusive conversation, Dr. Murthy and Dr. Putnam will discuss how we can begin to address some of the biggest challenges facing Americans today regarding connection, informed by thorough historical analysis and a wide-ranging listening tour across countless communities nationwide. This program is presented in association with the special exhibition, Something in Common, currently on view at Los Angeles Central Library, and further explores the importance of human connection and social capital for the health of our democracy, our communities, and ourselves. 01:01:49 http://www.lapl.org/node/159287 Sun, 16 Oct 2022 19:00:00 -0800 This event marks the culmination of the inaugural Los Angeles Public Library Creators in Residence, highlighting new original work by photographer Kwasi Boyd-Bouldin and visual artist River Garza. Rooted in the Black community and Indigenous Tongva community respectively, Boyd-Bouldin and Garza have produced thoughtful, reflective, gorgeous works in response to their explorations of the Los Angeles Public Library system over the past year. In this conversation, the two artists will discuss their approach to making art, how they were inspired by the library's mission and role in L.A.’s diverse neighborhoods, and ways of seeing the city we call home. Following the conversation, experience hands-on activities for all ages, such as printmaking, in the outdoor courtyards. This program also coincides with the showcase of the artists’ photos, mixed media paintings, and writings in an exhibition in the First Floor Galleries. In partnership with the Los Angeles Public Library. This event marks the culmination of the inaugural Los Angeles Public Library Creators in Residence, highlighting new original work by photographer Kwasi Boyd-Bouldin and visual artist River Garza. Rooted in the Black community and Indigenous Tongva community respectively, Boyd-Bouldin and Garza have produced thoughtful, reflective, gorgeous works in response to their explorations of the Los Angeles Public Library system over the past year. In this conversation, the two artists will discuss their approach to making art, how they were inspired by the library's mission and role in L.A.’s diverse neighborhoods, and ways of seeing the city we call home. Following the conversation, experience hands-on activities for all ages, such as printmaking, in the outdoor courtyards. This program also coincides with the showcase of the artists’ photos, mixed media paintings, and writings in an exhibition in the First Floor Galleries. In partnership with the Los Angeles Public Library. 00:00:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/159286 Tue, 11 Oct 2022 19:00:00 -0800 Join Cody Keenan, President Obama’s chief speechwriter, and Jon Favreau, co-host of Pod Save America and founder of Crooked Media, to discuss Keenan’s new book Grace: President Obama and Ten Days in the Battle for America. Through the behind-the-scenes moments, from Obama’s suggestion that Keenan pour a drink, listen to some Miles Davis, and "find the silences" to the president’s late-night writing sessions in the First Family’s Residence, Keenan takes us inside the craft of speechwriting at the highest level for the most demanding of bosses, the relentlessly poetic and perfectionist Barack Obama. Join Cody Keenan, President Obama’s chief speechwriter, and Jon Favreau, co-host of Pod Save America and founder of Crooked Media, to discuss Keenan’s new book Grace: President Obama and Ten Days in the Battle for America. Through the behind-the-scenes moments, from Obama’s suggestion that Keenan pour a drink, listen to some Miles Davis, and "find the silences" to the president’s late-night writing sessions in the First Family’s Residence, Keenan takes us inside the craft of speechwriting at the highest level for the most demanding of bosses, the relentlessly poetic and perfectionist Barack Obama. 00:00:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/158930 Tue, 20 Sep 2022 19:00:00 -0800 In the wake of the pandemic, the George Floyd protests, and the country’s ongoing efforts to reconcile its racist past and address ongoing racial injustice, Black playwrights have pushed the boundaries of style and form, exploring absurdism, lyricism, and other genre-bending experiments to try to capture the strange blend of joy, fear, pain, and endurance that is being Black in America in 2022. Join us for a conversation between some of the boldest, most exciting young Black playwrights working today, discussing the craft and business of theatre, the state of Black thought, and how to capture a world that seems constantly in flux. In the wake of the pandemic, the George Floyd protests, and the country’s ongoing efforts to reconcile its racist past and address ongoing racial injustice, Black playwrights have pushed the boundaries of style and form, exploring absurdism, lyricism, and other genre-bending experiments to try to capture the strange blend of joy, fear, pain, and endurance that is being Black in America in 2022. Join us for a conversation between some of the boldest, most exciting young Black playwrights working today, discussing the craft and business of theatre, the state of Black thought, and how to capture a world that seems constantly in flux. 01:15:29 http://www.lapl.org/node/158929 Wed, 29 Jun 2022 19:00:00 -0800 La emergente superestrella literaria y activista de la positividad corporal se está ganando al mundo por su forma poco convencional de interpretar el amor y el cuerpo. Seguida por un dedicado club de fans en Instagram llamado Mango Mafia, Salgado es una poeta salvadoreña nacida en Los Ángeles y criada en Silver Lake y cuyos libros de poesía, Corazón y Tesoro, hablan de sus relaciones tumultuosas con la familia, su opinión sobre cómo su existencia es vista en un cuerpo gordo, y la realidad del amor y desamor que ella ha experimentado. Siempre tomando en cuenta su don en la escritura, ahora es conocida internacionalmente por su poesía y su activismo de positividad corporal. Acompáñanos para esta conversación en ALOUD donde Salgado y la activista y educadora Gloria Lucas discutirán la interseccionalidad de la positividad corporal y la feminidad como latinas que viven en Los Ángeles y que ofrecen apoyo implacable a las comunidades que comparten. Emerging literary superstar and body positivity activist Yesika Salgado is taking the world by storm with her unconventional take on love and the body. Followed by a devoted fanbase on Instagram called the Mango Mafia, Salgado is a Los Angeles-born Salvadorian poet who was raised in Silver Lake and whose books of poetry, Corazón and Tesoro, speak to her tumultuous relationships with family, her take on how her existence is seen in a fat body and the reality of love and heartbreak that she has experienced. Always having insight into her writing gift, she is now internationally known for her poetry and her body positivity activism. Join us for this conversation at ALOUD as Salgado and feminist activist and educator Gloria Lucas discuss the intersectionality of body positivity and womanhood as L.A.-based Latinas who have unrelenting support for their shared communities. La emergente superestrella literaria y activista de la positividad corporal se está ganando al mundo por su forma poco convencional de interpretar el amor y el cuerpo. Seguida por un dedicado club de fans en Instagram llamado Mango Mafia, Salgado es una poeta salvadoreña nacida en Los Ángeles y criada en Silver Lake y cuyos libros de poesía, Corazón y Tesoro, hablan de sus relaciones tumultuosas con la familia, su opinión sobre cómo su existencia es vista en un cuerpo gordo, y la realidad del amor y desamor que ella ha experimentado. Siempre tomando en cuenta su don en la escritura, ahora es conocida internacionalmente por su poesía y su activismo de positividad corporal. Acompáñanos para esta conversación en ALOUD donde Salgado y la activista y educadora Gloria Lucas discutirán la interseccionalidad de la positividad corporal y la feminidad como latinas que viven en Los Ángeles y que ofrecen apoyo implacable a las comunidades que comparten. Emerging literary superstar and body positivity activist Yesika Salgado is taking the world by storm with her unconventional take on love and the body. Followed by a devoted fanbase on Instagram called the Mango Mafia, Salgado is a Los Angeles-born Salvadorian poet who was raised in Silver Lake and whose books of poetry, Corazón and Tesoro, speak to her tumultuous relationships with family, her take on how her existence is seen in a fat body and the reality of love and heartbreak that she has experienced. Always having insight into her writing gift, she is now internationally known for her poetry and her body positivity activism. Join us for this conversation at ALOUD as Salgado and feminist activist and educator Gloria Lucas discuss the intersectionality of body positivity and womanhood as L.A.-based Latinas who have unrelenting support for their shared communities. 01:03:27 http://www.lapl.org/node/158928 Thu, 23 Jun 2022 19:00:00 -0800 Fans of best-selling author Tom Perrotta’s Election will remember the signature character Tracy Flick—Reese Witherspoon’s character from the classic movie adaptation. She is back, and, once again, the iconic protagonist is determined to take high school politics by storm. In classic Perrotta style, his new book Tracy Flick Can’t Win is a sharp, darkly comic, and pitch-perfect reflection on our current moment. Flick fans and newcomers alike will love this compelling novel chronicling the second act of one of the most memorable characters of our time. For this ALOUD program, Tom Perrotta and film producer Albert Berger, who has produced many films and television series based on Perrotta’s novels, including Election, Little Children, and The Leftovers for HBO, will talk about the depth of Perrotta’s characters and why they translate so well from the page to the screen. Fans of best-selling author Tom Perrotta’s Election will remember the signature character Tracy Flick—Reese Witherspoon’s character from the classic movie adaptation. She is back, and, once again, the iconic protagonist is determined to take high school politics by storm. In classic Perrotta style, his new book Tracy Flick Can’t Win is a sharp, darkly comic, and pitch-perfect reflection on our current moment. Flick fans and newcomers alike will love this compelling novel chronicling the second act of one of the most memorable characters of our time. For this ALOUD program, Tom Perrotta and film producer Albert Berger, who has produced many films and television series based on Perrotta’s novels, including Election, Little Children, and The Leftovers for HBO, will talk about the depth of Perrotta’s characters and why they translate so well from the page to the screen. 01:09:12 http://www.lapl.org/node/158702 Thu, 16 Jun 2022 19:00:00 -0800 Described as “Hilariously insightful and delightfully suspenseful,” Cult Classic, by acclaimed author Sloane Crosley, takes the reader on a journey of past love, memory, and through the philosophy of romance. One night in New York City’s Chinatown, a woman is at a work reunion dinner with former colleagues when she excuses herself to buy a pack of cigarettes. On her way back, she runs into a former boyfriend. And then another… And another. Nothing is quite what it seems as the city becomes awash with ghosts of heartbreak. Is it possible to have a happy ending in an age when the past is ever at your fingertips and sanity is for sale? Join Sloane Crosley and famed actress and director Judy Greer on the ALOUD stage as they discuss Crosley’s second novel and her cunning way of spinning a wry literary fantasy that is equal parts page-turner and poignant portrayal of alienation. Described as “Hilariously insightful and delightfully suspenseful,” Cult Classic, by acclaimed author Sloane Crosley, takes the reader on a journey of past love, memory, and through the philosophy of romance. One night in New York City’s Chinatown, a woman is at a work reunion dinner with former colleagues when she excuses herself to buy a pack of cigarettes. On her way back, she runs into a former boyfriend. And then another… And another. Nothing is quite what it seems as the city becomes awash with ghosts of heartbreak. Is it possible to have a happy ending in an age when the past is ever at your fingertips and sanity is for sale? Join Sloane Crosley and famed actress and director Judy Greer on the ALOUD stage as they discuss Crosley’s second novel and her cunning way of spinning a wry literary fantasy that is equal parts page-turner and poignant portrayal of alienation. 00:00:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/158927 Tue, 03 May 2022 19:00:00 -0800 In conjunction with the orchestra’s performance of John Corigliano’s Symphony No. 1, a memorial to those he lost to AIDS at the height of the epidemic, the LA Phil welcomes Sarah Schulman, author of Let the Record Show: A Political History of ACT UP New York, 1987-1993. Twenty years in the making, Schulman's Let the Record Show is the most comprehensive political history ever assembled of ACT UP and American AIDS activism. In just six years, ACT UP, New York, a broad and unlikely coalition of activists from all races, genders, sexualities, and backgrounds, changed the world. Armed with rancor, desperation, intelligence, and creativity, it took on the AIDS crisis with an indefatigable, ingenious, and multifaceted attack on the corporations, institutions, governments, and individuals who stood in the way of AIDS treatment for all. Join Schulman, one of the most revered queer writers and thinkers of her generation, for a combined reading and conversation about how a group of desperate outcasts changed America forever, and in the process created a livable future for generations of people across the world.  In conjunction with the orchestra’s performance of John Corigliano’s Symphony No. 1, a memorial to those he lost to AIDS at the height of the epidemic, the LA Phil welcomes Sarah Schulman, author of Let the Record Show: A Political History of ACT UP New York, 1987-1993. Twenty years in the making, Schulman's Let the Record Show is the most comprehensive political history ever assembled of ACT UP and American AIDS activism. In just six years, ACT UP, New York, a broad and unlikely coalition of activists from all races, genders, sexualities, and backgrounds, changed the world. Armed with rancor, desperation, intelligence, and creativity, it took on the AIDS crisis with an indefatigable, ingenious, and multifaceted attack on the corporations, institutions, governments, and individuals who stood in the way of AIDS treatment for all. Join Schulman, one of the most revered queer writers and thinkers of her generation, for a combined reading and conversation about how a group of desperate outcasts changed America forever, and in the process created a livable future for generations of people across the world.  01:00:49 http://www.lapl.org/node/158926 Tue, 26 Apr 2022 19:00:00 -0800 From the daring Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist Jennifer Egan, this program will enter the world of The Candy House, her "sibling novel" to A Visit from the Goon Squad. In spellbinding interlocking narratives, Egan spins out the consequences of "Own Your Unconscious," a fictional foray into the idea of a technology that allows us access to every memory we’ve ever had, and to share these memories in exchange for access to the memories of others. Through the lives of multiple characters whose paths intersect over several decades, this intellectually dazzling story is also extraordinarily moving, a testament to the tenacity and transcendence of human longing for real connection, love, family, privacy and redemption. Egan introduces these characters in an astonishing array of narrative styles—from omniscient to first person plural to a duet of voices, an epistolary chapter and a chapter of tweets. If Goon Squad was organized like a concept album, The Candy House incorporates Electronic Dance Music’s more disjunctive approach. Join us as the two extraordinary literary voices of Jennifer Egan and Danzy Senna walk us through The Candy House and its bold, brilliant imagining of a world that is moments away.  From the daring Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist Jennifer Egan, this program will enter the world of The Candy House, her "sibling novel" to A Visit from the Goon Squad. In spellbinding interlocking narratives, Egan spins out the consequences of "Own Your Unconscious," a fictional foray into the idea of a technology that allows us access to every memory we’ve ever had, and to share these memories in exchange for access to the memories of others. Through the lives of multiple characters whose paths intersect over several decades, this intellectually dazzling story is also extraordinarily moving, a testament to the tenacity and transcendence of human longing for real connection, love, family, privacy and redemption. Egan introduces these characters in an astonishing array of narrative styles—from omniscient to first person plural to a duet of voices, an epistolary chapter and a chapter of tweets. If Goon Squad was organized like a concept album, The Candy House incorporates Electronic Dance Music’s more disjunctive approach. Join us as the two extraordinary literary voices of Jennifer Egan and Danzy Senna walk us through The Candy House and its bold, brilliant imagining of a world that is moments away.  01:00:48 http://www.lapl.org/node/158924 Wed, 13 Apr 2022 19:00:00 -0800 Since Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale was adopted for television by creator Bruce Miller, the conversation about women in society has shifted. In some ways, women have made great strides to break that glass ceiling, and in other ways, the progress for American women has taken a retroactive turn that makes this show all the more relevant and telling of what the future could hold. This is juxtaposed against shows like VEEP, Shrill, and Killing Eve, that show how far a woman can go and the breakthrough women are making in leadership, from the boardroom to the White House. The fight for women's rights, from the wage gap to body autonomy and access to healthcare are currently facing unexpected highs and lows. Join ALOUD for a conversation with executive producer and creator of The Handmaid’s Tale Bruce Miller and television critic of the Los Angeles Times’ Lorraine Ali on the role women have politically, culturally, and economically, and how that growth could be easily threatened. Since Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale was adopted for television by creator Bruce Miller, the conversation about women in society has shifted. In some ways, women have made great strides to break that glass ceiling, and in other ways, the progress for American women has taken a retroactive turn that makes this show all the more relevant and telling of what the future could hold. This is juxtaposed against shows like VEEP, Shrill, and Killing Eve, that show how far a woman can go and the breakthrough women are making in leadership, from the boardroom to the White House. The fight for women's rights, from the wage gap to body autonomy and access to healthcare are currently facing unexpected highs and lows. Join ALOUD for a conversation with executive producer and creator of The Handmaid’s Tale Bruce Miller and television critic of the Los Angeles Times’ Lorraine Ali on the role women have politically, culturally, and economically, and how that growth could be easily threatened. 00:48:07 http://www.lapl.org/node/158922 Tue, 22 Mar 2022 19:00:00 -0800 Join MacArthur Fellow and USC Annenberg Professor Josh Kun with the series historians—the Autry associate curator Tyree Boyd-Pates, Pitzer professor Suyapa Portillo Villeda, and USC professor Natalia Molina—to discuss this new collaboration with KPCC & LAist that blends live music, live conversation, and archival research from the Los Angeles Public Library’s archives. Join MacArthur Fellow and USC Annenberg Professor Josh Kun with the series historians—the Autry associate curator Tyree Boyd-Pates, Pitzer professor Suyapa Portillo Villeda, and USC professor Natalia Molina—to discuss this new collaboration with KPCC & LAist that blends live music, live conversation, and archival research from the Los Angeles Public Library’s archives. 00:58:34 http://www.lapl.org/node/158921 Thu, 17 Mar 2022 19:00:00 -0800 The bestselling and award-winning writer Alex Segura, the author of five Pete Fernandez Miami Mystery novels and the acclaimed Archie Meets Kiss storyline comics, offers a rollicking new literary mystery set in the world of comic books. Segura’s latest novel, Secret Identity, takes an look at the 1975 struggling comic book industry. The story follows Carmen Valdez, an assistant at Triumph Comics, which doesn’t have the creative zeal of Marvel nor the buttoned-up efficiency of DC. Carmen is close to fulfilling her dream of writing a superhero book when one of the Triumph writers enlists her help to create a new character, which they call "The Lethal Lynx," Triumph's first female hero. But her colleague is acting strangely and asking to keep her involvement a secret. And then he’s found dead, with all of their scripts turned into the publisher without her name. Carmen is desperate to untangle a web of secrets and hold on to her dreams. Join Segura as he discusses this wildly entertaining mystery with Steph Cha, author of the Juniper Song mystery series and Your House Will Pay, winner of a Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Best Mystery/Thriller.  The bestselling and award-winning writer Alex Segura, the author of five Pete Fernandez Miami Mystery novels and the acclaimed Archie Meets Kiss storyline comics, offers a rollicking new literary mystery set in the world of comic books. Segura’s latest novel, Secret Identity, takes an look at the 1975 struggling comic book industry. The story follows Carmen Valdez, an assistant at Triumph Comics, which doesn’t have the creative zeal of Marvel nor the buttoned-up efficiency of DC. Carmen is close to fulfilling her dream of writing a superhero book when one of the Triumph writers enlists her help to create a new character, which they call "The Lethal Lynx," Triumph's first female hero. But her colleague is acting strangely and asking to keep her involvement a secret. And then he’s found dead, with all of their scripts turned into the publisher without her name. Carmen is desperate to untangle a web of secrets and hold on to her dreams. Join Segura as he discusses this wildly entertaining mystery with Steph Cha, author of the Juniper Song mystery series and Your House Will Pay, winner of a Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Best Mystery/Thriller.  00:56:04 http://www.lapl.org/node/158919 Tue, 08 Mar 2022 19:00:00 -0800 The New York Times bestselling author of Reading Lolita in Tehran returns with a guide for our times, arming readers with a resistance reading list, including selections from James Baldwin to Zora Neale Hurston to Margaret Atwood. How can literature, through its free exchange, affect politics? Drawing on her experiences—from living in the Islamic Republic of Iran to immigrating to the United States—Nafisi seeks to answer this in her galvanizing guide to literature as resistance. Structured as a series of letters to her father, Nafisi explores the most probing questions of our time through the works of Toni Morrison, Salman Rushdie, James Baldwin, Margaret Atwood, and more. Read Dangerously crafts an argument for why, in a genuine democracy, we must engage with the enemy and how literature can be a vehicle for doing so. The New York Times bestselling author of Reading Lolita in Tehran returns with a guide for our times, arming readers with a resistance reading list, including selections from James Baldwin to Zora Neale Hurston to Margaret Atwood. How can literature, through its free exchange, affect politics? Drawing on her experiences—from living in the Islamic Republic of Iran to immigrating to the United States—Nafisi seeks to answer this in her galvanizing guide to literature as resistance. Structured as a series of letters to her father, Nafisi explores the most probing questions of our time through the works of Toni Morrison, Salman Rushdie, James Baldwin, Margaret Atwood, and more. Read Dangerously crafts an argument for why, in a genuine democracy, we must engage with the enemy and how literature can be a vehicle for doing so. 00:55:37 http://www.lapl.org/node/158917 Wed, 19 Jan 2022 19:00:00 -0800 What if leaving poverty means abandoning your family, and yourself? Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Andrea Elliott of The New York Times shares an unforgettable story of a girl whose indomitable spirit is tested by homelessness, poverty, and racism in an unequal America. Elliott’s latest work, Invisible Child, follows eight dramatic years in the life of a girl whose imagination is as soaring as the skyscrapers near her Brooklyn shelter. Dasani was named after the bottled water that signaled Brooklyn’s gentrification and the shared aspirations of a divided city. As Dasani comes of age, the homeless crisis in New York City has exploded, and she must guide her siblings through a city riddled with hunger, violence, drug addiction, homelessness, and the monitoring of child protection services. Out on the street, Dasani becomes a fierce fighter to protect the ones she loves. When she finally escapes city life to enroll in a boarding school, she faces an impossible choice between staying back to help her family or moving away for a chance at a better future. Join ALOUD for a conversation about the power of resilience, the importance of family, and the cost of inequality as Elliott discusses this remarkable portrait of survival. What if leaving poverty means abandoning your family, and yourself? Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Andrea Elliott of The New York Times shares an unforgettable story of a girl whose indomitable spirit is tested by homelessness, poverty, and racism in an unequal America. Elliott’s latest work, Invisible Child, follows eight dramatic years in the life of a girl whose imagination is as soaring as the skyscrapers near her Brooklyn shelter. Dasani was named after the bottled water that signaled Brooklyn’s gentrification and the shared aspirations of a divided city. As Dasani comes of age, the homeless crisis in New York City has exploded, and she must guide her siblings through a city riddled with hunger, violence, drug addiction, homelessness, and the monitoring of child protection services. Out on the street, Dasani becomes a fierce fighter to protect the ones she loves. When she finally escapes city life to enroll in a boarding school, she faces an impossible choice between staying back to help her family or moving away for a chance at a better future. Join ALOUD for a conversation about the power of resilience, the importance of family, and the cost of inequality as Elliott discusses this remarkable portrait of survival. 01:01:37 http://www.lapl.org/node/158916 Thu, 02 Dec 2021 19:00:00 -0800 Food connects us to our past, to our family, our communities and to each other. As we reflect on the past year, we see how food has brought us strength in the face of adversity. Cooking and sharing a meal is an act of resilience--a promise to gather and share comfort, loss, and joy. Likewise cookbooks empower us to understand and pass on these rituals and recipes. In this conversation with three California-based cookbook authors, we share stories of how diverse food traditions are foundational to our personal and collective histories and are emblematic of how we adapt to a changing world.  Food connects us to our past, to our family, our communities and to each other. As we reflect on the past year, we see how food has brought us strength in the face of adversity. Cooking and sharing a meal is an act of resilience--a promise to gather and share comfort, loss, and joy. Likewise cookbooks empower us to understand and pass on these rituals and recipes. In this conversation with three California-based cookbook authors, we share stories of how diverse food traditions are foundational to our personal and collective histories and are emblematic of how we adapt to a changing world.  00:59:48 http://www.lapl.org/node/158915 Tue, 16 Nov 2021 19:00:00 -0800 In her stunning and timely new novel, Louise Erdrich creates a wickedly funny ghost story, a tale of passion, of a complex marriage, and of a woman’s resiliency through her relentless errors. Louise Erdrich’s latest novel, The Sentence, asks what we owe to the living, the dead, the reader, and to the book. A small independent bookstore in Minneapolis is haunted from November 2019 to November 2020 by the store’s most annoying customer. Flora dies on All Souls’ Day, but she won’t leave the store. Tookie, who has landed a job selling books after years of incarceration that she survived by reading “with murderous attention,” must solve the mystery of this haunting while at the same time trying to understand all that occurs in Minneapolis during a year of grief, astonishment, isolation, and furious reckoning. In her stunning and timely new novel, Louise Erdrich creates a wickedly funny ghost story, a tale of passion, of a complex marriage, and of a woman’s resiliency through her relentless errors. Louise Erdrich’s latest novel, The Sentence, asks what we owe to the living, the dead, the reader, and to the book. A small independent bookstore in Minneapolis is haunted from November 2019 to November 2020 by the store’s most annoying customer. Flora dies on All Souls’ Day, but she won’t leave the store. Tookie, who has landed a job selling books after years of incarceration that she survived by reading “with murderous attention,” must solve the mystery of this haunting while at the same time trying to understand all that occurs in Minneapolis during a year of grief, astonishment, isolation, and furious reckoning. 01:02:32 http://www.lapl.org/node/158914 Tue, 09 Nov 2021 19:00:00 -0800 Historian and writer Jelani Cobb will present a collection of The New Yorker‘s groundbreaking writing on race in America, from stories of endurance and resilience to strength and pain—including work by James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Hilton Als, Zadie Smith, and more. This anthology from the pages of the New Yorker provides a bold and complex portrait of Black life in America, told through stories of private triumphs and national tragedies, political vision, and artistic inspiration. It reaches back across a century, with Rebecca West’s classic account of a 1947 lynching trial and James Baldwin’s “Letter from a Region in My Mind” (which later formed the basis of The Fire Next Time), and yet it also explores our current moment, from the classroom to the prison cell and the upheavals of what Jelani Cobb calls “the American Spring.” Bringing together reporting, profiles, memoirs, and criticism from writers such as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Elizabeth Alexander, Hilton Als, Vinson Cunningham, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Malcolm Gladwell, Jamaica Kincaid, Kelefa Sanneh, Doreen St. Félix, and others, the collection offers startling insights about this country’s relationship with race. The Matter of Black Lives reveals the weight of a singular history and challenges us to envision the future anew. Historian and writer Jelani Cobb will present a collection of The New Yorker‘s groundbreaking writing on race in America, from stories of endurance and resilience to strength and pain—including work by James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Hilton Als, Zadie Smith, and more. This anthology from the pages of the New Yorker provides a bold and complex portrait of Black life in America, told through stories of private triumphs and national tragedies, political vision, and artistic inspiration. It reaches back across a century, with Rebecca West’s classic account of a 1947 lynching trial and James Baldwin’s “Letter from a Region in My Mind” (which later formed the basis of The Fire Next Time), and yet it also explores our current moment, from the classroom to the prison cell and the upheavals of what Jelani Cobb calls “the American Spring.” Bringing together reporting, profiles, memoirs, and criticism from writers such as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Elizabeth Alexander, Hilton Als, Vinson Cunningham, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Malcolm Gladwell, Jamaica Kincaid, Kelefa Sanneh, Doreen St. Félix, and others, the collection offers startling insights about this country’s relationship with race. The Matter of Black Lives reveals the weight of a singular history and challenges us to envision the future anew. 00:57:23 http://www.lapl.org/node/158913 Thu, 28 Oct 2021 19:00:00 -0800 A celebration of the latest installment of John Freeman’s acclaimed literary journal, featuring some of today’s top writers on the hope and pain of the ever-changing present. Writer and Editor Extraordinaire, John Freeman returns to ALOUD in celebration of the latest installment of his acclaimed literary journal, Freeman’s. This biannual publication explores the subject of change and our ultimate survival (our resilience!), featuring the work of writers Rick Bass, Lana Bastašić, and Lina Mounzer. The Covid-19 pandemic forced many of us to reimagine our homes, work, and relationships, and adapt to a new way of life–one with far fewer possibilities for interaction. And yet, in this period of intense isolation, we’ve faced dilemmas which are nearly universal. How to love, care for aging parents, find a home, attend to a planet in flux, and fight for justice. This vast range of experiences is captured by our greatest storytellers, essayists, and poets, in the new issue of Freeman’s: Change. A celebration of the latest installment of John Freeman’s acclaimed literary journal, featuring some of today’s top writers on the hope and pain of the ever-changing present. Writer and Editor Extraordinaire, John Freeman returns to ALOUD in celebration of the latest installment of his acclaimed literary journal, Freeman’s. This biannual publication explores the subject of change and our ultimate survival (our resilience!), featuring the work of writers Rick Bass, Lana Bastašić, and Lina Mounzer. The Covid-19 pandemic forced many of us to reimagine our homes, work, and relationships, and adapt to a new way of life–one with far fewer possibilities for interaction. And yet, in this period of intense isolation, we’ve faced dilemmas which are nearly universal. How to love, care for aging parents, find a home, attend to a planet in flux, and fight for justice. This vast range of experiences is captured by our greatest storytellers, essayists, and poets, in the new issue of Freeman’s: Change. 01:08:21 http://www.lapl.org/node/158912 Wed, 20 Oct 2021 19:00:00 -0800 Novelist and filmmaker Ruth Ozeki will discuss her brilliantly inventive new novel about loss, growing up, and the resiliency of our relationships to all things with author Aimee Bender. With its blend of sympathetic characters, a riveting plot, and vibrant engagement with everything from jazz to climate change, to our attachment to material possessions, The Book of Form and Emptiness is classic Ruth Ozeki—bold, wise, poignant, playful, humane and heartbreaking. Novelist and filmmaker Ruth Ozeki will discuss her brilliantly inventive new novel about loss, growing up, and the resiliency of our relationships to all things with author Aimee Bender. With its blend of sympathetic characters, a riveting plot, and vibrant engagement with everything from jazz to climate change, to our attachment to material possessions, The Book of Form and Emptiness is classic Ruth Ozeki—bold, wise, poignant, playful, humane and heartbreaking. 00:56:10 http://www.lapl.org/node/158910 Wed, 06 Oct 2021 19:00:00 -0800 Writer and activist Yusef Salaam, a member of the Exonerated Five, will join ALOUD with his memoir Better, Not Bitter, whose story of resilience and strength is an inspiring call to action. Better Not Bitter is the first time that one of the now Exonerated Five is telling his individual story in his own words. Yusef writes his narrative: growing up Black in central Harlem in the 80s, being raised by a strong, fierce mother and grandmother, his years of incarceration, his reentry, and exoneration. Yusef connects these stories to lessons and principles he learned that gave him the power to survive through the worst of life’s experiences. He inspires readers to accept their own path and to understand their own sense of purpose. With his intimate personal insights, Yusef unpacks the systems built and designed for profit and the oppression of Black and Brown people. He inspires readers to channel their fury into action and, through the spiritual, to turn that anger and trauma into a constructive force that lives alongside accountability and mobilizes change. Writer and activist Yusef Salaam, a member of the Exonerated Five, will join ALOUD with his memoir Better, Not Bitter, whose story of resilience and strength is an inspiring call to action. Better Not Bitter is the first time that one of the now Exonerated Five is telling his individual story in his own words. Yusef writes his narrative: growing up Black in central Harlem in the 80s, being raised by a strong, fierce mother and grandmother, his years of incarceration, his reentry, and exoneration. Yusef connects these stories to lessons and principles he learned that gave him the power to survive through the worst of life’s experiences. He inspires readers to accept their own path and to understand their own sense of purpose. With his intimate personal insights, Yusef unpacks the systems built and designed for profit and the oppression of Black and Brown people. He inspires readers to channel their fury into action and, through the spiritual, to turn that anger and trauma into a constructive force that lives alongside accountability and mobilizes change. 01:04:49 http://www.lapl.org/node/158909 Tue, 14 Sep 2021 19:00:00 -0800 To kick off our fall season and our theme of resilience, author Ian Manuel will return to ALOUD to discuss the power of poetry. ALOUD on Resilience: This coming year ALOUD will look at the theme of resilience. How do we manage to survive and blossom in the face of tragedy, controversy, and unrest? Where do we find strength? Our programs will look at individuals who have turned to writing to make sense of their situation, and it is through the written word that each of them has found clarity and resilience in the face of adversity. To kick off our fall season and our theme of resilience, author Ian Manuel will return to ALOUD to discuss the power of poetry. ALOUD on Resilience: This coming year ALOUD will look at the theme of resilience. How do we manage to survive and blossom in the face of tragedy, controversy, and unrest? Where do we find strength? Our programs will look at individuals who have turned to writing to make sense of their situation, and it is through the written word that each of them has found clarity and resilience in the face of adversity. 00:55:21 http://www.lapl.org/node/158907 Thu, 29 Jul 2021 19:00:00 -0800 In this "much-needed dose of delight," Amy Solomon, a producer of the hit HBO shows Silicon Valley and Barry, shares from her new collection of never-before-seen humor pieces. Inspired by the groundbreaking book Titters: The First Collection of Humor by Women, a showcase of some of the leading female comedians of the 1970s like Gilda Radner, Candice Bergen, and Phyllis Diller, Solomon has curated essays, satire, short stories, poetry, cartoons, and artwork from more than 150 of the biggest female comedians today. Notes from the Bathroom Line highlights the work of women continuing to smash the comedy glass ceiling in this long male-dominated field. Get ready to laugh out loud at ALOUD as Solomon is joined by contributors to the book, including performances by Karen Chee and Emily V. Gordon. Chee is a Brooklyn-based comedian, writer, and actor with Late Night with Seth Meyers and High Maintenance. Gordon, who started out as a masters-level couples and family therapist before a career as a writer and producer, often collaborates with her husband, Kumail Nanjiani. Listen in as these comedians prove there are no limits to how funny, bad-ass, and revolutionary women can—and continue—to be.  In this "much-needed dose of delight," Amy Solomon, a producer of the hit HBO shows Silicon Valley and Barry, shares from her new collection of never-before-seen humor pieces. Inspired by the groundbreaking book Titters: The First Collection of Humor by Women, a showcase of some of the leading female comedians of the 1970s like Gilda Radner, Candice Bergen, and Phyllis Diller, Solomon has curated essays, satire, short stories, poetry, cartoons, and artwork from more than 150 of the biggest female comedians today. Notes from the Bathroom Line highlights the work of women continuing to smash the comedy glass ceiling in this long male-dominated field. Get ready to laugh out loud at ALOUD as Solomon is joined by contributors to the book, including performances by Karen Chee and Emily V. Gordon. Chee is a Brooklyn-based comedian, writer, and actor with Late Night with Seth Meyers and High Maintenance. Gordon, who started out as a masters-level couples and family therapist before a career as a writer and producer, often collaborates with her husband, Kumail Nanjiani. Listen in as these comedians prove there are no limits to how funny, bad-ass, and revolutionary women can—and continue—to be.  01:03:24 http://www.lapl.org/node/158894 Thu, 08 Jul 2021 19:00:00 -0800 "Each of us finds our identity within the communities we call home," writes Terry Tempest Williams in Erosion, a galvanizing new collection of essays that navigates the emotional, geographical, and communal territories of home. Sizing up the assaults on America’s public lands and the erosion of our commitment to the open spaces of democracy, Williams fiercely examines the many forms of erosion we face—of democracy, science, compassion, and trust. From the gutting of sacred lands to Native Peoples of the American Southwest to the undermining of the Endangered Species Act, Williams testifies about the harsh reality of the climate crisis and how our earth—our home—is being torn apart. One of today’s most important writers and conservationists, Williams is the award-winning author of The Hour of Land: A Personal Topography of America’s National Parks; Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place; and When Women Were Birds. Discussing her new essays, Williams blazes a way forward through dispiriting times to arrive at new truths about the beauty of human nature. "Each of us finds our identity within the communities we call home," writes Terry Tempest Williams in Erosion, a galvanizing new collection of essays that navigates the emotional, geographical, and communal territories of home. Sizing up the assaults on America’s public lands and the erosion of our commitment to the open spaces of democracy, Williams fiercely examines the many forms of erosion we face—of democracy, science, compassion, and trust. From the gutting of sacred lands to Native Peoples of the American Southwest to the undermining of the Endangered Species Act, Williams testifies about the harsh reality of the climate crisis and how our earth—our home—is being torn apart. One of today’s most important writers and conservationists, Williams is the award-winning author of The Hour of Land: A Personal Topography of America’s National Parks; Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place; and When Women Were Birds. Discussing her new essays, Williams blazes a way forward through dispiriting times to arrive at new truths about the beauty of human nature. 01:02:50 http://www.lapl.org/node/158893 Tue, 22 Jun 2021 19:00:00 -0800 One of the world's leading forest ecologists shares from her first book to bring us deeper into her intimate world of trees. In Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest, Suzanne Simard traces her journey from growing up in a logging community in the rainforests of British Columbia to her incredible work as a pioneer on the frontier of plant communication and intelligence. Illuminating how trees are not simply the source of timber or pulp, but are a complicated, interdependent circle of life, Simard brings a greater humanity to understanding trees and their connections to one another and to other living things. Her work has influenced filmmakers (the Tree of Souls of James Cameron's Avatar) and authors (Richard Powers’ Pulitzer Prize–winning novel The Overstory) and her TED talks have been viewed by more than 10 million people worldwide. Simard will be in conversation with The New Yorker’s Jia Tolentino, who has investigated many stories of cultural reckoning from youth vaping to sexual assault. As our world finally begins to turn its attention to the harsh reality of climate change, please join ALOUD for a profound look at how the inseparable bonds between living things enable our survival. One of the world's leading forest ecologists shares from her first book to bring us deeper into her intimate world of trees. In Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest, Suzanne Simard traces her journey from growing up in a logging community in the rainforests of British Columbia to her incredible work as a pioneer on the frontier of plant communication and intelligence. Illuminating how trees are not simply the source of timber or pulp, but are a complicated, interdependent circle of life, Simard brings a greater humanity to understanding trees and their connections to one another and to other living things. Her work has influenced filmmakers (the Tree of Souls of James Cameron's Avatar) and authors (Richard Powers’ Pulitzer Prize–winning novel The Overstory) and her TED talks have been viewed by more than 10 million people worldwide. Simard will be in conversation with The New Yorker’s Jia Tolentino, who has investigated many stories of cultural reckoning from youth vaping to sexual assault. As our world finally begins to turn its attention to the harsh reality of climate change, please join ALOUD for a profound look at how the inseparable bonds between living things enable our survival. 00:54:30 http://www.lapl.org/node/158892 Wed, 26 May 2021 19:00:00 -0800 The award-winning author Vendela Vida’s latest work, We Run the Tides, is a suspenseful and poignant story of female friendship, betrayal, and a mysterious disappearance set in the changing landscape of San Francisco. One day, while two teenage best friends are walking to school, they witness a horrible act—or do they? In Vida’s masterful portrait, the pre-tech boom San Francisco finds its mirror in the changing lives of the teenage girls at the center of this story of innocence lost, the pain of too much freedom, and the struggle to find one's authentic self. Vida, who lives in the Bay Area and is a founding board member of 826 Valencia, the San Francisco writing center for youth, is the author of six books, including Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name and The Diver's Clothes Lie Empty. Join us for a conversation with Vida and  Autumn de Wilde, as they discuss this enigmatic coming-of-age story in all its beauty and confusion.  The award-winning author Vendela Vida’s latest work, We Run the Tides, is a suspenseful and poignant story of female friendship, betrayal, and a mysterious disappearance set in the changing landscape of San Francisco. One day, while two teenage best friends are walking to school, they witness a horrible act—or do they? In Vida’s masterful portrait, the pre-tech boom San Francisco finds its mirror in the changing lives of the teenage girls at the center of this story of innocence lost, the pain of too much freedom, and the struggle to find one's authentic self. Vida, who lives in the Bay Area and is a founding board member of 826 Valencia, the San Francisco writing center for youth, is the author of six books, including Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name and The Diver's Clothes Lie Empty. Join us for a conversation with Vida and  Autumn de Wilde, as they discuss this enigmatic coming-of-age story in all its beauty and confusion.  00:54:30 http://www.lapl.org/node/158891 Thu, 20 May 2021 19:00:00 -0800 The Library Foundation welcomes the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Boys in the Boat for a conversation about his latest masterful work. Daniel James Brown’s new World War II saga, Facing the Mountain, follows a special Japanese-American Army unit that overcame brutal odds in Europe. Brown’s unforgettable chronicle is a culmination of his extensive interviews with the families of the protagonists as well as deep archival research. This kaleidoscopic story uncovers the journey of four Japanese-American families and their sons, who volunteered for 442nd Regimental Combat Team and were deployed to France, Germany, and Italy, where they were asked to do the near impossible. Brown is the author of The Indifferent Stars Above and Under a Flaming Sky, which was a finalist for the B&N Discover Great New Writers Award. He was also awarded the ALA’s Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction for The Boys in the Boat. Please join us for an inspiring story of patriotism and courage as Brown illuminates this overlooked history of America at war. The Library Foundation welcomes the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Boys in the Boat for a conversation about his latest masterful work. Daniel James Brown’s new World War II saga, Facing the Mountain, follows a special Japanese-American Army unit that overcame brutal odds in Europe. Brown’s unforgettable chronicle is a culmination of his extensive interviews with the families of the protagonists as well as deep archival research. This kaleidoscopic story uncovers the journey of four Japanese-American families and their sons, who volunteered for 442nd Regimental Combat Team and were deployed to France, Germany, and Italy, where they were asked to do the near impossible. Brown is the author of The Indifferent Stars Above and Under a Flaming Sky, which was a finalist for the B&N Discover Great New Writers Award. He was also awarded the ALA’s Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction for The Boys in the Boat. Please join us for an inspiring story of patriotism and courage as Brown illuminates this overlooked history of America at war. 01:01:38 http://www.lapl.org/node/158890 Tue, 11 May 2021 19:00:00 -0800 Over the last half-century, the American short has changed dramatically. In a new anthology, the best and most representative contemporary authors are celebrated for their thrilling range of voice, form, and talent. Selected by John Freeman, the editor of his own literary annual of new writing and executive editor at Alfred A. Knopf, this collection brings forward some astonishing work to be regarded in a new light. With rarely anthologized science fiction, horror, and fantasy writers such as Ursula K. LeGuin, Ken Liu, and Stephen King, next to some of the often-taught geniuses of the form—Grace Paley, Toni Cade Bambara, Sandra Cisneros, and Denis Johnson, this wide-reaching collection also includes generally overlooked tales by Dorothy Allison, Charles Johnson, and Toni Morrison. Freeman will share this exciting new treasure trove with ALOUD, as a few of the authors join him for a special reading and conversation. Over the last half-century, the American short has changed dramatically. In a new anthology, the best and most representative contemporary authors are celebrated for their thrilling range of voice, form, and talent. Selected by John Freeman, the editor of his own literary annual of new writing and executive editor at Alfred A. Knopf, this collection brings forward some astonishing work to be regarded in a new light. With rarely anthologized science fiction, horror, and fantasy writers such as Ursula K. LeGuin, Ken Liu, and Stephen King, next to some of the often-taught geniuses of the form—Grace Paley, Toni Cade Bambara, Sandra Cisneros, and Denis Johnson, this wide-reaching collection also includes generally overlooked tales by Dorothy Allison, Charles Johnson, and Toni Morrison. Freeman will share this exciting new treasure trove with ALOUD, as a few of the authors join him for a special reading and conversation. 00:55:18 http://www.lapl.org/node/158889 Wed, 05 May 2021 19:00:00 -0800 “Ian is magic. His story is difficult and heartbreaking, but he takes us places we need to go to understand why we must do better,” writes Bryan Stevenson in the forward of Ian Manuel’s new memoir. At fourteen Manuel was sentenced to life without parole for a non-homicide crime. The United States is the only country in the world that sentences thirteen- and fourteen-year-old offenders, mostly youth of color, to life in prison without parole, regardless of the scientifically proven singularities of the developing adolescent brain. My Time Will Come captures the fullness of Manuel’s humanity, as he powerfully testifies about growing up homeless in Central Park Village in Tampa, Florida—a neighborhood riddled with poverty, gang violence, and drug abuse—and of his efforts to rise above his circumstances, only to find himself, partly through his own actions, imprisoned for two-thirds of his life. Manuel shares how he endured the savagery of the United States prison system through his dedication to writing poetry and through the hope from others advocating for his freedom. Through this transcendent story of redemption, join us for a personal look at how we can address our judicial system and bring about “just mercy.” “Ian is magic. His story is difficult and heartbreaking, but he takes us places we need to go to understand why we must do better,” writes Bryan Stevenson in the forward of Ian Manuel’s new memoir. At fourteen Manuel was sentenced to life without parole for a non-homicide crime. The United States is the only country in the world that sentences thirteen- and fourteen-year-old offenders, mostly youth of color, to life in prison without parole, regardless of the scientifically proven singularities of the developing adolescent brain. My Time Will Come captures the fullness of Manuel’s humanity, as he powerfully testifies about growing up homeless in Central Park Village in Tampa, Florida—a neighborhood riddled with poverty, gang violence, and drug abuse—and of his efforts to rise above his circumstances, only to find himself, partly through his own actions, imprisoned for two-thirds of his life. Manuel shares how he endured the savagery of the United States prison system through his dedication to writing poetry and through the hope from others advocating for his freedom. Through this transcendent story of redemption, join us for a personal look at how we can address our judicial system and bring about “just mercy.” 00:51:57 http://www.lapl.org/node/158888 Mon, 12 Apr 2021 19:00:00 -0800 In a highly anticipated sequel to the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Sympathizer, Viet Thanh Nguyen returns with an exhilarating spy thriller that takes on the global aftermath of the Vietnam War. The Committed follows the Sympathizer, the conflicted double agent, as he seeks refuge in Paris in the 1980s. Both charmed and disturbed by the gritty Paris underworld, the Sympathizer struggles to assimilate into a dominant culture. Nguyen, who was born in Vietnam and raised in America, has long been devoted to exploring Vietnamese American history in his acclaimed work. He is the author of the short story collection The Refugees, the nonfiction book Nothing Ever Dies, and is the editor of an anthology of refugee writing, The Displaced. A recipient of fellowships from the Guggenheim and MacArthur foundations, Nguyen is a professor of English, American studies, and comparative literature at the University of Southern California. The Library Foundation welcomes Nguyen for a discussion of his fierce, funny, and visionary new novel. In a highly anticipated sequel to the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Sympathizer, Viet Thanh Nguyen returns with an exhilarating spy thriller that takes on the global aftermath of the Vietnam War. The Committed follows the Sympathizer, the conflicted double agent, as he seeks refuge in Paris in the 1980s. Both charmed and disturbed by the gritty Paris underworld, the Sympathizer struggles to assimilate into a dominant culture. Nguyen, who was born in Vietnam and raised in America, has long been devoted to exploring Vietnamese American history in his acclaimed work. He is the author of the short story collection The Refugees, the nonfiction book Nothing Ever Dies, and is the editor of an anthology of refugee writing, The Displaced. A recipient of fellowships from the Guggenheim and MacArthur foundations, Nguyen is a professor of English, American studies, and comparative literature at the University of Southern California. The Library Foundation welcomes Nguyen for a discussion of his fierce, funny, and visionary new novel. 00:56:46 http://www.lapl.org/node/158887 Mon, 01 Mar 2021 19:00:00 -0800 As our fractured country moves forward after a year of social unrest and political division—how can we work towards inclusion, equity, and real change in our society? In celebration of Zero Discrimination Day, ALOUD is proud to welcome leading activists and academics for a discussion of the intersectional issues of gender, race, and disability rights. We’ll be joined by Jasmine Harris, Professor of Law and Martin Luther King, Jr. Hall Research Scholar at the University of California—Davis. An expert in disability law, antidiscrimination law, and evidence, Harris has published widely in law reviews as well as the New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and more. Also joining the conversation, Ruth Colker is a leading scholar in the areas of Constitutional Law and Disability Discrimination. A Distinguished University Professor and Heck Faust Memorial Chair in Constitutional Law at Ohio State, Colker is the author of 16 books and more than 50 articles in law journals. With other special guests to be announced, longtime ALOUD favorite, Michele Bratcher Goodwin, will moderate the panel. Goodwin is a Chancellor’s Professor at the University of California, Irvine and Director of the Center for Biotechnology & Global Health Policy. ALOUD welcomes everyone to come together for this powerful discussion about how we can break barriers and overcome biases against communities that have been historically marginalized, overlooked, and misunderstood. As our fractured country moves forward after a year of social unrest and political division—how can we work towards inclusion, equity, and real change in our society? In celebration of Zero Discrimination Day, ALOUD is proud to welcome leading activists and academics for a discussion of the intersectional issues of gender, race, and disability rights. We’ll be joined by Jasmine Harris, Professor of Law and Martin Luther King, Jr. Hall Research Scholar at the University of California—Davis. An expert in disability law, antidiscrimination law, and evidence, Harris has published widely in law reviews as well as the New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and more. Also joining the conversation, Ruth Colker is a leading scholar in the areas of Constitutional Law and Disability Discrimination. A Distinguished University Professor and Heck Faust Memorial Chair in Constitutional Law at Ohio State, Colker is the author of 16 books and more than 50 articles in law journals. With other special guests to be announced, longtime ALOUD favorite, Michele Bratcher Goodwin, will moderate the panel. Goodwin is a Chancellor’s Professor at the University of California, Irvine and Director of the Center for Biotechnology & Global Health Policy. ALOUD welcomes everyone to come together for this powerful discussion about how we can break barriers and overcome biases against communities that have been historically marginalized, overlooked, and misunderstood. 01:03:15 http://www.lapl.org/node/158886 Thu, 18 Feb 2021 19:00:00 -0800 In her forties, with two children, a spouse, a dog, a mortgage, and a full-time job as a tenured law professor at Georgetown University, Rosa Brooks decided to become a cop. Despite the extreme personal and professional risks, the liberal academic and journalist served as a reserve police officer between 2016-2020 with the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department in order to better understand the usually closed world of policing. In her new book Tangled Up in Blue, Brooks chronicles her experiences of what it’s like inside the "blue wall of silence." From street shootings and domestic violence calls to the behind-the-scenes police work during Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential inauguration, Brooks presents a revelatory firsthand account of patrolling the poorest, most crime-ridden neighborhoods of the nation’s capital. With more and more news of police violence and the outrage of Americans protesting against the corruption and racial disparities in the criminal justice system, Brooks illuminates the complexities of a broken system beyond the headlines. Join us for an immersive conversation as Brooks takes ALOUD audiences through a tour of duty to find a better way to protect our society.  In her forties, with two children, a spouse, a dog, a mortgage, and a full-time job as a tenured law professor at Georgetown University, Rosa Brooks decided to become a cop. Despite the extreme personal and professional risks, the liberal academic and journalist served as a reserve police officer between 2016-2020 with the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department in order to better understand the usually closed world of policing. In her new book Tangled Up in Blue, Brooks chronicles her experiences of what it’s like inside the "blue wall of silence." From street shootings and domestic violence calls to the behind-the-scenes police work during Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential inauguration, Brooks presents a revelatory firsthand account of patrolling the poorest, most crime-ridden neighborhoods of the nation’s capital. With more and more news of police violence and the outrage of Americans protesting against the corruption and racial disparities in the criminal justice system, Brooks illuminates the complexities of a broken system beyond the headlines. Join us for an immersive conversation as Brooks takes ALOUD audiences through a tour of duty to find a better way to protect our society.  00:59:47 http://www.lapl.org/node/158885 Tue, 09 Feb 2021 19:00:00 -0800 In a final call to action from a dearly missed champion of democracy, Elijah Cummings’ new posthumously published memoir offers an inspiring lesson of how we can do better in this country. Born and raised in Baltimore, Cummings was the first of his family to attend college. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa and then law school, he began his career of public service in the Maryland House of Delegates. He became the first African-American in Maryland history to be named Speaker Pro Tem before being sworn in as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996, where Congressman Cummings proudly represented Maryland’s 7th District until his passing in 2019. Known for his poise, intellect, and influence, Cummings was one of the most respected figures in contemporary politics, serving the people of Baltimore and illustrating the importance of working with—and for—the underdog. Yet in his final years of life, Cummings recognized that democracy was the underdog. We’re Better Than This draws from Cummings’s own life to show the formative moments that prepared him for the disturbing first years of the Trump presidency and spurred him to hold the administration accountable for their actions. Sharing his legacy with ALOUD, the late Congressman’s widow, Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, is a social entrepreneur, speaker, writer, strategist, and a former chair of the Maryland Democratic Party who is on a mission to drive society toward inclusion. She’ll be joined in conversation with the coauthor of the book, James Dale, as they reflect on Cummings’ urgent message for preserving our democracy as our country moves forward with a new administration. In a final call to action from a dearly missed champion of democracy, Elijah Cummings’ new posthumously published memoir offers an inspiring lesson of how we can do better in this country. Born and raised in Baltimore, Cummings was the first of his family to attend college. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa and then law school, he began his career of public service in the Maryland House of Delegates. He became the first African-American in Maryland history to be named Speaker Pro Tem before being sworn in as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996, where Congressman Cummings proudly represented Maryland’s 7th District until his passing in 2019. Known for his poise, intellect, and influence, Cummings was one of the most respected figures in contemporary politics, serving the people of Baltimore and illustrating the importance of working with—and for—the underdog. Yet in his final years of life, Cummings recognized that democracy was the underdog. We’re Better Than This draws from Cummings’s own life to show the formative moments that prepared him for the disturbing first years of the Trump presidency and spurred him to hold the administration accountable for their actions. Sharing his legacy with ALOUD, the late Congressman’s widow, Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, is a social entrepreneur, speaker, writer, strategist, and a former chair of the Maryland Democratic Party who is on a mission to drive society toward inclusion. She’ll be joined in conversation with the coauthor of the book, James Dale, as they reflect on Cummings’ urgent message for preserving our democracy as our country moves forward with a new administration. 00:55:45 http://www.lapl.org/node/158884 Wed, 03 Feb 2021 19:00:00 -0800 The first step towards change, writes journalist and activist Paola Ramos, is for us to recognize who we are. In an empowering new work of reportage, Ramos embarks on a cross-country journey to find the communities of people defining the controversial term, "Latinx." Many voices—Afrolatino, Indigenous, Muslim, queer, and undocumented, living in large cities and small towns—have been chronically overlooked in how the diverse population of almost sixty million Latinos in the U.S. has been represented. In her debut book, Finding Latinx, Ramos calls to expand our understanding of what it means to be Latino and what it means to be American. A host and correspondent for VICE and VICE News, as well as a contributor to Telemundo News and MSNBC, Ramos was the deputy director of Hispanic media for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and she also served in President Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign. She’ll be joined in a dynamic conversation with LA Times Audience Engagement Editor Fidel Martinez, who currently writes for their new Latinx Files newsletter. Shining a light on the evolving Latinx community, we’ll hear stories from individuals across the United States who are redefining their identities, pushing boundaries, and awakening politically in powerful and surprising ways. The first step towards change, writes journalist and activist Paola Ramos, is for us to recognize who we are. In an empowering new work of reportage, Ramos embarks on a cross-country journey to find the communities of people defining the controversial term, "Latinx." Many voices—Afrolatino, Indigenous, Muslim, queer, and undocumented, living in large cities and small towns—have been chronically overlooked in how the diverse population of almost sixty million Latinos in the U.S. has been represented. In her debut book, Finding Latinx, Ramos calls to expand our understanding of what it means to be Latino and what it means to be American. A host and correspondent for VICE and VICE News, as well as a contributor to Telemundo News and MSNBC, Ramos was the deputy director of Hispanic media for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and she also served in President Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign. She’ll be joined in a dynamic conversation with LA Times Audience Engagement Editor Fidel Martinez, who currently writes for their new Latinx Files newsletter. Shining a light on the evolving Latinx community, we’ll hear stories from individuals across the United States who are redefining their identities, pushing boundaries, and awakening politically in powerful and surprising ways. 01:00:05 http://www.lapl.org/node/158883 Thu, 28 Jan 2021 19:00:00 -0800 As part of Lift Every Voice: Why African American Poetry Matters, the Library Foundation of Los Angeles joins the nationwide celebration of 250 years of African American poetry on the occasion of the release of Kevin Young’s anthology. This program will include a special reading of these poems that address questions of identity, race, place, voice, and the richness and diversity of African American poetic imagination. African American Poetry: 250 Years of Struggle & Song is the centerpiece of Lift Every Voice: Why African American Poetry Matters. Across a turbulent history, from such vital centers as Harlem, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and the Bay Area, Black poets created a rich and multifaceted tradition that has been both a reckoning with American realities and an imaginative response to them. Capturing the power and beauty of this diverse tradition in a single indispensable volume, African American Poetry reveals as never before its centrality and its challenge to American poetry and culture. As part of Lift Every Voice: Why African American Poetry Matters, the Library Foundation of Los Angeles joins the nationwide celebration of 250 years of African American poetry on the occasion of the release of Kevin Young’s anthology. This program will include a special reading of these poems that address questions of identity, race, place, voice, and the richness and diversity of African American poetic imagination. African American Poetry: 250 Years of Struggle & Song is the centerpiece of Lift Every Voice: Why African American Poetry Matters. Across a turbulent history, from such vital centers as Harlem, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and the Bay Area, Black poets created a rich and multifaceted tradition that has been both a reckoning with American realities and an imaginative response to them. Capturing the power and beauty of this diverse tradition in a single indispensable volume, African American Poetry reveals as never before its centrality and its challenge to American poetry and culture. 01:15:56 http://www.lapl.org/node/158882 Sun, 06 Dec 2020 19:00:00 -0800 “Adventure. Compassion. Hatred. Money. Friendship. Marriage. Theatre. Failure. Beauty. Revelation. Cinema. Success. Death. Creation. And re-creation. This is a remarkable story, of a life so deeply lived,” writes Martin Scorsese on the breadth of André Gregory’s new memoir. For the first time in book form, the iconic theatre director, writer, and actor tells his fantastic life story in This is Not My Memoir. Discussing this highly entertaining autobiography-of-sorts at ALOUD, Gregory will be joined by his longtime collaborator Wallace Shawn, the Obie Award-winning playwright and noted stage and screen actor. These two larger-than-life personalities will share memories from the making of their legendary film, My Dinner with André, and reflect on their lives as artists. What does it mean to create art in a world that often places little value on the process of creating it? And what does it mean to confront the process of aging when your greatest work of art may well be your own life? Pull up a chair from your own table for a delicious feast of a conversation with these masters of avant-garde. “Adventure. Compassion. Hatred. Money. Friendship. Marriage. Theatre. Failure. Beauty. Revelation. Cinema. Success. Death. Creation. And re-creation. This is a remarkable story, of a life so deeply lived,” writes Martin Scorsese on the breadth of André Gregory’s new memoir. For the first time in book form, the iconic theatre director, writer, and actor tells his fantastic life story in This is Not My Memoir. Discussing this highly entertaining autobiography-of-sorts at ALOUD, Gregory will be joined by his longtime collaborator Wallace Shawn, the Obie Award-winning playwright and noted stage and screen actor. These two larger-than-life personalities will share memories from the making of their legendary film, My Dinner with André, and reflect on their lives as artists. What does it mean to create art in a world that often places little value on the process of creating it? And what does it mean to confront the process of aging when your greatest work of art may well be your own life? Pull up a chair from your own table for a delicious feast of a conversation with these masters of avant-garde. 01:10:02 http://www.lapl.org/node/158881 Thu, 19 Nov 2020 19:00:00 -0800 In the first program of a new two-part series on Collaboration & Innovation, ALOUD is excited to explore the rich history of one of L.A.’s foremost artistic workshops. Mixografia is a fine arts printer and publisher founded and run by the Remba family for three generations. Moving from Mexico City to Los Angeles, Mixografia’s three-dimensional printing technique has evolved over 40 years to expand printmaking possibilities for artists and to make art more accessible through its innovative print runs. How does such technology impact art? What does it mean for an artist to have their vision altered by the creative process? In a live conversation with ALOUD's Jessica Strand, we’ll consider the nuanced collaboration between printer and artist like Analia Saban that pushes the limits of what printmaking can be. How has the work of the artist been transformed through their relationship with Mixografia? We’ll also look back in an original ALOUD video segment at the Remba family’s journey to Los Angeles and how they revolutionized the art of printmaking while building community around a creative process. Join us for this intimate look at collaboration from a local studio that has reached audiences all over the world. In the first program of a new two-part series on Collaboration & Innovation, ALOUD is excited to explore the rich history of one of L.A.’s foremost artistic workshops. Mixografia is a fine arts printer and publisher founded and run by the Remba family for three generations. Moving from Mexico City to Los Angeles, Mixografia’s three-dimensional printing technique has evolved over 40 years to expand printmaking possibilities for artists and to make art more accessible through its innovative print runs. How does such technology impact art? What does it mean for an artist to have their vision altered by the creative process? In a live conversation with ALOUD's Jessica Strand, we’ll consider the nuanced collaboration between printer and artist like Analia Saban that pushes the limits of what printmaking can be. How has the work of the artist been transformed through their relationship with Mixografia? We’ll also look back in an original ALOUD video segment at the Remba family’s journey to Los Angeles and how they revolutionized the art of printmaking while building community around a creative process. Join us for this intimate look at collaboration from a local studio that has reached audiences all over the world. 00:56:28 http://www.lapl.org/node/158880 Sun, 15 Nov 2020 19:00:00 -0800 How do we talk about race in America? Two of our country's most award-winning poets and unflinching voices on racism will join ALOUD for their first public event together. Claudia Rankine is an artistic innovator, Yale professor, and MacArthur fellow. Her previous groundbreaking book, Citizen: An American Lyric, won the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. Rankine’s newest book, Just Us: An American Conversation, invites readers to engage with what is said and not said about whiteness, privilege, prejudice, and bias as our public and private lives intersect. Terrance Hayes’s most recent award-winning book, American Sonnets for My Past And Future Assassin, was written in response to the first two hundred days of Trump’s presidency. Hayes is a Professor of English at New York University and is the recipient of numerous honors, including a MacArthur fellowship, a Hurston/Wright Award for Poetry, and a National Book Award. In a broad-minded program moderated by acclaimed poet and essayist Dawn Lundy Martin, Rankine and Hayes will examine the act of reckoning with our past and present. Join us for a powerful exchange about how we might open pathways, bridge silences, share truths, and progress through this divisive and stuck moment in American history. How do we talk about race in America? Two of our country's most award-winning poets and unflinching voices on racism will join ALOUD for their first public event together. Claudia Rankine is an artistic innovator, Yale professor, and MacArthur fellow. Her previous groundbreaking book, Citizen: An American Lyric, won the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. Rankine’s newest book, Just Us: An American Conversation, invites readers to engage with what is said and not said about whiteness, privilege, prejudice, and bias as our public and private lives intersect. Terrance Hayes’s most recent award-winning book, American Sonnets for My Past And Future Assassin, was written in response to the first two hundred days of Trump’s presidency. Hayes is a Professor of English at New York University and is the recipient of numerous honors, including a MacArthur fellowship, a Hurston/Wright Award for Poetry, and a National Book Award. In a broad-minded program moderated by acclaimed poet and essayist Dawn Lundy Martin, Rankine and Hayes will examine the act of reckoning with our past and present. Join us for a powerful exchange about how we might open pathways, bridge silences, share truths, and progress through this divisive and stuck moment in American history. 01:13:35 http://www.lapl.org/node/158879 Wed, 14 Oct 2020 19:00:00 -0800 As ALOUD examines the delicate balancing act of power and value in a special series this fall, we’ll consider how technology tips the scales to redefine the dynamics of our human relationships. What will happen to our notions of marriage and parenthood as reproductive technologies allow for new ways of creating babies? What will happen to our understanding of gender as medical advances enable individuals to transition from one set of sexual characteristics to another or to remain happily perched in between? What will happen to love and sex and romance as our relationships migrate from the real world to the Internet? Can people fall in love with robots? Harvard Business School Professor Debora Spar explores these questions in her new book, Work, Mate, Marry, Love. Discussing how technology is transforming the intimacies of our lives, Spar will be joined in conversation by Michele Bratcher Goodwin. A Professor at the University of California, Irvine, and founding director of the Center for Biotechnology and Global Health Policy, Goodwin is a leading voice on civil liberties, civil rights, reproductive rights and justice, and cultural politics. Listen to this provocative imagining of our future humanity. As ALOUD examines the delicate balancing act of power and value in a special series this fall, we’ll consider how technology tips the scales to redefine the dynamics of our human relationships. What will happen to our notions of marriage and parenthood as reproductive technologies allow for new ways of creating babies? What will happen to our understanding of gender as medical advances enable individuals to transition from one set of sexual characteristics to another or to remain happily perched in between? What will happen to love and sex and romance as our relationships migrate from the real world to the Internet? Can people fall in love with robots? Harvard Business School Professor Debora Spar explores these questions in her new book, Work, Mate, Marry, Love. Discussing how technology is transforming the intimacies of our lives, Spar will be joined in conversation by Michele Bratcher Goodwin. A Professor at the University of California, Irvine, and founding director of the Center for Biotechnology and Global Health Policy, Goodwin is a leading voice on civil liberties, civil rights, reproductive rights and justice, and cultural politics. Listen to this provocative imagining of our future humanity. 00:51:47 http://www.lapl.org/node/158878 Wed, 09 Sep 2020 19:00:00 -0800 The media is a powerful voice driving our perception of the world. But over the last decade, the political divisions across America have threatened the ability of the media to deliver unbiased news. Further putting into question the role of the media, individuals armed with their smartphones have stepped in to provide some of the most raw, unfiltered stories of our times. As part of ALOUD’s Power and Value series, we welcome three journalists from the fields of newspaper, radio, and television to examine whose voices we can trust: the Los Angeles Times Sewell Chan, NPR’s Brooke Gladstone, and PBS NewsHour correspondent Yamiche Alcindor. As we more urgently than ever rely on reporting for updates on COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement, join us for a conversation with these three veteran journalists. How is the media shaping our individual experiences during these historical times? The media is a powerful voice driving our perception of the world. But over the last decade, the political divisions across America have threatened the ability of the media to deliver unbiased news. Further putting into question the role of the media, individuals armed with their smartphones have stepped in to provide some of the most raw, unfiltered stories of our times. As part of ALOUD’s Power and Value series, we welcome three journalists from the fields of newspaper, radio, and television to examine whose voices we can trust: the Los Angeles Times Sewell Chan, NPR’s Brooke Gladstone, and PBS NewsHour correspondent Yamiche Alcindor. As we more urgently than ever rely on reporting for updates on COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement, join us for a conversation with these three veteran journalists. How is the media shaping our individual experiences during these historical times? 00:58:52 http://www.lapl.org/node/158877 Thu, 03 Sep 2020 19:00:00 -0800 Income inequality in the U.S. is the highest of all the G7 nations, and the wealth gap between America’s richest and poorer families more than doubled from 1989 to 2016. This hierarchy of power gives control to the rich, while leaving the rest to fend for themselves without support or voice. ALOUD’s Power and Value series will kick-off with a program that unpacks America’s income gap with professor, author, and political commentator Robert Reich and Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, an American Protestant minister and political activist. From elections to media and entertainment, how does the imbalance of income and representation impact our society? Join us for a change-making conversation with these two powerful voices about how to create a more equitable democracy. Income inequality in the U.S. is the highest of all the G7 nations, and the wealth gap between America’s richest and poorer families more than doubled from 1989 to 2016. This hierarchy of power gives control to the rich, while leaving the rest to fend for themselves without support or voice. ALOUD’s Power and Value series will kick-off with a program that unpacks America’s income gap with professor, author, and political commentator Robert Reich and Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, an American Protestant minister and political activist. From elections to media and entertainment, how does the imbalance of income and representation impact our society? Join us for a change-making conversation with these two powerful voices about how to create a more equitable democracy. 00:57:29 http://www.lapl.org/node/158876 Thu, 20 Aug 2020 19:00:00 -0800 “What do we talk about when we talk about Los Angeles today?” asks D.J. Waldie. A writer whose work has been called a “gorgeous distillation of architectural and social history” by The New York Times, Waldie is the author of Holy Land: A Suburban Memoir and other books that illuminate the ordinary and the everyday in lyrical prose. Becoming Los Angeles, his newest collection, blends history, memory, and critical analysis to illuminate how Angelenos have seen themselves and their city. From the ordinariness of L.A.’s seasons to the gaudy backdrop of Hollywood illusion, Waldie considers how the city’s image was constructed and how it fostered willful amnesia about its conflicted past. Encountering the immigrants and exiles, the dreamers and con artists, the celebrated and forgotten who became Los Angeles, Waldie arrives at an intersection of the city’s history and its aspirations. Please join us for a hometown celebration as Waldie discusses his love for L.A. and the renewed hope it takes to sustain the romance. “What do we talk about when we talk about Los Angeles today?” asks D.J. Waldie. A writer whose work has been called a “gorgeous distillation of architectural and social history” by The New York Times, Waldie is the author of Holy Land: A Suburban Memoir and other books that illuminate the ordinary and the everyday in lyrical prose. Becoming Los Angeles, his newest collection, blends history, memory, and critical analysis to illuminate how Angelenos have seen themselves and their city. From the ordinariness of L.A.’s seasons to the gaudy backdrop of Hollywood illusion, Waldie considers how the city’s image was constructed and how it fostered willful amnesia about its conflicted past. Encountering the immigrants and exiles, the dreamers and con artists, the celebrated and forgotten who became Los Angeles, Waldie arrives at an intersection of the city’s history and its aspirations. Please join us for a hometown celebration as Waldie discusses his love for L.A. and the renewed hope it takes to sustain the romance. 00:58:58 http://www.lapl.org/node/158875 Thu, 30 Jul 2020 19:00:00 -0800 In ALOUD’s first live program, we’ll explore the science of virtual learning. As schools around the country prepare for an online fall semester, hear from neuroscientist, psychologist, and former teacher Dr. Mary Helen Immordino-Yang about the educational implications for this generation of learners. Focusing on teenagers and their developing brains, Dr. Immordino-Yang will discuss how current events are impacting the ways teenagers think, feel, and process the world. This program is generously supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. In ALOUD’s first live program, we’ll explore the science of virtual learning. As schools around the country prepare for an online fall semester, hear from neuroscientist, psychologist, and former teacher Dr. Mary Helen Immordino-Yang about the educational implications for this generation of learners. Focusing on teenagers and their developing brains, Dr. Immordino-Yang will discuss how current events are impacting the ways teenagers think, feel, and process the world. This program is generously supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. 01:02:37 http://www.lapl.org/node/158874 Wed, 26 Feb 2020 19:00:00 -0800 When New York Times op-ed columnist Nicholas Kristof returned to his hometown of Yamhill, Oregon, the portrait of life in rural America was grim. In a new book, written alongside Sheryl WuDunn, the team of the bestselling Half the Sky tells a story of how a once prospering blue-collar town was devastated by the loss of well-paying union jobs. Moving beyond this one part of the country, and showing a similar trend representative of places ranging from the Dakotas and Oklahoma to New York and Virginia, Tightrope illustrates deeply poignant portrayals of real Americans and investigates how decades of policy mistakes on issues like education, health care, and criminal justice effect far more than unemployment. Kristof and Wu Dunn—the first husband and wife to share a Pulitzer Prize for journalism—will take the stage to discuss new ways to end the crisis in working-class America. When New York Times op-ed columnist Nicholas Kristof returned to his hometown of Yamhill, Oregon, the portrait of life in rural America was grim. In a new book, written alongside Sheryl WuDunn, the team of the bestselling Half the Sky tells a story of how a once prospering blue-collar town was devastated by the loss of well-paying union jobs. Moving beyond this one part of the country, and showing a similar trend representative of places ranging from the Dakotas and Oklahoma to New York and Virginia, Tightrope illustrates deeply poignant portrayals of real Americans and investigates how decades of policy mistakes on issues like education, health care, and criminal justice effect far more than unemployment. Kristof and Wu Dunn—the first husband and wife to share a Pulitzer Prize for journalism—will take the stage to discuss new ways to end the crisis in working-class America. 01:10:13 http://www.lapl.org/node/158873 Wed, 19 Feb 2020 19:00:00 -0800 "I think this book could really save the world," said Ann Patchett of Gish Jen’s new dystopian novel The Resisters. This extraordinary story imagines a not-so-distant future of America—which she calls "AutoAmerica" and is half underwater and populated by two groups of people: the "Netted" of the higher ground and the “Surplus,” who live on swampland. A “Surplus” family’s home life is upended when their teen daughter with amazing baseball talents is allowed to play ball with the "Netted" in the hopes that their Olympic team will beat ChinRussia. Exploring how America’s favorite pastime collides with a very divided totalitarian society, this highly plausible, yet totally unsettling future brings into question the moral fabric of America as we know it today. Jen, the award-winning author of four previous novels, a story collection, and two works of nonfiction, the latest of which was The Girl at the Baggage Claim: Explaining the East-West Culture Gap, will discuss her new book that takes on the all-too-real threats against maintaining our humanity. "I think this book could really save the world," said Ann Patchett of Gish Jen’s new dystopian novel The Resisters. This extraordinary story imagines a not-so-distant future of America—which she calls "AutoAmerica" and is half underwater and populated by two groups of people: the "Netted" of the higher ground and the “Surplus,” who live on swampland. A “Surplus” family’s home life is upended when their teen daughter with amazing baseball talents is allowed to play ball with the "Netted" in the hopes that their Olympic team will beat ChinRussia. Exploring how America’s favorite pastime collides with a very divided totalitarian society, this highly plausible, yet totally unsettling future brings into question the moral fabric of America as we know it today. Jen, the award-winning author of four previous novels, a story collection, and two works of nonfiction, the latest of which was The Girl at the Baggage Claim: Explaining the East-West Culture Gap, will discuss her new book that takes on the all-too-real threats against maintaining our humanity. 01:02:57 http://www.lapl.org/node/158872 Wed, 12 Feb 2020 19:00:00 -0800 2019 National Book Award Finalist Kali Fajardo-Anstine (Sabrina & Corina: Stories) will discuss her work and why the preservation, perpetuation, and presentation of the experience of Mexican-American women in literature matters. Moderated by Lisa Lucas, Executive Director of the National Book Foundation, and presented in partnership with the Library Foundation of Los Angeles and Scripps Presents. 2019 National Book Award Finalist Kali Fajardo-Anstine (Sabrina & Corina: Stories) will discuss her work and why the preservation, perpetuation, and presentation of the experience of Mexican-American women in literature matters. Moderated by Lisa Lucas, Executive Director of the National Book Foundation, and presented in partnership with the Library Foundation of Los Angeles and Scripps Presents. 01:01:42 http://www.lapl.org/node/158871 Sun, 09 Feb 2020 19:00:00 -0800 Education is an issue that hits home to every American. One of the foremost authorities on education and the history of education in the United States and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education, Diane Ravitch offers an impassioned defense of public education. In her new book, Slaying Goliath: The Passionate Resistance to Privatization and the Fight to Save America’s Public Schools, Ravitch fights back against "disruptors" who wish to privatize schools. Documenting examples of how corporations, foundations, and individuals who have pushed for charter schools and vouchers have failed to fulfill their promises and have negatively impacted public schools, Ravitch also celebrates the grassroots efforts of parents, teachers, students, and entire communities who have rallied to keep their public schools alive. A research professor of education at New York University and the author of eleven books, including the bestselling Reign of Error, Ravitch is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Award. On the heels of the one-year anniversary of LAUSD’s momentous teachers’ strike, we welcome Ravitch to the stage to address some of the most important education issues of our time. Education is an issue that hits home to every American. One of the foremost authorities on education and the history of education in the United States and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education, Diane Ravitch offers an impassioned defense of public education. In her new book, Slaying Goliath: The Passionate Resistance to Privatization and the Fight to Save America’s Public Schools, Ravitch fights back against "disruptors" who wish to privatize schools. Documenting examples of how corporations, foundations, and individuals who have pushed for charter schools and vouchers have failed to fulfill their promises and have negatively impacted public schools, Ravitch also celebrates the grassroots efforts of parents, teachers, students, and entire communities who have rallied to keep their public schools alive. A research professor of education at New York University and the author of eleven books, including the bestselling Reign of Error, Ravitch is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Award. On the heels of the one-year anniversary of LAUSD’s momentous teachers’ strike, we welcome Ravitch to the stage to address some of the most important education issues of our time. 01:04:54 http://www.lapl.org/node/158870 Thu, 06 Feb 2020 19:00:00 -0800 Quantum mechanics is the most important idea in physics, and physicists themselves readily admit that they don’t understand it. Genetics is another commonly misconceived area of science with the rise of new biomedical technologies and the popularity of at-home DNA testing kits. Fortunately for ALOUD audiences, we welcome two of the most celebrated science writers to help make sense of how we live in the world—through space and time, and what we pass along from generation to generation. Carl Zimmer is a celebrated New York Times columnist and science writer whose most recent book, She Has Her Mother’s Laugh: The Powers, Perversions, and Potential of Heredity weaves historical and current scientific research to present a new definition of what heredity is and how it is much bigger than simply genes we inherit from our ancestors. Joining Zimmer is Sean Carroll, a theoretical physicist at the California Institute of Technology, host of the Mindscape podcast, and bestselling author of The Big Picture. Carroll shares from his new book, Something Deeply Hidden: Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of Spacetime, where he demystifies the paradoxes of quantum mechanics. This illuminating, wide-reaching conversation will take us from the single cells that comprise our own bodies to the wonders of the cosmos. Quantum mechanics is the most important idea in physics, and physicists themselves readily admit that they don’t understand it. Genetics is another commonly misconceived area of science with the rise of new biomedical technologies and the popularity of at-home DNA testing kits. Fortunately for ALOUD audiences, we welcome two of the most celebrated science writers to help make sense of how we live in the world—through space and time, and what we pass along from generation to generation. Carl Zimmer is a celebrated New York Times columnist and science writer whose most recent book, She Has Her Mother’s Laugh: The Powers, Perversions, and Potential of Heredity weaves historical and current scientific research to present a new definition of what heredity is and how it is much bigger than simply genes we inherit from our ancestors. Joining Zimmer is Sean Carroll, a theoretical physicist at the California Institute of Technology, host of the Mindscape podcast, and bestselling author of The Big Picture. Carroll shares from his new book, Something Deeply Hidden: Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of Spacetime, where he demystifies the paradoxes of quantum mechanics. This illuminating, wide-reaching conversation will take us from the single cells that comprise our own bodies to the wonders of the cosmos. 01:09:59 http://www.lapl.org/node/158605 Thu, 30 Jan 2020 19:00:00 -0800 Andrea Bernstein, the award-winning journalist, and host of the WNYC/ProPublica podcast Trump, Inc., offers a sweeping new exposé into the multigenerational saga of two emblematic American families. American Oligarchs: The Kushners, the Trumps, and the Marriage of Money and Power follows how these families rose from immigrant roots to the pinnacle of U.S. power. Through extensive reporting, Bernstein traces their journey to the White House—from growing rich on federal programs that bolstered the middle class to sheltering their wealth from tax collectors. Discussing this convoluted story of survival and loss, crime and betrayal, Bernstein will be joined by Kristen Muller, Chief Content Officer who oversees KPCC's station programming podcasting, and its local journalism. Andrea Bernstein, the award-winning journalist, and host of the WNYC/ProPublica podcast Trump, Inc., offers a sweeping new exposé into the multigenerational saga of two emblematic American families. American Oligarchs: The Kushners, the Trumps, and the Marriage of Money and Power follows how these families rose from immigrant roots to the pinnacle of U.S. power. Through extensive reporting, Bernstein traces their journey to the White House—from growing rich on federal programs that bolstered the middle class to sheltering their wealth from tax collectors. Discussing this convoluted story of survival and loss, crime and betrayal, Bernstein will be joined by Kristen Muller, Chief Content Officer who oversees KPCC's station programming podcasting, and its local journalism. 56:47 http://www.lapl.org/node/158602 Thu, 21 Nov 2019 19:00:00 -0800 What if search-and-rescue robots could sense survivors through dense smoke? What if surgical robots could perform impossible surgeries by seeing details invisible to a human doctor? At Dr. Achuta Kadambi’s UCLA lab, his team works to make these possibilities a reality. By symbiotically blending camera and algorithm designs, Kadambi gives the gift of sight to machines. With journalist Nellie Bowles, who covers tech and internet culture from San Francisco for the New York Times, Kadambi discusses how computational imaging has the potential to unleash an era of superhuman robotics. What if search-and-rescue robots could sense survivors through dense smoke? What if surgical robots could perform impossible surgeries by seeing details invisible to a human doctor? At Dr. Achuta Kadambi’s UCLA lab, his team works to make these possibilities a reality. By symbiotically blending camera and algorithm designs, Kadambi gives the gift of sight to machines. With journalist Nellie Bowles, who covers tech and internet culture from San Francisco for the New York Times, Kadambi discusses how computational imaging has the potential to unleash an era of superhuman robotics. 1:00:13 http://www.lapl.org/node/158601 Thu, 17 Oct 2019 19:00:00 -0800 In a special evening celebrating National Book Award-winning author Ta-Nehisi Coates’ first book of fiction, he’ll be joined by Ryan Coogler, revolutionary director of Black Panther. Coates’ newly released novel The Water Dancer offers a timely exploration of the most intimate evil of enslavement—the cleaving and separation of families. Following the story of Hiram Walker, who was born into bondage and motherless, Coates not only tells the dramatic story of an atrocity inflicted on generations of women, men, and children but also restores the humanity of those from whom everything was stolen. Join us at the West Angeles Cathedral, a community pillar of the vibrant Historic Crenshaw District, for a momentous conversation between two groundbreaking contemporary artists exploring ideas of race, history, and politics. This program exists as a video. To view, visit ALOUD's Media Archive. In a special evening celebrating National Book Award-winning author Ta-Nehisi Coates’ first book of fiction, he’ll be joined by Ryan Coogler, revolutionary director of Black Panther. Coates’ newly released novel The Water Dancer offers a timely exploration of the most intimate evil of enslavement—the cleaving and separation of families. Following the story of Hiram Walker, who was born into bondage and motherless, Coates not only tells the dramatic story of an atrocity inflicted on generations of women, men, and children but also restores the humanity of those from whom everything was stolen. Join us at the West Angeles Cathedral, a community pillar of the vibrant Historic Crenshaw District, for a momentous conversation between two groundbreaking contemporary artists exploring ideas of race, history, and politics. This program exists as a video. To view, visit ALOUD's Media Archive. http://www.lapl.org/node/158599 Thu, 10 Oct 2019 19:00:00 -0800 The leaps and advances of science and technology to revolutionize human DNA have sparked fierce public debate about what the future of gene editing holds for humanity. Moving beyond some of the alarming sci-fi scenarios of gene editing, groundbreaking scientists are harnessing the power of these biological breakthroughs to save lives. At Dr. April Pyle’s laboratory at UCLA, she investigates human pluripotent stem cell biology and the differentiation of these cells for use in regenerative medicine, including therapeutic approaches for patients with muscular dystrophy. Discussing with the Los Angeles Times science and medicine editor Karen Kaplan, Dr. Pyle takes the stage to shed light on the reality of stem cell research today. The leaps and advances of science and technology to revolutionize human DNA have sparked fierce public debate about what the future of gene editing holds for humanity. Moving beyond some of the alarming sci-fi scenarios of gene editing, groundbreaking scientists are harnessing the power of these biological breakthroughs to save lives. At Dr. April Pyle’s laboratory at UCLA, she investigates human pluripotent stem cell biology and the differentiation of these cells for use in regenerative medicine, including therapeutic approaches for patients with muscular dystrophy. Discussing with the Los Angeles Times science and medicine editor Karen Kaplan, Dr. Pyle takes the stage to shed light on the reality of stem cell research today. 57:25 http://www.lapl.org/node/113119 Tue, 14 May 2019 19:00:00 -0800 In this #1 New York Times bestseller, Michael Pollan offers a mind-bending investigation into the medical and scientific revolution taking place around psychedelic drugs—and the spellbinding story of his own life-changing psychedelic experiences as he set out to research the active ingredients in magic mushrooms. Blending science, memoir, travel writing, history, and medicine, How to Change Your Mind is a triumph of participatory journalism through Pollan’s discovery of how these remarkable substances are improving the lives not only of the mentally ill, but also of healthy people coming to grips with the challenges of everyday life. Sharing his deep dive into altered states of consciousness, Pollan discusses this unexpected new frontier in our understanding of the mind, the self, and our place in the world. In this #1 New York Times bestseller, Michael Pollan offers a mind-bending investigation into the medical and scientific revolution taking place around psychedelic drugs—and the spellbinding story of his own life-changing psychedelic experiences as he set out to research the active ingredients in magic mushrooms. Blending science, memoir, travel writing, history, and medicine, How to Change Your Mind is a triumph of participatory journalism through Pollan’s discovery of how these remarkable substances are improving the lives not only of the mentally ill, but also of healthy people coming to grips with the challenges of everyday life. Sharing his deep dive into altered states of consciousness, Pollan discusses this unexpected new frontier in our understanding of the mind, the self, and our place in the world. 01:13:37 http://www.lapl.org/node/113066 Mon, 06 May 2019 19:00:00 -0800 In an impassioned call to action for elites and everyday citizens alike, former New York Times columnist Anand Giridharadas shines a light on the shady side of philanthropy. Winners Take All offers a scathing investigation of how the global elite’s efforts to “change the world” preserve the status quo and obscure their role in causing the problems they later seek to solve. This bestselling groundbreaking book poses many hard questions like: Why should our gravest problems be solved by the unelected upper crust instead of the public institutions it erodes by lobbying and dodging taxes? Giridharadas shares with us some of his bold answers, including how we must take on the grueling democratic work of building more robust, egalitarian institutions to truly change the world. In an impassioned call to action for elites and everyday citizens alike, former New York Times columnist Anand Giridharadas shines a light on the shady side of philanthropy. Winners Take All offers a scathing investigation of how the global elite’s efforts to “change the world” preserve the status quo and obscure their role in causing the problems they later seek to solve. This bestselling groundbreaking book poses many hard questions like: Why should our gravest problems be solved by the unelected upper crust instead of the public institutions it erodes by lobbying and dodging taxes? Giridharadas shares with us some of his bold answers, including how we must take on the grueling democratic work of building more robust, egalitarian institutions to truly change the world. 1:13:47 http://www.lapl.org/node/113064 Tue, 09 Apr 2019 19:00:00 -0800 Rachel Cusk is an international literary superstar. Her most recent trilogy–Outline, Transit, and Kudos–draws its hero, Faye, through a collage of vignettes. Through tales told by the people Faye encounters–an airline companion, a disgruntled neighbor, and a fellow writer, among others–Faye’s own haunting past is stealthily revealed, making for an artful and hypnotic reading experience. “After her controversial memoirs of motherhood and marriage, the writer has a new design for fiction,” writes Judith Thurman in the New Yorker in a profile titled “Rachel Cusk Gut-Renovates the Novel.” Now, the UK-based writer brings the work that has captivated the writing (and reading) community to Los Angeles for a rare Stateside reading and conversation. Rachel Cusk is an international literary superstar. Her most recent trilogy–Outline, Transit, and Kudos–draws its hero, Faye, through a collage of vignettes. Through tales told by the people Faye encounters–an airline companion, a disgruntled neighbor, and a fellow writer, among others–Faye’s own haunting past is stealthily revealed, making for an artful and hypnotic reading experience. “After her controversial memoirs of motherhood and marriage, the writer has a new design for fiction,” writes Judith Thurman in the New Yorker in a profile titled “Rachel Cusk Gut-Renovates the Novel.” Now, the UK-based writer brings the work that has captivated the writing (and reading) community to Los Angeles for a rare Stateside reading and conversation. 59:53 http://www.lapl.org/node/112865 Tue, 12 Mar 2019 19:00:00 -0800 On the heels of one of last year’s boldest, most celebrated novels, My Year of Rest and Relaxation, join us to hear from Ottessa Moshfegh for a celebration of a new edition of her groundbreaking debut novella, McGlue. Set in Salem, Massachusetts, 1851—the same year as the publication of Moby Dick—McGlue follows the foggy recollections of a hard-drinking seafarer who may or may not have killed his best friend. Discussing her sharply observational body of work that illuminates the exhilaratingly dark psychologies of wayward characters, Moshfegh will share the stage with Amanda Stern, the author of Little Panic, a fiercely funny new memoir on anxiety. On the heels of one of last year’s boldest, most celebrated novels, My Year of Rest and Relaxation, join us to hear from Ottessa Moshfegh for a celebration of a new edition of her groundbreaking debut novella, McGlue. Set in Salem, Massachusetts, 1851—the same year as the publication of Moby Dick—McGlue follows the foggy recollections of a hard-drinking seafarer who may or may not have killed his best friend. Discussing her sharply observational body of work that illuminates the exhilaratingly dark psychologies of wayward characters, Moshfegh will share the stage with Amanda Stern, the author of Little Panic, a fiercely funny new memoir on anxiety. 00:59:57 http://www.lapl.org/node/107908 Thu, 31 Jan 2019 19:00:00 -0800 As the Executive Director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, Joel Simon spends his time taking action on behalf of journalists who are targeted, attacked, imprisoned, or killed. He is an expert on how countries around the world handle the kidnapping of their nationals, including how they analyze and respond to intelligence and provide support for the hostage families. At a time when journalists are in greater danger than ever before, Simon’s newest book draws on his extensive experience interviewing former hostages, their families, employers, and policy makers to lay out a new approach to hostage negotiation. He is joined onstage by Sewell Chan, deputy managing editor at the Los Angeles Times, as well as Federico Motka, an Italian aid worker who spent a year as a hostage of Isis in Syria. As the Executive Director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, Joel Simon spends his time taking action on behalf of journalists who are targeted, attacked, imprisoned, or killed. He is an expert on how countries around the world handle the kidnapping of their nationals, including how they analyze and respond to intelligence and provide support for the hostage families. At a time when journalists are in greater danger than ever before, Simon’s newest book draws on his extensive experience interviewing former hostages, their families, employers, and policy makers to lay out a new approach to hostage negotiation. He is joined onstage by Sewell Chan, deputy managing editor at the Los Angeles Times, as well as Federico Motka, an Italian aid worker who spent a year as a hostage of Isis in Syria. 00:57:24 http://www.lapl.org/node/99246 Tue, 11 Dec 2018 19:00:00 -0800 What might Marilyn Monroe, Cesar Chavez, Susan Sontag, and Albert Einstein have to say about Los Angeles? Their diary entries, along with those of other actors, musicians, activists, cartographers, students, geologists, cooks, merchants, journalists, politicians, composers, and many more—provide a kaleidoscopic view of Los Angeles over the past four centuries from the Spanish missionary expeditions of the 16 century to the present day. Book editor, critic, and Los Angeles native David Kipen has scoured the archives of libraries, historical societies, and private estates to assemble a remarkably eclectic story of life in his beloved Los Angeles. Join us for a special staged reading of these first-person accounts—representing a range of experiences and voices as diverse as Los Angeles itself. What might Marilyn Monroe, Cesar Chavez, Susan Sontag, and Albert Einstein have to say about Los Angeles? Their diary entries, along with those of other actors, musicians, activists, cartographers, students, geologists, cooks, merchants, journalists, politicians, composers, and many more—provide a kaleidoscopic view of Los Angeles over the past four centuries from the Spanish missionary expeditions of the 16 century to the present day. Book editor, critic, and Los Angeles native David Kipen has scoured the archives of libraries, historical societies, and private estates to assemble a remarkably eclectic story of life in his beloved Los Angeles. Join us for a special staged reading of these first-person accounts—representing a range of experiences and voices as diverse as Los Angeles itself. http://www.lapl.org/node/99245 Tue, 13 Nov 2018 19:00:00 -0800 Bestselling author Reyna Grande’s newest memoir, A Dream Called Home , offers an inspiring account of one woman’s quest to find her place in America as a first-generation Latina university student and then pursue her dream of writing. Award-winning writer Jean Guerrero’s Crux: A Cross-Border Memoir tries to locate the border between truth and fantasy as she explores her troubled father’s life as an immigrant battling with self-destructive behavior. Octavio Solis, one of the most prominent Latino playwrights in America, turns to nonfiction in Retablos: Stories From a Life Lived Along the Border, a new collection of stories about growing up brown at the U.S./Mexico border. At this most urgent time of family separation through borders, join us for a unique evening of storytelling as we welcome these three fierce voices to share from their work that breaks down the walls of the immigrant experience. Bestselling author Reyna Grande’s newest memoir, A Dream Called Home , offers an inspiring account of one woman’s quest to find her place in America as a first-generation Latina university student and then pursue her dream of writing. Award-winning writer Jean Guerrero’s Crux: A Cross-Border Memoir tries to locate the border between truth and fantasy as she explores her troubled father’s life as an immigrant battling with self-destructive behavior. Octavio Solis, one of the most prominent Latino playwrights in America, turns to nonfiction in Retablos: Stories From a Life Lived Along the Border, a new collection of stories about growing up brown at the U.S./Mexico border. At this most urgent time of family separation through borders, join us for a unique evening of storytelling as we welcome these three fierce voices to share from their work that breaks down the walls of the immigrant experience. 01:20:03 http://www.lapl.org/node/99243 Thu, 01 Nov 2018 19:00:00 -0800 The Pulitzer Prize and MacArthur-winning photojournalist and New York Times bestselling author Lynsey Addario has captured audiences with her highly compelling and beautifully harrowing photographs from war zones across the globe. With her uncanny ability to emotionally connect with her subjects and to personalize even the most remote corners and unimaginable circumstances, Addario offers a stunning new selection of work from the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa that documents life in Afghanistan under the Taliban, the stark truth of sub-Saharan Africa, and the daily reality of women in the Middle East. Of Love and War weaves Addario’s dramatic photographs with revelatory essays from fellow journalists such as Dexter Filkins, Suzy Hansen, and Lydia Polgreen, as well as her own letters, emails, and journal entries to illuminate the conflict facing people around the world today. Discussing this new book with an interlocutor, Addario will share images that capture a profound sense of humanity on the battlefield—and her own quest as a photojournalist to document injustice. The Pulitzer Prize and MacArthur-winning photojournalist and New York Times bestselling author Lynsey Addario has captured audiences with her highly compelling and beautifully harrowing photographs from war zones across the globe. With her uncanny ability to emotionally connect with her subjects and to personalize even the most remote corners and unimaginable circumstances, Addario offers a stunning new selection of work from the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa that documents life in Afghanistan under the Taliban, the stark truth of sub-Saharan Africa, and the daily reality of women in the Middle East. Of Love and War weaves Addario’s dramatic photographs with revelatory essays from fellow journalists such as Dexter Filkins, Suzy Hansen, and Lydia Polgreen, as well as her own letters, emails, and journal entries to illuminate the conflict facing people around the world today. Discussing this new book with an interlocutor, Addario will share images that capture a profound sense of humanity on the battlefield—and her own quest as a photojournalist to document injustice. 01:01:38 http://www.lapl.org/node/99228 Thu, 25 Oct 2018 19:00:00 -0800 Who do you think you are? What do you think you are? These questions of gender, religion, race, nationality, class, culture, and all our polarizing, contradictory natures permeate Kwame Anthony Appiah’s newest book. In The Lies That Bind, Appiah, the author of the Ethicist column for the New York Times, challenges our assumptions of identities—or rather mistaken identities. Njideka Akunyili Crosby, a MacArthur Award-winning Nigerian born visual artist who lives in Los Angeles, meshes painting, printmaking, photography, and collage to create large-scale mixed media works bursting with multinational perspectives. Speaking with the Hammer Museum’s Erin Christovale about 21st century identity politics and the appropriation of culture, Appiah and Crosby will share from their own work to consider how our collective identities shape—and can bring together—our divisive world. Who do you think you are? What do you think you are? These questions of gender, religion, race, nationality, class, culture, and all our polarizing, contradictory natures permeate Kwame Anthony Appiah’s newest book. In The Lies That Bind, Appiah, the author of the Ethicist column for the New York Times, challenges our assumptions of identities—or rather mistaken identities. Njideka Akunyili Crosby, a MacArthur Award-winning Nigerian born visual artist who lives in Los Angeles, meshes painting, printmaking, photography, and collage to create large-scale mixed media works bursting with multinational perspectives. Speaking with the Hammer Museum’s Erin Christovale about 21st century identity politics and the appropriation of culture, Appiah and Crosby will share from their own work to consider how our collective identities shape—and can bring together—our divisive world. 01:27:09 http://www.lapl.org/node/99219 Tue, 16 Oct 2018 19:00:00 -0800 Join us for a special program on the 25th anniversary of the reopening of the Los Angeles Central Library that brings home the inspiring story of how Central Library rose from the ashes after the catastrophic fire of April 29, 1986. In a new book by New Yorker staff writer and author of seven books, including Rin Tin Tin and The Orchid Thief, Susan Orlean offers a profoundly moving cultural history of the Los Angeles Public Library and its critical civic role since its inception in 1872. Reexamining the unsolved mystery of the biggest library fire in American history that destroyed or damaged more than one million books, Orlean investigates if someone purposefully set fire to the Library—and if so, who? Through this behind-the-scenes look at the Los Angeles Public Library system, Orlean weaves her life-long love of books and reading with the fascinating legacy of libraries across the world. In a conversation with author and Library Foundation Board Member Attica Locke and a surprise librarian guest, Orleans shares from The Library Book—a testament to the importance of all libraries and an homage to a beloved institution that remains a vital part of the heart, mind, and soul of our community today. Join us for a special program on the 25th anniversary of the reopening of the Los Angeles Central Library that brings home the inspiring story of how Central Library rose from the ashes after the catastrophic fire of April 29, 1986. In a new book by New Yorker staff writer and author of seven books, including Rin Tin Tin and The Orchid Thief, Susan Orlean offers a profoundly moving cultural history of the Los Angeles Public Library and its critical civic role since its inception in 1872. Reexamining the unsolved mystery of the biggest library fire in American history that destroyed or damaged more than one million books, Orlean investigates if someone purposefully set fire to the Library—and if so, who? Through this behind-the-scenes look at the Los Angeles Public Library system, Orlean weaves her life-long love of books and reading with the fascinating legacy of libraries across the world. In a conversation with author and Library Foundation Board Member Attica Locke and a surprise librarian guest, Orleans shares from The Library Book—a testament to the importance of all libraries and an homage to a beloved institution that remains a vital part of the heart, mind, and soul of our community today. http://www.lapl.org/node/101070 Thu, 11 Oct 2018 19:00:00 -0800 Technology has made possible new forms of transnational investigative journalism and fueled the rise of new digital media organizations in the US and around the world. Yet more journalists are imprisoned around the world than at any time in recent history; censorship is on the rise; and government-run disinformation campaigns are undermining public understanding and fueling distrust in the media. Two leading figures in global journalism help make sense of this confusing and contradictory environment, and discuss how their organizations find unique opportunities to make an impact within this challenging and ever-changing landscape. Gerard Ryle is the director of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which collaborates teams of journalists to pursue groundbreaking investigations, like the Panama Papers. Joel Simon is the executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, which fights for press freedom and the rights of journalists in the United States and around the world. Co-presented with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Technology has made possible new forms of transnational investigative journalism and fueled the rise of new digital media organizations in the US and around the world. Yet more journalists are imprisoned around the world than at any time in recent history; censorship is on the rise; and government-run disinformation campaigns are undermining public understanding and fueling distrust in the media. Two leading figures in global journalism help make sense of this confusing and contradictory environment, and discuss how their organizations find unique opportunities to make an impact within this challenging and ever-changing landscape. Gerard Ryle is the director of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which collaborates teams of journalists to pursue groundbreaking investigations, like the Panama Papers. Joel Simon is the executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, which fights for press freedom and the rights of journalists in the United States and around the world. Co-presented with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. 01:03:16 http://www.lapl.org/node/99218 Wed, 10 Oct 2018 19:00:00 -0800 "Édouard Louis uses literature as a weapon," says a recent New York Times profile of the internationally bestselling French author. Louis, whose highly acclaimed first autobiographical novel, The End of Eddy, confronts both the institution of discrimination as he experienced it first-hand, growing up in a small town in Northern France where he was bullied and forced to conceal his homosexuality and as well, the violence perpetrated on his hardscrabble community by an indifferent state. Now in his second book, the writer delivers another unsparing examination of survival—this time, the story of his own rape and near murder by a stranger on Christmas Eve in 2012. In History of Violence, Louis copes with his post-traumatic stress disorder as he moves seamlessly and hypnotically between past and present, between his own voice and the voice of an imagined narrator, to understand how such violence could occur. In a conversation with poet Steve Reigns, the City of West Hollywood’s first Poet Laureate, Louis examines his own complicated search for justice in a political system that marginalizes its citizens through class inequities and leaves entire communities vulnerable, powerless and feeling neglected. "Édouard Louis uses literature as a weapon," says a recent New York Times profile of the internationally bestselling French author. Louis, whose highly acclaimed first autobiographical novel, The End of Eddy, confronts both the institution of discrimination as he experienced it first-hand, growing up in a small town in Northern France where he was bullied and forced to conceal his homosexuality and as well, the violence perpetrated on his hardscrabble community by an indifferent state. Now in his second book, the writer delivers another unsparing examination of survival—this time, the story of his own rape and near murder by a stranger on Christmas Eve in 2012. In History of Violence, Louis copes with his post-traumatic stress disorder as he moves seamlessly and hypnotically between past and present, between his own voice and the voice of an imagined narrator, to understand how such violence could occur. In a conversation with poet Steve Reigns, the City of West Hollywood’s first Poet Laureate, Louis examines his own complicated search for justice in a political system that marginalizes its citizens through class inequities and leaves entire communities vulnerable, powerless and feeling neglected. 01:13:36 http://www.lapl.org/node/99209 Thu, 20 Sep 2018 19:00:00 -0800 Tommy Orange’s There There is an extraordinary portrait of America like we’ve never seen before. Orange, an enrolled member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma who grew up in Oakland, brings an exhilaratingly fresh, urgent, and poetic voice to the disorienting experiences of urban Indians who struggle with the paradoxes of inhabiting traditions in the absence of a homeland, living both inside and outside of history. In his debut bestselling novel, a cast of 12 Native American characters each contending with their own demons converge and collide on the occasion of the Big Oakland Powwow. Orange visits the ALOUD stage following recent Indigenous authors Layli Long Soldier, Natalie Diaz, and Terese Marie Mailhot who are collectively redefining not only contemporary Native American writing, but the entire canon of American literature as we know it. Tommy Orange’s There There is an extraordinary portrait of America like we’ve never seen before. Orange, an enrolled member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma who grew up in Oakland, brings an exhilaratingly fresh, urgent, and poetic voice to the disorienting experiences of urban Indians who struggle with the paradoxes of inhabiting traditions in the absence of a homeland, living both inside and outside of history. In his debut bestselling novel, a cast of 12 Native American characters each contending with their own demons converge and collide on the occasion of the Big Oakland Powwow. Orange visits the ALOUD stage following recent Indigenous authors Layli Long Soldier, Natalie Diaz, and Terese Marie Mailhot who are collectively redefining not only contemporary Native American writing, but the entire canon of American literature as we know it. 00:59:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/99203 Mon, 17 Sep 2018 19:00:00 -0800 Miriam Pawel, the Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and author of the definitive biography, The Crusades of Cesar Chavez, continues to chronicle the fascinating history of California and the exceptional people who have shaped our state. In Pawel’s newest work, she demystifies transformative moments of California history—from the Gold Rush to Silicon Valley—as she considers the significant impact of one family dynasty. Beginning with Pat Brown, the beloved father who presided over California during an era of unmatched expansion, to Jerry Brown, the cerebral son who became the youngest governor in modern times—and then returned three decades later as the oldest, Pawel traces four generations of this influential family and will be joined on the ALOUD stage by Kathleen Brown, Pat’s youngest child and former California State Treasurer. Before Californians take to the polls for a very important November election, join us for an inside look at the past and present of state politics. Miriam Pawel, the Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and author of the definitive biography, The Crusades of Cesar Chavez, continues to chronicle the fascinating history of California and the exceptional people who have shaped our state. In Pawel’s newest work, she demystifies transformative moments of California history—from the Gold Rush to Silicon Valley—as she considers the significant impact of one family dynasty. Beginning with Pat Brown, the beloved father who presided over California during an era of unmatched expansion, to Jerry Brown, the cerebral son who became the youngest governor in modern times—and then returned three decades later as the oldest, Pawel traces four generations of this influential family and will be joined on the ALOUD stage by Kathleen Brown, Pat’s youngest child and former California State Treasurer. Before Californians take to the polls for a very important November election, join us for an inside look at the past and present of state politics. 00:56:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/95062 Tue, 24 Jul 2018 19:00:00 -0800 On the centenary of Nelson Mandela’s birth, comes a new portrait of one of the most inspiring historical figures of the twentieth century. Arrested in 1962 as South Africa’s apartheid regime intensified its brutal campaign against political opponents, forty-four-year-old lawyer and African National Congress activist Nelson Mandela had no idea that he would spend the next twenty-seven years in jail. During his 10,052 days of incarceration, Mandela wrote hundreds of letters to unyielding prison authorities, fellow activists, government officials, and most memorably to his wife, Winnie, and his five children. Now, 255 of these letters—a majority of which were previously unseen—provide an intimate view into the uncompromising morals of a great leader. In this special evening at ALOUD, Sahm Venter, the editor of this collection and a former Associated Press reporter who covered and was witness to Mandela’s release from prison in 1990, along with Zamaswazi Dlamini-Mandela, the granddaughter of Nelson and Winnie who wrote the foreword, will share the stage with writers to bring these deeply moving letters to life.Co-presented with PEN America. On the centenary of Nelson Mandela’s birth, comes a new portrait of one of the most inspiring historical figures of the twentieth century. Arrested in 1962 as South Africa’s apartheid regime intensified its brutal campaign against political opponents, forty-four-year-old lawyer and African National Congress activist Nelson Mandela had no idea that he would spend the next twenty-seven years in jail. During his 10,052 days of incarceration, Mandela wrote hundreds of letters to unyielding prison authorities, fellow activists, government officials, and most memorably to his wife, Winnie, and his five children. Now, 255 of these letters—a majority of which were previously unseen—provide an intimate view into the uncompromising morals of a great leader. In this special evening at ALOUD, Sahm Venter, the editor of this collection and a former Associated Press reporter who covered and was witness to Mandela’s release from prison in 1990, along with Zamaswazi Dlamini-Mandela, the granddaughter of Nelson and Winnie who wrote the foreword, will share the stage with writers to bring these deeply moving letters to life.Co-presented with PEN America. 01:15:50 http://www.lapl.org/node/95061 Tue, 17 Jul 2018 19:00:00 -0800 In the 1970’s Bruce Lee captivated African American audiences with his stylish and philosophical kung fu movies. Lee was a rarity—a non-white leading man fighting oppression, crime, and racism at a time when there were still signs that read: “No dogs or Chinese Allowed” and “Whites Only.” Through the physical, mental, and spiritual embodiment of martial arts, Lee modeled an intense pride in his own cultural heritage that was an inspiration to all people of color—especially young African American men. In a special gathering to commemorate the 45th anniversary of Lee’s passing, Emmy Award-winning comedian and author W. Kamau Bell, Bruce Lee biographer and cultural critic Jeff Chang, Bruce Lee’s daughter Shannon Lee, along with moderator and cultural anthropologist Sharon Ann Lee will explore Bruce Lee’s long-lasting legacy and how he became an unexpected icon for Afro-Asian unity. In the 1970’s Bruce Lee captivated African American audiences with his stylish and philosophical kung fu movies. Lee was a rarity—a non-white leading man fighting oppression, crime, and racism at a time when there were still signs that read: “No dogs or Chinese Allowed” and “Whites Only.” Through the physical, mental, and spiritual embodiment of martial arts, Lee modeled an intense pride in his own cultural heritage that was an inspiration to all people of color—especially young African American men. In a special gathering to commemorate the 45th anniversary of Lee’s passing, Emmy Award-winning comedian and author W. Kamau Bell, Bruce Lee biographer and cultural critic Jeff Chang, Bruce Lee’s daughter Shannon Lee, along with moderator and cultural anthropologist Sharon Ann Lee will explore Bruce Lee’s long-lasting legacy and how he became an unexpected icon for Afro-Asian unity. 01:28:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/95060 Wed, 11 Jul 2018 19:00:00 -0800 The dramatic story of the Flint water crisis is one of the signature environmental disasters of our time—and at the heart of this tragedy is an inspiring tale of scientific resistance by a relentless physician and whistleblower who stood up to power. What the Eyes Don’t See is the personal story of how Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha—accompanied by an idiosyncratic team of researchers, parents, friends, and community leaders—proved that Flint’s kids were exposed to lead despite the state’s assurance that the water was safe. Paced like a scientific thriller, Dr. Mona’s new book shows how misguided austerity policies, the withdrawal of democratic government, and callous bureaucratic indifference placed an entire city at risk. Named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2016, Dr. Mona will visit ALOUD to share her journey as an Iraqi-American immigrant, doctor, scientist, and mother whose family’s activist roots sparked her pursuit of justice—a fight for the children of Flint that she continues today. The dramatic story of the Flint water crisis is one of the signature environmental disasters of our time—and at the heart of this tragedy is an inspiring tale of scientific resistance by a relentless physician and whistleblower who stood up to power. What the Eyes Don’t See is the personal story of how Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha—accompanied by an idiosyncratic team of researchers, parents, friends, and community leaders—proved that Flint’s kids were exposed to lead despite the state’s assurance that the water was safe. Paced like a scientific thriller, Dr. Mona’s new book shows how misguided austerity policies, the withdrawal of democratic government, and callous bureaucratic indifference placed an entire city at risk. Named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2016, Dr. Mona will visit ALOUD to share her journey as an Iraqi-American immigrant, doctor, scientist, and mother whose family’s activist roots sparked her pursuit of justice—a fight for the children of Flint that she continues today. 01:09:33 http://www.lapl.org/node/95059 Thu, 28 Jun 2018 19:00:00 -0800 The New York Times bestselling memoir Heart Berries is the powerful, poetic meditation of a woman’s coming-of-age on the Seabird Island Indian Reservation in the Pacific Northwest. Having survived a profoundly dysfunctional upbringing only to find herself hospitalized and facing a dual diagnosis of post traumatic stress disorder and bipolar II disorder, Terese Marie Mailhot is given a notebook and begins to write her way out of trauma. The triumphant result is Heart Berries, a memorial for Mailhot’s mother, a social worker and activist who had a thing for prisoners; a story of reconciliation with her father―an abusive drunk and a brilliant artist―who was murdered under mysterious circumstances; and an elegy on how difficult it is to love someone while dragging the long shadows of shame. “Here is a wound. Here is need, naked and unapologetic. Here is a mountain woman, towering in words great and small,” writes the bestselling and award-winning author Roxane Gay on Heart Berries. Gay will join Mailhot on the ALOUD stage to discuss the journey of discovering one’s true voice to seize control of your story. The New York Times bestselling memoir Heart Berries is the powerful, poetic meditation of a woman’s coming-of-age on the Seabird Island Indian Reservation in the Pacific Northwest. Having survived a profoundly dysfunctional upbringing only to find herself hospitalized and facing a dual diagnosis of post traumatic stress disorder and bipolar II disorder, Terese Marie Mailhot is given a notebook and begins to write her way out of trauma. The triumphant result is Heart Berries, a memorial for Mailhot’s mother, a social worker and activist who had a thing for prisoners; a story of reconciliation with her father―an abusive drunk and a brilliant artist―who was murdered under mysterious circumstances; and an elegy on how difficult it is to love someone while dragging the long shadows of shame. “Here is a wound. Here is need, naked and unapologetic. Here is a mountain woman, towering in words great and small,” writes the bestselling and award-winning author Roxane Gay on Heart Berries. Gay will join Mailhot on the ALOUD stage to discuss the journey of discovering one’s true voice to seize control of your story. 01:18:35 http://www.lapl.org/node/94805 Tue, 19 Jun 2018 19:00:00 -0800 For most of the twentieth century, politics and sports were as separate as church and state. Today, with the transformation of a fueled American patriotism, sports and politics have become increasingly more entwined. However, as sports journalist Howard Bryant explores in his new book, this has always been more complicated for black athletes, who from the start, were committing a political act simply by being on the field. Bryant’s new book The Heritage traces the influences of the radical politics of black athletes over the last 60 years, starting with such trailblazers like Paul Robeson, Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, as well as Tommie Smith and John Carlos —the track stars who 50 years ago this summer made world history for raising their fists with bowed heads while receiving the gold and bronze medals at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. This peaceful protest instantaneously became a historical symbol of the fight for human rights, although the athletes faced a severe blacklash. In a timely conversation moderated by Dr. Todd Boyd, Bryant and Carlos will discuss the collision of sports and political culture, kneeling for the national anthem, and the fervent rise of the athlete-activist. For most of the twentieth century, politics and sports were as separate as church and state. Today, with the transformation of a fueled American patriotism, sports and politics have become increasingly more entwined. However, as sports journalist Howard Bryant explores in his new book, this has always been more complicated for black athletes, who from the start, were committing a political act simply by being on the field. Bryant’s new book The Heritage traces the influences of the radical politics of black athletes over the last 60 years, starting with such trailblazers like Paul Robeson, Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, as well as Tommie Smith and John Carlos —the track stars who 50 years ago this summer made world history for raising their fists with bowed heads while receiving the gold and bronze medals at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. This peaceful protest instantaneously became a historical symbol of the fight for human rights, although the athletes faced a severe blacklash. In a timely conversation moderated by Dr. Todd Boyd, Bryant and Carlos will discuss the collision of sports and political culture, kneeling for the national anthem, and the fervent rise of the athlete-activist. 01:19:50 http://www.lapl.org/node/95063 Thu, 24 May 2018 19:00:00 -0800 Between his tenure as the director of the FBI from 2013 to 2017 under the appointment of President Obama, to his roles as the U.S Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the United States Deputy Attorney General in the administration of President George W. Bush, James Comey has been involved in some of the most consequential cases and policies of recent history. On the occasion of his new book following his highly contentious firing, Comey will take the ALOUD stage and share for the first time anecdotes and reflections from his high-stakes career. From prosecuting the mafia, to helping to change Bush administration policies on torture and electronic surveillance, to overseeing the Hillary Clinton e-mail investigation as well as ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, Comey will discuss the challenges of leading the American government through times of ethical crisis. Between his tenure as the director of the FBI from 2013 to 2017 under the appointment of President Obama, to his roles as the U.S Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the United States Deputy Attorney General in the administration of President George W. Bush, James Comey has been involved in some of the most consequential cases and policies of recent history. On the occasion of his new book following his highly contentious firing, Comey will take the ALOUD stage and share for the first time anecdotes and reflections from his high-stakes career. From prosecuting the mafia, to helping to change Bush administration policies on torture and electronic surveillance, to overseeing the Hillary Clinton e-mail investigation as well as ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, Comey will discuss the challenges of leading the American government through times of ethical crisis. 01:05:42 http://www.lapl.org/node/89686 Thu, 24 May 2018 19:00:00 -0800 From the author of several collections of poetry and memoirs, including the New York Times "Notable Book of the Year" Planet of the Blind, Stephen Kuusisto discusses his latest book, Have Dog, Will Travel: A Poet’s Journey, a lyrical love letter and "a dog-driven invitation to living full forward." Born legally blind, Kuusisto was raised in the 1950s before the Americans with Disability Act and was taught to deny his blindness in order to "pass" as sighted. For most of his life, he coped with his limited vision through tricks like memorization, but when at the age of 38, he was laid off from his teaching job in a small town, he must alter his way of being in the world. Discussing his resonant memoir with author Louise Steinman, Kuusisto recounts how an incredible partnership with a dog changed everything and sent him on a wondrous, spiritual midlife adventure. From the author of several collections of poetry and memoirs, including the New York Times "Notable Book of the Year" Planet of the Blind, Stephen Kuusisto discusses his latest book, Have Dog, Will Travel: A Poet’s Journey, a lyrical love letter and "a dog-driven invitation to living full forward." Born legally blind, Kuusisto was raised in the 1950s before the Americans with Disability Act and was taught to deny his blindness in order to "pass" as sighted. For most of his life, he coped with his limited vision through tricks like memorization, but when at the age of 38, he was laid off from his teaching job in a small town, he must alter his way of being in the world. Discussing his resonant memoir with author Louise Steinman, Kuusisto recounts how an incredible partnership with a dog changed everything and sent him on a wondrous, spiritual midlife adventure. 01:07:44 http://www.lapl.org/node/89674 Thu, 17 May 2018 19:00:00 -0800 Greece’s former finance minister, international bestselling author, and an activist working for the revival of democracy in Europe, Yanis Varoufakis pens a series of letters to his young daughter, educating her about the business, politics, and corruption of world economics. In this intimate new book, written to his teenage daughter, Varoufakis uses clear language and vivid examples to explain heady economic theories, the historical origins of inequality, and our rising global instability. Join us as Varoufakis shares from these important and urgent lessons to equip our future generation with the knowledge to question the current failures of our world economic systems and to find a way to more democratic alternatives. Greece’s former finance minister, international bestselling author, and an activist working for the revival of democracy in Europe, Yanis Varoufakis pens a series of letters to his young daughter, educating her about the business, politics, and corruption of world economics. In this intimate new book, written to his teenage daughter, Varoufakis uses clear language and vivid examples to explain heady economic theories, the historical origins of inequality, and our rising global instability. Join us as Varoufakis shares from these important and urgent lessons to equip our future generation with the knowledge to question the current failures of our world economic systems and to find a way to more democratic alternatives. 01:15:59 http://www.lapl.org/node/94762 Thu, 17 May 2018 19:00:00 -0800 What happens when you take on the establishment? Renowned economist and former finance minister of Greece, Yanis Varoufakis gives a blistering account of his momentous clash with the mightiest economic and political forces on earth when he attempted to re-negotiate Greece’s relationship with the EU in 2015, sparking a spectacular battle with global implications. In a special lunchtime talk, Varoufakis offers an inside look at an extraordinary story fueled by hypocrisy and betrayal that shook the global establishment to its foundations and shares an urgent warning about how the policies once embraced by the EU and the White House have spawned instability throughout the Western world. What happens when you take on the establishment? Renowned economist and former finance minister of Greece, Yanis Varoufakis gives a blistering account of his momentous clash with the mightiest economic and political forces on earth when he attempted to re-negotiate Greece’s relationship with the EU in 2015, sparking a spectacular battle with global implications. In a special lunchtime talk, Varoufakis offers an inside look at an extraordinary story fueled by hypocrisy and betrayal that shook the global establishment to its foundations and shares an urgent warning about how the policies once embraced by the EU and the White House have spawned instability throughout the Western world. 1:00:47 http://www.lapl.org/node/89673 Thu, 10 May 2018 19:00:00 -0800 From the twice National Book Award–nominated and bestselling author of The Flamethrowers, Rachel Kushner offers a heart-stopping new novel, The Mars Room, that straddles the inside—and outside—of protagonist Romy Hall’s reality: an inmate beginning two consecutive life sentences at Stanville Women’s Correctional Facility, deep in California’s Central Valley, where “you do not see a single star.” With great humor and precision, Kushner moves between Hall’s polar worlds: the severed world of her past in San Francisco with her young son and her present institutional living with its absurdities and the thousands of women hustling for the bare essentials needed to survive. Kushner will discuss this emotionally acute yet unsentimental story with writer Danzy Senna, who frequently writes about race in America. From the twice National Book Award–nominated and bestselling author of The Flamethrowers, Rachel Kushner offers a heart-stopping new novel, The Mars Room, that straddles the inside—and outside—of protagonist Romy Hall’s reality: an inmate beginning two consecutive life sentences at Stanville Women’s Correctional Facility, deep in California’s Central Valley, where “you do not see a single star.” With great humor and precision, Kushner moves between Hall’s polar worlds: the severed world of her past in San Francisco with her young son and her present institutional living with its absurdities and the thousands of women hustling for the bare essentials needed to survive. Kushner will discuss this emotionally acute yet unsentimental story with writer Danzy Senna, who frequently writes about race in America. 01:03:06 http://www.lapl.org/node/89672 Tue, 24 Apr 2018 19:00:00 -0800 Two of the world’s greatest living poets come together for a rare Los Angeles reading and conversation. The work of Robert Hass, former U.S. Poet Laureate and long-time translator of Nobel Laureate Czesław Miłosz, speaks to us of love and loss, of the hopefulness and the limitations of intimacy, of our humanness laid bare in the midst of art, the natural world, and each other. His most recent essay collection, A Little Book on Form, illuminates the impulses that underlie great poetry. Adam Zagajewski, whose outlook was formed in the aftermath of the Second World War and the occupation of Poland, negotiates the earthbound and the ethereal in poems that can be as arresting as they are luminous, as witty as they are serious. His recent memoir, Slight Exaggeration, is a wry and philosophical defense of mystery. During a time when our world feels deeply damaged and charged with uncivil discourse, these two masters of language will explore poetry’s enduring inclination to marvel, with novelist Andrew Winer serving as interlocutor. Two of the world’s greatest living poets come together for a rare Los Angeles reading and conversation. The work of Robert Hass, former U.S. Poet Laureate and long-time translator of Nobel Laureate Czesław Miłosz, speaks to us of love and loss, of the hopefulness and the limitations of intimacy, of our humanness laid bare in the midst of art, the natural world, and each other. His most recent essay collection, A Little Book on Form, illuminates the impulses that underlie great poetry. Adam Zagajewski, whose outlook was formed in the aftermath of the Second World War and the occupation of Poland, negotiates the earthbound and the ethereal in poems that can be as arresting as they are luminous, as witty as they are serious. His recent memoir, Slight Exaggeration, is a wry and philosophical defense of mystery. During a time when our world feels deeply damaged and charged with uncivil discourse, these two masters of language will explore poetry’s enduring inclination to marvel, with novelist Andrew Winer serving as interlocutor. 01:25:35 http://www.lapl.org/node/89667 Mon, 09 Apr 2018 19:00:00 -0800 In a special Los Angeles visit, human rights activists Robert King and Albert Woodfox, the two surviving members of the Angola 3, known for having served the longest solitary confinement sentences in U.S. history, share their remarkable story of survival and advocacy. As comrades inside Louisiana State Penitentiary—the largest prison in the U.S. and former slave plantation known as "Angola"—they jointly established a chapter of the Black Panther Party within the prison and led peaceful non-violent protest against the racist and cruel conditions inflicted upon prisoners. Together with Herman Wallace (released 2013, deceased 2013), they collectively spent 114 years in solitary confinement. Since being released, King (released 2001) and Woodfox (released 2016) have traveled the globe campaigning for limits to solitary confinement and an end to the 13th amendment allowance for the enslavement of prisoners. These two unbreakable spirits shed light on the reality of the American criminal justice system and represent the struggle of everyone unjustly incarcerated. In a special Los Angeles visit, human rights activists Robert King and Albert Woodfox, the two surviving members of the Angola 3, known for having served the longest solitary confinement sentences in U.S. history, share their remarkable story of survival and advocacy. As comrades inside Louisiana State Penitentiary—the largest prison in the U.S. and former slave plantation known as "Angola"—they jointly established a chapter of the Black Panther Party within the prison and led peaceful non-violent protest against the racist and cruel conditions inflicted upon prisoners. Together with Herman Wallace (released 2013, deceased 2013), they collectively spent 114 years in solitary confinement. Since being released, King (released 2001) and Woodfox (released 2016) have traveled the globe campaigning for limits to solitary confinement and an end to the 13th amendment allowance for the enslavement of prisoners. These two unbreakable spirits shed light on the reality of the American criminal justice system and represent the struggle of everyone unjustly incarcerated. 01:19:17 http://www.lapl.org/node/89666 Mon, 02 Apr 2018 19:00:00 -0800 New York Times bestselling author Mohsin Hamid returns to ALOUD to discuss his latest novel Exit West, a visionary love story that imagines the forces that drive ordinary people from their homes into the uncertain embrace of new lands. Infusing the stark reality of a refugee narrative with the hopeful fantasy of a fairy tale, Exit West follows the journey of two young lovers who flee an unnamed country on the brink of civil war through a magical door that transports them to other places. A profound exploration of immigration and the universal human need to search for a better world, Pakistan-based author Hamid discusses this timely story with Viet Thanh Nguyen, a MacArthur Award-winning novelist who has also written eloquently about the refugee experience. New York Times bestselling author Mohsin Hamid returns to ALOUD to discuss his latest novel Exit West, a visionary love story that imagines the forces that drive ordinary people from their homes into the uncertain embrace of new lands. Infusing the stark reality of a refugee narrative with the hopeful fantasy of a fairy tale, Exit West follows the journey of two young lovers who flee an unnamed country on the brink of civil war through a magical door that transports them to other places. A profound exploration of immigration and the universal human need to search for a better world, Pakistan-based author Hamid discusses this timely story with Viet Thanh Nguyen, a MacArthur Award-winning novelist who has also written eloquently about the refugee experience. 01:16:39 http://www.lapl.org/node/89665 Wed, 28 Mar 2018 19:00:00 -0800 During his long tenure on the Supreme Court, Antonin Scalia—engaging as well as caustic and openly ideological—moved the Court to the right. In this eye-opening new book, legal scholar Richard L. Hasen analyzes Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia’s complex legacy as a conservative legal thinker and disruptive public intellectual who was crucial to reshaping jurisprudence on issues from abortion to gun rights to separation of powers. Hasen is joined by Erwin Chemerinsky in a special lunchtime conversation about the complex legacy of one of the most influential justices ever to serve on the United States Supreme Court. During his long tenure on the Supreme Court, Antonin Scalia—engaging as well as caustic and openly ideological—moved the Court to the right. In this eye-opening new book, legal scholar Richard L. Hasen analyzes Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia’s complex legacy as a conservative legal thinker and disruptive public intellectual who was crucial to reshaping jurisprudence on issues from abortion to gun rights to separation of powers. Hasen is joined by Erwin Chemerinsky in a special lunchtime conversation about the complex legacy of one of the most influential justices ever to serve on the United States Supreme Court. 00:56:09 http://www.lapl.org/node/89660 Tue, 13 Mar 2018 19:00:00 -0800 "What if, for once in history, a woman’s story could be untethered from what we need it to be in order to feel better about ourselves?" writes visionary author Lidia Yuknavitch in her latest work, The Book of Joan. In this provocatively reimagined Joan of Arc story set in the near future, the world is ravaged by war, violence, and greed, and it brings into question art, sex, gender, and what it means to be human. Amber Tamblyn, widely known for her work as a director and actress, including her role as a modern-day Joan of Arc in the television series Joan of Arcadia, has also written several acclaimed collections of poetry. Yuknavitch and Tamblyn, two misfits who have spurned literary, cultural, and societal expectations to explore unlikely creative worlds, share the stage with fellow misfit Ann Friedman, journalist and co-host of the popular podcast Call Your Girlfriend, to discuss the art of nonconformity. "What if, for once in history, a woman’s story could be untethered from what we need it to be in order to feel better about ourselves?" writes visionary author Lidia Yuknavitch in her latest work, The Book of Joan. In this provocatively reimagined Joan of Arc story set in the near future, the world is ravaged by war, violence, and greed, and it brings into question art, sex, gender, and what it means to be human. Amber Tamblyn, widely known for her work as a director and actress, including her role as a modern-day Joan of Arc in the television series Joan of Arcadia, has also written several acclaimed collections of poetry. Yuknavitch and Tamblyn, two misfits who have spurned literary, cultural, and societal expectations to explore unlikely creative worlds, share the stage with fellow misfit Ann Friedman, journalist and co-host of the popular podcast Call Your Girlfriend, to discuss the art of nonconformity. 01:02:06 http://www.lapl.org/node/89659 Thu, 08 Mar 2018 19:00:00 -0800 In his new book, UCLA law professor Adam Winkler offers a revelatory portrait of how U.S. corporations have seized political power over time. He traces the 200-year effort of pro-business court decisions that give corporations the same rights as people and details the deep historical roots of recent landmark cases like Citizens United and Hobby Lobby. For a special lunchtime conversation, Winkler discusses with author Rick Wartzman of the Drucker Institute how businesses have transformed the Constitution and changed the course of American politics today. In his new book, UCLA law professor Adam Winkler offers a revelatory portrait of how U.S. corporations have seized political power over time. He traces the 200-year effort of pro-business court decisions that give corporations the same rights as people and details the deep historical roots of recent landmark cases like Citizens United and Hobby Lobby. For a special lunchtime conversation, Winkler discusses with author Rick Wartzman of the Drucker Institute how businesses have transformed the Constitution and changed the course of American politics today. 00:58:14 http://www.lapl.org/node/85884 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 19:00:00 -0800 For award-winning writer and former agent for the United States Border Patrol Francisco Cantú, the border is in his blood: his mother, a park ranger and daughter of a Mexican immigrant, raised him in the scrublands of the Southwest. His new book, The Line Becomes A River: Dispatches from the Border, is haunted by the stories he experienced both while working for the Border Patrol—where he hauled in the dead and delivered to detention those he found alive—and also as a civilian after he abandoned the Patrol and helped an immigrant friend return to Mexico to visit his dying mother. Join us for an eye-opening look at the devastation the border wreaks on both sides as Cantú shares this deeply personal work with journalist Ruxandra Guidi, who frequently reports on immigration from the U.S.-Mexico border region. For award-winning writer and former agent for the United States Border Patrol Francisco Cantú, the border is in his blood: his mother, a park ranger and daughter of a Mexican immigrant, raised him in the scrublands of the Southwest. His new book, The Line Becomes A River: Dispatches from the Border, is haunted by the stories he experienced both while working for the Border Patrol—where he hauled in the dead and delivered to detention those he found alive—and also as a civilian after he abandoned the Patrol and helped an immigrant friend return to Mexico to visit his dying mother. Join us for an eye-opening look at the devastation the border wreaks on both sides as Cantú shares this deeply personal work with journalist Ruxandra Guidi, who frequently reports on immigration from the U.S.-Mexico border region. 1:12:32 http://www.lapl.org/node/85882 Tue, 06 Feb 2018 19:00:00 -0800 What moved humans to create cultures—intelligent systems including the arts, morality, science, government, and technology? The answer to this question has typically been the human faculty of language, but preeminent neuroscientist, professor, and director of USC’s Brain and Creativity Institute Antonio Damasio argues that feelings―of pain and suffering or of anticipated pleasure―were the prime engines that stirred human intellect in the cultural direction. In his newest book The Strange Order of Things, Damasio traces the need for cultures back to one-cell organisms, long before there were nervous systems and conscious minds. Damasio will be joined by Manuel Castells, one of the world’s leading sociologists, for a fascinating conversation on the origins of life, mind, and culture that spans the biological and social sciences to offer a new way of understanding the world and our place in it. What moved humans to create cultures—intelligent systems including the arts, morality, science, government, and technology? The answer to this question has typically been the human faculty of language, but preeminent neuroscientist, professor, and director of USC’s Brain and Creativity Institute Antonio Damasio argues that feelings―of pain and suffering or of anticipated pleasure―were the prime engines that stirred human intellect in the cultural direction. In his newest book The Strange Order of Things, Damasio traces the need for cultures back to one-cell organisms, long before there were nervous systems and conscious minds. Damasio will be joined by Manuel Castells, one of the world’s leading sociologists, for a fascinating conversation on the origins of life, mind, and culture that spans the biological and social sciences to offer a new way of understanding the world and our place in it. 01:08:56 http://www.lapl.org/node/85880 Wed, 31 Jan 2018 19:00:00 -0800 Bassem Youssef, a satirist who rose to international fame in the middle of the Egyptian Revolution with his incendiary brand of comedy and his knack for unabashedly mocking dictators, has been dubbed “the Jon Stewart of the Arabic world.” In his new book, Revolution for Dummies: Laughing Through the Arab Spring, Youssef chronicles his transformation from a heart surgeon who filmed YouTube skits in the laundry room of his home to the host and creator of the popular Egyptian television show, AlBernameg (“The Program”). Youssef’s provocative political commentary quickly incensed the authoritarian government, who accused him of insulting the Egyptian presidency and Islam, and he was arrested and interrogated by the police. While his case was eventually dismissed, his television show was terminated, and Youssef, fearful for his safety, fled his homeland. Now living in exile in Los Angeles, Youssef will take the ALOUD stage to discusses his tumultuous—and hilarious—journey through a revolution that illuminates how jokes are often mightier than the sword. Bassem Youssef, a satirist who rose to international fame in the middle of the Egyptian Revolution with his incendiary brand of comedy and his knack for unabashedly mocking dictators, has been dubbed “the Jon Stewart of the Arabic world.” In his new book, Revolution for Dummies: Laughing Through the Arab Spring, Youssef chronicles his transformation from a heart surgeon who filmed YouTube skits in the laundry room of his home to the host and creator of the popular Egyptian television show, AlBernameg (“The Program”). Youssef’s provocative political commentary quickly incensed the authoritarian government, who accused him of insulting the Egyptian presidency and Islam, and he was arrested and interrogated by the police. While his case was eventually dismissed, his television show was terminated, and Youssef, fearful for his safety, fled his homeland. Now living in exile in Los Angeles, Youssef will take the ALOUD stage to discusses his tumultuous—and hilarious—journey through a revolution that illuminates how jokes are often mightier than the sword. 00:59:16 http://www.lapl.org/node/85879 Tue, 23 Jan 2018 19:00:00 -0800 Because of its similar celebration of the beauty of the natural world and focus on compactness, contemporary Zapotec-language poetry shares much in common with the Japanese haiku. Poet Víctor Terán—who’s performed his work from Oaxaca to London—will share some of his translations of the Japanese masters of the form alongside his own original Zapotec haiku, and American poet Jane Hirshfield will discuss both the haiku form and the way that the natural world informs her own work. The program will culminate with the presentation of Terán’s new translation into Zapotec of a poem by Hirshfield and a conversation between the two poets, moderated by David Shook—translator, poet, and publisher of Phoneme Media. Bilingual program Spanish/English with simultaneous interpretation by Antena Los Ángeles.This program is produced as part of the Getty's initiative Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA. Because of its similar celebration of the beauty of the natural world and focus on compactness, contemporary Zapotec-language poetry shares much in common with the Japanese haiku. Poet Víctor Terán—who’s performed his work from Oaxaca to London—will share some of his translations of the Japanese masters of the form alongside his own original Zapotec haiku, and American poet Jane Hirshfield will discuss both the haiku form and the way that the natural world informs her own work. The program will culminate with the presentation of Terán’s new translation into Zapotec of a poem by Hirshfield and a conversation between the two poets, moderated by David Shook—translator, poet, and publisher of Phoneme Media. Bilingual program Spanish/English with simultaneous interpretation by Antena Los Ángeles.This program is produced as part of the Getty's initiative Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA. 01:32:24 http://www.lapl.org/node/85878 Thu, 18 Jan 2018 19:00:00 -0800 Winner of a 2017 Pulitzer Prize, historian Heather Ann Thompson sheds new light on the infamous 1971 Attica Prison riot as one of the most important civil rights stories of the last century. Chronicling the horrific conditions that led to 1,300 prisoners taking over the upstate New York correctional facility and how the state violently retook the prison—killing thirty-nine men and severely wounding more than a hundred others—Blood in the Water also confronts the gruesome aftermath. From brutal retaliation against the prisoners, to corrupt investigations and cover-ups, and civil and criminal lawsuits, Thompson meticulously follows the ensuing forty-five-year fight for justice. In a conversation with Kelly Lytle Hernandez, a professor and director of the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies at UCLA, Thompson discusses the impact of what this tragic historic moment can teach us about racial conflict, failures in mass incarceration, and police brutality in America today. Winner of a 2017 Pulitzer Prize, historian Heather Ann Thompson sheds new light on the infamous 1971 Attica Prison riot as one of the most important civil rights stories of the last century. Chronicling the horrific conditions that led to 1,300 prisoners taking over the upstate New York correctional facility and how the state violently retook the prison—killing thirty-nine men and severely wounding more than a hundred others—Blood in the Water also confronts the gruesome aftermath. From brutal retaliation against the prisoners, to corrupt investigations and cover-ups, and civil and criminal lawsuits, Thompson meticulously follows the ensuing forty-five-year fight for justice. In a conversation with Kelly Lytle Hernandez, a professor and director of the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies at UCLA, Thompson discusses the impact of what this tragic historic moment can teach us about racial conflict, failures in mass incarceration, and police brutality in America today. 01:09:46 http://www.lapl.org/node/81488 Thu, 07 Dec 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Last fall’s presidential election brought a range of impassioned voices to the national stage, but one of the most captivating speakers rose above petty politics with a deeply personal and very different view of what it means to be American. You may recall the Muslim parent Khizr Khan from the DNC when he spoke about his son, a U.S. Army Captain who was killed while protecting his base camp in Iraq. In Khan’s inspiring new book, An American Family: A Memoir of Hope and Sacrifice, he reflects on his grief for his son as well as his family history of pursuing the American dream during these tumultuous times. From humble beginnings on a poultry farm in Pakistan to obtaining a degree from Harvard Law School and raising a family in America—Khan shows what it means to leave the limitations of one’s country behind for the best values and promises of another. Khan will now take the ALOUD stage to discuss the realities of life in a nation of immigrants and the daily struggles of living up to our ideals. Last fall’s presidential election brought a range of impassioned voices to the national stage, but one of the most captivating speakers rose above petty politics with a deeply personal and very different view of what it means to be American. You may recall the Muslim parent Khizr Khan from the DNC when he spoke about his son, a U.S. Army Captain who was killed while protecting his base camp in Iraq. In Khan’s inspiring new book, An American Family: A Memoir of Hope and Sacrifice, he reflects on his grief for his son as well as his family history of pursuing the American dream during these tumultuous times. From humble beginnings on a poultry farm in Pakistan to obtaining a degree from Harvard Law School and raising a family in America—Khan shows what it means to leave the limitations of one’s country behind for the best values and promises of another. Khan will now take the ALOUD stage to discuss the realities of life in a nation of immigrants and the daily struggles of living up to our ideals. 01:13:28 http://www.lapl.org/node/81487 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 19:00:00 -0800 What lies at the heart of humanity’s ability―and drive―to create? New York Times bestselling author and neuroscientist David Eagleman teams up with internationally acclaimed composer and Associate Professor at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music Anthony Brandt in a wide-ranging exploration of human creativity. In their new book, The Runaway Species: How Human Creativity Remakes the World, the pair studies hundreds of examples of human creativity from landing on the moon to paintings by Picasso to connect what creative acts have in common. By uncovering the essential elements of human innovation and examining them through the lens of cutting-edge neuroscience, Eagleman and Brandt consider how we can harness creativity to better our lives, schools, businesses, and institutions. Join us for an inspiring look at humanity’s unique ability to use the powerful tools of arts, technology, science, and more to improve our future. What lies at the heart of humanity’s ability―and drive―to create? New York Times bestselling author and neuroscientist David Eagleman teams up with internationally acclaimed composer and Associate Professor at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music Anthony Brandt in a wide-ranging exploration of human creativity. In their new book, The Runaway Species: How Human Creativity Remakes the World, the pair studies hundreds of examples of human creativity from landing on the moon to paintings by Picasso to connect what creative acts have in common. By uncovering the essential elements of human innovation and examining them through the lens of cutting-edge neuroscience, Eagleman and Brandt consider how we can harness creativity to better our lives, schools, businesses, and institutions. Join us for an inspiring look at humanity’s unique ability to use the powerful tools of arts, technology, science, and more to improve our future. 00:55:13 http://www.lapl.org/node/81486 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Why has our society become so punitive? In recent years, critics have assailed the rise of mass incarceration, emphasizing its disproportionate impact on people of color. However, many African American leaders in the nation’s urban centers supported the war on crime that began in the 1970s. James Forman, Jr., a professor of law at Yale Law School and former D.C. public defender, wrestles with the complexities of race and the criminal justice system in his new book, Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America. Chronicling riveting stories of politicians, community activists, police officers, defendants, and crime victims, Forman illustrates with great compassion how racism plagues our current system of tough-on-crime measures. In an eye-opening conversation with Gary B. Nash Professor of American History at UCLA Robin D.G. Kelley, Forman shines a light on the urgent debate over the future of America’s criminal justice system. Why has our society become so punitive? In recent years, critics have assailed the rise of mass incarceration, emphasizing its disproportionate impact on people of color. However, many African American leaders in the nation’s urban centers supported the war on crime that began in the 1970s. James Forman, Jr., a professor of law at Yale Law School and former D.C. public defender, wrestles with the complexities of race and the criminal justice system in his new book, Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America. Chronicling riveting stories of politicians, community activists, police officers, defendants, and crime victims, Forman illustrates with great compassion how racism plagues our current system of tough-on-crime measures. In an eye-opening conversation with Gary B. Nash Professor of American History at UCLA Robin D.G. Kelley, Forman shines a light on the urgent debate over the future of America’s criminal justice system. 01:19:34 http://www.lapl.org/node/81484 Thu, 16 Nov 2017 19:00:00 -0800 L.A.’s own Janet Fitch, the mega-bestselling author of White Oleander and Paint It Black, returns to ALOUD with her newest work, a sweeping historical saga of the Russian Revolution. Beginning on New Year’s Eve in 1916 St. Petersburg, The Revolution of Marina M. follows the mesmerizing coming-of-age story of a young woman of privilege who aches to break free of the constraints of her genteel life, a life about to be violently upended by the vast forces of history. Joining Fitch to discuss this epic journey through some of the most dramatic events of the last century is Boris Dralyuk, a Russian literature scholar and executive editor of the Los Angeles Review of Books, who helped Fitch with the Russian translations for her book. L.A.’s own Janet Fitch, the mega-bestselling author of White Oleander and Paint It Black, returns to ALOUD with her newest work, a sweeping historical saga of the Russian Revolution. Beginning on New Year’s Eve in 1916 St. Petersburg, The Revolution of Marina M. follows the mesmerizing coming-of-age story of a young woman of privilege who aches to break free of the constraints of her genteel life, a life about to be violently upended by the vast forces of history. Joining Fitch to discuss this epic journey through some of the most dramatic events of the last century is Boris Dralyuk, a Russian literature scholar and executive editor of the Los Angeles Review of Books, who helped Fitch with the Russian translations for her book. 00:50:06 http://www.lapl.org/node/81483 Tue, 14 Nov 2017 19:00:00 -0800 The program is conducted in both Spanish and English. Anthropologists have traced the Meso-American acceptance of people of mixed gender back to pre-Columbian Mexico accounts of Aztec priests and Mayan gods who cross-dressed and were considered both male and female. In the shifting landscape of gender identity, what might we learn from the indigenous Zapotec people of Oaxaca’s isthmus region, who embrace a third gender—the muxe—within their communities? Zackary Drucker, transgender multimedia artist and producer of the Amazon series Transparent , moderates a conversation with Victor Cata, Zapotec historian, writer, and linguist; Bamby Salcedo, founder of the Los Angeles-based TransLatin@Coalition, and Maritza Sanchez, Embajadora de los muxes en el exterior (Ambassador of Muxes in the Exterior.) Simultaneous interpretation was provided by Antena Los Ángeles. This program was produced as part of The Getty's Pacific Standard Time: LA/LAinitiative. The program is conducted in both Spanish and English. Anthropologists have traced the Meso-American acceptance of people of mixed gender back to pre-Columbian Mexico accounts of Aztec priests and Mayan gods who cross-dressed and were considered both male and female. In the shifting landscape of gender identity, what might we learn from the indigenous Zapotec people of Oaxaca’s isthmus region, who embrace a third gender—the muxe—within their communities? Zackary Drucker, transgender multimedia artist and producer of the Amazon series Transparent , moderates a conversation with Victor Cata, Zapotec historian, writer, and linguist; Bamby Salcedo, founder of the Los Angeles-based TransLatin@Coalition, and Maritza Sanchez, Embajadora de los muxes en el exterior (Ambassador of Muxes in the Exterior.) Simultaneous interpretation was provided by Antena Los Ángeles. This program was produced as part of The Getty's Pacific Standard Time: LA/LAinitiative. 01:08:30 http://www.lapl.org/node/81482 Thu, 09 Nov 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Join us for an evening celebrating indigenous poetry from the United States and Mexico with three major poets—Natalie Diaz (member of the Mojave and Pima Indian tribes, winner of the Nimrod/Hardman Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry, language activist, and educator), Layli Long Soldier (an Oglala Lakota poet, writer, and artist whose debut poetry collection Whereas is short-listed for the National Book Award), and Natalia Toledo (a Mexican poet and translator who writes in Spanish and Zapotec and won the Nezhualcóyotl Prize, Mexico’s highest honor for indigenous-language literature). Each poet will read from their distinctive work that moves across many languages and lands, exploring what it means to be an indigenous woman writer in today’s world. This special program will also feature a performance by Cahuilla Bird singing master Michael Mirelez and company, who are part of a long, inter-generational tradition of culture bearers within the local California Indian community. Simultaneous interpretation was provided by Antena Los Ángeles. This program was conducted in both Spanish and English.This program was produced as part of The Getty's Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA initiative. Join us for an evening celebrating indigenous poetry from the United States and Mexico with three major poets—Natalie Diaz (member of the Mojave and Pima Indian tribes, winner of the Nimrod/Hardman Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry, language activist, and educator), Layli Long Soldier (an Oglala Lakota poet, writer, and artist whose debut poetry collection Whereas is short-listed for the National Book Award), and Natalia Toledo (a Mexican poet and translator who writes in Spanish and Zapotec and won the Nezhualcóyotl Prize, Mexico’s highest honor for indigenous-language literature). Each poet will read from their distinctive work that moves across many languages and lands, exploring what it means to be an indigenous woman writer in today’s world. This special program will also feature a performance by Cahuilla Bird singing master Michael Mirelez and company, who are part of a long, inter-generational tradition of culture bearers within the local California Indian community. Simultaneous interpretation was provided by Antena Los Ángeles. This program was conducted in both Spanish and English.This program was produced as part of The Getty's Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA initiative. 01:13:20 http://www.lapl.org/node/81481 Wed, 01 Nov 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Caitlin Doughty, a mortician, best-selling author, blogger, YouTube personality, and director of the nonprofit funeral home, Undertaking LA, has long been fascinated by death, what it means to treat the dead with dignity, and why we are so afraid of dead bodies. Her new book, From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death, sets out on a global journey to discover how other cultures care for their dead. With curiosity and morbid humor, Doughty encounters a range of rituals from a grandpa’s mummy being cared for in a family home in rural Indonesia to a Japanese practice of using chopsticks to pick bones from cremation ashes. As many cultures around the world celebrate their ancestors this time of year, join us for a refreshing look at death practices, mourning rituals, and how we might bring life to the way we think about death. Caitlin Doughty, a mortician, best-selling author, blogger, YouTube personality, and director of the nonprofit funeral home, Undertaking LA, has long been fascinated by death, what it means to treat the dead with dignity, and why we are so afraid of dead bodies. Her new book, From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death, sets out on a global journey to discover how other cultures care for their dead. With curiosity and morbid humor, Doughty encounters a range of rituals from a grandpa’s mummy being cared for in a family home in rural Indonesia to a Japanese practice of using chopsticks to pick bones from cremation ashes. As many cultures around the world celebrate their ancestors this time of year, join us for a refreshing look at death practices, mourning rituals, and how we might bring life to the way we think about death. 01:07:22 http://www.lapl.org/node/81479 Thu, 26 Oct 2017 19:00:00 -0800 No American city was more important to the Nazis than Los Angeles, home to Hollywood, the greatest propaganda machine in the world. There were Nazi plots to hang prominent Hollywood figures like Charlie Chaplin, gun down Jews in Boyle Heights, and plans to sabotage local military installations. As law enforcement agencies were busy monitoring the Reds instead of Nazis, an attorney named Leon Lewis and his ring of spies entered the picture. Acclaimed historian and USC Professor Steven J. Ross’ new book, Hitler in Los Angeles: How Jews Foiled Nazi Plots Against Hollywood and America, tells this little-known story of Lewis, whose covert operation infiltrated every Nazi and fascist group in the area to disrupt their plans. Ross is joined by the Jewish Journal’s former Editor-in-Chief Rob Eshman, for a fascinating look at how a daring group of individuals banded together to confront the rise of hate. No American city was more important to the Nazis than Los Angeles, home to Hollywood, the greatest propaganda machine in the world. There were Nazi plots to hang prominent Hollywood figures like Charlie Chaplin, gun down Jews in Boyle Heights, and plans to sabotage local military installations. As law enforcement agencies were busy monitoring the Reds instead of Nazis, an attorney named Leon Lewis and his ring of spies entered the picture. Acclaimed historian and USC Professor Steven J. Ross’ new book, Hitler in Los Angeles: How Jews Foiled Nazi Plots Against Hollywood and America, tells this little-known story of Lewis, whose covert operation infiltrated every Nazi and fascist group in the area to disrupt their plans. Ross is joined by the Jewish Journal’s former Editor-in-Chief Rob Eshman, for a fascinating look at how a daring group of individuals banded together to confront the rise of hate. 01:01:43 http://www.lapl.org/node/81476 Tue, 24 Oct 2017 19:00:00 -0800 New York Times bestselling author Roz Chast returns to ALOUD with her hilarious new graphic memoir, Going Into Town: A Love Letter to New York. Chast is a native Brooklynite and quintessential New Yorker whose street cred is regularly on display in The New Yorker, where she’s published over 1,000 cartoons. But when she moved to the suburbs, navigating life filled with trees instead of garbage was surreal— although her kids would grow up thinking the opposite was true. On the occasion of her daughter leaving the suburbs to attend college in the city, Chast was inspired to create a city guide to her beloved home turf to help ease her daughter’s cultural shock. Filled with laugh-out-loud drawings, stories, maps, and more, Chast will take us on her personal tour of Manhattan. Many of the wonderful cartoons referenced by Chast in this podcast recording can be perused on her website at rozchast.com. New York Times bestselling author Roz Chast returns to ALOUD with her hilarious new graphic memoir, Going Into Town: A Love Letter to New York. Chast is a native Brooklynite and quintessential New Yorker whose street cred is regularly on display in The New Yorker, where she’s published over 1,000 cartoons. But when she moved to the suburbs, navigating life filled with trees instead of garbage was surreal— although her kids would grow up thinking the opposite was true. On the occasion of her daughter leaving the suburbs to attend college in the city, Chast was inspired to create a city guide to her beloved home turf to help ease her daughter’s cultural shock. Filled with laugh-out-loud drawings, stories, maps, and more, Chast will take us on her personal tour of Manhattan. Many of the wonderful cartoons referenced by Chast in this podcast recording can be perused on her website at rozchast.com. 01:07:12 http://www.lapl.org/node/81449 Sat, 21 Oct 2017 19:00:00 -0800 The essence of who we are is wrapped up in our language. What is human knowledge lost when a language goes extinct? Why should we care? Join ALOUD for a freewheeling conversation among language activists working to reclaim indigenous languages in California and Mexico. For the first time together on stage, this unique group of participants includes master linguist and language preservationist Leanne Hinton; Native California language activist Vincent Medina and Virginia Carmelo; Odilia Romero Hernández, Zapotec language rights activist; and poet/activist Bob Holman, co-producer of the PBS documentary, Language Matters. Simultaneous interpretation was provided by Antena Los Ángeles. This program was produced as part of The Getty's Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA initiative. The essence of who we are is wrapped up in our language. What is human knowledge lost when a language goes extinct? Why should we care? Join ALOUD for a freewheeling conversation among language activists working to reclaim indigenous languages in California and Mexico. For the first time together on stage, this unique group of participants includes master linguist and language preservationist Leanne Hinton; Native California language activist Vincent Medina and Virginia Carmelo; Odilia Romero Hernández, Zapotec language rights activist; and poet/activist Bob Holman, co-producer of the PBS documentary, Language Matters. Simultaneous interpretation was provided by Antena Los Ángeles. This program was produced as part of The Getty's Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA initiative. http://www.lapl.org/node/83467 Thu, 19 Oct 2017 19:00:00 -0800 “Is there anything Egan can’t do?” asked The New York Times Book Review. In the long-awaited follow-up to her Pulitzer Prize–winning A Visit from the Goon Squad, Jennifer Egan masters her first historical novel. Beginning during the middle of the Great Depression, Manhattan Beach follows the story of Anna Kerrigan, a young girl who comes of age with a country at war. Inheriting the role of providing for her mother and sister after her father mysteriously disappears, Anna works at the Brooklyn Naval Yard, where women are allowed to hold jobs that had always belonged to men. She becomes the first female diver, the most dangerous and exclusive of occupations, repairing the ships that will help America win the war. Sharing from this hauntingly beautiful new work, Egan takes us back to a moment in time when in the lives of women and men, America and the world transformed forever. “Is there anything Egan can’t do?” asked The New York Times Book Review. In the long-awaited follow-up to her Pulitzer Prize–winning A Visit from the Goon Squad, Jennifer Egan masters her first historical novel. Beginning during the middle of the Great Depression, Manhattan Beach follows the story of Anna Kerrigan, a young girl who comes of age with a country at war. Inheriting the role of providing for her mother and sister after her father mysteriously disappears, Anna works at the Brooklyn Naval Yard, where women are allowed to hold jobs that had always belonged to men. She becomes the first female diver, the most dangerous and exclusive of occupations, repairing the ships that will help America win the war. Sharing from this hauntingly beautiful new work, Egan takes us back to a moment in time when in the lives of women and men, America and the world transformed forever. 01:06:49 http://www.lapl.org/node/81447 Tue, 10 Oct 2017 19:00:00 -0800 There’s one major aspect of the popular Gold Rush lore that few Californians today know about: during that period, California’s Indian population plunged from perhaps 150,000 to 30,000, much of the decline from state-sponsored slaughter. Addressing the aftermath of colonization and historical trauma, a leading scholar explores the miraculous legacy of California Indians, including their extensive contributions to our culture today. Join us for a conversation with UCLA historian Benjamin Madley, author of the groundbreaking study: An American Genocide: The United States and the California Indian Catastrophe, 1846-1873. This program was produced as part of the Getty's Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA initiative. There’s one major aspect of the popular Gold Rush lore that few Californians today know about: during that period, California’s Indian population plunged from perhaps 150,000 to 30,000, much of the decline from state-sponsored slaughter. Addressing the aftermath of colonization and historical trauma, a leading scholar explores the miraculous legacy of California Indians, including their extensive contributions to our culture today. Join us for a conversation with UCLA historian Benjamin Madley, author of the groundbreaking study: An American Genocide: The United States and the California Indian Catastrophe, 1846-1873. This program was produced as part of the Getty's Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA initiative. 01:25:07 http://www.lapl.org/node/81446 Thu, 05 Oct 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Stephen Greenblatt—the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award–winning author of The Swerve and Will in the World—investigates the life of one of humankind’s greatest stories. His newest book, The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve, explores the enduring narrative of humanity’s first parents. Tracking the tale into the deep past, Greenblatt uncovers the tremendous theological, artistic, and cultural investment over centuries that made these fictional figures so profoundly resonant in the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim worlds and also so very “real” to millions of people even in the present. In a conversation with Jack Miles, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of God: A Biography, Greenblatt will demystify how—for better or worse—the biblical origin story permeates our lives today. Stephen Greenblatt—the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award–winning author of The Swerve and Will in the World—investigates the life of one of humankind’s greatest stories. His newest book, The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve, explores the enduring narrative of humanity’s first parents. Tracking the tale into the deep past, Greenblatt uncovers the tremendous theological, artistic, and cultural investment over centuries that made these fictional figures so profoundly resonant in the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim worlds and also so very “real” to millions of people even in the present. In a conversation with Jack Miles, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of God: A Biography, Greenblatt will demystify how—for better or worse—the biblical origin story permeates our lives today. 01:09:13 http://www.lapl.org/node/81445 Tue, 26 Sep 2017 19:00:00 -0800 In Danielle Allen’s elegiac family memoir, Cuz: On the Life and Times of Michael A., she tries to make sense of a young African American man’s tragic coming-of-age in Los Angeles. Allen, a Harvard professor and author of Our Declaration: A Reading of the Declaration of Independence in Defense of Equality, became the "cousin-on-duty" when her younger cousin Michael was released from prison. Arrested at fifteen, tried as an adult—three years after his release, Michael was shot and killed. Why? Allen’s deeply personal and poignant story is an unwavering look at a world transformed by the sudden availability of narcotics and the rise of street gangs, drugs, and the failures of mass incarceration. Rallying an urgent call for system-wide reform, Allen discusses her new work with Franklin Leonard, a film executive who founded The Black List, a yearly publication featuring Hollywood’s most popular unproduced screenplays. In Danielle Allen’s elegiac family memoir, Cuz: On the Life and Times of Michael A., she tries to make sense of a young African American man’s tragic coming-of-age in Los Angeles. Allen, a Harvard professor and author of Our Declaration: A Reading of the Declaration of Independence in Defense of Equality, became the "cousin-on-duty" when her younger cousin Michael was released from prison. Arrested at fifteen, tried as an adult—three years after his release, Michael was shot and killed. Why? Allen’s deeply personal and poignant story is an unwavering look at a world transformed by the sudden availability of narcotics and the rise of street gangs, drugs, and the failures of mass incarceration. Rallying an urgent call for system-wide reform, Allen discusses her new work with Franklin Leonard, a film executive who founded The Black List, a yearly publication featuring Hollywood’s most popular unproduced screenplays. 01:10:27 http://www.lapl.org/node/81444 Tue, 19 Sep 2017 19:00:00 -0800 With the likes of Diego Rivera and José Clemente Orozco, Mexico has a long tradition of politically engaged public art, which has often depicted—with varying degrees of accuracy—the country’s indigenous population. Two gifted young artists from the collective Tlacolulokos have been commissioned to create a new artwork in the Central Library’s Rotunda in juxtaposition to the 1933 historic Cornwell murals. They will discuss their new work as well as their street-level actions in their hometown of Tlacolula, Oaxaca, with the godfather of Cholo writing, Chaz Bojórquez, and project curator Amanda De La Garza. What is the role of clandestine art actions as a form of political dissent? How effective is it? What are the parallels and differences between how street art is used in Mexico and the United States? Simultaneous translation was provided by Antena Los Ángeles. This program was produced as part of The Getty's Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA With the likes of Diego Rivera and José Clemente Orozco, Mexico has a long tradition of politically engaged public art, which has often depicted—with varying degrees of accuracy—the country’s indigenous population. Two gifted young artists from the collective Tlacolulokos have been commissioned to create a new artwork in the Central Library’s Rotunda in juxtaposition to the 1933 historic Cornwell murals. They will discuss their new work as well as their street-level actions in their hometown of Tlacolula, Oaxaca, with the godfather of Cholo writing, Chaz Bojórquez, and project curator Amanda De La Garza. What is the role of clandestine art actions as a form of political dissent? How effective is it? What are the parallels and differences between how street art is used in Mexico and the United States? Simultaneous translation was provided by Antena Los Ángeles. This program was produced as part of The Getty's Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA 01:04:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/75410 Mon, 31 Jul 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Two generations of African writers—Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, an elder statesman from Kenya, and Richard Ali A Mutu, a young novelist from the Democratic Republic of the Congo—discuss the politics of writing in African languages, the vibrancy of the continent’s cultural output, and exciting new trends in East, West, and Central African writing. Thiong’o and Mutu will be joined for a rare look at groundbreaking indigenous voices by David Shook, the founding editor of Phoneme Media and publisher of Mutu’s debut novel, Mr. Fix-It, the first novel written in Lingala to be translated into English. Two generations of African writers—Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, an elder statesman from Kenya, and Richard Ali A Mutu, a young novelist from the Democratic Republic of the Congo—discuss the politics of writing in African languages, the vibrancy of the continent’s cultural output, and exciting new trends in East, West, and Central African writing. Thiong’o and Mutu will be joined for a rare look at groundbreaking indigenous voices by David Shook, the founding editor of Phoneme Media and publisher of Mutu’s debut novel, Mr. Fix-It, the first novel written in Lingala to be translated into English. 01:15:20 http://www.lapl.org/node/75409 Thu, 27 Jul 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Ali Noorani, the executive director of the National Immigration Forum in Washington, D.C., an advocacy organization promoting the value of immigrants and immigration, sheds new light on our nation’s brewing immigration debate in his timely book, There Goes the Neighborhood: How Communities Overcome Prejudice and Meet the Challenge of American Immigration. Although U.S. politics are more polarizing than ever, Noorani argues that our issues of immigration are more about culture and values than politics and policy. In his book, Noorani follows the personal stories of Americans from across the political spectrum, including conservative faith, business, and law enforcement leaders, who are grappling with the question: "Do we, as Americans, value immigrants and immigration anymore?" Exploring how immigration is affecting the changing nature of American identity, Noorani talks with Pilar Marrero, a journalist and author of Killing the American Dream, a chronicle of U.S. immigration policy mishaps. Ali Noorani, the executive director of the National Immigration Forum in Washington, D.C., an advocacy organization promoting the value of immigrants and immigration, sheds new light on our nation’s brewing immigration debate in his timely book, There Goes the Neighborhood: How Communities Overcome Prejudice and Meet the Challenge of American Immigration. Although U.S. politics are more polarizing than ever, Noorani argues that our issues of immigration are more about culture and values than politics and policy. In his book, Noorani follows the personal stories of Americans from across the political spectrum, including conservative faith, business, and law enforcement leaders, who are grappling with the question: "Do we, as Americans, value immigrants and immigration anymore?" Exploring how immigration is affecting the changing nature of American identity, Noorani talks with Pilar Marrero, a journalist and author of Killing the American Dream, a chronicle of U.S. immigration policy mishaps. 01:01:20 http://www.lapl.org/node/75408 Tue, 25 Jul 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Join us for an electrifying evening of poetry as four bold writers from diverse backgrounds come together on the stage to explore their common experiences of loss through time and history. Navigating losses of home, of life, and of identity—from a family displaced by war to an examination of videos capturing police killing civilians—these local poets will read from their uncompromising work that perseveres despite loss by searching for ways to rise up and recover. Join us for an electrifying evening of poetry as four bold writers from diverse backgrounds come together on the stage to explore their common experiences of loss through time and history. Navigating losses of home, of life, and of identity—from a family displaced by war to an examination of videos capturing police killing civilians—these local poets will read from their uncompromising work that perseveres despite loss by searching for ways to rise up and recover. 01:05:03 http://www.lapl.org/node/75406 Tue, 11 Jul 2017 19:00:00 -0800 An award-winning writer of short stories, children’s books, and literary novels, Maile Meloy’s new novel Do Not Become Alarmed is a masterfully executed emotional thriller about what happens when two American families go on a tropical vacation and the children go missing. New York Times bestselling author Marisa Silver’s latest novel, Little Nothing, follows an electrifying story of a girl, scorned for her physical deformity, whose passion and salvation lie in her otherworldly ability to transform herself and the world around her. Join us as Meloy and Silver share the stage to discuss their gripping work that entrances with literary precision while subverting expectations with every turn of the page. An award-winning writer of short stories, children’s books, and literary novels, Maile Meloy’s new novel Do Not Become Alarmed is a masterfully executed emotional thriller about what happens when two American families go on a tropical vacation and the children go missing. New York Times bestselling author Marisa Silver’s latest novel, Little Nothing, follows an electrifying story of a girl, scorned for her physical deformity, whose passion and salvation lie in her otherworldly ability to transform herself and the world around her. Join us as Meloy and Silver share the stage to discuss their gripping work that entrances with literary precision while subverting expectations with every turn of the page. 01:04:33 http://www.lapl.org/node/75405 Thu, 29 Jun 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Twenty years after her Booker Prize-winning novel The God of Small Things, internationally celebrated author Arundhati Roy returns to fiction with a dazzling new novel. The Ministry of Utmost Happiness journeys across the Indian subcontinent—from the cramped neighborhoods of Old Delhi and the roads of the new city to the mountains and valleys of Kashmir and beyond, where war is peace and peace is war. Braiding together a cast of characters who have been broken by the world they live in and then rescued, and patched together by acts of love and hope, Roy reinvents what a novel can be and reminds readers of her remarkable storytelling talents. Reading from this new novel and discussing her impressive body of work that includes recent nonfiction books such as Field Notes on Democracy and most recently Things That Can and Cannot Be Said, Roy joins prize-winning novelist and former L.A. Times columnist, Héctor Tobar for a very special evening of storytelling. Co-presented with JACCC and Scripps Presents. Twenty years after her Booker Prize-winning novel The God of Small Things, internationally celebrated author Arundhati Roy returns to fiction with a dazzling new novel. The Ministry of Utmost Happiness journeys across the Indian subcontinent—from the cramped neighborhoods of Old Delhi and the roads of the new city to the mountains and valleys of Kashmir and beyond, where war is peace and peace is war. Braiding together a cast of characters who have been broken by the world they live in and then rescued, and patched together by acts of love and hope, Roy reinvents what a novel can be and reminds readers of her remarkable storytelling talents. Reading from this new novel and discussing her impressive body of work that includes recent nonfiction books such as Field Notes on Democracy and most recently Things That Can and Cannot Be Said, Roy joins prize-winning novelist and former L.A. Times columnist, Héctor Tobar for a very special evening of storytelling. Co-presented with JACCC and Scripps Presents. 01:35:24 http://www.lapl.org/node/75403 Wed, 21 Jun 2017 19:00:00 -0800 From growing up as a devout woman from a modest family in Saudia Arabia to becoming an unexpected leader of a courageous movement to support women’s right to drive, Manal al-Sharif recounts her life’s journey in her ferociously intimate new memoir Daring to Drive: A Saudi Woman’s Awakening. When working in the male-dominated field of computer security engineering in her twenties, al-Sharif was labeled a slut for chatting with male colleagues. Her teenage brother chaperoned her on business trips, and while she kept a car in her garage, she was forbidden from driving down city streets behind the wheel. No longer able to tolerate the Saudi kingdom’s contradictions, al-Sharif stood up to a kingdom of men—and won. Discussing her powerful story of resilience with Kelly McEvers, co-host of NPR’s All Things Considered, al-Sharif explores the difficulties, absurdities, and joys of making your voice heard. From growing up as a devout woman from a modest family in Saudia Arabia to becoming an unexpected leader of a courageous movement to support women’s right to drive, Manal al-Sharif recounts her life’s journey in her ferociously intimate new memoir Daring to Drive: A Saudi Woman’s Awakening. When working in the male-dominated field of computer security engineering in her twenties, al-Sharif was labeled a slut for chatting with male colleagues. Her teenage brother chaperoned her on business trips, and while she kept a car in her garage, she was forbidden from driving down city streets behind the wheel. No longer able to tolerate the Saudi kingdom’s contradictions, al-Sharif stood up to a kingdom of men—and won. Discussing her powerful story of resilience with Kelly McEvers, co-host of NPR’s All Things Considered, al-Sharif explores the difficulties, absurdities, and joys of making your voice heard. 01:03:46 http://www.lapl.org/node/75402 Mon, 12 Jun 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Alan Alda, the award-winning actor and bestselling author, discusses his decades-long quest to understand the intricacies of communication. With his trademark humor and candor, Alda’s new book, If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?: My Adventures in the Art and Science of Relating and Communicating, chronicles communication breakdowns in his own life from a life-changing misunderstanding with a dentist to learning how to make science relatable to the masses as host of PBS’s Scientific American Frontiers. Drawing on improvisation training, theater, and storytelling techniques from a life of acting, and with insights from recent scientific studies, Alda equips himself with a range of tools to relate to others more effectively. Sharing with audiences his strategies to build empathy and improve the way we communicate, Alda will demonstrate the art of conversation as he talks with Lisa Wolpe—a master communicator in her own right as an actress, director, teacher, and the Artistic Director and Founder of the Los Angeles Women’s Shakespeare Company. Alan Alda, the award-winning actor and bestselling author, discusses his decades-long quest to understand the intricacies of communication. With his trademark humor and candor, Alda’s new book, If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?: My Adventures in the Art and Science of Relating and Communicating, chronicles communication breakdowns in his own life from a life-changing misunderstanding with a dentist to learning how to make science relatable to the masses as host of PBS’s Scientific American Frontiers. Drawing on improvisation training, theater, and storytelling techniques from a life of acting, and with insights from recent scientific studies, Alda equips himself with a range of tools to relate to others more effectively. Sharing with audiences his strategies to build empathy and improve the way we communicate, Alda will demonstrate the art of conversation as he talks with Lisa Wolpe—a master communicator in her own right as an actress, director, teacher, and the Artistic Director and Founder of the Los Angeles Women’s Shakespeare Company. 00:38:53 http://www.lapl.org/node/75401 Tue, 06 Jun 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Ever since J. Edgar Hoover died, six weeks before the Watergate break-in, the FBI has had to confront presidents. FBI investigations led to President Nixon’s resignation, indictments of President Reagan’s national-security team, and the impeachment of President Clinton. Now the current administration faces a major counterintelligence case. When the FBI confronts the power of the presidency, America must navigate uncharted waters. Tim Weiner, winner of the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for his work on American intelligence and national security, addresses these looming confrontations and the challenges they pose for American democracy. Ever since J. Edgar Hoover died, six weeks before the Watergate break-in, the FBI has had to confront presidents. FBI investigations led to President Nixon’s resignation, indictments of President Reagan’s national-security team, and the impeachment of President Clinton. Now the current administration faces a major counterintelligence case. When the FBI confronts the power of the presidency, America must navigate uncharted waters. Tim Weiner, winner of the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for his work on American intelligence and national security, addresses these looming confrontations and the challenges they pose for American democracy. 01:19:30 http://www.lapl.org/node/72462 Thu, 25 May 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Why do we do the things we do? Author and MacArthur recipient Robert Sapolsky’s game-changing new book Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst attempts to answer this very question, one of the deepest questions of the human species. Moving between neurobiological factors, to the sensory world of our environment and endocrinology, to tracing individual’s childhoods and their genetic makeup, to encompassing larger categories of culture, ecology, and evolution, Sapolsky considers millions of years of science to wrestle with why we ultimately do the things we do…for good and for ill. Discussing his staggering work with evolutionary biologist Amy Parish, Sapolsky takes us on an engrossing tour of the science of human behavior. Why do we do the things we do? Author and MacArthur recipient Robert Sapolsky’s game-changing new book Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst attempts to answer this very question, one of the deepest questions of the human species. Moving between neurobiological factors, to the sensory world of our environment and endocrinology, to tracing individual’s childhoods and their genetic makeup, to encompassing larger categories of culture, ecology, and evolution, Sapolsky considers millions of years of science to wrestle with why we ultimately do the things we do…for good and for ill. Discussing his staggering work with evolutionary biologist Amy Parish, Sapolsky takes us on an engrossing tour of the science of human behavior. 01:19:53 http://www.lapl.org/node/72461 Tue, 23 May 2017 19:00:00 -0800 From searing stories of suspense to literary novels, historical fiction, and film and television scripts, no other writer today has such a wide-ranging body of work like Dennis Lehane. The international bestselling author and screenwriter is best known for his edgy, morally complex, and effortlessly masterful stories that often take place in his hometown of Boston. Now a resident of Los Angeles, many of Lehane’s novels have been adapted into award-winning films, including Mystic River, Shutter Island, Gone, Baby, Gone, and the recently released prohibition-era drama Live by Night. His new book, Since We Fell, follows the psychological drama of Rachel Childs, a former journalist who after an on-air mental breakdown, must reckon with the truths of her new reality. Join us for a special evening with Lehane as he discusses his latest work, his dynamic storytelling, and genre-breaking career with fellow book and screen writer Attica Locke. From searing stories of suspense to literary novels, historical fiction, and film and television scripts, no other writer today has such a wide-ranging body of work like Dennis Lehane. The international bestselling author and screenwriter is best known for his edgy, morally complex, and effortlessly masterful stories that often take place in his hometown of Boston. Now a resident of Los Angeles, many of Lehane’s novels have been adapted into award-winning films, including Mystic River, Shutter Island, Gone, Baby, Gone, and the recently released prohibition-era drama Live by Night. His new book, Since We Fell, follows the psychological drama of Rachel Childs, a former journalist who after an on-air mental breakdown, must reckon with the truths of her new reality. Join us for a special evening with Lehane as he discusses his latest work, his dynamic storytelling, and genre-breaking career with fellow book and screen writer Attica Locke. 01:04:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/72460 Thu, 18 May 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Since 1916 when Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves—the powerful aftermath occurring when black holes collide—scientists have been trying to provide evidence of this profusion of energy. However, a telescope cannot record this event—the only evidence is the sound of spacetime ringing. Janna Levin, one of today’s most eminent theoretical astrophysicists and an award-winning writer, recounts the fascinating story of the surprises, disappointments, achievements, and risks of the scientists who embarked on an epic endeavor to capture the first sounds from space in her latest book, Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space. Join us as Levin explores this radical scientific campaign to record the soundtrack of our universe with cosmologist Sean Carroll. Since 1916 when Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves—the powerful aftermath occurring when black holes collide—scientists have been trying to provide evidence of this profusion of energy. However, a telescope cannot record this event—the only evidence is the sound of spacetime ringing. Janna Levin, one of today’s most eminent theoretical astrophysicists and an award-winning writer, recounts the fascinating story of the surprises, disappointments, achievements, and risks of the scientists who embarked on an epic endeavor to capture the first sounds from space in her latest book, Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space. Join us as Levin explores this radical scientific campaign to record the soundtrack of our universe with cosmologist Sean Carroll. 01:09:36 http://www.lapl.org/node/72459 Tue, 16 May 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Deep in tropical jungles around the world are birds with a dizzying array of appearances and mating displays—from pheasants with 3D feathers to moonwalking manakins—traits that seem disconnected from selection for individual survival. Culminating 30 years of fieldwork, Richard Prum, the Head Curator of Vertebrate Zoology at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History and a world-renowned ornithologist, revives Darwin’s long-neglected theory of sexual selection in which the act of choosing a mate for purely aesthetic reasons—for the mere pleasure of it—is an independent engine of evolutionary change. Sharing from his latest work, The Evolution of Beauty, Prum presents a unique scientific vision for how nature’s splendor contributes to a more complete understanding of evolution and of ourselves in a conversation with evolutionary biologist Amy Parish. Deep in tropical jungles around the world are birds with a dizzying array of appearances and mating displays—from pheasants with 3D feathers to moonwalking manakins—traits that seem disconnected from selection for individual survival. Culminating 30 years of fieldwork, Richard Prum, the Head Curator of Vertebrate Zoology at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History and a world-renowned ornithologist, revives Darwin’s long-neglected theory of sexual selection in which the act of choosing a mate for purely aesthetic reasons—for the mere pleasure of it—is an independent engine of evolutionary change. Sharing from his latest work, The Evolution of Beauty, Prum presents a unique scientific vision for how nature’s splendor contributes to a more complete understanding of evolution and of ourselves in a conversation with evolutionary biologist Amy Parish. 01:09:57 http://www.lapl.org/node/72457 Thu, 11 May 2017 19:00:00 -0800 California poetry has looked to the future, as well as to its complex past and the present, as a way of understanding our place at the edge of the continent. California is about the magic of the land and the promise of possibility— yet the question remains, for whom? Seven contemporary California poets celebrate the diverse poetry of seven distinguished California writers, hoping to provide a lens through which to experience these visions of a life lived in the harsh clarity of a Western light. Featuring Douglas Kearney reading Charles Bukowski; Victoria Chang reading Diane Di Prima; Brendan Constantine reading Wanda Coleman; Brynn Saito reading  Adrienne Rich; Kim Dower reading Gertrude Stein; Amy Gerstler reading Czeslaw Milosz; and Blas Falconer reading Juan Felipe Herrera. California poetry has looked to the future, as well as to its complex past and the present, as a way of understanding our place at the edge of the continent. California is about the magic of the land and the promise of possibility— yet the question remains, for whom? Seven contemporary California poets celebrate the diverse poetry of seven distinguished California writers, hoping to provide a lens through which to experience these visions of a life lived in the harsh clarity of a Western light. Featuring Douglas Kearney reading Charles Bukowski; Victoria Chang reading Diane Di Prima; Brendan Constantine reading Wanda Coleman; Brynn Saito reading  Adrienne Rich; Kim Dower reading Gertrude Stein; Amy Gerstler reading Czeslaw Milosz; and Blas Falconer reading Juan Felipe Herrera. 01:11:54 http://www.lapl.org/node/72458 Tue, 09 May 2017 19:00:00 -0800 David Francis’ latest novel Wedding Bush Road follows the visceral journey of a young L.A. lawyer called back to his family’s horse farm in rural Australia when his mother falls ill. Offering a uniquely intimate take on the timeless struggle between the past and present, town and country, Francis’ writing is fueled by a deep understanding of characters and landscapes that are worlds apart—he also works as a lawyer based in Los Angeles and spends part of each year on his family farm in Australia. Discussing this psychological portrait of a divided family and their complicated roots, Francis is joined by master storyteller and fellow horse aficionado Jane Smiley, who has known Francis for years and calls Wedding Bush Road, “his best work yet.” David Francis’ latest novel Wedding Bush Road follows the visceral journey of a young L.A. lawyer called back to his family’s horse farm in rural Australia when his mother falls ill. Offering a uniquely intimate take on the timeless struggle between the past and present, town and country, Francis’ writing is fueled by a deep understanding of characters and landscapes that are worlds apart—he also works as a lawyer based in Los Angeles and spends part of each year on his family farm in Australia. Discussing this psychological portrait of a divided family and their complicated roots, Francis is joined by master storyteller and fellow horse aficionado Jane Smiley, who has known Francis for years and calls Wedding Bush Road, “his best work yet.” 00:58:57 http://www.lapl.org/node/72456 Thu, 20 Apr 2017 19:00:00 -0800 2017 marks the 25th anniversary of one of contemporary poetry’s most prestigious awards—Claremont Graduate University’s Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award, given for poetry volumes published in the preceding year and created to both honor the poet and provide the resources that allow artists to continue working towards the pinnacle of their craft. In a celebration moderated by the Poetry Society of America’s Executive Director Alice Quinn, join us for an evening looking back at 25 years of this special prize along with readings by this year’s winners Vievee Francis and Phillip B. Williams. 2017 marks the 25th anniversary of one of contemporary poetry’s most prestigious awards—Claremont Graduate University’s Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award, given for poetry volumes published in the preceding year and created to both honor the poet and provide the resources that allow artists to continue working towards the pinnacle of their craft. In a celebration moderated by the Poetry Society of America’s Executive Director Alice Quinn, join us for an evening looking back at 25 years of this special prize along with readings by this year’s winners Vievee Francis and Phillip B. Williams. 36:40 http://www.lapl.org/node/72398 Tue, 18 Apr 2017 19:00:00 -0800 The Colorado River is a crucial resource for a large part of the United States, and every gallon that flows down it is owned or claimed by someone. New Yorker staff writer David Owen, and author of more than a dozen books, delivers his latest work, Where the Water Goes: Life and Death Along the Colorado River, and takes readers on an eye-opening adventure downriver, along a labyrinth of waterways, power plants, farms, fracking sites, ghost towns, and RV parks, to the spot near the U.S.–Mexico border where the river runs dry. Exploring the complexities of this vast man-made ecosystem with environmental reporter Judith Lewis Mernit, Owen illuminates the high-stakes of the water wars of the West. The Colorado River is a crucial resource for a large part of the United States, and every gallon that flows down it is owned or claimed by someone. New Yorker staff writer David Owen, and author of more than a dozen books, delivers his latest work, Where the Water Goes: Life and Death Along the Colorado River, and takes readers on an eye-opening adventure downriver, along a labyrinth of waterways, power plants, farms, fracking sites, ghost towns, and RV parks, to the spot near the U.S.–Mexico border where the river runs dry. Exploring the complexities of this vast man-made ecosystem with environmental reporter Judith Lewis Mernit, Owen illuminates the high-stakes of the water wars of the West. 01:11:48 http://www.lapl.org/node/72396 Thu, 13 Apr 2017 19:00:00 -0800 War used to be a temporary state of affairs, but in today’s post 9/11-world America’s wars are everywhere and forever. Law professor and Foreign Policy columnist Rosa Brooks’ book, How Everything Became War and the Military Became Everything: Tales from the Pentagon, traces what happens when the ancient boundary between war and peace is erased. Part reportage and part memoir, this thought-provoking book is directly informed by Brooks’ unconventional perspective—she is a former top Pentagon official who is the daughter of two anti-war protesters. Examining the political, military, and cultural shifts in times of persistent wars, Brooks joins Los Angeles Times Editor Nick Goldberg to consider the risks facing America’s founding values, laws, and institutions. War used to be a temporary state of affairs, but in today’s post 9/11-world America’s wars are everywhere and forever. Law professor and Foreign Policy columnist Rosa Brooks’ book, How Everything Became War and the Military Became Everything: Tales from the Pentagon, traces what happens when the ancient boundary between war and peace is erased. Part reportage and part memoir, this thought-provoking book is directly informed by Brooks’ unconventional perspective—she is a former top Pentagon official who is the daughter of two anti-war protesters. Examining the political, military, and cultural shifts in times of persistent wars, Brooks joins Los Angeles Times Editor Nick Goldberg to consider the risks facing America’s founding values, laws, and institutions. 01:15:21 http://www.lapl.org/node/72395 Wed, 12 Apr 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Born in a public library in Morocco where his father was a janitor, Abdellah Taïa is an acclaimed novelist and filmmaker who lives in Paris, but sets his latest novel in his home country. With deep lyricism and erotic energy, Infidels follows the life of Jallal, a young gay Muslim who is the son of a prostitute witch doctor. The mother and son struggle as outsiders inside their Islamic world until Jallal moves to Belgium and becomes a jihadist. Taia discusses this powerful story about love and belonging with Steven Reigns, the first City Poet of West Hollywood. Born in a public library in Morocco where his father was a janitor, Abdellah Taïa is an acclaimed novelist and filmmaker who lives in Paris, but sets his latest novel in his home country. With deep lyricism and erotic energy, Infidels follows the life of Jallal, a young gay Muslim who is the son of a prostitute witch doctor. The mother and son struggle as outsiders inside their Islamic world until Jallal moves to Belgium and becomes a jihadist. Taia discusses this powerful story about love and belonging with Steven Reigns, the first City Poet of West Hollywood. 01:15:46 http://www.lapl.org/node/72394 Tue, 28 Mar 2017 19:00:00 -0800 You know Cheech as half of the comedy duo Cheech & Chong, and you know him for his memorable roles in Up in Smoke, Born in East L.A., Desperado, The Lion King, and Jane the Virgin, to name a few. But did you know that Cheech—which is not his real name—is also the owner of the most renowned collection of Chicano art in the world? Did you know that before he became a face of the recreational drug movement, he grew up the son of a cop? Did you know that he crushed Anderson Cooper on Celebrity Jeopardy!? In his long-awaited memoir, this counterculture legend writes candidly about coming-of-age as the wisecracking kid in 1960s Los Angeles, resisting the draft as a young man, and many other surprising journeys along the way of creating one of the most successful comedy acts of all time. Join us for a spirited evening as Cheech reflects on his incredible career spanning over 45 years, in conversation with L.A.’s own Marisol Hernandez, lead singer of the GRAMMY award-winning La Santa Cecilia. You know Cheech as half of the comedy duo Cheech & Chong, and you know him for his memorable roles in Up in Smoke, Born in East L.A., Desperado, The Lion King, and Jane the Virgin, to name a few. But did you know that Cheech—which is not his real name—is also the owner of the most renowned collection of Chicano art in the world? Did you know that before he became a face of the recreational drug movement, he grew up the son of a cop? Did you know that he crushed Anderson Cooper on Celebrity Jeopardy!? In his long-awaited memoir, this counterculture legend writes candidly about coming-of-age as the wisecracking kid in 1960s Los Angeles, resisting the draft as a young man, and many other surprising journeys along the way of creating one of the most successful comedy acts of all time. Join us for a spirited evening as Cheech reflects on his incredible career spanning over 45 years, in conversation with L.A.’s own Marisol Hernandez, lead singer of the GRAMMY award-winning La Santa Cecilia. 01:32:29 http://www.lapl.org/node/72393 Mon, 20 Mar 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Elif Batuman, a New Yorker staff writer and author of The Possessed: Adventures with Russian Books and the People Who Read Them, offers up a delightfully refreshing coming-of-age story about not just discovering but inventing oneself. Batuman’s debut novel The Idiot begins in 1995 when email is new and Selin, the daughter of Turkish immigrants, arrives for her freshman year at Harvard where she navigates the strange new worlds of academics, friendships, and falling in love via email. Batuman discusses this off-kilter journey into adulthood and her recent reporting for The New Yorker from Turkey, with comedic author, television writer, and co-host of The Great Debates podcast Steve Hely. Elif Batuman, a New Yorker staff writer and author of The Possessed: Adventures with Russian Books and the People Who Read Them, offers up a delightfully refreshing coming-of-age story about not just discovering but inventing oneself. Batuman’s debut novel The Idiot begins in 1995 when email is new and Selin, the daughter of Turkish immigrants, arrives for her freshman year at Harvard where she navigates the strange new worlds of academics, friendships, and falling in love via email. Batuman discusses this off-kilter journey into adulthood and her recent reporting for The New Yorker from Turkey, with comedic author, television writer, and co-host of The Great Debates podcast Steve Hely. 01:05:36 http://www.lapl.org/node/72392 Thu, 16 Mar 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Writer, sailor, and surfer Jonathan White journeys deep into the world’s oceans in his new book Tides: The Science and Spirit of the Ocean. From investigating the growth of tidal power generation in Chile and Scotland to delving into the threat of rising sea levels in Panama and Venice, join us for this exploration of the current state of our oceans’ infinitely complex and ever-changing ecosystems and the forces that keep our planet’s waters in constant motion. Writer, sailor, and surfer Jonathan White journeys deep into the world’s oceans in his new book Tides: The Science and Spirit of the Ocean. From investigating the growth of tidal power generation in Chile and Scotland to delving into the threat of rising sea levels in Panama and Venice, join us for this exploration of the current state of our oceans’ infinitely complex and ever-changing ecosystems and the forces that keep our planet’s waters in constant motion. 01:07:13 http://www.lapl.org/node/72389 Mon, 13 Mar 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Award-winning poet Ocean Vuong’s debut full-length collection, Night Sky with Exit Wounds, has been hailed by critics for its powerful emotional undertow, sincerity and candor, and “sense of the evanescence of all earthly things” as Michiko Kakutani writes in The New York Times. Born in Saigon, Vietnam, and now a resident of New York City, Vuong’s poems navigate the overarching worlds of history, sexuality, and humanity with startling precision. Reflecting on how geographical and linguistic energies intersect and what it means to write as a Vietnamese refugee in the contemporary space, Vuong reads from and discusses his poetry with Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Viet Thanh Nguyen, whose writing also often explores the Vietnamese American experience. Award-winning poet Ocean Vuong’s debut full-length collection, Night Sky with Exit Wounds, has been hailed by critics for its powerful emotional undertow, sincerity and candor, and “sense of the evanescence of all earthly things” as Michiko Kakutani writes in The New York Times. Born in Saigon, Vietnam, and now a resident of New York City, Vuong’s poems navigate the overarching worlds of history, sexuality, and humanity with startling precision. Reflecting on how geographical and linguistic energies intersect and what it means to write as a Vietnamese refugee in the contemporary space, Vuong reads from and discusses his poetry with Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Viet Thanh Nguyen, whose writing also often explores the Vietnamese American experience. 01:13:28 http://www.lapl.org/node/72387 Tue, 07 Mar 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Harvard sociologist and MacArthur Prize awardee Matthew Desmond tells the story of eight families living on the edge in the New York Times bestselling Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City. Evictions used to be rare, but today, most poor renting families are spending more than half of their income on housing, and eviction has become ordinary, especially for single mothers. In vivid, intimate prose, Desmond’s landmark work of scholarship and reportage bears witness to the human cost of America’s vast inequality and transforms our understanding of extreme poverty. Desmond explores these devastating issues of economic exploitation with L.A. Times columnist Steve Lopez, and offers ideas for solving these uniquely American problems. Harvard sociologist and MacArthur Prize awardee Matthew Desmond tells the story of eight families living on the edge in the New York Times bestselling Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City. Evictions used to be rare, but today, most poor renting families are spending more than half of their income on housing, and eviction has become ordinary, especially for single mothers. In vivid, intimate prose, Desmond’s landmark work of scholarship and reportage bears witness to the human cost of America’s vast inequality and transforms our understanding of extreme poverty. Desmond explores these devastating issues of economic exploitation with L.A. Times columnist Steve Lopez, and offers ideas for solving these uniquely American problems. 01:20:38 http://www.lapl.org/node/72386 Thu, 02 Mar 2017 19:00:00 -0800 The first weeks of the Trump presidency have raised numerous constitutional issues and a Supreme Court appointment. What are these issues, and what others are likely to arise with Donald Trump as president? How are the courts likely to resolve them? Chemerinsky, the founding Dean and Professor of First Amendment Law at UC Irvine—and one of our leading constitutional scholars—addresses these questions with veteran journalist Jim Newton. The first weeks of the Trump presidency have raised numerous constitutional issues and a Supreme Court appointment. What are these issues, and what others are likely to arise with Donald Trump as president? How are the courts likely to resolve them? Chemerinsky, the founding Dean and Professor of First Amendment Law at UC Irvine—and one of our leading constitutional scholars—addresses these questions with veteran journalist Jim Newton. 01:05:53 http://www.lapl.org/node/69271 Mon, 27 Feb 2017 19:00:00 -0800 In his long-awaited first novel, American master George Saunders delivers his most original, transcendent, and moving work yet. Lincoln in the Bardo places the reader in a Georgetown cemetery on a rainy February night in 1862. From that seed of historical truth, the story spins into a metaphysical realm as a grief-stricken President Lincoln—one year into the Civil War—mourns the loss of his son Willie. Through a thrilling experimental form narrated by a chorus of voices, a blend of history and philosophy, a cast of characters living and dead, Saunders grapples with the timeless question: How can we continue to love when everything we love must eventually be lost? Following a dramatic reading from the book by Phil LaMarr, Saunders takes the stage to discuss this astonishing feat of imagination with award-winning author Anthony Marra, known for his transcending stories of love and war. In his long-awaited first novel, American master George Saunders delivers his most original, transcendent, and moving work yet. Lincoln in the Bardo places the reader in a Georgetown cemetery on a rainy February night in 1862. From that seed of historical truth, the story spins into a metaphysical realm as a grief-stricken President Lincoln—one year into the Civil War—mourns the loss of his son Willie. Through a thrilling experimental form narrated by a chorus of voices, a blend of history and philosophy, a cast of characters living and dead, Saunders grapples with the timeless question: How can we continue to love when everything we love must eventually be lost? Following a dramatic reading from the book by Phil LaMarr, Saunders takes the stage to discuss this astonishing feat of imagination with award-winning author Anthony Marra, known for his transcending stories of love and war. 01:21:05 http://www.lapl.org/node/69268 Thu, 23 Feb 2017 19:00:00 -0800 The eccentric fictional worlds of authors Valeria Luiselli and Guadalupe Nettel come alive on the ALOUD stage as these two leading voices in contemporary Mexican literature meet to share recent work. Luiselli, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in Fiction and two-time recipient of the Los Angeles Times’ Book Prizes will share The Story of My Teeth, an imaginative odyssey through Mexico City’s art world and industrial suburbs. Guadalupe Nettel, voted one of the most important Latin American writers at the Bogotá Hay Festival, playfully illuminates human obsessions in her short fiction Natural Histories, and narrates her unconventional childhood in the autobiographical novel, The Body Where I Was Born. The eccentric fictional worlds of authors Valeria Luiselli and Guadalupe Nettel come alive on the ALOUD stage as these two leading voices in contemporary Mexican literature meet to share recent work. Luiselli, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in Fiction and two-time recipient of the Los Angeles Times’ Book Prizes will share The Story of My Teeth, an imaginative odyssey through Mexico City’s art world and industrial suburbs. Guadalupe Nettel, voted one of the most important Latin American writers at the Bogotá Hay Festival, playfully illuminates human obsessions in her short fiction Natural Histories, and narrates her unconventional childhood in the autobiographical novel, The Body Where I Was Born. 01:25:49 http://www.lapl.org/node/69264 Tue, 21 Feb 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Taking from essays on depression she has written for The New Yorker and The New York Times Magazine, Daphne Merkin’s new memoir This Close to Happy is the rare, vividly personal account of what it feels like to suffer from clinical depression. In trying to sort out the root causes of her affliction, Merkin reflects on her childhood, her mother, her life as a writer, her marriage, and the birth of her child as she discusses in poignant detail various therapists, treatments, and hospitalizations for depression along the way. In an intimate conversation on her lifelong battle with depression and her search for release, Merkin is joined by Jill Soloway, the Emmy-winning creator of Transparent. Taking from essays on depression she has written for The New Yorker and The New York Times Magazine, Daphne Merkin’s new memoir This Close to Happy is the rare, vividly personal account of what it feels like to suffer from clinical depression. In trying to sort out the root causes of her affliction, Merkin reflects on her childhood, her mother, her life as a writer, her marriage, and the birth of her child as she discusses in poignant detail various therapists, treatments, and hospitalizations for depression along the way. In an intimate conversation on her lifelong battle with depression and her search for release, Merkin is joined by Jill Soloway, the Emmy-winning creator of Transparent. 01:10:05 http://www.lapl.org/node/69262 Thu, 16 Feb 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Who gets to see Shakespeare and act in his plays? Celebrating the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s extraordinary legacy, Lisa Wolpe and James Shapiro will explore the defining guidelines of performing his work today, and consider how and why Shakespeare still matters in contemporary America. Wolpe, actress, director, teacher, and producer, is the Artistic Director and founder of the Los Angeles Women’s Shakespeare Company, an award-winning all-female, multi-cultural theater company. James Shapiro, professor at  Columbia University, is the author of numerous books and essays on Shakespeare, including his most recent work, The Year of Lear: Shakespeare in 1606. Join these two Shakespeare aficionados on an enlightening journey of what this master means to us today. Who gets to see Shakespeare and act in his plays? Celebrating the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s extraordinary legacy, Lisa Wolpe and James Shapiro will explore the defining guidelines of performing his work today, and consider how and why Shakespeare still matters in contemporary America. Wolpe, actress, director, teacher, and producer, is the Artistic Director and founder of the Los Angeles Women’s Shakespeare Company, an award-winning all-female, multi-cultural theater company. James Shapiro, professor at  Columbia University, is the author of numerous books and essays on Shakespeare, including his most recent work, The Year of Lear: Shakespeare in 1606. Join these two Shakespeare aficionados on an enlightening journey of what this master means to us today. 01:16:25 http://www.lapl.org/node/69261 Tue, 14 Feb 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Dickens, an “agrarian ghetto,” is the fictional Los Angeles hood at the center of Paul Beatty’s scathingly satirical novel, The Sellout. It’s a book that, as poet Kevin Young writes in his perceptive New York Times review, “isn’t for the fainthearted.” Beatty — the first American novelist to win the coveted Man Booker Award — is a comic genius at the top of his game and in The Sellout, he dares to question almost every received notion about American society. Buckle your seat belts. Dickens, an “agrarian ghetto,” is the fictional Los Angeles hood at the center of Paul Beatty’s scathingly satirical novel, The Sellout. It’s a book that, as poet Kevin Young writes in his perceptive New York Times review, “isn’t for the fainthearted.” Beatty — the first American novelist to win the coveted Man Booker Award — is a comic genius at the top of his game and in The Sellout, he dares to question almost every received notion about American society. Buckle your seat belts. 01:08:11 http://www.lapl.org/node/69260 Wed, 08 Feb 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Pulitzer Prize–winning historian and UCLA Professor Emeritus Saul Friedländer returns to memoir to recount a tale of intellectual coming-of-age on three continents. In Where Memory Leads: My Life, a sequel to Friedländer’s poignant first memoir, Where Memory Comes, published forty years ago and recently reissued with a new introduction from Claire Messud, he bridges the gap between the ordeals of his childhood during the German Occupation of France and his present-day towering reputation in the field of Holocaust studies. Reflecting on the wrenching events that induced him to devote sixteen years of his life to writing his masterpiece, The Years of Extermination: Nazi Germany and the Jews, 1939-1945, Friedländer discusses this book and his life’s work with historian Steven J. Ross. Pulitzer Prize–winning historian and UCLA Professor Emeritus Saul Friedländer returns to memoir to recount a tale of intellectual coming-of-age on three continents. In Where Memory Leads: My Life, a sequel to Friedländer’s poignant first memoir, Where Memory Comes, published forty years ago and recently reissued with a new introduction from Claire Messud, he bridges the gap between the ordeals of his childhood during the German Occupation of France and his present-day towering reputation in the field of Holocaust studies. Reflecting on the wrenching events that induced him to devote sixteen years of his life to writing his masterpiece, The Years of Extermination: Nazi Germany and the Jews, 1939-1945, Friedländer discusses this book and his life’s work with historian Steven J. Ross. 01:11:54 http://www.lapl.org/node/69255 Mon, 06 Feb 2017 19:00:00 -0800 In her riveting oral history of the end of the 60s, Witness to the Revolution, Clara Bingham unveils that tumultuous time anew when America careened to the brink of a civil war at home, as it fought a long futile war abroad. For ALOUD, Bingham looks back at the local history of the non-violent draft resistance movement of men and women known as The Los Angeles Resistance. (The Los Angeles Resistance Collection is now being archived at the Los Angeles Public Library). To tell this revolutionary tale, she’s joined by David Harris, Resistance founder, and then-LA Resistance activists Winter Dellenbach and Bob Zaugh. In her riveting oral history of the end of the 60s, Witness to the Revolution, Clara Bingham unveils that tumultuous time anew when America careened to the brink of a civil war at home, as it fought a long futile war abroad. For ALOUD, Bingham looks back at the local history of the non-violent draft resistance movement of men and women known as The Los Angeles Resistance. (The Los Angeles Resistance Collection is now being archived at the Los Angeles Public Library). To tell this revolutionary tale, she’s joined by David Harris, Resistance founder, and then-LA Resistance activists Winter Dellenbach and Bob Zaugh. 01:17:44 http://www.lapl.org/node/69254 Thu, 02 Feb 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Writers and artists routinely reckon with anxiety and loathing as part of their creative process. Author and comedian Sara Benincasa, writer and illustrator Mari Naomi, and novelist Shanthi Sekaran, in conversation with writer and literary organizer Michelle Tea, discuss with humor and honesty the role fear has played in their work and their creative process. Be part of a larger discussion of how we learn to manage the stress of daily life. Writers and artists routinely reckon with anxiety and loathing as part of their creative process. Author and comedian Sara Benincasa, writer and illustrator Mari Naomi, and novelist Shanthi Sekaran, in conversation with writer and literary organizer Michelle Tea, discuss with humor and honesty the role fear has played in their work and their creative process. Be part of a larger discussion of how we learn to manage the stress of daily life. 01:17:58 http://www.lapl.org/node/69253 Mon, 30 Jan 2017 19:00:00 -0800 With a brilliant blend of environmental and natural history, Dan Flores’ Coyote America traces the five-million-year-long biological story of an animal that has become the "wolf" in our backyards. The journey of the coyote to the American West and beyond isn’t just the story of an animal’s survival—it is one of the great epics of our time. Illuminating this legendary creature, Flores will be joined on stage for a conversation with playwright and chronicler of urban wildlife Melissa Cooper, who will also perform an excerpt from her play, New York City Coyote Existential. With a brilliant blend of environmental and natural history, Dan Flores’ Coyote America traces the five-million-year-long biological story of an animal that has become the "wolf" in our backyards. The journey of the coyote to the American West and beyond isn’t just the story of an animal’s survival—it is one of the great epics of our time. Illuminating this legendary creature, Flores will be joined on stage for a conversation with playwright and chronicler of urban wildlife Melissa Cooper, who will also perform an excerpt from her play, New York City Coyote Existential. 01:18:13 http://www.lapl.org/node/69252 Thu, 26 Jan 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Young children often seem especially creative and imaginative. But can we prove that scientifically? And what is it about children’s minds and brains that makes them so imaginative? Alison Gopnik, pioneering developmental psychologist and philosopher and author of the new book, The Gardener and the Carpenter: What the New Science of Child Development Tells Us About the Relationship Between Parents and Children, discusses her cutting-edge scientific research into how children learn and how thinking like a child can make adults more creative too. Young children often seem especially creative and imaginative. But can we prove that scientifically? And what is it about children’s minds and brains that makes them so imaginative? Alison Gopnik, pioneering developmental psychologist and philosopher and author of the new book, The Gardener and the Carpenter: What the New Science of Child Development Tells Us About the Relationship Between Parents and Children, discusses her cutting-edge scientific research into how children learn and how thinking like a child can make adults more creative too. 01:21:01 http://www.lapl.org/node/69250 Tue, 24 Jan 2017 19:00:00 -0800 In what author C. Nicole Mason calls an "insider’s story," Born Bright follows the journey of her own childhood in Los Angeles—an improbable path from episodic homelessness, hunger, and living in poverty—to becoming a leading voice on public policies impacting women and communities of color and low-income families. With grace, insight, and first-hand experience, Mason sheds light on the systematic structures that render an escape from poverty nearly impossible. Joined by Ms. Magazine’s Education Director and Editor Karon Jolna, they will discuss a range of issues from poverty to the future of feminism and the ability of storytelling to accelerate social and political change. In what author C. Nicole Mason calls an "insider’s story," Born Bright follows the journey of her own childhood in Los Angeles—an improbable path from episodic homelessness, hunger, and living in poverty—to becoming a leading voice on public policies impacting women and communities of color and low-income families. With grace, insight, and first-hand experience, Mason sheds light on the systematic structures that render an escape from poverty nearly impossible. Joined by Ms. Magazine’s Education Director and Editor Karon Jolna, they will discuss a range of issues from poverty to the future of feminism and the ability of storytelling to accelerate social and political change. 01:16:02 http://www.lapl.org/node/69249 Thu, 19 Jan 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Peter Sellars, the renowned avant-garde theater director, and Ayanna Thompson, a prominent Shakespeare scholar, will discuss the ways Shakespeare remains relevant in our contemporary American world. From expressions of black rage to the challenges facing systems of justice, they hope to illustrate how Shakespeare’s plays provide rich texts through which the most pressing problems in our world can be debated and solutions become, perhaps, imaginable. Peter Sellars, the renowned avant-garde theater director, and Ayanna Thompson, a prominent Shakespeare scholar, will discuss the ways Shakespeare remains relevant in our contemporary American world. From expressions of black rage to the challenges facing systems of justice, they hope to illustrate how Shakespeare’s plays provide rich texts through which the most pressing problems in our world can be debated and solutions become, perhaps, imaginable. 01:20:43 http://www.lapl.org/node/69248 Tue, 17 Jan 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Based on years of research and in-depth interviews with prosecutors, investigators, and diplomats—authors Alexa Koenig, Victor Peskin and Eric Stover examine the global effort to capture the world’s most wanted fugitives in their seminal book, Hiding in Plain Sight. The authors trace the evolution of international justice and how to hold accountable mass murderers like Adolf Eichmann, Saddam Hussein, Ratko Mladic, Joseph Kony, and Osama bin Laden. The authors will also discuss the United States’ increasing reliance on military force to capture—or more often simply to kill—suspected terrorists, with little or no judicial scrutiny. Based on years of research and in-depth interviews with prosecutors, investigators, and diplomats—authors Alexa Koenig, Victor Peskin and Eric Stover examine the global effort to capture the world’s most wanted fugitives in their seminal book, Hiding in Plain Sight. The authors trace the evolution of international justice and how to hold accountable mass murderers like Adolf Eichmann, Saddam Hussein, Ratko Mladic, Joseph Kony, and Osama bin Laden. The authors will also discuss the United States’ increasing reliance on military force to capture—or more often simply to kill—suspected terrorists, with little or no judicial scrutiny. 01:10:39 http://www.lapl.org/node/69247 Thu, 12 Jan 2017 19:00:00 -0800 Writer-performer Barry Yourgrau is a clutterbug—perhaps even a hoarder. In his hilarious and poignant memoir Mess: One Man’s Struggle to Clean Up His House and His Act, he unpacks the psychology and culture of hoarding, clutter, and collecting, presenting a compelling look at a mysterious compulsion. Confronted by his exasperated girlfriend, Yourgrau embarked on a wide-ranging project to clean up his chaotic New York apartment and life. Known for his books of magical absurd stories, including "Wearing Dad’s Head", "Haunted Traveller", and "The Sadness of Sex", in whose film version he starred, Yourgrau will join magical realist writer Aimee Bender to ponder the power of objects and memories, and the pain of letting go. Writer-performer Barry Yourgrau is a clutterbug—perhaps even a hoarder. In his hilarious and poignant memoir Mess: One Man’s Struggle to Clean Up His House and His Act, he unpacks the psychology and culture of hoarding, clutter, and collecting, presenting a compelling look at a mysterious compulsion. Confronted by his exasperated girlfriend, Yourgrau embarked on a wide-ranging project to clean up his chaotic New York apartment and life. Known for his books of magical absurd stories, including "Wearing Dad’s Head", "Haunted Traveller", and "The Sadness of Sex", in whose film version he starred, Yourgrau will join magical realist writer Aimee Bender to ponder the power of objects and memories, and the pain of letting go. 01:14:32 http://www.lapl.org/node/65705 Fri, 09 Dec 2016 19:00:00 -0800 Writers, musicians, and cultural critics gather to pay tribute and explore the forty-year career of Prince. Drawing on original work, music clips and the emerging field of Prince Studies, cultural workers will consider the impact of Prince on literary culture and beyond. Writers, musicians, and cultural critics gather to pay tribute and explore the forty-year career of Prince. Drawing on original work, music clips and the emerging field of Prince Studies, cultural workers will consider the impact of Prince on literary culture and beyond. 01:09:56 http://www.lapl.org/node/65704 Wed, 07 Dec 2016 19:00:00 -0800 Leading philosopher of science Peter Godfrey-Smith dons a wet suit and journeys into the depths of consciousness in his latest book Other Minds. Combining science and philosophy with first-hand accounts of the remarkable intelligence of the octopus, Godfrey-Smith explores how primitive organisms bobbing in the ocean began sending signals to each other and how these early forms of communication gave rise to the advanced nervous systems that permit cephalopods to change colors and human beings to speak. Follow along as Godfrey-Smith shares from his underwater adventures and sheds new light on the octopus brain, the human brain, and the evolution of consciousness. Leading philosopher of science Peter Godfrey-Smith dons a wet suit and journeys into the depths of consciousness in his latest book Other Minds. Combining science and philosophy with first-hand accounts of the remarkable intelligence of the octopus, Godfrey-Smith explores how primitive organisms bobbing in the ocean began sending signals to each other and how these early forms of communication gave rise to the advanced nervous systems that permit cephalopods to change colors and human beings to speak. Follow along as Godfrey-Smith shares from his underwater adventures and sheds new light on the octopus brain, the human brain, and the evolution of consciousness. 01:10:52 http://www.lapl.org/node/65703 Thu, 01 Dec 2016 19:00:00 -0800 In his new book, How to Survive a Plague, David France—the creator of the Oscar-nominated seminal documentary of the same name—offers a definitive history of the battle to halt the AIDS epidemic. Joined by Dr. Mark H. Katz, a physician activist on the frontlines of the affected HIV community of Southern California, and Tony Valenzuela, a longtime community activist and writer whose work has focused on LGBT civil rights, sexual liberation, and gay men’s health, France shares powerful, heroic stories of the gay activists who refused to die without a fight. In his new book, How to Survive a Plague, David France—the creator of the Oscar-nominated seminal documentary of the same name—offers a definitive history of the battle to halt the AIDS epidemic. Joined by Dr. Mark H. Katz, a physician activist on the frontlines of the affected HIV community of Southern California, and Tony Valenzuela, a longtime community activist and writer whose work has focused on LGBT civil rights, sexual liberation, and gay men’s health, France shares powerful, heroic stories of the gay activists who refused to die without a fight. 01:12:16 http://www.lapl.org/node/65702 Wed, 30 Nov 2016 19:00:00 -0800 In 1989, fresh from the publication of his first novel, The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, Michael Chabon traveled to his mother’s home in Oakland, California, to visit his terminally ill grandfather. Tongue loosened by powerful painkillers, memory stirred by the imminence of death, Chabon’s grandfather shared stories the younger man had never heard before. From the Jewish slums of prewar South Philadelphia to the invasion of Germany and the heyday of the space program, Moonglow collapses an era into a single life and a lifetime into a single week. Hear from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author as he discusses his latest literary masterpiece—a novel of truth and lies, family legends, and existential adventure. In 1989, fresh from the publication of his first novel, The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, Michael Chabon traveled to his mother’s home in Oakland, California, to visit his terminally ill grandfather. Tongue loosened by powerful painkillers, memory stirred by the imminence of death, Chabon’s grandfather shared stories the younger man had never heard before. From the Jewish slums of prewar South Philadelphia to the invasion of Germany and the heyday of the space program, Moonglow collapses an era into a single life and a lifetime into a single week. Hear from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author as he discusses his latest literary masterpiece—a novel of truth and lies, family legends, and existential adventure. 01:11:51 http://www.lapl.org/node/65700 Mon, 14 Nov 2016 19:00:00 -0800 In nearly every moment of our waking lives, we face a barrage of advertising enticements, branding efforts, sponsored social media, commercials, and other efforts to harvest our attention. In his new book, The Attention Merchants, Tim Wu, author of the award-winning The Master Switch who coined the phrase "net neutrality," explores the rise of firms whose business models are the mass capture of attention for resale to advertisers. Wu visits ALOUD for a revelatory look at the cognitive, social, and unimaginable ways that industries feeding on human attention are transforming our society and ourselves. In nearly every moment of our waking lives, we face a barrage of advertising enticements, branding efforts, sponsored social media, commercials, and other efforts to harvest our attention. In his new book, The Attention Merchants, Tim Wu, author of the award-winning The Master Switch who coined the phrase "net neutrality," explores the rise of firms whose business models are the mass capture of attention for resale to advertisers. Wu visits ALOUD for a revelatory look at the cognitive, social, and unimaginable ways that industries feeding on human attention are transforming our society and ourselves. 01:20:33 http://www.lapl.org/node/65699 Thu, 10 Nov 2016 19:00:00 -0800 What makes a place? The stories of a city are inexhaustible and contradictory as cities themselves are in constant conflict between memory and erasure. Writer, historian, and activist Rebecca Solnit’s latest work in a trilogy of atlases (New York, New Orleans, San Francisco) portrays the myriad ways we coexist and move through a city depending on our race, gender, age and so much more.  In conversation with architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne, Solnit expands our ideas of how cities are imagined and considers how they might look in the immediate future. Join a discussion with two people who have thought deeply about the possibilities of the infinite city. What makes a place? The stories of a city are inexhaustible and contradictory as cities themselves are in constant conflict between memory and erasure. Writer, historian, and activist Rebecca Solnit’s latest work in a trilogy of atlases (New York, New Orleans, San Francisco) portrays the myriad ways we coexist and move through a city depending on our race, gender, age and so much more.  In conversation with architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne, Solnit expands our ideas of how cities are imagined and considers how they might look in the immediate future. Join a discussion with two people who have thought deeply about the possibilities of the infinite city. 01:18:42 http://www.lapl.org/node/65698 Tue, 01 Nov 2016 19:00:00 -0800 One of today’s greatest American novelists, bestselling author T.C. Boyle visits ALOUD to take audiences deep inside his electrifying, eco-visionary new novel. An epic story of science, society, sex, and survival, The Terranauts follows the high-pressured lives of eight scientists—four men and four women—closely monitored under glass in E2, a prototype of a possible off-earth colony. With characteristic humor and sharp wit, Boyle plays out his real-life environmental concerns as he experiments with the future of humanity. One of today’s greatest American novelists, bestselling author T.C. Boyle visits ALOUD to take audiences deep inside his electrifying, eco-visionary new novel. An epic story of science, society, sex, and survival, The Terranauts follows the high-pressured lives of eight scientists—four men and four women—closely monitored under glass in E2, a prototype of a possible off-earth colony. With characteristic humor and sharp wit, Boyle plays out his real-life environmental concerns as he experiments with the future of humanity. 01:10:02 http://www.lapl.org/node/65697 Mon, 24 Oct 2016 19:00:00 -0800 When Hisham Matar was a university student in England, his father was kidnapped. One of the Qaddafi regime’s most prominent critics in exile, he was held in a secret prison in Libya. Matar, the author of In the Country of Men, a Man Booker Prize and National Book Critics Circle Award finalist, chronicles his journey home to his native Libya after the fall of Qaddafi in search of the truth behind his father’s disappearance. Matar shares from The Return, his impassioned new work that weaves the intimacy of a memoir with the suspense of journalism to offer a moving reflection on exile, art, family, and the history of a revolution. When Hisham Matar was a university student in England, his father was kidnapped. One of the Qaddafi regime’s most prominent critics in exile, he was held in a secret prison in Libya. Matar, the author of In the Country of Men, a Man Booker Prize and National Book Critics Circle Award finalist, chronicles his journey home to his native Libya after the fall of Qaddafi in search of the truth behind his father’s disappearance. Matar shares from The Return, his impassioned new work that weaves the intimacy of a memoir with the suspense of journalism to offer a moving reflection on exile, art, family, and the history of a revolution. 01:14:54 http://www.lapl.org/node/65694 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 19:00:00 -0800 With all the propulsive tension that made Room an international bestseller, Emma Donoghue’s new masterpiece, The Wonder, is a tale of two strangers who transform each other’s lives. Set in Ireland in the 1850s, an English nurse arrives in a small village to keep watch over a young girl who has been fasting for months and claims to be living only on manna from heaven. Is it a miracle or fraud or something else? Donoghue shares with ALOUD audiences her latest riveting psychological thriller with Ramona Ausubel. With all the propulsive tension that made Room an international bestseller, Emma Donoghue’s new masterpiece, The Wonder, is a tale of two strangers who transform each other’s lives. Set in Ireland in the 1850s, an English nurse arrives in a small village to keep watch over a young girl who has been fasting for months and claims to be living only on manna from heaven. Is it a miracle or fraud or something else? Donoghue shares with ALOUD audiences her latest riveting psychological thriller with Ramona Ausubel. 00:48:36 http://www.lapl.org/node/65692 Thu, 13 Oct 2016 19:00:00 -0800 "What happens to revolutionaries in America?" This was the question photojournalist Bryan Shih sought to answer through his lens and the first-person narratives gathered in this powerful new book, Portraits from an Unfinished Revolution, released on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Black Panther Party’s founding. These intimate and rarely-heard stories of rank-and-file party members whose on-the-ground activism—from voter registrars, medical clinicians, and community teachers—contribute missing pieces to a skewed historical record and offer lessons for the future. #BlackLivesMatter activist and organizer Melina Abdullah joins Panthers Ericka Huggins, Norma Mtume, and Phyllis Jackson for an important examination of the past, present, and future of groundbreaking social movements. "What happens to revolutionaries in America?" This was the question photojournalist Bryan Shih sought to answer through his lens and the first-person narratives gathered in this powerful new book, Portraits from an Unfinished Revolution, released on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Black Panther Party’s founding. These intimate and rarely-heard stories of rank-and-file party members whose on-the-ground activism—from voter registrars, medical clinicians, and community teachers—contribute missing pieces to a skewed historical record and offer lessons for the future. #BlackLivesMatter activist and organizer Melina Abdullah joins Panthers Ericka Huggins, Norma Mtume, and Phyllis Jackson for an important examination of the past, present, and future of groundbreaking social movements. 01:25:09 http://www.lapl.org/node/65691 Tue, 04 Oct 2016 19:00:00 -0800 Leading chronicler of science and technology and best-selling author of The Information and Chaos, James Gleick visits ALOUD with a mind-bending exploration of time travel through literature and science. His latest book, Time Travel, tracks our cultural, philosophical, technological, and evolutionary understanding of time—from H.G. Wells to Doctor Who, from the electric telegraph to the steam railroad. Novelist Charles Yu, a masterful storyteller who turns time inside out in his fiction, joins Gleick in conversation to delve into the looping paradoxes of the past, present, and future. Leading chronicler of science and technology and best-selling author of The Information and Chaos, James Gleick visits ALOUD with a mind-bending exploration of time travel through literature and science. His latest book, Time Travel, tracks our cultural, philosophical, technological, and evolutionary understanding of time—from H.G. Wells to Doctor Who, from the electric telegraph to the steam railroad. Novelist Charles Yu, a masterful storyteller who turns time inside out in his fiction, joins Gleick in conversation to delve into the looping paradoxes of the past, present, and future. 01:09:07 http://www.lapl.org/node/65652 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 19:00:00 -0800 Best-selling cartoonist and filmmaker Riad Sattouf shares from his highly anticipated continuation of The Arab of the Future—a recollection of his childhood as his family shuttled back and forth between France and the Middle East. Sattouf’s latest graphic memoir travels to his father’s hometown of Homs, where the young Sattouf attends schools and attempts to dedicate himself to becoming a true Syrian in the country of a dictator. Hear from one of today’s most original voices as Sattouf acutely observes life’s small daily moments while sweeping through issues of politics, religion, and poverty in a voice both darkly funny and piercingly direct. Best-selling cartoonist and filmmaker Riad Sattouf shares from his highly anticipated continuation of The Arab of the Future—a recollection of his childhood as his family shuttled back and forth between France and the Middle East. Sattouf’s latest graphic memoir travels to his father’s hometown of Homs, where the young Sattouf attends schools and attempts to dedicate himself to becoming a true Syrian in the country of a dictator. Hear from one of today’s most original voices as Sattouf acutely observes life’s small daily moments while sweeping through issues of politics, religion, and poverty in a voice both darkly funny and piercingly direct. 01:04:22 http://www.lapl.org/node/65651 Tue, 27 Sep 2016 19:00:00 -0800 Following the Pulitzer prize-winning collection Stag’s Leap, Sharon Olds’ newest book of poems, Odes, addresses and embodies love, gender, and sexual politics through the powerful and tender age-old poetic form of the ode. National Book Award winner Robin Coste Lewis’ stunning poetry debut, Voyage of the Sable Venus, considers the roles of desire and race in the construction of the self through lyrical meditations on the black female figure. Join us as these poets read from their intimate work and interrogate the structure of the body through its pleasures and sorrows, complex aesthetics and universal truths. Following the Pulitzer prize-winning collection Stag’s Leap, Sharon Olds’ newest book of poems, Odes, addresses and embodies love, gender, and sexual politics through the powerful and tender age-old poetic form of the ode. National Book Award winner Robin Coste Lewis’ stunning poetry debut, Voyage of the Sable Venus, considers the roles of desire and race in the construction of the self through lyrical meditations on the black female figure. Join us as these poets read from their intimate work and interrogate the structure of the body through its pleasures and sorrows, complex aesthetics and universal truths. 01:21:51 http://www.lapl.org/node/65650 Thu, 22 Sep 2016 19:00:00 -0800 Before you cast your ballot this November, join ALOUD for an evening of political takes and takedowns with New York Times Pulitzer-winning columnist Maureen Dowd. The bestselling author has covered Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton since the 90s and now in her new book, The Year of Voting Dangerously: The Derangement of American Politics, she plunges into one of the most bizarre and divisive campaigns in modern history. With her trademark cocktail of wry humor and acerbic analysis, Dowd traces the psychologies and pathologies behind this treacherous battle for our nation’s highest office. Before you cast your ballot this November, join ALOUD for an evening of political takes and takedowns with New York Times Pulitzer-winning columnist Maureen Dowd. The bestselling author has covered Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton since the 90s and now in her new book, The Year of Voting Dangerously: The Derangement of American Politics, she plunges into one of the most bizarre and divisive campaigns in modern history. With her trademark cocktail of wry humor and acerbic analysis, Dowd traces the psychologies and pathologies behind this treacherous battle for our nation’s highest office. 01:12:41 http://www.lapl.org/node/65647 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 19:00:00 -0800 In SPQR, an instant classic from one of our foremost classicists, Mary Beard narrates the history of Rome while challenging the comfortable historical perspective that has existed for centuries. With precision and flair, the National Book Critics Circle finalist guides us through ancient brothels, bars, and back alleys to sift fact from fiction, myth and propaganda from historical record. Hear from Beard as she unpacks the unprecedented rise of a civilization that—even two thousand years later—still shapes many of our most fundamental assumptions about power, citizenship, responsibility, political violence, empire, luxury, and beauty, while simultaneously adding to the narrative entire groups of people omitted from history. In SPQR, an instant classic from one of our foremost classicists, Mary Beard narrates the history of Rome while challenging the comfortable historical perspective that has existed for centuries. With precision and flair, the National Book Critics Circle finalist guides us through ancient brothels, bars, and back alleys to sift fact from fiction, myth and propaganda from historical record. Hear from Beard as she unpacks the unprecedented rise of a civilization that—even two thousand years later—still shapes many of our most fundamental assumptions about power, citizenship, responsibility, political violence, empire, luxury, and beauty, while simultaneously adding to the narrative entire groups of people omitted from history. 01:09:16 http://www.lapl.org/node/65646 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 19:00:00 -0800 What if the Underground Railroad were no mere metaphor, but an actual secret network of tracks and tunnels, conductors and steam locomotives beneath the Southern soil? In a spellbinding tour-de-force, prize-winning author Colson Whitehead’s new novel, The Underground Railroad, an Oprah’s 2016 Book Club selection, chronicles a young slave’s adventures through the antebellum South as she makes a desperate bid for freedom. Join us for a fascinating meditation on American history as Whitehead discusses this brilliantly imagined odyssey through time and space. What if the Underground Railroad were no mere metaphor, but an actual secret network of tracks and tunnels, conductors and steam locomotives beneath the Southern soil? In a spellbinding tour-de-force, prize-winning author Colson Whitehead’s new novel, The Underground Railroad, an Oprah’s 2016 Book Club selection, chronicles a young slave’s adventures through the antebellum South as she makes a desperate bid for freedom. Join us for a fascinating meditation on American history as Whitehead discusses this brilliantly imagined odyssey through time and space. 1:07:26 http://www.lapl.org/node/65645 Thu, 08 Sep 2016 19:00:00 -0800 Fresh off this summer’s Olympics in Rio, "renaissance runner" Alexi Pappas takes a break with ALOUD to discuss her far-reaching talents and interests. Beyond representing Greece’s Olympic team in the 10,000 meters race, Pappas writes poetry, essays and makes and stars in films, including a semi-autobiographical movie, Tracktown, which recently premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival. A celebrity in the Twitter-sphere—even her signature top bun has its own Twitter account—Pappas will team up with fellow tweeter extraordinaire Sharon Ann Lee of @culturebrain, to muse on the life of a runner, training with men, eating infinite bowls of pasta, and balancing many forms of self-expression on and off the track. Fresh off this summer’s Olympics in Rio, "renaissance runner" Alexi Pappas takes a break with ALOUD to discuss her far-reaching talents and interests. Beyond representing Greece’s Olympic team in the 10,000 meters race, Pappas writes poetry, essays and makes and stars in films, including a semi-autobiographical movie, Tracktown, which recently premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival. A celebrity in the Twitter-sphere—even her signature top bun has its own Twitter account—Pappas will team up with fellow tweeter extraordinaire Sharon Ann Lee of @culturebrain, to muse on the life of a runner, training with men, eating infinite bowls of pasta, and balancing many forms of self-expression on and off the track. http://www.lapl.org/node/60987 Tue, 19 Jul 2016 19:00:00 -0800 Greenland's ice sheet is now shedding ice so fast (five times faster than it did in the 1990s) that scientists have labeled Greenland's seasonal sea ice "a rotten ice regime." For 20 years, writer Gretel Ehrlich has traveled with Inuit hunters in Greenland, listening to their narratives and observing changes in their traditional hunting. This past spring, she went with some Inuit hunters to Paris with plans to speak at the climate talks, which were dashed when terrorists struck the city. In conversation with award-winning NPR journalist Neal Conan, Ehrlich reports on her experience in Greenland and Paris and discusses the challenge of climate change—how can we move from "it's too late…" to "there's much we can do"? Greenland's ice sheet is now shedding ice so fast (five times faster than it did in the 1990s) that scientists have labeled Greenland's seasonal sea ice "a rotten ice regime." For 20 years, writer Gretel Ehrlich has traveled with Inuit hunters in Greenland, listening to their narratives and observing changes in their traditional hunting. This past spring, she went with some Inuit hunters to Paris with plans to speak at the climate talks, which were dashed when terrorists struck the city. In conversation with award-winning NPR journalist Neal Conan, Ehrlich reports on her experience in Greenland and Paris and discusses the challenge of climate change—how can we move from "it's too late…" to "there's much we can do"? 01:07:44 http://www.lapl.org/node/60986 Thu, 14 Jul 2016 19:00:00 -0800 Join us for a live broadcast (on KPFK 90.7 FM) dedicated to the voice of the author and civil rights activist James Baldwin. Brian DeShazor, host of From the Vault radio program, will air rare recordings of Baldwin from 1963-1968, including an oration called the Artist’s Struggle for Integrity, a reading from Giovanni’s Room; Baldwin’s fiery speech after the murder of four girls in Birmingham, Alabama; and his introduction of Dr. Martin Luther King (taped in the home of Marlon Brando) weeks before King’s assassination. DeShazor is joined by two writers who’ve thought deeply about Baldwin’s work—novelist Nina Revoyr and Melvin L. Rogers, Associate Professor of Political Science and African-American Studies at UCLA—to reflect on Baldwin’s impact on literature and society. Co-presented with Pacifica Archives Join us for a live broadcast (on KPFK 90.7 FM) dedicated to the voice of the author and civil rights activist James Baldwin. Brian DeShazor, host of From the Vault radio program, will air rare recordings of Baldwin from 1963-1968, including an oration called the Artist’s Struggle for Integrity, a reading from Giovanni’s Room; Baldwin’s fiery speech after the murder of four girls in Birmingham, Alabama; and his introduction of Dr. Martin Luther King (taped in the home of Marlon Brando) weeks before King’s assassination. DeShazor is joined by two writers who’ve thought deeply about Baldwin’s work—novelist Nina Revoyr and Melvin L. Rogers, Associate Professor of Political Science and African-American Studies at UCLA—to reflect on Baldwin’s impact on literature and society. Co-presented with Pacifica Archives 01:14:52 http://www.lapl.org/node/60985 Tue, 12 Jul 2016 19:00:00 -0800 For twenty years, groundbreaking poets Eileen Myles (Chelsea Girls; I Must be Living Twice) and Maggie Nelson (National Book Critics Circle Award, The Argonauts) have been friends, mutual influences, and interlocutors on the experiences of living in a poetry and gender-inflected writing world. Myles’ latest work—a collection of old and new poems—refracts a radical world and a compelling life. Nelson’s genre-bending memoir, The Argonauts, calls for radical individual freedom and the value of caretaking. Together on stage to read both poetry and prose, these two ground-breaking writers then will join in conversation to, as Myles says, "let thoughts rip." For twenty years, groundbreaking poets Eileen Myles (Chelsea Girls; I Must be Living Twice) and Maggie Nelson (National Book Critics Circle Award, The Argonauts) have been friends, mutual influences, and interlocutors on the experiences of living in a poetry and gender-inflected writing world. Myles’ latest work—a collection of old and new poems—refracts a radical world and a compelling life. Nelson’s genre-bending memoir, The Argonauts, calls for radical individual freedom and the value of caretaking. Together on stage to read both poetry and prose, these two ground-breaking writers then will join in conversation to, as Myles says, "let thoughts rip." 01:15:09 http://www.lapl.org/node/60982 Thu, 07 Jul 2016 19:00:00 -0800 In partnership with PEN Center USA, ALOUD presents the culminating event of PEN’s 2016 Emerging Voices Fellowship to mark the program’s 20th anniversary. Revisit this evening of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction with readings from the 2016 Fellows: Marnie Goodfriend, Jian Huang, Wendy Labinger, Natalie Lima, and Chelsea Sutton, featuring an introduction from this year’s Emerging Voices mentors: Carmiel Banasky, Claire Bidwell Smith, Patrick O’Neil, Mike Padilla, and Alicia Partnoy. The Emerging Voices Fellowship is a literary mentorship program aiming to provide new writers who are isolated from the literary establishment with the tools, skills, and knowledge they need to launch a professional writing career. In partnership with PEN Center USA, ALOUD presents the culminating event of PEN’s 2016 Emerging Voices Fellowship to mark the program’s 20th anniversary. Revisit this evening of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction with readings from the 2016 Fellows: Marnie Goodfriend, Jian Huang, Wendy Labinger, Natalie Lima, and Chelsea Sutton, featuring an introduction from this year’s Emerging Voices mentors: Carmiel Banasky, Claire Bidwell Smith, Patrick O’Neil, Mike Padilla, and Alicia Partnoy. The Emerging Voices Fellowship is a literary mentorship program aiming to provide new writers who are isolated from the literary establishment with the tools, skills, and knowledge they need to launch a professional writing career. 01:06:04 http://www.lapl.org/node/60980 Wed, 29 Jun 2016 19:00:00 -0800 For three years, award-winning journalist Ben Ehrenreich has been traveling to and living in the West Bank, living with Palestinian families in its largest cities and smallest villages. Placing readers in the footsteps of ordinary Palestinians, Ehrenreich’s new book, The Way to the Spring, offers some of the most empathetic reporting ever to emerge from the turbulent region. With a keen eye for detail, he paints a vivid portrait of life in three Palestinian villages, interspersed with crash-course history lessons on the Israel-Palestine conflict. In conversation with Amy Wilentz, National Book Critics Circle Award-winning author and former Jerusalem correspondent for The New Yorker, Ehrenreich discusses the journalist’s mission to listen and understand the complexities of human experience. For three years, award-winning journalist Ben Ehrenreich has been traveling to and living in the West Bank, living with Palestinian families in its largest cities and smallest villages. Placing readers in the footsteps of ordinary Palestinians, Ehrenreich’s new book, The Way to the Spring, offers some of the most empathetic reporting ever to emerge from the turbulent region. With a keen eye for detail, he paints a vivid portrait of life in three Palestinian villages, interspersed with crash-course history lessons on the Israel-Palestine conflict. In conversation with Amy Wilentz, National Book Critics Circle Award-winning author and former Jerusalem correspondent for The New Yorker, Ehrenreich discusses the journalist’s mission to listen and understand the complexities of human experience. 01:19:07 http://www.lapl.org/node/60978 Mon, 20 Jun 2016 19:00:00 -0800 Like dreams, poetry and song enter our lives by way of a mystery—unrecognized and often uninvited. Both represent the speaking of the otherwise unspeakable: the place where real truth is unencumbered by fact, time is made elastic, and narrative emerges from the abstract to tell us something of who we are. Listen in for a special evening of music and conversation with two leading voices as songwriters and authors Rosanne Cash and Joe Henry, both multi-GRAMMY Award winners, reflect on the transcendence of language through poetry and song. Like dreams, poetry and song enter our lives by way of a mystery—unrecognized and often uninvited. Both represent the speaking of the otherwise unspeakable: the place where real truth is unencumbered by fact, time is made elastic, and narrative emerges from the abstract to tell us something of who we are. Listen in for a special evening of music and conversation with two leading voices as songwriters and authors Rosanne Cash and Joe Henry, both multi-GRAMMY Award winners, reflect on the transcendence of language through poetry and song. 01:15:16 http://www.lapl.org/node/60977 Thu, 09 Jun 2016 19:00:00 -0800 Hailed as "an inspiration" by writer Ta-Nehisi Coates, Yaa Gyasi’s debut novel, Homegoing, traces 300 years of history and family lineage through a sweeping account of the many descendants of two half-sisters born in 18th century Ghana. From the beginnings of slavery to the Harlem Renaissance to 21st century California, the novel captures with stunning immediacy how the memory of captivity was inscribed on the soul of a nation. Join as Gyasi takes the ALOUD stage for a discussion with comparative mythologist and scholar Ayana A.H. Jamieson. Hailed as "an inspiration" by writer Ta-Nehisi Coates, Yaa Gyasi’s debut novel, Homegoing, traces 300 years of history and family lineage through a sweeping account of the many descendants of two half-sisters born in 18th century Ghana. From the beginnings of slavery to the Harlem Renaissance to 21st century California, the novel captures with stunning immediacy how the memory of captivity was inscribed on the soul of a nation. Join as Gyasi takes the ALOUD stage for a discussion with comparative mythologist and scholar Ayana A.H. Jamieson. 01:10:54 http://www.lapl.org/node/60976 Tue, 07 Jun 2016 19:00:00 -0800 How does one become a writer? For acclaimed novelist Judith Freeman—born the sixth child of eight in a devout Mormon household, married at seventeen, and divorced  at twenty-two with a young child—it was an unlikely path. In her arresting, lyrical memoir set in the patriarchal cloister of Utah in the 1950s and 1960s, she explores the circumstances and choices that informed her course through a thicket of profound difficulties towards becoming. Joined by L.A. native and novelist Michelle Huneven, Freeman visits ALOUD to share her illuminating portrait of resilience and self-discovery. How does one become a writer? For acclaimed novelist Judith Freeman—born the sixth child of eight in a devout Mormon household, married at seventeen, and divorced  at twenty-two with a young child—it was an unlikely path. In her arresting, lyrical memoir set in the patriarchal cloister of Utah in the 1950s and 1960s, she explores the circumstances and choices that informed her course through a thicket of profound difficulties towards becoming. Joined by L.A. native and novelist Michelle Huneven, Freeman visits ALOUD to share her illuminating portrait of resilience and self-discovery. 01:08:42 http://www.lapl.org/node/60973 Thu, 02 Jun 2016 19:00:00 -0800 Chef, food personality, bestselling author of Fresh Off the Boat, and inspiration behind the hit television show of the same name, Eddie Huang made his ALOUD debut with a brash new memoir about love, meaning, and returning to your ancestral homeland. Double Cup Love takes readers on a cultural romp from Williamsburg dive bars to the skies of Mongolia, from Michelin-starred restaurants to street-side soup peddlers in Chengdu. Listen as Fresh Off the Boat star Constance Wu—who plays Eddie’s unforgettable mother—interviews Huang about family, food, and broken hearts. Co-presented with the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center. Chef, food personality, bestselling author of Fresh Off the Boat, and inspiration behind the hit television show of the same name, Eddie Huang made his ALOUD debut with a brash new memoir about love, meaning, and returning to your ancestral homeland. Double Cup Love takes readers on a cultural romp from Williamsburg dive bars to the skies of Mongolia, from Michelin-starred restaurants to street-side soup peddlers in Chengdu. Listen as Fresh Off the Boat star Constance Wu—who plays Eddie’s unforgettable mother—interviews Huang about family, food, and broken hearts. Co-presented with the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center. 01:15:36 http://www.lapl.org/node/59353 Thu, 26 May 2016 19:00:00 -0800 Like writing, cities are all about process, the back-and-forth between our aspirations and our abilities; we walk to discover them and to discover ourselves. In this dialogue, moderated by Los Angeles native Louise Steinman, Vivian Gornick and David L. Ulin investigate the role of the city as both literary and psychic landscape. For Gornick, who was born and raised in the Bronx and is the author of the new memoir of self-discovery, The Odd Woman and the City, New York is the city that provokes. While for Ulin, as a Manhattan-raised Southern California transplant and author of the compelling inquiry, Sidewalking: Coming to Terms with Los Angeles, L.A. is the terrain that inspires. What do their journeys have in common? What sets these two cities, and their literature, apart? Like writing, cities are all about process, the back-and-forth between our aspirations and our abilities; we walk to discover them and to discover ourselves. In this dialogue, moderated by Los Angeles native Louise Steinman, Vivian Gornick and David L. Ulin investigate the role of the city as both literary and psychic landscape. For Gornick, who was born and raised in the Bronx and is the author of the new memoir of self-discovery, The Odd Woman and the City, New York is the city that provokes. While for Ulin, as a Manhattan-raised Southern California transplant and author of the compelling inquiry, Sidewalking: Coming to Terms with Los Angeles, L.A. is the terrain that inspires. What do their journeys have in common? What sets these two cities, and their literature, apart? 01:12:45 http://www.lapl.org/node/59352 Tue, 24 May 2016 19:00:00 -0800 Visionary writer Maxine Hong Kingston has been writing about war and peace since her landmark 1976 book The Woman Warrior. Her lifelong efforts on this theme often touched on the Vietnam War, from China Men to The Fifth Book of Peace. These works influenced award-winning novelist and critic Viet Thanh Nguyen as he dealt with the war in both fiction (The Sympathizer) and scholarship (Nothing Ever Dies: Vietnam and the Memory of War). Both writers will share the ALOUD stage to discuss their own personal histories with the war, and the responsibility of literature in depicting war machines and peace movements. Visionary writer Maxine Hong Kingston has been writing about war and peace since her landmark 1976 book The Woman Warrior. Her lifelong efforts on this theme often touched on the Vietnam War, from China Men to The Fifth Book of Peace. These works influenced award-winning novelist and critic Viet Thanh Nguyen as he dealt with the war in both fiction (The Sympathizer) and scholarship (Nothing Ever Dies: Vietnam and the Memory of War). Both writers will share the ALOUD stage to discuss their own personal histories with the war, and the responsibility of literature in depicting war machines and peace movements. 01:11:28 http://www.lapl.org/node/59342 Thu, 19 May 2016 19:00:00 -0800 New Yorker writer William Finnegan leads a counter life as an excessively compulsive surfer. In his deeply lyrical self-portrait Barbarian Days, Finnegan chronicles his lifelong adventures from a young man chasing waves all over the world to becoming a distinguished writer and war reporter. Part coming-of-age story, part thriller, part cultural study, Finnegan’s vivid memoir explores the gradual mastering of a little understood art. Join Finnegan as he returns to the Pacific coast to discuss his revelatory pursuit of the perfect wave with David Rensin, author of All For a Few Perfect Waves: The Audacious Life and Legend of Rebel Surfer Miki Dora. New Yorker writer William Finnegan leads a counter life as an excessively compulsive surfer. In his deeply lyrical self-portrait Barbarian Days, Finnegan chronicles his lifelong adventures from a young man chasing waves all over the world to becoming a distinguished writer and war reporter. Part coming-of-age story, part thriller, part cultural study, Finnegan’s vivid memoir explores the gradual mastering of a little understood art. Join Finnegan as he returns to the Pacific coast to discuss his revelatory pursuit of the perfect wave with David Rensin, author of All For a Few Perfect Waves: The Audacious Life and Legend of Rebel Surfer Miki Dora. 01:11:41 http://www.lapl.org/node/59339 Tue, 17 May 2016 19:00:00 -0800 From the Watts Towers in Los Angeles to the Forbidden City in Beijing, Geoff Dyer’s newest collection of essays, White Sands: Experiences from the Outside World, explores what defines place: where do we come from, what are we, where are we going? The elegant, witty, and always inquisitive Dyer returns to ALOUD to reflect on his unexpected findings with Jonathan Lethem—celebrated for his novels, essays, and short stories—to illuminate the questions we ask when we step outside ourselves. From the Watts Towers in Los Angeles to the Forbidden City in Beijing, Geoff Dyer’s newest collection of essays, White Sands: Experiences from the Outside World, explores what defines place: where do we come from, what are we, where are we going? The elegant, witty, and always inquisitive Dyer returns to ALOUD to reflect on his unexpected findings with Jonathan Lethem—celebrated for his novels, essays, and short stories—to illuminate the questions we ask when we step outside ourselves. http://www.lapl.org/node/59338 Tue, 10 May 2016 19:00:00 -0800 Award-winning poet and rapper Kate Tempest’s electrifying debut novel takes us into the beating heart of London in this multi-generational tale of drugs, desire, and belonging. The Bricks That Built the Houses explores a cross-section of contemporary urban life with a powerful moral microscope, giving us intimate stories of ordinary lives, and questions how we live with and love one another. Heralded by critics and fans alike for her powerful performances, Tempest takes the ALOUD stage to present her dynamic new work. Award-winning poet and rapper Kate Tempest’s electrifying debut novel takes us into the beating heart of London in this multi-generational tale of drugs, desire, and belonging. The Bricks That Built the Houses explores a cross-section of contemporary urban life with a powerful moral microscope, giving us intimate stories of ordinary lives, and questions how we live with and love one another. Heralded by critics and fans alike for her powerful performances, Tempest takes the ALOUD stage to present her dynamic new work. 01:12:08 http://www.lapl.org/node/59336 Mon, 02 May 2016 19:00:00 -0800 Our third annual gathering unites students from five Southland graduate writing programs—CalArts, Otis College, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, and USC—to share recent work and tune our ears to the future of language. What are the ideas, forms, questions, syntaxes, images, and narratives of our immediate future? Who better as our compass in the wilds of the now than emerging writers? Our third annual gathering unites students from five Southland graduate writing programs—CalArts, Otis College, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, and USC—to share recent work and tune our ears to the future of language. What are the ideas, forms, questions, syntaxes, images, and narratives of our immediate future? Who better as our compass in the wilds of the now than emerging writers? 01:09:53 http://www.lapl.org/node/59325 Wed, 20 Apr 2016 19:00:00 -0800 Juan Felipe Herrera grew up the son of Mexican immigrants in the migrant fields of California, and became the first Latino Poet Laureate of the United States. Exuberant and socially engaged, reflective and healing, wildly inventive and unpredictable, the award-winning poet will discuss his life’s work as it ranges from Aztlan to Paris, San Bernardino to Florida and back; from Larry King and Oprah, to the Janis Joplin days in the City by the Bay. Join us for a brimming, wide-open evening as Herrera blazes the endless chasms of culture on the “Laureate Trail.” Juan Felipe Herrera grew up the son of Mexican immigrants in the migrant fields of California, and became the first Latino Poet Laureate of the United States. Exuberant and socially engaged, reflective and healing, wildly inventive and unpredictable, the award-winning poet will discuss his life’s work as it ranges from Aztlan to Paris, San Bernardino to Florida and back; from Larry King and Oprah, to the Janis Joplin days in the City by the Bay. Join us for a brimming, wide-open evening as Herrera blazes the endless chasms of culture on the “Laureate Trail.” 01:23:52 http://www.lapl.org/node/59324 Thu, 14 Apr 2016 19:00:00 -0800 Best-selling author, prize-winning historian, and Mother Jones co-founder Adam Hochschild offers a sweeping new history of the Spanish Civil War. Spain In Our Hearts is a nuanced international tale of idealism and heartbreaking suffering told through a dozen characters, including Ernest Hemingway and George Orwell, who reveal the full tragedy and importance of the war. Hochschild returns to ALOUD to explore the complicated conflict that would galvanize Americans in their pursuit of democracy across the world just before the opening battle of World War II. Best-selling author, prize-winning historian, and Mother Jones co-founder Adam Hochschild offers a sweeping new history of the Spanish Civil War. Spain In Our Hearts is a nuanced international tale of idealism and heartbreaking suffering told through a dozen characters, including Ernest Hemingway and George Orwell, who reveal the full tragedy and importance of the war. Hochschild returns to ALOUD to explore the complicated conflict that would galvanize Americans in their pursuit of democracy across the world just before the opening battle of World War II. 01:13:38 http://www.lapl.org/node/59323 Mon, 11 Apr 2016 19:00:00 -0800 Through the etymology of words, the OED exhibits the shape-shifting nature of language across time, reflecting how it bends to the task of describing our evolving human experience. But is all change good? What is the role of the dictionary in reporting, recording, and refereeing language variation and change?Linguist, political commentator and author of The Power of Babel and Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue, John McWhorter talks with genre-busting author of House of Leaves Mark Z. Danielewski about whether dictionaries support or inhibit the idiosyncratic use of language as a means of creative expression. Presented as part of the Library Foundation’s project, "Hollywood is a Verb: Los Angeles Tackles the Oxford English Dictionary". Through the etymology of words, the OED exhibits the shape-shifting nature of language across time, reflecting how it bends to the task of describing our evolving human experience. But is all change good? What is the role of the dictionary in reporting, recording, and refereeing language variation and change?Linguist, political commentator and author of The Power of Babel and Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue, John McWhorter talks with genre-busting author of House of Leaves Mark Z. Danielewski about whether dictionaries support or inhibit the idiosyncratic use of language as a means of creative expression. Presented as part of the Library Foundation’s project, "Hollywood is a Verb: Los Angeles Tackles the Oxford English Dictionary". 01:18:33 http://www.lapl.org/node/59321 Wed, 06 Apr 2016 19:00:00 -0800 The best-selling author of the National Book Critics Circle Award-Winner How to Live, a spirited account of twentieth century intellectual movements and revolutionary thinkers, delivers a timely new take on the lives of influential philosophers Sartre, De Beauvoir, Camus, and others. At The Existentialist Café journeys to 1930s Paris to explore a passionate cast of philosophers, playwrights, anthropologists, convicts, and revolutionaries who would spark a rebellious wave of postwar liberation movements. From anticolonialism to feminism and gay rights, join Bakewell as she discusses with David L. Ulin what the pioneering existentialists can teach us about confronting questions of freedom today. The best-selling author of the National Book Critics Circle Award-Winner How to Live, a spirited account of twentieth century intellectual movements and revolutionary thinkers, delivers a timely new take on the lives of influential philosophers Sartre, De Beauvoir, Camus, and others. At The Existentialist Café journeys to 1930s Paris to explore a passionate cast of philosophers, playwrights, anthropologists, convicts, and revolutionaries who would spark a rebellious wave of postwar liberation movements. From anticolonialism to feminism and gay rights, join Bakewell as she discusses with David L. Ulin what the pioneering existentialists can teach us about confronting questions of freedom today. 01:10:03 http://www.lapl.org/node/59316 Mon, 04 Apr 2016 19:00:00 -0800 A New York Times bestseller and award-winning sensation, Helen Macdonald’s story of adopting and raising one of nature’s most vicious predators has soared into the hearts of millions of readers worldwide. Following the sudden death of her father, Macdonald battled with a fierce and feral goshawk to stave off her own depression. With ALOUD’s Louise Steinman, author of the far-reaching memoir about her father’s past, The Souvenir, Macdonald will discuss her transcendent account of human versus nature and the essential lessons she learned from her foray into falconry. A New York Times bestseller and award-winning sensation, Helen Macdonald’s story of adopting and raising one of nature’s most vicious predators has soared into the hearts of millions of readers worldwide. Following the sudden death of her father, Macdonald battled with a fierce and feral goshawk to stave off her own depression. With ALOUD’s Louise Steinman, author of the far-reaching memoir about her father’s past, The Souvenir, Macdonald will discuss her transcendent account of human versus nature and the essential lessons she learned from her foray into falconry. 01:12:09 http://www.lapl.org/node/59313 Wed, 23 Mar 2016 19:00:00 -0800 As mass incarceration has reached record levels, professor, journalist, and visionary founder of the Prison to College Pipeline (P2CP), Baz Dreisinger has traveled behind bars in nine countries to rethink the state of justice in a global context. Her eye-opening new book, Incarceration Nations, offers a first-person odyssey through the modern prison systems of the world and gives voices to the millions silenced behind bars. Join Dreisinger as she discusses her timely work and urges for a massive overhaul in prison reform in the U.S. and across the globe. As mass incarceration has reached record levels, professor, journalist, and visionary founder of the Prison to College Pipeline (P2CP), Baz Dreisinger has traveled behind bars in nine countries to rethink the state of justice in a global context. Her eye-opening new book, Incarceration Nations, offers a first-person odyssey through the modern prison systems of the world and gives voices to the millions silenced behind bars. Join Dreisinger as she discusses her timely work and urges for a massive overhaul in prison reform in the U.S. and across the globe. 01:22:25 http://www.lapl.org/node/59312 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 19:00:00 -0800 In a potentially historic election year for women, Ellen R. Malcolm, the pioneering founder of the three-million-member EMILY’s List and one of the most influential players in today’s political landscape, tells the dramatic inside story of the rise of women in elected office in her new book, When Women Win. Malcolm will share the ALOUD stage with Ann Friedman, journalist and co-host of the popular podcast Call Your Girlfriend, to discuss the heartbreaking losses and unprecedented victories of some of the toughest political contests of the past three decades. In a potentially historic election year for women, Ellen R. Malcolm, the pioneering founder of the three-million-member EMILY’s List and one of the most influential players in today’s political landscape, tells the dramatic inside story of the rise of women in elected office in her new book, When Women Win. Malcolm will share the ALOUD stage with Ann Friedman, journalist and co-host of the popular podcast Call Your Girlfriend, to discuss the heartbreaking losses and unprecedented victories of some of the toughest political contests of the past three decades. 01:13:16 http://www.lapl.org/node/59308 Tue, 15 Mar 2016 19:00:00 -0800 The OED represents arguably the first example of global crowd-sourcing and documents a language rich in loanwords from other cultures. At the same time, it has been considered emblematic of the British Empire’s colonial enterprise. Writer Jamaica Kincaid and linguist/author Sarah Ogilvie Words of the World: a Global History of the OED, discuss the complexities of this relationship. Presented as part of the Library Foundation’s project, Hollywood is a Verb: Los Angeles Tackles the Oxford English Dictionary. The OED represents arguably the first example of global crowd-sourcing and documents a language rich in loanwords from other cultures. At the same time, it has been considered emblematic of the British Empire’s colonial enterprise. Writer Jamaica Kincaid and linguist/author Sarah Ogilvie Words of the World: a Global History of the OED, discuss the complexities of this relationship. Presented as part of the Library Foundation’s project, Hollywood is a Verb: Los Angeles Tackles the Oxford English Dictionary. 01:07:45 http://www.lapl.org/node/59300 Thu, 10 Mar 2016 19:00:00 -0800 Ten years after the passing of Los Angeles’ own Octavia E. Butler–one of America’s best science fiction writers and one of the few African-American women in the field—ALOUD celebrates Butler’s legacy. Navigating the dystopic L.A. that Butler often described in her short stories and novels, this panel will explore connections between Butler’s peers and colleagues, the generation of writers and scholars who follow, and how Butler’s futuristic work resonates today.Part of Radio Imagination, artists and writers in the archive of Octavia E. Butler, a year-long program produced by Clockshop. Ten years after the passing of Los Angeles’ own Octavia E. Butler–one of America’s best science fiction writers and one of the few African-American women in the field—ALOUD celebrates Butler’s legacy. Navigating the dystopic L.A. that Butler often described in her short stories and novels, this panel will explore connections between Butler’s peers and colleagues, the generation of writers and scholars who follow, and how Butler’s futuristic work resonates today.Part of Radio Imagination, artists and writers in the archive of Octavia E. Butler, a year-long program produced by Clockshop. 1:26:47 http://www.lapl.org/node/55916 Tue, 23 Feb 2016 19:00:00 -0800 One of the most talked-about books of last year (nominated for the Man Booker Prize and The National Book Award), A Little Life is a profoundly bold epic about love and friendship in the twenty-first century. Yanagihara follows the tragic and transcendent lives of four men—an architect, painter, actor and lawyer—who meet as college roommates and move to New York to spend the next three decades adrift, buoyed only by their friendship and ambition. Join Yanagihara for an intimate look at this masterful depiction of heartbreak and brotherly love. One of the most talked-about books of last year (nominated for the Man Booker Prize and The National Book Award), A Little Life is a profoundly bold epic about love and friendship in the twenty-first century. Yanagihara follows the tragic and transcendent lives of four men—an architect, painter, actor and lawyer—who meet as college roommates and move to New York to spend the next three decades adrift, buoyed only by their friendship and ambition. Join Yanagihara for an intimate look at this masterful depiction of heartbreak and brotherly love. 01:09:21 http://www.lapl.org/node/55915 Wed, 17 Feb 2016 19:00:00 -0800 Artist Rachel Sussman has traveled around the world to photograph organisms—trees, lichens, bacteria—that are 2,000 or more years old. Confronting lives that extend so much longer than human lifespans challenges us to rethink the context of our human communities and the more-than-human environments into which we are embedded. What does it mean to take a picture of a 4,000-year-old tree at a fraction of a second? How has human intervention in nature given rise to a new geological age? Sussman, a LACMA Lab Artist and author of the New York Times bestseller, The Oldest Living Things in the World, and Ursula K. Heise, a professor in the Department of English and the Institute of Environment and Sustainability at UCLA, will discuss these questions of nature, technology, and our understanding of time to the backdrop of Sussman’s stunning images. Artist Rachel Sussman has traveled around the world to photograph organisms—trees, lichens, bacteria—that are 2,000 or more years old. Confronting lives that extend so much longer than human lifespans challenges us to rethink the context of our human communities and the more-than-human environments into which we are embedded. What does it mean to take a picture of a 4,000-year-old tree at a fraction of a second? How has human intervention in nature given rise to a new geological age? Sussman, a LACMA Lab Artist and author of the New York Times bestseller, The Oldest Living Things in the World, and Ursula K. Heise, a professor in the Department of English and the Institute of Environment and Sustainability at UCLA, will discuss these questions of nature, technology, and our understanding of time to the backdrop of Sussman’s stunning images. 01:19:23 http://www.lapl.org/node/55914 Tue, 09 Feb 2016 19:00:00 -0800 Betancourt, the extraordinary Colombian French politician and activist, whose New York Times bestselling memoir chronicled her six and a half year captivity in the Colombian jungle by the FARC, offers a stunning debut novel about freedom and fate. Set against the backdrop of Argentina’s Dirty War and infused with magical realism, The Blue Line is a breathtaking love story and deeply felt portrait of a woman coming of age as her country falls deeper and deeper into chaos. Hear from Betancourt about this new work that draws on themes from her own remarkable life—political oppression, individual courage, hope, and faith—as ordinary people are caught up in the hurricanes of history. Betancourt, the extraordinary Colombian French politician and activist, whose New York Times bestselling memoir chronicled her six and a half year captivity in the Colombian jungle by the FARC, offers a stunning debut novel about freedom and fate. Set against the backdrop of Argentina’s Dirty War and infused with magical realism, The Blue Line is a breathtaking love story and deeply felt portrait of a woman coming of age as her country falls deeper and deeper into chaos. Hear from Betancourt about this new work that draws on themes from her own remarkable life—political oppression, individual courage, hope, and faith—as ordinary people are caught up in the hurricanes of history. 01:12:27 http://www.lapl.org/node/55912 Thu, 04 Feb 2016 19:00:00 -0800 Acclaimed poet and Pulitzer Prize finalist Elizabeth Alexander, who composed and delivered the 2009 inauguration poem for President Obama, offers a deeply felt meditation on the blessings of family, art and community following the death of her husband in her memoir, The Light of the World. Poet Kevin Young, author of ten books of poetry, winner of the Lenore Marshall Award and a finalist for the National Book Award, gathers twenty years of highlights from his extraordinary career in his new compilation Blue Laws: Selected & Uncollected Poems 1995-2015. Longtime friends Alexander and Young share the stage for poetry, companionship, and to discuss their newest works: lyrical forays into life’s passages through grief and joy. Acclaimed poet and Pulitzer Prize finalist Elizabeth Alexander, who composed and delivered the 2009 inauguration poem for President Obama, offers a deeply felt meditation on the blessings of family, art and community following the death of her husband in her memoir, The Light of the World. Poet Kevin Young, author of ten books of poetry, winner of the Lenore Marshall Award and a finalist for the National Book Award, gathers twenty years of highlights from his extraordinary career in his new compilation Blue Laws: Selected & Uncollected Poems 1995-2015. Longtime friends Alexander and Young share the stage for poetry, companionship, and to discuss their newest works: lyrical forays into life’s passages through grief and joy. 01:28:03 http://www.lapl.org/node/55854 Wed, 20 Jan 2016 19:00:00 -0800 Allen Ginsberg spoke of "the voice in the burning bush," that illuminates as in a fire, yet never destroys even as it burns. Luis Rodriguez, L.A. Poet Laureate; Michael Meade, author, storyteller, and mythologist; and John Densmore, musician and author, have all been at the forefront of sparking social and cultural change, seeking to push the boundaries of their disciplines in order to open greater possibility for human connectivity and healing. In a world of turmoil and destruction, how can we learn to speak to each other? Share in an illuminating evening of readings, stories and performance to fuel our minds and souls. Allen Ginsberg spoke of "the voice in the burning bush," that illuminates as in a fire, yet never destroys even as it burns. Luis Rodriguez, L.A. Poet Laureate; Michael Meade, author, storyteller, and mythologist; and John Densmore, musician and author, have all been at the forefront of sparking social and cultural change, seeking to push the boundaries of their disciplines in order to open greater possibility for human connectivity and healing. In a world of turmoil and destruction, how can we learn to speak to each other? Share in an illuminating evening of readings, stories and performance to fuel our minds and souls. 01:15:34 http://www.lapl.org/node/55851 Thu, 14 Jan 2016 19:00:00 -0800 Brian Seibert, a dance critic for The New York Times, offers an authoritative account of the great American art of tap dancing in his new book, What the Eye Hears. Seibert’s entertaining history illuminates tap’s complex origins—from the jig and clog influences brought from Africa by slaves, to its growth as a cousin to jazz in the vaudeville circuits, to its ubiquity on Broadway and in Hollywood, and finally its post-World War II decline and more recent reinvention. Seibert, born and raised in Los Angeles, will take the ALOUD stage to discuss tap’s influence on American culture, including the legacy of L.A.’s thriving tap scene. With archival film footage and special performances by the young L.A. choreographer Sarah Reich, acclaimed as one of the new leaders in tap, this program will be sure to move you. Brian Seibert, a dance critic for The New York Times, offers an authoritative account of the great American art of tap dancing in his new book, What the Eye Hears. Seibert’s entertaining history illuminates tap’s complex origins—from the jig and clog influences brought from Africa by slaves, to its growth as a cousin to jazz in the vaudeville circuits, to its ubiquity on Broadway and in Hollywood, and finally its post-World War II decline and more recent reinvention. Seibert, born and raised in Los Angeles, will take the ALOUD stage to discuss tap’s influence on American culture, including the legacy of L.A.’s thriving tap scene. With archival film footage and special performances by the young L.A. choreographer Sarah Reich, acclaimed as one of the new leaders in tap, this program will be sure to move you. 00:59:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/50613 Wed, 02 Dec 2015 19:00:00 -0800 A poisoned apple and a monkey’s paw with the power to change fate; a girl whose extraordinarily long hair causes catastrophe; a man with one human arm and one swan’s wing; and a house deep in the forest, constructed of gumdrops and gingerbread, vanilla frosting and boiled sugar. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Hours transforms the mythic figures of our childhood in his newest work, A Wild Swan and Other Tales. Cunningham discusses bringing to life these never-before-told moments of beloved fairy tales with the ever-imaginative novelist Aimee Bender. Join us for an enchanting evening of reimagined—and sometimes darkly perverse—bedtime stories with two of today’s most gifted storytellers. A poisoned apple and a monkey’s paw with the power to change fate; a girl whose extraordinarily long hair causes catastrophe; a man with one human arm and one swan’s wing; and a house deep in the forest, constructed of gumdrops and gingerbread, vanilla frosting and boiled sugar. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Hours transforms the mythic figures of our childhood in his newest work, A Wild Swan and Other Tales. Cunningham discusses bringing to life these never-before-told moments of beloved fairy tales with the ever-imaginative novelist Aimee Bender. Join us for an enchanting evening of reimagined—and sometimes darkly perverse—bedtime stories with two of today’s most gifted storytellers. 01:03:28 http://www.lapl.org/node/50612 Tue, 10 Nov 2015 19:00:00 -0800 The acclaimed author and passionate explorer of subjects from the Oxford English Dictionary to earthquakes to the Atlantic Ocean, offers an enthralling new biography of the Pacific Ocean. In his latest journey, Winchester travels from the Bering Strait to Cape Horn, the Yangtze River to the Panama Canal, and to the many small islands and archipelagos that lie in between. From the dying coral reefs to climate change to the military rise of China, Winchester explores our relationship to this imposing force of nature and its role in our modern world. ALOUD welcomes Winchester to the Pacific coast for a paean to this magnificent sea of beauty, myth, and imagination. The acclaimed author and passionate explorer of subjects from the Oxford English Dictionary to earthquakes to the Atlantic Ocean, offers an enthralling new biography of the Pacific Ocean. In his latest journey, Winchester travels from the Bering Strait to Cape Horn, the Yangtze River to the Panama Canal, and to the many small islands and archipelagos that lie in between. From the dying coral reefs to climate change to the military rise of China, Winchester explores our relationship to this imposing force of nature and its role in our modern world. ALOUD welcomes Winchester to the Pacific coast for a paean to this magnificent sea of beauty, myth, and imagination. 01:03:08 http://www.lapl.org/node/50611 Wed, 04 Nov 2015 19:00:00 -0800 The panic began in 1692, when a minister’s daughter began to scream and convulse. It ended less than a year later, but not before 19 men and women had been hanged and an elderly man crushed to death. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Véra (Mrs. Vladimir Nabokov) and Cleopatra unpacks the fantastical story of the Salem Witch Trials in her latest seminal work, The Witches. Aside from suffrage, the Salem Witch Trials represent the only moment in the shaping of the future republic when women played a central role in American history. Hear from one of our most acclaimed historians as she unveils one of the first great American mysteries. The panic began in 1692, when a minister’s daughter began to scream and convulse. It ended less than a year later, but not before 19 men and women had been hanged and an elderly man crushed to death. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Véra (Mrs. Vladimir Nabokov) and Cleopatra unpacks the fantastical story of the Salem Witch Trials in her latest seminal work, The Witches. Aside from suffrage, the Salem Witch Trials represent the only moment in the shaping of the future republic when women played a central role in American history. Hear from one of our most acclaimed historians as she unveils one of the first great American mysteries. 01:00:58 http://www.lapl.org/node/50609 Wed, 28 Oct 2015 19:00:00 -0800 In a new memoir, the award-winning novelist, poet, and beloved author of The House on Mango Street, shares over three decades of true stories, essays, talks, and poems to offer a richly illustrated compilation of her storied life and career. Opening doors onto the Chicago neighborhoods where she grew up, her abode in Mexico haunted by her ancestors, a Greek white-washed island, a borrowed guest room, her purple house in San Antonio, and more, Cisneros sheds light on the real and imagined places that inspired her writing even as she struggled to define her own idea of home. Reflecting on the private journey of a life in writing, ALOUD welcomes Cisneros to the stage for a reading and conversation. In a new memoir, the award-winning novelist, poet, and beloved author of The House on Mango Street, shares over three decades of true stories, essays, talks, and poems to offer a richly illustrated compilation of her storied life and career. Opening doors onto the Chicago neighborhoods where she grew up, her abode in Mexico haunted by her ancestors, a Greek white-washed island, a borrowed guest room, her purple house in San Antonio, and more, Cisneros sheds light on the real and imagined places that inspired her writing even as she struggled to define her own idea of home. Reflecting on the private journey of a life in writing, ALOUD welcomes Cisneros to the stage for a reading and conversation. 01:14:08 http://www.lapl.org/node/50608 Mon, 26 Oct 2015 19:00:00 -0800 In a revelatory testament of what it means to be black in America today, this timely new memoir solidifies Coates as one of today’s most important writers on the subject of race. Composed as letters to his teenage son, Coates bears witness to his own experiences as a young black man while moving between emotionally charged reportage of the recent shootings of unarmed black men by police. Coates—a national correspondent for The Atlantic, which published his landmark 2014 essay, "The Case for Reparations," and author of the previous memoir, The Beautiful Struggle—arrives at a transcendent vision of the past and present to offer hope for his son’s future. Join us for a momentous conversation with Coates and historian Robin D.G. Kelley about America’s way forward. In a revelatory testament of what it means to be black in America today, this timely new memoir solidifies Coates as one of today’s most important writers on the subject of race. Composed as letters to his teenage son, Coates bears witness to his own experiences as a young black man while moving between emotionally charged reportage of the recent shootings of unarmed black men by police. Coates—a national correspondent for The Atlantic, which published his landmark 2014 essay, "The Case for Reparations," and author of the previous memoir, The Beautiful Struggle—arrives at a transcendent vision of the past and present to offer hope for his son’s future. Join us for a momentous conversation with Coates and historian Robin D.G. Kelley about America’s way forward. 01:18:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/50607 Mon, 19 Oct 2015 19:00:00 -0800 Roberta Kaplan, the renowned litigator who recently won the defining United States v. Windsor case to defeat the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), takes us behind the scenes of this gripping legal journey in her new book, Then Comes Marriage. Award-winning activist and scholar Lillian Faderman’s latest book, The Gay Revolution, begins in the 1950s, when the law classified gays and lesbians as criminals, then moves to the present to offer a sweeping account of the modern struggle for gay, lesbian, and trans rights. Following this summer’s landmark Supreme Court decision supporting gay marriage, hear from two of today’s most influential champions for equality. Roberta Kaplan, the renowned litigator who recently won the defining United States v. Windsor case to defeat the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), takes us behind the scenes of this gripping legal journey in her new book, Then Comes Marriage. Award-winning activist and scholar Lillian Faderman’s latest book, The Gay Revolution, begins in the 1950s, when the law classified gays and lesbians as criminals, then moves to the present to offer a sweeping account of the modern struggle for gay, lesbian, and trans rights. Following this summer’s landmark Supreme Court decision supporting gay marriage, hear from two of today’s most influential champions for equality. 01:16:46 http://www.lapl.org/node/50606 Thu, 08 Oct 2015 19:00:00 -0800 Award-winning Egyptian American feminist writer and commentator Mona Eltahawy is no stranger to controversy. Through her articles in The Washington Post, The New York Times, and more, she has fought for the autonomy, security, and dignity of Muslim women, drawing widespread supporters and detractors. Now, in her first book, she offers an illuminating and incendiary manifesto on the repressive forces—political, cultural, and religious—that reduce millions of women to second-class citizens. Hear from Eltahawy—a woman motivated by hope and fury—about her revolutionary new book and this bold call to action for equal rights in the Middle East. Award-winning Egyptian American feminist writer and commentator Mona Eltahawy is no stranger to controversy. Through her articles in The Washington Post, The New York Times, and more, she has fought for the autonomy, security, and dignity of Muslim women, drawing widespread supporters and detractors. Now, in her first book, she offers an illuminating and incendiary manifesto on the repressive forces—political, cultural, and religious—that reduce millions of women to second-class citizens. Hear from Eltahawy—a woman motivated by hope and fury—about her revolutionary new book and this bold call to action for equal rights in the Middle East. 01:15:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/50605 Thu, 01 Oct 2015 19:00:00 -0800 What does it mean to devote yourself to helping others? Larissa MacFarquhar, a staff writer for The New Yorker, follows the joys and defeats of people living lives of extreme ethical commitment in her new book, Strangers Drowning. Jessica Jackley, co-founder of the revolutionary micro-lending site Kiva, in her book, Clay Water Brick, explores the triumphs and difficulties of using entrepreneurship to change the world. Sharing inspiring—and sometimes unsettling—stories of do-gooders from around the world, MacFarquhar and Jackley will challenge us to think about what we value most, and why. What does it mean to devote yourself to helping others? Larissa MacFarquhar, a staff writer for The New Yorker, follows the joys and defeats of people living lives of extreme ethical commitment in her new book, Strangers Drowning. Jessica Jackley, co-founder of the revolutionary micro-lending site Kiva, in her book, Clay Water Brick, explores the triumphs and difficulties of using entrepreneurship to change the world. Sharing inspiring—and sometimes unsettling—stories of do-gooders from around the world, MacFarquhar and Jackley will challenge us to think about what we value most, and why. 01:17:42 http://www.lapl.org/node/50604 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 19:00:00 -0800 The award-winning, New York Times-bestselling author of The Monsters of Templeton and Arcadia delivers an exhilarating new novel about the creative partnership of marriage, and the yoke joining love, art, and power. Framed in Greek mythology and told from the opposing perspectives of husband and wife, Fates and Furies digs beneath the surface of a “good” marriage and vividly explores the duplicitous nature of a loving, yet surprisingly complicated relationship over the course of 24 years. One of the most talented writers of her generation, Groff visits ALOUD to discuss her dazzling literary masterpiece that will stir both the mind and the heart. The award-winning, New York Times-bestselling author of The Monsters of Templeton and Arcadia delivers an exhilarating new novel about the creative partnership of marriage, and the yoke joining love, art, and power. Framed in Greek mythology and told from the opposing perspectives of husband and wife, Fates and Furies digs beneath the surface of a “good” marriage and vividly explores the duplicitous nature of a loving, yet surprisingly complicated relationship over the course of 24 years. One of the most talented writers of her generation, Groff visits ALOUD to discuss her dazzling literary masterpiece that will stir both the mind and the heart. 01:12:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/50603 Thu, 24 Sep 2015 19:00:00 -0800 Over the past three decades, the critically acclaimed and bestselling author of three previous memoirs, Mary Karr has elevated the art of the deeply personal genre to become one of the most influential memoirists working today. In her newest work, Karr pulls back the curtain on her craft. The rare, brilliant practitioner who is also a distinguished teacher, Karr breaks down key elements from her favorite memoirs and reflects on the challenges of transforming memories for the page. Reserve your seat at ALOUD for a master class with a master craftsman. Over the past three decades, the critically acclaimed and bestselling author of three previous memoirs, Mary Karr has elevated the art of the deeply personal genre to become one of the most influential memoirists working today. In her newest work, Karr pulls back the curtain on her craft. The rare, brilliant practitioner who is also a distinguished teacher, Karr breaks down key elements from her favorite memoirs and reflects on the challenges of transforming memories for the page. Reserve your seat at ALOUD for a master class with a master craftsman. 01:12:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/50614 Mon, 21 Sep 2015 19:00:00 -0800 In the wake of a historic summer of groundbreaking Supreme Court decisions, Justice Stephen Breyer returns to ALOUD to discuss the ever-evolving influences on America’s highest court. In his latest book, The Court and the World: American Law and the New Global Realities, Justice Breyer considers the great legal challenges facing our increasingly globalized and interdependent world. From sweeping national security policy to the use of online sites like Airbnb for international commerce, judicial awareness is no longer contained within America’s borders. Hear from one of today’s most pragmatic legal luminaries on how the world beyond our national frontiers is steering American law and how this expansion is drawing American jurists into a new role of "constitutional diplomats." Co-presented with The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. In the wake of a historic summer of groundbreaking Supreme Court decisions, Justice Stephen Breyer returns to ALOUD to discuss the ever-evolving influences on America’s highest court. In his latest book, The Court and the World: American Law and the New Global Realities, Justice Breyer considers the great legal challenges facing our increasingly globalized and interdependent world. From sweeping national security policy to the use of online sites like Airbnb for international commerce, judicial awareness is no longer contained within America’s borders. Hear from one of today’s most pragmatic legal luminaries on how the world beyond our national frontiers is steering American law and how this expansion is drawing American jurists into a new role of "constitutional diplomats." Co-presented with The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. 01:21:51 http://www.lapl.org/node/50584 Thu, 10 Sep 2015 19:00:00 -0800 Returning to ALOUD after receiving the 2012 Los Angeles Public Library Literary Award for his distinguished commitment to libraries and literature, Rushdie shares his newest work of fiction. Inspired by the traditional "wonder tales" of the East and set in a strange near-future New York City, Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights blends history, mythology, and a timeless love story. Satirical and bawdy, full of cunning and folly, kismet and karma, rapture and redemption, Rushdie’s novel is a masterpiece about the age-old conflicts that remain in today’s world. Discussing this work with Héctor Tobar, one of L.A.’s most respected voices, Rushdie takes the stage for a magical evening of storytelling. Returning to ALOUD after receiving the 2012 Los Angeles Public Library Literary Award for his distinguished commitment to libraries and literature, Rushdie shares his newest work of fiction. Inspired by the traditional "wonder tales" of the East and set in a strange near-future New York City, Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights blends history, mythology, and a timeless love story. Satirical and bawdy, full of cunning and folly, kismet and karma, rapture and redemption, Rushdie’s novel is a masterpiece about the age-old conflicts that remain in today’s world. Discussing this work with Héctor Tobar, one of L.A.’s most respected voices, Rushdie takes the stage for a magical evening of storytelling. 01:10:16 http://www.lapl.org/node/47939 Wed, 29 Jul 2015 19:00:00 -0800 From Africa to the Americas, the south to the north, cities to suburbs, opera to jazz, gospel to be-bop, and "shadows to fire"—discover Ask Your Mama: 12 Moods for Jazz, Hughes’ response to the riots at the 1960 Newport Jazz Festival. Emmy Award-winning composer Laura Karpman, originally commissioned by Carnegie Hall to create the first vocal performance of Hughes’ poem, created an orchestral composition with plural voices including Hughes’, projected images, and recorded selections drawn from a dozen musical traditions, in an epic tapestry evoking the turbulent flux of American cultural life. This special presentation of Ask Your Mama, adapted for the ALOUD stage, features Karpman and soprano Janai Brugger, and marks the release of a new recording of the orchestral work. From Africa to the Americas, the south to the north, cities to suburbs, opera to jazz, gospel to be-bop, and "shadows to fire"—discover Ask Your Mama: 12 Moods for Jazz, Hughes’ response to the riots at the 1960 Newport Jazz Festival. Emmy Award-winning composer Laura Karpman, originally commissioned by Carnegie Hall to create the first vocal performance of Hughes’ poem, created an orchestral composition with plural voices including Hughes’, projected images, and recorded selections drawn from a dozen musical traditions, in an epic tapestry evoking the turbulent flux of American cultural life. This special presentation of Ask Your Mama, adapted for the ALOUD stage, features Karpman and soprano Janai Brugger, and marks the release of a new recording of the orchestral work. 01:12:14 http://www.lapl.org/node/47938 Thu, 23 Jul 2015 19:00:00 -0800 Leslie Jamison’s critically acclaimed The Empathy Exams confronts our personal and cultural urgency to feel. In The Unspeakable, Los Angeles Times opinion columnist Meghan Daum defiantly pushes back against the false sentimentality and shrink-wrapped platitudes that surround so much of the contemporary American experience. With piercing insight and wit, hear from two of today’s most thought-provoking and intimately honest essayists grappling with the modern complexities of being human. Leslie Jamison’s critically acclaimed The Empathy Exams confronts our personal and cultural urgency to feel. In The Unspeakable, Los Angeles Times opinion columnist Meghan Daum defiantly pushes back against the false sentimentality and shrink-wrapped platitudes that surround so much of the contemporary American experience. With piercing insight and wit, hear from two of today’s most thought-provoking and intimately honest essayists grappling with the modern complexities of being human. 01:13:56 http://www.lapl.org/node/47937 Tue, 14 Jul 2015 19:00:00 -0800 The L.A. food scene is as trendy, tweeted, pop-upped, and profit-busting as it’s ever been, and yet more people are going hungry at a greater rate than perhaps any other moment in the city’s history. As the USDA has declared, Los Angeles is the nation’s “epicenter of hunger,” where the phrase “food insecurity”—lacking reliable access to nutritious and safe food—has become as much a part of the local vernacular for activists and organizers as sunshine and traffic. In a special collaboration with the Library Foundation to rediscover the Los Angeles Public Library’s vast archive, USC professor Josh Kun uses the Library’s menu collection to explore the shaping of Los Angeles. With vintage menus as our guides, join Kun for a conversation about the struggles and triumphs of contemporary food activism with urban gardener Ron Finley, the Healthy School Food Coalition’s Elizabeth Medrano and Community Services Unlimited Inc.’s Neelam Sharma. The L.A. food scene is as trendy, tweeted, pop-upped, and profit-busting as it’s ever been, and yet more people are going hungry at a greater rate than perhaps any other moment in the city’s history. As the USDA has declared, Los Angeles is the nation’s “epicenter of hunger,” where the phrase “food insecurity”—lacking reliable access to nutritious and safe food—has become as much a part of the local vernacular for activists and organizers as sunshine and traffic. In a special collaboration with the Library Foundation to rediscover the Los Angeles Public Library’s vast archive, USC professor Josh Kun uses the Library’s menu collection to explore the shaping of Los Angeles. With vintage menus as our guides, join Kun for a conversation about the struggles and triumphs of contemporary food activism with urban gardener Ron Finley, the Healthy School Food Coalition’s Elizabeth Medrano and Community Services Unlimited Inc.’s Neelam Sharma. 01:20:02 http://www.lapl.org/node/47936 Thu, 09 Jul 2015 19:00:00 -0800 "Love, Los Angeles" is a letter in progress—a series of notes, fragments, reflections and odes—written by two native daughters navigating the quickly-changing landscape of contemporary Los Angeles. Through photographs and texts, journalist and essayist Lynell George and writer Marisela Norte have tunneled on foot from Boyle Heights to Venice and the Miracle Mile to Arcadia, crisscrossing time, place, dreams, and memory. Share in these in-the-moment observations of hope, grit, faith and longing as they are presented for the first time on stage, and eavesdrop on this intimate look into the heart of our city. "Love, Los Angeles" is a letter in progress—a series of notes, fragments, reflections and odes—written by two native daughters navigating the quickly-changing landscape of contemporary Los Angeles. Through photographs and texts, journalist and essayist Lynell George and writer Marisela Norte have tunneled on foot from Boyle Heights to Venice and the Miracle Mile to Arcadia, crisscrossing time, place, dreams, and memory. Share in these in-the-moment observations of hope, grit, faith and longing as they are presented for the first time on stage, and eavesdrop on this intimate look into the heart of our city. 00:38:03 http://www.lapl.org/node/47933 Tue, 30 Jun 2015 19:00:00 -0800 With all of its American idioms, virtues, and contradictions, what is it about Walt Whitman’s epic verse "Song of Myself" that so deeply resonates across other cultures and languages? In 2013, Christopher Merrill, the director of the International Writing Program at The University of Iowa, launched "Every Atom," a multimedia project to collectively translate the poem in 15 languages, working with fellow poets and translators Luis Alberto Ambroggio and Sholeh Wolpé. Join us for a spirited evening of poetry and music, featuring a performance by internationally renowned musician Sahba Motallebi, as these collaborators explore how Whitman’s radical poetic vision lives and breathes in English, Persian, and Spanish. With all of its American idioms, virtues, and contradictions, what is it about Walt Whitman’s epic verse "Song of Myself" that so deeply resonates across other cultures and languages? In 2013, Christopher Merrill, the director of the International Writing Program at The University of Iowa, launched "Every Atom," a multimedia project to collectively translate the poem in 15 languages, working with fellow poets and translators Luis Alberto Ambroggio and Sholeh Wolpé. Join us for a spirited evening of poetry and music, featuring a performance by internationally renowned musician Sahba Motallebi, as these collaborators explore how Whitman’s radical poetic vision lives and breathes in English, Persian, and Spanish. 01:10:33 http://www.lapl.org/node/47930 Sun, 14 Jun 2015 19:00:00 -0800 Can a city’s history be told through restaurant menus? In a second installment of a special collaboration with the Library Foundation to rediscover the Los Angeles Public Library’s vast archive, USC professor Josh Kun uses the Library’s menu collection to explore the shaping of Los Angeles, from the city’s first restaurants in the 1850s up through the most recent food revolutions. Join him for a multimedia tour of the L.A. menu paired with a conversation on L.A. food past and present with chefs Cynthia Hawkins (Hawkins House of Burgers), and Ricardo Diaz (Colonia Publica). Can a city’s history be told through restaurant menus? In a second installment of a special collaboration with the Library Foundation to rediscover the Los Angeles Public Library’s vast archive, USC professor Josh Kun uses the Library’s menu collection to explore the shaping of Los Angeles, from the city’s first restaurants in the 1850s up through the most recent food revolutions. Join him for a multimedia tour of the L.A. menu paired with a conversation on L.A. food past and present with chefs Cynthia Hawkins (Hawkins House of Burgers), and Ricardo Diaz (Colonia Publica). 01:30:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/47940 Tue, 09 Jun 2015 19:00:00 -0800 On this special evening, one of America’s most beloved storytellers, Judy Blume, will discuss her work—from young adult classics like Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret to her new novel for adults, In the Unlikely Event. The story, inspired by a series of real-life plane crashes that occurred in the 1950s in Blume’s home town of Elizabeth, New Jersey, weaves together three generations of families, friends and strangers, whose lives are profoundly changed by a succession of disasters. This iconic author who has won the hearts and minds of readers of all ages, is also known for her passionate advocacy to protect the freedom to read. She will be joined in conversation with KPCC host and super Blume fan, Alex Cohen. Join us for a night to remember! In conversation with Alex Cohen, co-host of KPCC's Take Two; Co-presented with the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center.  On this special evening, one of America’s most beloved storytellers, Judy Blume, will discuss her work—from young adult classics like Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret to her new novel for adults, In the Unlikely Event. The story, inspired by a series of real-life plane crashes that occurred in the 1950s in Blume’s home town of Elizabeth, New Jersey, weaves together three generations of families, friends and strangers, whose lives are profoundly changed by a succession of disasters. This iconic author who has won the hearts and minds of readers of all ages, is also known for her passionate advocacy to protect the freedom to read. She will be joined in conversation with KPCC host and super Blume fan, Alex Cohen. Join us for a night to remember! In conversation with Alex Cohen, co-host of KPCC's Take Two; Co-presented with the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center.  01:13:07 http://www.lapl.org/node/44319 Thu, 28 May 2015 19:00:00 -0800 The Pulitzer Prize-winning poet discusses her new memoir, a gorgeous kaleidoscope of self and family that explores the meaning of home against a complex backdrop of race, religion, and unbreakable bonds. With lyrical precision and tender intelligence, Smith delves into the life and death of her mother. Smith struggles to understand her mother’s steadfast Christian faith, ultimately discovering her own prayer-like solace in poetry. Lynell George, whose own body of work includes reflections about place, family, and her mother, leads an intimate conversation with Smith about the extraordinary journey of a daughter. The Pulitzer Prize-winning poet discusses her new memoir, a gorgeous kaleidoscope of self and family that explores the meaning of home against a complex backdrop of race, religion, and unbreakable bonds. With lyrical precision and tender intelligence, Smith delves into the life and death of her mother. Smith struggles to understand her mother’s steadfast Christian faith, ultimately discovering her own prayer-like solace in poetry. Lynell George, whose own body of work includes reflections about place, family, and her mother, leads an intimate conversation with Smith about the extraordinary journey of a daughter. 01:07:39 http://www.lapl.org/node/44316 Tue, 19 May 2015 19:00:00 -0800 The masterful poet and essayist shares her latest two works—Ten Windows: How Great Poems Transform the World, a dazzling collection of essays on poetry, and The Beauty, her newest book of poems—for a close look at poetry’s power to expand our perception of the perimeters of existence. Join Hirshfield as she walks us through many wonderful poems, examining how they work by tuning our attention, renovating language, and unfastening the mind. The masterful poet and essayist shares her latest two works—Ten Windows: How Great Poems Transform the World, a dazzling collection of essays on poetry, and The Beauty, her newest book of poems—for a close look at poetry’s power to expand our perception of the perimeters of existence. Join Hirshfield as she walks us through many wonderful poems, examining how they work by tuning our attention, renovating language, and unfastening the mind. 01:22:58 http://www.lapl.org/node/44315 Thu, 14 May 2015 19:00:00 -0800 Inspired by the author’s years living in Mexico and ten years of field research, this transporting, the visceral novel tells the story of young women in rural Guerrero who live in the shadows of the drug war. The poetic narrative of the heroine Lady disguised by her mother as a boy for protection from the vicious cartels—shows great resilience and resolve as a young woman caught in a real-life nightmare. This fictionalized work by award-winning author and the former President of PEN Mexico ensures that the most vulnerable voices cannot be silenced at a time when fiction never seemed truer to fact than the present. Co-presented with LéaLA, Feria del Libro en Español de Los Ángeles. Inspired by the author’s years living in Mexico and ten years of field research, this transporting, the visceral novel tells the story of young women in rural Guerrero who live in the shadows of the drug war. The poetic narrative of the heroine Lady disguised by her mother as a boy for protection from the vicious cartels—shows great resilience and resolve as a young woman caught in a real-life nightmare. This fictionalized work by award-winning author and the former President of PEN Mexico ensures that the most vulnerable voices cannot be silenced at a time when fiction never seemed truer to fact than the present. Co-presented with LéaLA, Feria del Libro en Español de Los Ángeles. 00:59:06 http://www.lapl.org/node/44301 Thu, 30 Apr 2015 19:00:00 -0800 Our second annual gathering unites students from five Southland graduate writing programs—CalArts, Otis College, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, and USC—to share recent work and tune our ears to the future of the language. What are the ideas, forms, questions, syntaxes, images, and narratives of our immediate future? Who better as our compass in the wilds of the now than emerging writers? Featuring Sydney Barile, Justin Evans, Amanda Foushee, Melissa Gutierrez, Michael Mitchell, Nicole Olweean, Niela Orr, Sean Pessin, Julian Smith-Newman, and Paula Tang. Our second annual gathering unites students from five Southland graduate writing programs—CalArts, Otis College, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, and USC—to share recent work and tune our ears to the future of the language. What are the ideas, forms, questions, syntaxes, images, and narratives of our immediate future? Who better as our compass in the wilds of the now than emerging writers? Featuring Sydney Barile, Justin Evans, Amanda Foushee, Melissa Gutierrez, Michael Mitchell, Nicole Olweean, Niela Orr, Sean Pessin, Julian Smith-Newman, and Paula Tang. 01:10:23 http://www.lapl.org/node/44286 Mon, 27 Apr 2015 19:00:00 -0800 Stiglitz, winner of the 2001 Nobel Memorial Prize for Economics, has time and time again offered a singular voice of reason to diagnose America’s greatest economic challenges. In his provocative new book, the bestselling author makes an urgent case for Americans to solve inequality now. Veteran journalist Jim Newton engages Stiglitz in conversation, probing for answers to the greatest threat to American prosperity—the yawning gap between the rich and the poor. Stiglitz, winner of the 2001 Nobel Memorial Prize for Economics, has time and time again offered a singular voice of reason to diagnose America’s greatest economic challenges. In his provocative new book, the bestselling author makes an urgent case for Americans to solve inequality now. Veteran journalist Jim Newton engages Stiglitz in conversation, probing for answers to the greatest threat to American prosperity—the yawning gap between the rich and the poor. 01:16:08 http://www.lapl.org/node/46030 Mon, 27 Apr 2015 19:00:00 -0800 Stiglitz, winner of the 2001 Nobel Memorial Prize for Economics, has time and time again offered a singular voice of reason to diagnose America’s greatest economic challenges. In his provocative new book, the bestselling author makes an urgent case for Americans to solve inequality now. Veteran journalist Jim Newton engages Stiglitz in conversation, probing for answers to the greatest threat to American prosperity—the yawning gap between the rich and the poor. Stiglitz, winner of the 2001 Nobel Memorial Prize for Economics, has time and time again offered a singular voice of reason to diagnose America’s greatest economic challenges. In his provocative new book, the bestselling author makes an urgent case for Americans to solve inequality now. Veteran journalist Jim Newton engages Stiglitz in conversation, probing for answers to the greatest threat to American prosperity—the yawning gap between the rich and the poor. 01:16:08 http://www.lapl.org/node/44285 Thu, 23 Apr 2015 19:00:00 -0800 Espíritu Rebelde: Letras de Poder y ProtestaAna Tijoux en conversación con la poeta y traductora Jen HoferPresentado en conjunto con la Asociación Filarmónica de Los ÁngelesAlzando su voz por los derechos de las mujeres, la reforma migratoria, el activismo ambiental y demás, la cantante nominada al GRAMMY, Ana Tijoux, ha transformado el escenario mundial con sus versos cargados de fuerza política. Las composiciones de Tijoux, sin límites geográficos o de género musical, reflejan las influencias literarias de su juventud y las ricas tradiciones musicales de su Chile natal. De Eduardo Galeano a Violeta Parra, escucha –mediante conversación y canto- las inspiraciones que impulsan su espíritu rebelde.Co-presented with the Los Angeles Philharmonic AssociationRebel Spirit: Lyrics of Power and ProtestRaising her voice for women’s rights, immigration reform, environmental activism, and more, GRAMMY-nominated musician Ana Tijoux has transformed the global stage with her politically powered verses. Unbounded by geography and genre, Tijoux’s songwriting reflects the literary influences of her youth and the rich musical traditions of her native Chile. From Eduardo Galeano to Violeta Parra, hear—through conversation and song—the inspirations that fuel her rebel spirit. Espíritu Rebelde: Letras de Poder y ProtestaAna Tijoux en conversación con la poeta y traductora Jen HoferPresentado en conjunto con la Asociación Filarmónica de Los ÁngelesAlzando su voz por los derechos de las mujeres, la reforma migratoria, el activismo ambiental y demás, la cantante nominada al GRAMMY, Ana Tijoux, ha transformado el escenario mundial con sus versos cargados de fuerza política. Las composiciones de Tijoux, sin límites geográficos o de género musical, reflejan las influencias literarias de su juventud y las ricas tradiciones musicales de su Chile natal. De Eduardo Galeano a Violeta Parra, escucha –mediante conversación y canto- las inspiraciones que impulsan su espíritu rebelde.Co-presented with the Los Angeles Philharmonic AssociationRebel Spirit: Lyrics of Power and ProtestRaising her voice for women’s rights, immigration reform, environmental activism, and more, GRAMMY-nominated musician Ana Tijoux has transformed the global stage with her politically powered verses. Unbounded by geography and genre, Tijoux’s songwriting reflects the literary influences of her youth and the rich musical traditions of her native Chile. From Eduardo Galeano to Violeta Parra, hear—through conversation and song—the inspirations that fuel her rebel spirit. 01:26:46 http://www.lapl.org/node/44284 Tue, 21 Apr 2015 19:00:00 -0800 The veteran journalist and critically acclaimed author of The Lemon Tree brings us another true story of hope in the Palestinian-Israeli impasse. His newest book, Children of the Stone, chronicles a young violist—Ramzi Hussein Aburedwan—who escapes a Palestinian refugee camp and later returns to fulfill his dream: establishing a music school with the help of Israeli musicians including Daniel Barenboim, director of the Berlin State Opera and La Scala. Join Tolan for a moving conversation about how a love of music transforms and empowers lives in a war-torn land. The veteran journalist and critically acclaimed author of The Lemon Tree brings us another true story of hope in the Palestinian-Israeli impasse. His newest book, Children of the Stone, chronicles a young violist—Ramzi Hussein Aburedwan—who escapes a Palestinian refugee camp and later returns to fulfill his dream: establishing a music school with the help of Israeli musicians including Daniel Barenboim, director of the Berlin State Opera and La Scala. Join Tolan for a moving conversation about how a love of music transforms and empowers lives in a war-torn land. 01:16:37 http://www.lapl.org/node/44282 Thu, 02 Apr 2015 19:00:00 -0800 A veteran of twenty years of human rights research and activism and recent recipient of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, Bennoune offers an eye-opening chronicle of peaceful resistance to extremism in her recent book. Scouring the globe for stories of heroic individuals—artists, doctors, lawyers, and educators— who challenge stereotypes of Islamist fundamentalism, Bennoune shares these vivid portraits that offer an uplifting look at our best hopes for ending fundamentalist oppression worldwide. A veteran of twenty years of human rights research and activism and recent recipient of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, Bennoune offers an eye-opening chronicle of peaceful resistance to extremism in her recent book. Scouring the globe for stories of heroic individuals—artists, doctors, lawyers, and educators— who challenge stereotypes of Islamist fundamentalism, Bennoune shares these vivid portraits that offer an uplifting look at our best hopes for ending fundamentalist oppression worldwide. 01:22:20 http://www.lapl.org/node/44281 Tue, 31 Mar 2015 19:00:00 -0800 In his first collection in nine years, McGuane confirms his status as a modern master of Big Sky country. With a comic genius that recalls Mark Twain, and his own beautiful way with words, McGuane, The Bushwacked Piano, Gallatin Canyon, Ninety-two in the Shade, offers a jubilant and thunderous new batch of stories about life’s complicated nature from the wilds of Montana. Join us for a reading and conversation with one of America’s most deeply admired storytellers. In his first collection in nine years, McGuane confirms his status as a modern master of Big Sky country. With a comic genius that recalls Mark Twain, and his own beautiful way with words, McGuane, The Bushwacked Piano, Gallatin Canyon, Ninety-two in the Shade, offers a jubilant and thunderous new batch of stories about life’s complicated nature from the wilds of Montana. Join us for a reading and conversation with one of America’s most deeply admired storytellers. 01:14:08 http://www.lapl.org/node/44270 Mon, 23 Mar 2015 19:00:00 -0800 Coming together for the first time on stage, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Adam Johnson and bestselling nonfiction author Blaine Harden explore how their different paths of storytelling led them to similar truths about illusive North Korea. Join Johnson, author of the spellbinding novel The Orphan Master’s Son, and Harden, author of the new historical exposé The Great Leader and the Fighter Pilot: The True Story of the Tyrant Who Created North Korea and the Young Lieutenant Who Stole His Way to Freedom, for a fascinating discussion about the world’s longest-lasting totalitarian regime. Coming together for the first time on stage, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Adam Johnson and bestselling nonfiction author Blaine Harden explore how their different paths of storytelling led them to similar truths about illusive North Korea. Join Johnson, author of the spellbinding novel The Orphan Master’s Son, and Harden, author of the new historical exposé The Great Leader and the Fighter Pilot: The True Story of the Tyrant Who Created North Korea and the Young Lieutenant Who Stole His Way to Freedom, for a fascinating discussion about the world’s longest-lasting totalitarian regime. 01:13:51 http://www.lapl.org/node/44261 Tue, 10 Mar 2015 19:00:00 -0800 A year ago, Russia invaded Ukraine, destroying a peaceful order in Europe and placing its own regime at risk. We in the West have experienced this historical turning point through a haze of propaganda. According to Snyder, the Kremlin was perhaps wrong about the political weakness of Ukraine but likely right about some intellectual weaknesses of Americans and Europeans. When will the war end? This rare pairing of two essential thinkers on Eastern European politics offers a revelatory look at why what happens in Ukraine is of significant international importance. A year ago, Russia invaded Ukraine, destroying a peaceful order in Europe and placing its own regime at risk. We in the West have experienced this historical turning point through a haze of propaganda. According to Snyder, the Kremlin was perhaps wrong about the political weakness of Ukraine but likely right about some intellectual weaknesses of Americans and Europeans. When will the war end? This rare pairing of two essential thinkers on Eastern European politics offers a revelatory look at why what happens in Ukraine is of significant international importance. 01:25:32 http://www.lapl.org/node/44245 Thu, 05 Mar 2015 19:00:00 -0800 The multi-talented dancer, choreographer, and director Bill T. Jones presents a provocative collage of movement, music, and personal narrative from Story/Time, a recent dance work produced by his company and inspired by the legendary composer John Cage. This program coincides with the publication of a new book based on Jones’ brilliant hybrid work and meditations as an African American artist struggling to find a place in a white-dominated dance world. Jones and two extraordinary dancers from his company will perform and then discuss this powerful experiment in storytelling.Co-presented with Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA. The multi-talented dancer, choreographer, and director Bill T. Jones presents a provocative collage of movement, music, and personal narrative from Story/Time, a recent dance work produced by his company and inspired by the legendary composer John Cage. This program coincides with the publication of a new book based on Jones’ brilliant hybrid work and meditations as an African American artist struggling to find a place in a white-dominated dance world. Jones and two extraordinary dancers from his company will perform and then discuss this powerful experiment in storytelling.Co-presented with Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA. 00:44:09 http://www.lapl.org/node/44250 Wed, 04 Mar 2015 19:00:00 -0800 The Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and consultant on the Academy Award-winning film 12 Years a Slave discusses his latest book, which unearths extraordinary findings from Columbia University’s archives to shed new light on the Underground Railroad. Join Foner in conversation with Harvard Law Professor Randall Kennedy for an illuminating look at the fraught history of American slavery and the courageous acts of individuals who defied the law in the fight for freedom decades before the Civil War. The Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and consultant on the Academy Award-winning film 12 Years a Slave discusses his latest book, which unearths extraordinary findings from Columbia University’s archives to shed new light on the Underground Railroad. Join Foner in conversation with Harvard Law Professor Randall Kennedy for an illuminating look at the fraught history of American slavery and the courageous acts of individuals who defied the law in the fight for freedom decades before the Civil War. 01:01:13 http://www.lapl.org/node/40917 Tue, 17 Feb 2015 19:00:00 -0800 David Axelrod, the great strategist who masterminded President Barack Obama’s historic election campaigns, sits down with Emmy Award-winning NPR host Michel Martin to discuss his years as a young journalist, political consultant, and ultimately senior adviser to the president. From a young journalist in 1970s and 80s Chicago—where he reported on the dissolution of the last of the big city political machines—to his twenty-year friendship with Obama, to serving during two wars and an economic disaster, Axelrod offers a rich account of the man and the mind behind some of the greatest political changes of the last decade. This event took place at The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. David Axelrod, the great strategist who masterminded President Barack Obama’s historic election campaigns, sits down with Emmy Award-winning NPR host Michel Martin to discuss his years as a young journalist, political consultant, and ultimately senior adviser to the president. From a young journalist in 1970s and 80s Chicago—where he reported on the dissolution of the last of the big city political machines—to his twenty-year friendship with Obama, to serving during two wars and an economic disaster, Axelrod offers a rich account of the man and the mind behind some of the greatest political changes of the last decade. This event took place at The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. 01:24:11 http://www.lapl.org/node/40916 Thu, 12 Feb 2015 19:00:00 -0800 The work of Wendy L. Freedman, one of the world’s most influential astronomers, is based on being an observer, while that of Caltech cosmologist Sean Carroll is based on his role as theorist. In a phenomenal period of discovery in which the view of the universe has expanded enormously, what fundamental discoveries might yet be uncovered? Join us for a conversation with these two experts about what could literally be on the horizon. The work of Wendy L. Freedman, one of the world’s most influential astronomers, is based on being an observer, while that of Caltech cosmologist Sean Carroll is based on his role as theorist. In a phenomenal period of discovery in which the view of the universe has expanded enormously, what fundamental discoveries might yet be uncovered? Join us for a conversation with these two experts about what could literally be on the horizon. 01:10:44 http://www.lapl.org/node/40915 Tue, 10 Feb 2015 19:00:00 -0800 Internationally recognized authority on comics and visual communication, Scott McCloud wrote the book on how comics work, Understanding Comics. Now he vaults into fiction with a breathtaking, funny, and unforgettable new work. In The Sculptor, McCloud delivers a spellbinding adult urban fable about a wish, a deal with death, the price of art, and the value of life. Join KCRW’s Elvis Mitchell for a conversation with McCloud on his long-awaited magnum opus and the power of storytelling. Internationally recognized authority on comics and visual communication, Scott McCloud wrote the book on how comics work, Understanding Comics. Now he vaults into fiction with a breathtaking, funny, and unforgettable new work. In The Sculptor, McCloud delivers a spellbinding adult urban fable about a wish, a deal with death, the price of art, and the value of life. Join KCRW’s Elvis Mitchell for a conversation with McCloud on his long-awaited magnum opus and the power of storytelling. 01:07:29 http://www.lapl.org/node/40914 Thu, 05 Feb 2015 19:00:00 -0800 Ghettoside tells the kaleidoscopic story of one American murder—one young black man slaying another—and a driven crew of detectives whose creed is to pursue justice for forgotten victims at all costs. This fast-paced narrative of a devastating crime in South Los Angeles provides a new lens into the great subject of why murder happens in America—and how the plague of killings might yet be stopped. KCRW’s Warren Olney sits down with award-winning reporter Leovy to discuss this master work of literary journalism that is equal parts gripping detective story and provocative social critique. Ghettoside tells the kaleidoscopic story of one American murder—one young black man slaying another—and a driven crew of detectives whose creed is to pursue justice for forgotten victims at all costs. This fast-paced narrative of a devastating crime in South Los Angeles provides a new lens into the great subject of why murder happens in America—and how the plague of killings might yet be stopped. KCRW’s Warren Olney sits down with award-winning reporter Leovy to discuss this master work of literary journalism that is equal parts gripping detective story and provocative social critique. 01:11:15 http://www.lapl.org/node/40913 Wed, 28 Jan 2015 19:00:00 -0800 Though never charged with a crime, Mohamedou Ould Slahi has been imprisoned at the Guantánamo Bay detention camp since 2002. His deeply personal diary—an unprecedented publishing event as the first ever book published by a still-imprisoned detainee—is a terrifying (and darkly humorous) chronicle of a vivid miscarriage of justice. To discuss the book and the case, longtime human rights activist and editor of Slahi’s book, Larry Siems, joins Slahi’s lawyer, Nancy Hollander, whose practice is devoted to criminal cases, including that of Chelsea E. Manning, involving national security issues. Though never charged with a crime, Mohamedou Ould Slahi has been imprisoned at the Guantánamo Bay detention camp since 2002. His deeply personal diary—an unprecedented publishing event as the first ever book published by a still-imprisoned detainee—is a terrifying (and darkly humorous) chronicle of a vivid miscarriage of justice. To discuss the book and the case, longtime human rights activist and editor of Slahi’s book, Larry Siems, joins Slahi’s lawyer, Nancy Hollander, whose practice is devoted to criminal cases, including that of Chelsea E. Manning, involving national security issues. 01:22:34 http://www.lapl.org/node/40912 Fri, 23 Jan 2015 19:00:00 -0800 Oswalt—comedian, actor, social media genius—illuminates the story of his early days of the comedy scene in Los Angeles and his unshakeable addiction to the New Beverly Cinema. From Cocteau’s Beauty and the Beast to Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, the bestselling author of Zombie Spaceship Wasteland chronicles his coming of age from fledgling stand-up at the Largo to self-assured sitcom actor. Oswalt’s witty prose proves that funny is just as fit for the page as it is the stage. Oswalt—comedian, actor, social media genius—illuminates the story of his early days of the comedy scene in Los Angeles and his unshakeable addiction to the New Beverly Cinema. From Cocteau’s Beauty and the Beast to Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, the bestselling author of Zombie Spaceship Wasteland chronicles his coming of age from fledgling stand-up at the Largo to self-assured sitcom actor. Oswalt’s witty prose proves that funny is just as fit for the page as it is the stage. 01:28:03 http://www.lapl.org/node/40911 Wed, 21 Jan 2015 19:00:00 -0800 In the waning days of the Obama era, artists and young people are shaping our discussion about race through activism, social media, film, and art. Author Jeff Chang’s newest book Who We Be: The Colorization of America remixes comic strips and contemporary art, campus protests, and corporate marketing campaigns for a fresh look at America’s racial divide. Director Justin Simien's Dear White People film taps into the unease of "post-racial" hype among college students of color. Join Chang and Simien in a talk about how art and writing are speaking to this moment and what happens next when the Obamas leave, and the White House goes back to being a white house. In the waning days of the Obama era, artists and young people are shaping our discussion about race through activism, social media, film, and art. Author Jeff Chang’s newest book Who We Be: The Colorization of America remixes comic strips and contemporary art, campus protests, and corporate marketing campaigns for a fresh look at America’s racial divide. Director Justin Simien's Dear White People film taps into the unease of "post-racial" hype among college students of color. Join Chang and Simien in a talk about how art and writing are speaking to this moment and what happens next when the Obamas leave, and the White House goes back to being a white house. 01:15:14 http://www.lapl.org/node/40909 Thu, 15 Jan 2015 19:00:00 -0800 Lee, a deeply influential writer about race, class, and immigrant life in America sets his gripping and fiercely imagined new novel in a chilling dystopia, where abandoned post-industrial cities have been converted into forced labor colonies populated with immigrant workers. The fate of the world may lay in the hands of one nervy girl named Fan, a beautiful fish tank diver, who jolts the labor colony by running away. Join Lee and the story-bending author Charles Yu, How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe for a conversation on alternate realities and the power of a riveting story to change the way we see the world. Lee, a deeply influential writer about race, class, and immigrant life in America sets his gripping and fiercely imagined new novel in a chilling dystopia, where abandoned post-industrial cities have been converted into forced labor colonies populated with immigrant workers. The fate of the world may lay in the hands of one nervy girl named Fan, a beautiful fish tank diver, who jolts the labor colony by running away. Join Lee and the story-bending author Charles Yu, How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe for a conversation on alternate realities and the power of a riveting story to change the way we see the world. 01:04:30 http://www.lapl.org/node/40907 Tue, 13 Jan 2015 19:00:00 -0800 When artists and artisans can’t make a living, we all pay the price. Scott Timberg’s original and important  new book, Culture Crash: The Killing of the Creative Class, examines the roots of a creative crisis that has put booksellers, indie musicians, architects and graphic designers out of work and struggling to afford healthcare, stable housing and educational opportunities for their kids. This panel of creative thinkers and doers convenes to examine this urgent issue and explore what we can do to change course. When artists and artisans can’t make a living, we all pay the price. Scott Timberg’s original and important  new book, Culture Crash: The Killing of the Creative Class, examines the roots of a creative crisis that has put booksellers, indie musicians, architects and graphic designers out of work and struggling to afford healthcare, stable housing and educational opportunities for their kids. This panel of creative thinkers and doers convenes to examine this urgent issue and explore what we can do to change course. 01:16:44 http://www.lapl.org/node/40751 Mon, 01 Dec 2014 19:00:00 -0800 One of the most influential and celebrated musicians of our time, Carlos Santana, will sit down with L.A.'s own Cheech Marin to share the story of his life—from his humble childhood in Mexico to his emergence in the 1960s rock underground in San Francisco and the explosion of his musical career. In his new memoir The Universal Tone, Santana’s authentic voice and the unparalleled story is delivered with a level of passion and soul equal to the legendary charge of his guitar. From collaborations with other greats like Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock to Juanes, Pitbull and Lila Downs, hear the remarkable life story from a musician Rolling Stone has rated as one of the greatest guitarists of all time. One of the most influential and celebrated musicians of our time, Carlos Santana, will sit down with L.A.'s own Cheech Marin to share the story of his life—from his humble childhood in Mexico to his emergence in the 1960s rock underground in San Francisco and the explosion of his musical career. In his new memoir The Universal Tone, Santana’s authentic voice and the unparalleled story is delivered with a level of passion and soul equal to the legendary charge of his guitar. From collaborations with other greats like Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock to Juanes, Pitbull and Lila Downs, hear the remarkable life story from a musician Rolling Stone has rated as one of the greatest guitarists of all time. 01:12:26 http://www.lapl.org/node/40267 Thu, 20 Nov 2014 19:00:00 -0800 The comprehensive new Norton Anthology of World Religions, under the editorial direction of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jack Miles, assembles primary texts from six major world religions in the religious equivalent of a giant "family album." Miles questions whether religion can be defined, and considers how, sometimes, the supposedly ancient turns out to be quite recent, and the truly ancient turns out to be surprisingly modern. Three religious traditions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—loom especially large in the lives of Americans; listen in on a discussion that promises to unveil many other surprises as these three religious "cousins" flip through the album together. The comprehensive new Norton Anthology of World Religions, under the editorial direction of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jack Miles, assembles primary texts from six major world religions in the religious equivalent of a giant "family album." Miles questions whether religion can be defined, and considers how, sometimes, the supposedly ancient turns out to be quite recent, and the truly ancient turns out to be surprisingly modern. Three religious traditions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—loom especially large in the lives of Americans; listen in on a discussion that promises to unveil many other surprises as these three religious "cousins" flip through the album together. 01:12:05 http://www.lapl.org/node/40116 Thu, 13 Nov 2014 19:00:00 -0800 In her new book, Thornton, best-selling author of Seven Days in the Art World, uses a structure of richly linked, cinematic scenes that allow us access to understanding a dazzling range of artists—including Cindy Sherman, Gabriel Orozco, Marina Abramović, Ai Weiwei, and Christian Marclay, among many others. In this conversation with the Hammer’s Allison Agsten, Thornton discusses her research—how she rummaged through artists’ bank accounts, bedrooms, and studios and witnessed their crises and triumphs—as well as the wildly different answers—and non-answers—she received to the question, “What is an artist?” In her new book, Thornton, best-selling author of Seven Days in the Art World, uses a structure of richly linked, cinematic scenes that allow us access to understanding a dazzling range of artists—including Cindy Sherman, Gabriel Orozco, Marina Abramović, Ai Weiwei, and Christian Marclay, among many others. In this conversation with the Hammer’s Allison Agsten, Thornton discusses her research—how she rummaged through artists’ bank accounts, bedrooms, and studios and witnessed their crises and triumphs—as well as the wildly different answers—and non-answers—she received to the question, “What is an artist?” 00:00:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/40079 Wed, 12 Nov 2014 19:00:00 -0800 In her years of research, Lepore—Harvard historian and New Yorker staff writer—has uncovered an astonishing trove of documents, including the never-before-seen private papers of Wonder Woman’s creator, William Moulton Marston. Marston, who also invented the lie detector—lived a life of secrets, only to spill them onto the pages of Wonder Woman comics. Lepore discusses this riveting story about the most popular female superhero of all time, illustrating a crucial history of twentieth century feminism. In her years of research, Lepore—Harvard historian and New Yorker staff writer—has uncovered an astonishing trove of documents, including the never-before-seen private papers of Wonder Woman’s creator, William Moulton Marston. Marston, who also invented the lie detector—lived a life of secrets, only to spill them onto the pages of Wonder Woman comics. Lepore discusses this riveting story about the most popular female superhero of all time, illustrating a crucial history of twentieth century feminism. 01:09:34 http://www.lapl.org/node/40264 Thu, 06 Nov 2014 19:00:00 -0800 From Madame Bovary to Hedda Gabler, some of literature’s most passionate heroines find themselves under the fire of their times. In Tóibín’s The Testament of Mary, the Irish novelist took on nothing less than the mother of Christ. In his masterful new novel, Nora Webster, he portrays a fiercely compelling young Irish widow and mother of four navigating grief and fear and struggling for hope. Rachel Kushner (The Flamethrowers) joins Tóibín for a discussion about creating characters that erupt off the page in novels where the political and the personal are locked in a deep and fascinating embrace. From Madame Bovary to Hedda Gabler, some of literature’s most passionate heroines find themselves under the fire of their times. In Tóibín’s The Testament of Mary, the Irish novelist took on nothing less than the mother of Christ. In his masterful new novel, Nora Webster, he portrays a fiercely compelling young Irish widow and mother of four navigating grief and fear and struggling for hope. Rachel Kushner (The Flamethrowers) joins Tóibín for a discussion about creating characters that erupt off the page in novels where the political and the personal are locked in a deep and fascinating embrace. 01:08:49 http://www.lapl.org/node/40078 Wed, 05 Nov 2014 19:00:00 -0800 One of our greatest American writers returns to the small Iowa town of Gilead—the setting of her earlier Pulitzer Prize-winning novel—in the unforgettable story of a girlhood lived on the fringes of society in fear, awe, and wonder. Hear Robinson read and reflect on this masterpiece of prose, where the small town of Gilead becomes as quintessential to the rich fabric of American life as Faulkner’s Yoknapatawpha County. One of our greatest American writers returns to the small Iowa town of Gilead—the setting of her earlier Pulitzer Prize-winning novel—in the unforgettable story of a girlhood lived on the fringes of society in fear, awe, and wonder. Hear Robinson read and reflect on this masterpiece of prose, where the small town of Gilead becomes as quintessential to the rich fabric of American life as Faulkner’s Yoknapatawpha County. http://www.lapl.org/node/38350 Mon, 27 Oct 2014 19:00:00 -0800 When we ask young men and women to go to war, what are we asking of them? When their deployments end and they return—many of them changed forever—how do they recover some facsimile of normalcy? MacArthur award-winning author David Finkel discusses the struggling veterans chronicled in his deeply affecting book, Thank You for Your Service with Skip Rizzo, Director for Medical Virtual Reality at the Institute for Creative Technologies at USC—who has pioneered the use of virtual reality-based exposure therapy to treat veterans suffering from PTSD. Presented in association with The L.A. Odyssey Project. When we ask young men and women to go to war, what are we asking of them? When their deployments end and they return—many of them changed forever—how do they recover some facsimile of normalcy? MacArthur award-winning author David Finkel discusses the struggling veterans chronicled in his deeply affecting book, Thank You for Your Service with Skip Rizzo, Director for Medical Virtual Reality at the Institute for Creative Technologies at USC—who has pioneered the use of virtual reality-based exposure therapy to treat veterans suffering from PTSD. Presented in association with The L.A. Odyssey Project. 01:25:20 http://www.lapl.org/node/38349 Thu, 23 Oct 2014 19:00:00 -0800 Two powerful poets read from their work and discuss how poetry can become an active tool for rethinking race in America. Robin Coste Lewis reads from her upcoming poetry collection, Voyage of the Sable Venus, which lyrically catalogs representations of the black figure in the fine arts, with Claudia Rankine—a poet whose incendiary new book, Citizen: An American Lyric—is a powerful testament to the individual and collective effects of racism in our often named "post-racial" society. Two powerful poets read from their work and discuss how poetry can become an active tool for rethinking race in America. Robin Coste Lewis reads from her upcoming poetry collection, Voyage of the Sable Venus, which lyrically catalogs representations of the black figure in the fine arts, with Claudia Rankine—a poet whose incendiary new book, Citizen: An American Lyric—is a powerful testament to the individual and collective effects of racism in our often named "post-racial" society. 01:09:56 http://www.lapl.org/node/38348 Tue, 21 Oct 2014 19:00:00 -0800 Co-presented with the Consulate General of Poland.It’s been twenty-five years since the ultimate victory of the Solidarity movement in Poland, a revolution that ultimately led to the fall of communism. Adam Michnik, a Solidarity activist jailed by the Polish communist regime for his dissident activities, and now among Poland’s most prominent public figures, discusses the legacy of that revolution with Yasmine El Rashidi, a young intrepid Cairo-based journalist whose essays and articles on the (unfinished) Egyptian revolution were nominated for an Amnesty International Media Award. Can a velvet revolution offer any useful lessons to a bloody one? Co-presented with the Consulate General of Poland.It’s been twenty-five years since the ultimate victory of the Solidarity movement in Poland, a revolution that ultimately led to the fall of communism. Adam Michnik, a Solidarity activist jailed by the Polish communist regime for his dissident activities, and now among Poland’s most prominent public figures, discusses the legacy of that revolution with Yasmine El Rashidi, a young intrepid Cairo-based journalist whose essays and articles on the (unfinished) Egyptian revolution were nominated for an Amnesty International Media Award. Can a velvet revolution offer any useful lessons to a bloody one? 01:09:14 http://www.lapl.org/node/38347 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 19:00:00 -0800 In this master work by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Héctor Tobar tells the miraculous and emotionally textured account of the thirty-three Chilean miners who were trapped beneath thousands of feet of rock for a record-breaking sixty-nine days. Join us to hear this astounding account of the personal histories that brought "Los 33" to the mine and the spiritual elements that surrounded their work in the deep down dark. In this master work by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Héctor Tobar tells the miraculous and emotionally textured account of the thirty-three Chilean miners who were trapped beneath thousands of feet of rock for a record-breaking sixty-nine days. Join us to hear this astounding account of the personal histories that brought "Los 33" to the mine and the spiritual elements that surrounded their work in the deep down dark. 01:08:40 http://www.lapl.org/node/38346 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 19:00:00 -0800 In his thrilling new biography, Lahr—longtime New Yorker theater critic--gives intimate access to the life and mind of Williams- shedding new light on his warring family, his lobotomized sister, his sexuality, and his misreported death. In the sensational saga of Williams’ rise and fall, Lahr captures his tempestuous public persona and backstage life where Marlon Brando, Elia Kazan and others had scintillating walk-on parts. Maupin joins Lahr for a fascinating conversation about one of the most brilliant playwrights of his century, whose plays reshaped the American theater and the nation’s sense of itself. In his thrilling new biography, Lahr—longtime New Yorker theater critic--gives intimate access to the life and mind of Williams- shedding new light on his warring family, his lobotomized sister, his sexuality, and his misreported death. In the sensational saga of Williams’ rise and fall, Lahr captures his tempestuous public persona and backstage life where Marlon Brando, Elia Kazan and others had scintillating walk-on parts. Maupin joins Lahr for a fascinating conversation about one of the most brilliant playwrights of his century, whose plays reshaped the American theater and the nation’s sense of itself. 01:07:58 http://www.lapl.org/node/38345 Thu, 02 Oct 2014 19:00:00 -0800 Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey are among the most adapted works of literature—why would two young, debut novelists take on the classics today? Zachary Mason’s The Lost Books of the Odyssey offers a playful and fragmented remix of Odysseus’s long journey home. Told from the perspective of a minor player in the Trojan War, Madeline Miller’s The Song of Achilles adds new dimension to the Greek heroes. Together at ALOUD for the first time, these young authors discuss the hubris and heart it takes to rewrite a classic with a fresh and contemporary voice.Presented in association with The L.A. Odyssey Project. Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey are among the most adapted works of literature—why would two young, debut novelists take on the classics today? Zachary Mason’s The Lost Books of the Odyssey offers a playful and fragmented remix of Odysseus’s long journey home. Told from the perspective of a minor player in the Trojan War, Madeline Miller’s The Song of Achilles adds new dimension to the Greek heroes. Together at ALOUD for the first time, these young authors discuss the hubris and heart it takes to rewrite a classic with a fresh and contemporary voice.Presented in association with The L.A. Odyssey Project. 01:01:26 http://www.lapl.org/node/38339 Tue, 30 Sep 2014 19:00:00 -0800 Two filmmakers share and discuss excerpts from their new documentaries that illuminate indigenous stories rarely seen on film. Bering: Balance and Resistance, by Lourdes Grobet—one of Mexico’s most renowned photographers—lyrically reflects on an Inuit community’s search for new values while struggling to reconcile the past. In Indian 101, filmmaker Julianna Brannum focuses on lessons taught by her great aunt LaDonna Harris, the Comanche activist who helped negotiate the return of sacred ground to the Taos Pueblo Indians. Far apart geographically, these two communities are irrevocably linked as they navigate their contemporary history. Two filmmakers share and discuss excerpts from their new documentaries that illuminate indigenous stories rarely seen on film. Bering: Balance and Resistance, by Lourdes Grobet—one of Mexico’s most renowned photographers—lyrically reflects on an Inuit community’s search for new values while struggling to reconcile the past. In Indian 101, filmmaker Julianna Brannum focuses on lessons taught by her great aunt LaDonna Harris, the Comanche activist who helped negotiate the return of sacred ground to the Taos Pueblo Indians. Far apart geographically, these two communities are irrevocably linked as they navigate their contemporary history. 00:58:24 http://www.lapl.org/node/38089 Thu, 25 Sep 2014 19:00:00 -0800 New York Times columnist Charles M. Blow grew up in an out-of-time African-American Louisiana town where slavery’s legacy felt astonishingly close, reverberating in the elders’ stories and the near-constant wash of violence. Award-winning author Jesmyn Ward writes powerfully about the poverty of her Mississippi childhood and the pressures it brought on men and women, revealing disadvantages that bred a certain kind of tragedy. In this conversation, two accomplished storytellers take the stage to discuss their memoirs that pay homage to the troubled past of the South with emotional honesty and moments of stark poetry. New York Times columnist Charles M. Blow grew up in an out-of-time African-American Louisiana town where slavery’s legacy felt astonishingly close, reverberating in the elders’ stories and the near-constant wash of violence. Award-winning author Jesmyn Ward writes powerfully about the poverty of her Mississippi childhood and the pressures it brought on men and women, revealing disadvantages that bred a certain kind of tragedy. In this conversation, two accomplished storytellers take the stage to discuss their memoirs that pay homage to the troubled past of the South with emotional honesty and moments of stark poetry. 01:10:40 http://www.lapl.org/node/38088 Wed, 17 Sep 2014 19:00:00 -0800 For forty years, Heyday Books has been publishing California's stories—stories no one else has told—from native peoples and newly arrived immigrants, stories about the delicate Calliope hummingbirds and 14,000 foot peaks, to the explorations of California's most original thinkers, poets, and visual artists. Bancroft's new book describes an organization run on passion and devoted to beauty. Malcolm's friend and colleague, Vincent Medina, a member of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Area, will join the discussion. For forty years, Heyday Books has been publishing California's stories—stories no one else has told—from native peoples and newly arrived immigrants, stories about the delicate Calliope hummingbirds and 14,000 foot peaks, to the explorations of California's most original thinkers, poets, and visual artists. Bancroft's new book describes an organization run on passion and devoted to beauty. Malcolm's friend and colleague, Vincent Medina, a member of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Area, will join the discussion. 01:12:51 http://www.lapl.org/node/38087 Mon, 15 Sep 2014 19:00:00 -0800 From one of our finest literary interpreters of science and nature comes an optimistic manifesto on the earth-shaking changes now affecting every part of our lives, and those of our fellow creatures. Through her compelling and meditative prose, Ackerman reminds us how the human and natural worlds coexist, coadapt and interactively thrive. From one of our finest literary interpreters of science and nature comes an optimistic manifesto on the earth-shaking changes now affecting every part of our lives, and those of our fellow creatures. Through her compelling and meditative prose, Ackerman reminds us how the human and natural worlds coexist, coadapt and interactively thrive. 01:05:36 http://www.lapl.org/node/38085 Tue, 09 Sep 2014 19:00:00 -0800 Ellroy, one of America’s greatest living crime writers, draws on the history of Los Angeles in his newest novel, Perfidia. Together with Kirn, author of a recent riveting take on a Los Angeles cold case, Ellroy uncovers a corrupt city under the shadow of Pearl Harbor, where the investigation of a hellish murder of a Japanese family throws together and rips apart four driven souls. Ellroy, one of America’s greatest living crime writers, draws on the history of Los Angeles in his newest novel, Perfidia. Together with Kirn, author of a recent riveting take on a Los Angeles cold case, Ellroy uncovers a corrupt city under the shadow of Pearl Harbor, where the investigation of a hellish murder of a Japanese family throws together and rips apart four driven souls. 01:05:32 http://www.lapl.org/node/35192 Wed, 30 Jul 2014 19:00:00 -0800 Weaving history, journalism, and memoir, the author of The Accidental Asian and founder of Citizen University explores the parallel rise of China and the Chinese American—how Chinese immigrants have exceled despite racism and xenophobia, and how they reconcile competing beliefs about what constitutes success, virtue, and belonging in a time of deep flux. From Confucius to the Constitution, Liu discusses his new collection of personal essays that provide insight into the evolving Chinese American dream. Weaving history, journalism, and memoir, the author of The Accidental Asian and founder of Citizen University explores the parallel rise of China and the Chinese American—how Chinese immigrants have exceled despite racism and xenophobia, and how they reconcile competing beliefs about what constitutes success, virtue, and belonging in a time of deep flux. From Confucius to the Constitution, Liu discusses his new collection of personal essays that provide insight into the evolving Chinese American dream. 01:17:52 http://www.lapl.org/node/35191 Tue, 29 Jul 2014 19:00:00 -0800 Has the Internet ruined everything or is it our savior? boyd, a principal researcher at Microsoft Research, skewers misunderstandings and anxieties about the online lives of teens often voiced by teachers and parents in her eye-opening new book. Integrating a decade’s worth of interviews with teens, boyd injects nuances and complexity into the discussion of how they are trying to carve out a space of their own, as their lives are increasingly mediated through services like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Anyone interested in the impact of emerging technologies on society, culture, and commerce in the years to come will want to catch this conversation. Has the Internet ruined everything or is it our savior? boyd, a principal researcher at Microsoft Research, skewers misunderstandings and anxieties about the online lives of teens often voiced by teachers and parents in her eye-opening new book. Integrating a decade’s worth of interviews with teens, boyd injects nuances and complexity into the discussion of how they are trying to carve out a space of their own, as their lives are increasingly mediated through services like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Anyone interested in the impact of emerging technologies on society, culture, and commerce in the years to come will want to catch this conversation. 01:18:10 http://www.lapl.org/node/35189 Thu, 17 Jul 2014 19:00:00 -0800 In a follow-up to his masterful Say Her Name, The Interior Circuit is Goldman’s emergence from the grief of his wife’s death as he embraces Mexico’s capital as his home—a city which stands defiantly apart from so many of the social ills and violence wracking Mexico. Yet as the narco war rages on and with the restoration to power of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, Mexico City’s special apartness seems threatened. In setting out to understand the menacing challenges the city now faces, Goldman delivers a poetic and philosophical chronicle that explores a remarkable and often misunderstood metropolis. In a follow-up to his masterful Say Her Name, The Interior Circuit is Goldman’s emergence from the grief of his wife’s death as he embraces Mexico’s capital as his home—a city which stands defiantly apart from so many of the social ills and violence wracking Mexico. Yet as the narco war rages on and with the restoration to power of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, Mexico City’s special apartness seems threatened. In setting out to understand the menacing challenges the city now faces, Goldman delivers a poetic and philosophical chronicle that explores a remarkable and often misunderstood metropolis. 01:11:58 http://www.lapl.org/node/35184 Thu, 10 Jul 2014 19:00:00 -0800 In their groundbreaking book Zoobiquity, cardiologist Barbara Natterson-Horowitz and science writer Kathryn Bowers describe how they arrived at a pan-species approach to medicine. Animals do indeed get diseases ranging from brain tumors and heart attacks to anxiety and eating disorders, just like we do—and the authors explore how animal and human commonality can be used to diagnose, treat, and heal patients of all species. In her illuminating new book, Animal Madness, Laurel Braitman chronicles her parallel discoveries of what nonhuman animals can teach us about mental illness and recovery. Join us to hear what we can learn from a blind elephant, compulsive parrots, depressed gorillas, and a cow with anger management issues. In their groundbreaking book Zoobiquity, cardiologist Barbara Natterson-Horowitz and science writer Kathryn Bowers describe how they arrived at a pan-species approach to medicine. Animals do indeed get diseases ranging from brain tumors and heart attacks to anxiety and eating disorders, just like we do—and the authors explore how animal and human commonality can be used to diagnose, treat, and heal patients of all species. In her illuminating new book, Animal Madness, Laurel Braitman chronicles her parallel discoveries of what nonhuman animals can teach us about mental illness and recovery. Join us to hear what we can learn from a blind elephant, compulsive parrots, depressed gorillas, and a cow with anger management issues. 01:03:39 http://www.lapl.org/node/33791 Sat, 28 Jun 2014 19:00:00 -0800 “Dear ONE,” illuminates the lives of ordinary queer Americans as recounted through letters written between 1953 and 1967, to L.A.’s ONE Magazine, the first openly gay and lesbian periodical in the United States. Looking for love, friendship, advice or understanding, readers wrote of loneliness and longing, of joy and fulfillment, and of their daily lives, hidden from history. This dramatic reading is adapted and directed by Zsa Zsa Gershick from material from ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives at USC. “Dear ONE,” illuminates the lives of ordinary queer Americans as recounted through letters written between 1953 and 1967, to L.A.’s ONE Magazine, the first openly gay and lesbian periodical in the United States. Looking for love, friendship, advice or understanding, readers wrote of loneliness and longing, of joy and fulfillment, and of their daily lives, hidden from history. This dramatic reading is adapted and directed by Zsa Zsa Gershick from material from ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives at USC. 01:13:26 http://www.lapl.org/node/33789 Thu, 26 Jun 2014 19:00:00 -0800 The work of British writer Geoff Dyer is frequently classified as “unclassifiable;” his writing is wildly eclectic yet gorgeously coherent. His new book, Another Great Day at Sea—about life on an American aircraft carrier—is at the same time a travelogue, unerring social observation, and honed comedy. Zona, his meditation on the film Stalker, by Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky, was supposed to be a book about tennis; his book about D.H. Lawrence, Out of Sheer Rage, is essentially about not writing a book about D.H. Lawrence; and Yoga for People Who Can’t Be Bothered to Do It is definitely not a self-help book. Rodman and Dyer will attempt to account for the “singular restlessness” of Dyer’s writing while happily digressing on other subjects. The work of British writer Geoff Dyer is frequently classified as “unclassifiable;” his writing is wildly eclectic yet gorgeously coherent. His new book, Another Great Day at Sea—about life on an American aircraft carrier—is at the same time a travelogue, unerring social observation, and honed comedy. Zona, his meditation on the film Stalker, by Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky, was supposed to be a book about tennis; his book about D.H. Lawrence, Out of Sheer Rage, is essentially about not writing a book about D.H. Lawrence; and Yoga for People Who Can’t Be Bothered to Do It is definitely not a self-help book. Rodman and Dyer will attempt to account for the “singular restlessness” of Dyer’s writing while happily digressing on other subjects. 01:09:47 http://www.lapl.org/node/33788 Mon, 23 Jun 2014 19:00:00 -0800 For decades, celebrated fiction author Denis Johnson (Jesus’ Son and Tree of Smoke) has been writing some of the most adventurous plays in modern American theater, with a major trilogy focused on the Cassandra family, a clan so star-crossed that several members are incarcerated, institutionalized or in and out of rehab. The epistolary The Starlight on Idaho finds the youngest son, Cass, sobering up in a clinic housed in what was once a hot-sheet motel on Idaho Street, the Starlight. While he’s there, he writes screeds, pleas, and confessions to members of his family, his AA sponsor, his grade school love, and Satan. In this unique adaptation, the addressor and addressee voice the letters together. Literature as only Denis Johnson can create it, The Starlight on Idaho is not quite a story, not quite a play, and it is pure WordTheatre. For decades, celebrated fiction author Denis Johnson (Jesus’ Son and Tree of Smoke) has been writing some of the most adventurous plays in modern American theater, with a major trilogy focused on the Cassandra family, a clan so star-crossed that several members are incarcerated, institutionalized or in and out of rehab. The epistolary The Starlight on Idaho finds the youngest son, Cass, sobering up in a clinic housed in what was once a hot-sheet motel on Idaho Street, the Starlight. While he’s there, he writes screeds, pleas, and confessions to members of his family, his AA sponsor, his grade school love, and Satan. In this unique adaptation, the addressor and addressee voice the letters together. Literature as only Denis Johnson can create it, The Starlight on Idaho is not quite a story, not quite a play, and it is pure WordTheatre. 01:28:47 http://www.lapl.org/node/33786 Wed, 18 Jun 2014 19:00:00 -0800 New novels from Michelle Huneven (Off Course) and Mona Simpson (Casebook) both deal with love and its moral varieties, from quite different perspectives. As their characters variously struggle to forge lasting connections, they evoke issues long familiar to the psychoanalyst. Is it possible to separate out the strands of fantasy and projection, family patterning, and primal need from adult love? What makes highly intelligent, thoughtful people so thoroughly lose their way in love’s enchantment? Joining the authors to discuss love’s tangled and complex morality is eminent psychoanalyst and theorist Dr. Christopher Bollas. New novels from Michelle Huneven (Off Course) and Mona Simpson (Casebook) both deal with love and its moral varieties, from quite different perspectives. As their characters variously struggle to forge lasting connections, they evoke issues long familiar to the psychoanalyst. Is it possible to separate out the strands of fantasy and projection, family patterning, and primal need from adult love? What makes highly intelligent, thoughtful people so thoroughly lose their way in love’s enchantment? Joining the authors to discuss love’s tangled and complex morality is eminent psychoanalyst and theorist Dr. Christopher Bollas. 00:55:54 http://www.lapl.org/node/33783 Tue, 03 Jun 2014 19:00:00 -0800 Edward St. Aubyn’s five-volume series of semi-autobiographical Patrick Melrose novels is one of the most acclaimed fiction cycles in English literature. Michael Silverblatt talks with St. Aubyn about his first novel since completing his series hailed for its satirizing of the English aristocracy. In Lost for Words, St. Aubyn employs his lethal dose of humor in a send-up of England’s premier literary prize and its controversial, eco-disastrous sponsor. St. Aubyn’s acid pen skewers the competing authors as well as the judges and corporate, political, and media interests that influence such prizes. Edward St. Aubyn’s five-volume series of semi-autobiographical Patrick Melrose novels is one of the most acclaimed fiction cycles in English literature. Michael Silverblatt talks with St. Aubyn about his first novel since completing his series hailed for its satirizing of the English aristocracy. In Lost for Words, St. Aubyn employs his lethal dose of humor in a send-up of England’s premier literary prize and its controversial, eco-disastrous sponsor. St. Aubyn’s acid pen skewers the competing authors as well as the judges and corporate, political, and media interests that influence such prizes. 01:02:01 http://www.lapl.org/node/31865 Thu, 29 May 2014 19:00:00 -0800 In 1939, Union Station opened on the former site of Los Angeles’s original Chinatown—displacing thousands of Chinese and Chinese Americans. The new station fulfilled the vision of civic leaders who believed that an impressive gateway was critical to the growth of Los Angeles. In place of Chinatown, a distinctive Mission Revival station proudly stands as the centerpiece of our regional transportation system. Yet balances of power and political economies were disrupted; financial and legal battles raged on for years. This panel—including members of the Union Station Master Plan team, an architectural historian (and exhibition curator), and the vice-president of the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California—will discuss the history of this architectural icon and share visions for its future. Presented in conjunction with the Getty Research Institute's exhibition of the same name in Central Library's Getty Gallery. In 1939, Union Station opened on the former site of Los Angeles’s original Chinatown—displacing thousands of Chinese and Chinese Americans. The new station fulfilled the vision of civic leaders who believed that an impressive gateway was critical to the growth of Los Angeles. In place of Chinatown, a distinctive Mission Revival station proudly stands as the centerpiece of our regional transportation system. Yet balances of power and political economies were disrupted; financial and legal battles raged on for years. This panel—including members of the Union Station Master Plan team, an architectural historian (and exhibition curator), and the vice-president of the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California—will discuss the history of this architectural icon and share visions for its future. Presented in conjunction with the Getty Research Institute's exhibition of the same name in Central Library's Getty Gallery. 01:10:40 http://www.lapl.org/node/31862 Tue, 20 May 2014 19:00:00 -0800 Form is an Extension of Content, wrote Charles Olson. What is a writer’s relationship to form? Three accomplished, innovative and genre-crossing writers explore the power and influence of structure, starting with the sentence, in revealing and shaping their material. Form is an Extension of Content, wrote Charles Olson. What is a writer’s relationship to form? Three accomplished, innovative and genre-crossing writers explore the power and influence of structure, starting with the sentence, in revealing and shaping their material. 01:17:20 http://www.lapl.org/node/31861 Thu, 15 May 2014 19:00:00 -0800 On the occasion of her new memoir, one of America’s most beloved and accomplished classical singers shares her life story: a descendant of generations of hardworking slaves and free ancestors who grew up amid the challenges of Jim Crow racism in the south as the civil rights movement was at its nascence. Nurtured by a close family and a tight-knit community centered on the local church, Jessye Norman grew up singing songs and spirituals within a tight-knit community. Decades later, after a meteoric rise at the Berlin Opera, a debut at the Metropolitan Opera, and forays into blues, jazz, and other roots music, she has become one of America’s cultural treasures. Join us for an evening with an inspiring artist who has lead an astonishing life. On the occasion of her new memoir, one of America’s most beloved and accomplished classical singers shares her life story: a descendant of generations of hardworking slaves and free ancestors who grew up amid the challenges of Jim Crow racism in the south as the civil rights movement was at its nascence. Nurtured by a close family and a tight-knit community centered on the local church, Jessye Norman grew up singing songs and spirituals within a tight-knit community. Decades later, after a meteoric rise at the Berlin Opera, a debut at the Metropolitan Opera, and forays into blues, jazz, and other roots music, she has become one of America’s cultural treasures. Join us for an evening with an inspiring artist who has lead an astonishing life. 00:54:52 http://www.lapl.org/node/31860 Tue, 13 May 2014 19:00:00 -0800 Whitehead, the bestselling author of Zone One and an amateur player, lucked into a seat at the biggest card game in town—the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. In this raucous social satire—equally exhilarating for those who’ve played cards their whole life or who have never picked up a hand—he chronicles the gritty subculture of high-stakes Texas Hold-em. Whitehead, the bestselling author of Zone One and an amateur player, lucked into a seat at the biggest card game in town—the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. In this raucous social satire—equally exhilarating for those who’ve played cards their whole life or who have never picked up a hand—he chronicles the gritty subculture of high-stakes Texas Hold-em. 00:59:02 http://www.lapl.org/node/31859 Sat, 10 May 2014 19:00:00 -0800 One of America’s most talented pianists (Musical America’s 2014 Instrumentalist of the Year), and thought-provoking writers on music, Jeremy Denk (2014 Ojai Music Festival Music Director) expounds upon the magic of music making—from learning how to practice and the daily rites of discovery, to the mastery of reasoning with your muscles and the sheer joy of no longer needing to think. Denk illuminates the paradox of seeking perfection while full knowing the possibilities are infinite. One of America’s most talented pianists (Musical America’s 2014 Instrumentalist of the Year), and thought-provoking writers on music, Jeremy Denk (2014 Ojai Music Festival Music Director) expounds upon the magic of music making—from learning how to practice and the daily rites of discovery, to the mastery of reasoning with your muscles and the sheer joy of no longer needing to think. Denk illuminates the paradox of seeking perfection while full knowing the possibilities are infinite. 01:09:55 http://www.lapl.org/node/30320 Thu, 24 Apr 2014 19:00:00 -0800 The Poetry of America’s 2014 national series The Voice of Women in American Poetry celebrates an enormous literary heritage. Distinguished contemporary poets—both male and female—will gather in five cities around the country to pay tribute to the immense achievement of a wide range of poets, from Phyllis Wheatley and Anne Bradstreet to Adrienne Rich and Lucille Clifton. In Los Angeles, join poets Marilyn Chin on Ai, Toi Derricotte on Anne Sexton, and Percival Everett on Gertrude Stein. The Poetry of America’s 2014 national series The Voice of Women in American Poetry celebrates an enormous literary heritage. Distinguished contemporary poets—both male and female—will gather in five cities around the country to pay tribute to the immense achievement of a wide range of poets, from Phyllis Wheatley and Anne Bradstreet to Adrienne Rich and Lucille Clifton. In Los Angeles, join poets Marilyn Chin on Ai, Toi Derricotte on Anne Sexton, and Percival Everett on Gertrude Stein. 01:22:02 http://www.lapl.org/node/30318 Thu, 17 Apr 2014 19:00:00 -0800 What are the ideas, forms, questions, syntaxes, images, and narratives of our immediate future? Who better as our compass in the wilds of the now than emerging writers? Join students from five Southland graduate writing programs—CalArts, Otis College, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, and USC—as they share recent writings and tune our ears to the future of language. What are the ideas, forms, questions, syntaxes, images, and narratives of our immediate future? Who better as our compass in the wilds of the now than emerging writers? Join students from five Southland graduate writing programs—CalArts, Otis College, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, and USC—as they share recent writings and tune our ears to the future of language. 01:10:38 http://www.lapl.org/node/30317 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 19:00:00 -0800 In the summer of 1998, Kirn—then an aspiring novelist struggling with impending fatherhood and a dissolving marriage—set out on a peculiar, fateful errand: to personally deliver a crippled hunting dog from his home in Montana to the New York apartment of one Clark Rockefeller, a secretive young banker and art collector who had adopted the dog over the Internet. In this true and chilling story of a writer being duped by a real-life Mr. Ripley, Kirn invites us into the fun-house world of an eccentric son of privilege who would one day be unmasked as a serial impostor and a brutal double-murderer. In the summer of 1998, Kirn—then an aspiring novelist struggling with impending fatherhood and a dissolving marriage—set out on a peculiar, fateful errand: to personally deliver a crippled hunting dog from his home in Montana to the New York apartment of one Clark Rockefeller, a secretive young banker and art collector who had adopted the dog over the Internet. In this true and chilling story of a writer being duped by a real-life Mr. Ripley, Kirn invites us into the fun-house world of an eccentric son of privilege who would one day be unmasked as a serial impostor and a brutal double-murderer. 01:13:58 http://www.lapl.org/node/30316 Wed, 09 Apr 2014 19:00:00 -0800 Join us in a celebration of Bark, a new collection of stories (the first in fifteen years, since Birds of America) by one of America’s most beloved and admired short-story writers. With her singular wisdom and in her inimitable voice—"fluid, cracked, mordant, colloquial" (The New York Times Book Review)—Moore plumbs the public and private absurdities of American life in a heartrending mash-up of the tragic and the hilarious. Join us in a celebration of Bark, a new collection of stories (the first in fifteen years, since Birds of America) by one of America’s most beloved and admired short-story writers. With her singular wisdom and in her inimitable voice—"fluid, cracked, mordant, colloquial" (The New York Times Book Review)—Moore plumbs the public and private absurdities of American life in a heartrending mash-up of the tragic and the hilarious. 01:09:38 http://www.lapl.org/node/30315 Tue, 01 Apr 2014 19:00:00 -0800 How do you write/convey/film the story of a visionary figure with tragic flaws who founded a labor union, launched a movement, and inspired a generation? Biographer Miriam Pawel, playwright/director Luis Valdez (Teatro Campesino) lend their perspective on the crusades of an unlikely American hero who ignited one of the great social movements of our time. How do you write/convey/film the story of a visionary figure with tragic flaws who founded a labor union, launched a movement, and inspired a generation? Biographer Miriam Pawel, playwright/director Luis Valdez (Teatro Campesino) lend their perspective on the crusades of an unlikely American hero who ignited one of the great social movements of our time. 01:13:36 http://www.lapl.org/node/30312 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 19:00:00 -0800 From the MacArthur Award-winning writer comes a subtle and quietly devastating new novel about love, exile, and the fragmentation of lives that straddle countries and histories. All Our Names is a tale of friendship between two young men who come of age during an African revolution and the emotional and physical boundaries that tear them apart—one drawn into peril, the other into the safety of the American Midwest. In this political novel, Mengestu presents a portrait of love and grace, of self-determination, of the names we are given and the names we earn. From the MacArthur Award-winning writer comes a subtle and quietly devastating new novel about love, exile, and the fragmentation of lives that straddle countries and histories. All Our Names is a tale of friendship between two young men who come of age during an African revolution and the emotional and physical boundaries that tear them apart—one drawn into peril, the other into the safety of the American Midwest. In this political novel, Mengestu presents a portrait of love and grace, of self-determination, of the names we are given and the names we earn. 01:08:43 http://www.lapl.org/node/30310 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 19:00:00 -0800 In 2009, three American hikers (and UC Berkeley grads) hiking in Iraqi Kurdistan unknowingly crossed into Iran and were captured by a border patrol. Accused of espionage, they were incarcerated in Tehran’s infamous Evin Prison—Sarah, for fourteen months and Josh and Fattal, for two long years. This poignant memoir is their story, as told through a bold and innovative interweaving of the authors’ three voices that recounts the psychological torment of interrogation and the collective strength of will that kept them alive. In 2009, three American hikers (and UC Berkeley grads) hiking in Iraqi Kurdistan unknowingly crossed into Iran and were captured by a border patrol. Accused of espionage, they were incarcerated in Tehran’s infamous Evin Prison—Sarah, for fourteen months and Josh and Fattal, for two long years. This poignant memoir is their story, as told through a bold and innovative interweaving of the authors’ three voices that recounts the psychological torment of interrogation and the collective strength of will that kept them alive. 01:20:39 http://www.lapl.org/node/30308 Thu, 20 Mar 2014 19:00:00 -0800 This National Book Award-winning account illuminates the erosion of the social compact—the collapse of farms, factories, public schools—that had kept the United States stable and middle class since the late 1970s. In The Great Unwinding, Packer probes the seething undercurrents of American life, offering an intimate look into the lives that have been transformed by the dissolution of our economic glue. From unchecked banks to the rise of Walton's Walmart, this retelling of American history through Packer's voice offers "…a sad but delicious jazz-tempo requiem for the post-World War II American social contract." (David M. Kennedy). This National Book Award-winning account illuminates the erosion of the social compact—the collapse of farms, factories, public schools—that had kept the United States stable and middle class since the late 1970s. In The Great Unwinding, Packer probes the seething undercurrents of American life, offering an intimate look into the lives that have been transformed by the dissolution of our economic glue. From unchecked banks to the rise of Walton's Walmart, this retelling of American history through Packer's voice offers "…a sad but delicious jazz-tempo requiem for the post-World War II American social contract." (David M. Kennedy). 01:17:20 http://www.lapl.org/node/30306 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 19:00:00 -0800 Imagine that Plato came to life in the twenty-first century and embarked on a multicity speaking tour. How would he handle the host of a cable news program who denies there can be morality without religion? How would he mediate a debate between a Freudian psychoanalyst and a tiger mom on how to raise the perfect child? Philosopher and novelist Rebecca Newberger Goldstein provide an original plunge into the drama of philosophy, revealing its hidden role in today’s debates on religion, morality, politics, and science. Does philosophy itself ever make progress? And if it does, why is so ancient a figure as Plato of any continuing relevance? Plato at the Googleplex is Goldstein’s startling investigation into these conundra. Imagine that Plato came to life in the twenty-first century and embarked on a multicity speaking tour. How would he handle the host of a cable news program who denies there can be morality without religion? How would he mediate a debate between a Freudian psychoanalyst and a tiger mom on how to raise the perfect child? Philosopher and novelist Rebecca Newberger Goldstein provide an original plunge into the drama of philosophy, revealing its hidden role in today’s debates on religion, morality, politics, and science. Does philosophy itself ever make progress? And if it does, why is so ancient a figure as Plato of any continuing relevance? Plato at the Googleplex is Goldstein’s startling investigation into these conundra. 01:19:39 http://www.lapl.org/node/30304 Thu, 13 Mar 2014 19:00:00 -0800 In this revelatory study of Muslim youth movements that have emerged in cities around the world in the years since 9/11 and in the wake of the Arab Spring, Aidi illuminates the unexpected connections between urban marginality, music, and political mobilization. By examining both secular and religiously-fueled movements as a means of protest against the policies of the "War on Terror," he explains how certain kinds of music—particularly hip hop, but also jazz, Gnawa, Andalusian, Judeo-Arabic, Latin, and others—have come to represent a heightened racial identity and a Muslim consciousness that crisscrosses the globe. In this revelatory study of Muslim youth movements that have emerged in cities around the world in the years since 9/11 and in the wake of the Arab Spring, Aidi illuminates the unexpected connections between urban marginality, music, and political mobilization. By examining both secular and religiously-fueled movements as a means of protest against the policies of the "War on Terror," he explains how certain kinds of music—particularly hip hop, but also jazz, Gnawa, Andalusian, Judeo-Arabic, Latin, and others—have come to represent a heightened racial identity and a Muslim consciousness that crisscrosses the globe. 01:15:08 http://www.lapl.org/node/30301 Wed, 12 Mar 2014 19:00:00 -0800 On February 21, 2012, five young women entered the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow wearing neon-colored dresses, tights, and balaclavas to perform a "punk prayer" beseeching the "Mother of God" to "get rid of Putin." What transformed a group of young women into artists with a shared vision, and what gave them the courage to express that vision and to deal with the subsequently devastating outcomes? Through the trial of the feminist punk band Pussy Riot, Russian-American journalist Masha Gessen, author of Putin: The Man Without a Face, tells a larger story about Vladimir Putin’s Russia, with its state-controlled media, pervasive corruption, and pliant judiciary. On February 21, 2012, five young women entered the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow wearing neon-colored dresses, tights, and balaclavas to perform a "punk prayer" beseeching the "Mother of God" to "get rid of Putin." What transformed a group of young women into artists with a shared vision, and what gave them the courage to express that vision and to deal with the subsequently devastating outcomes? Through the trial of the feminist punk band Pussy Riot, Russian-American journalist Masha Gessen, author of Putin: The Man Without a Face, tells a larger story about Vladimir Putin’s Russia, with its state-controlled media, pervasive corruption, and pliant judiciary. 01:10:58 http://www.lapl.org/node/30930 Mon, 24 Feb 2014 19:00:00 -0800 Artist Jeff Koons and filmmaker/author/photographer John Waters discuss Koon’s innovative and ever-changing art-making practice, which ranges from sculpture to painting to digital media. Like Waters, Koons’s art comments on the notion of "good taste," as well as the decadence of capitalist culture, the innocence of childhood, and beauty’s eternal resonance. Waters will speak with Koons about the inspiration and ideas behind his iconic works, such as Michael Jackson and Bubbles, Balloon Dog (Blue), and Girl with Dolphin and Monkey Triple Popeye (Seascape), all of which are part of the Broad's collection. Artist Jeff Koons and filmmaker/author/photographer John Waters discuss Koon’s innovative and ever-changing art-making practice, which ranges from sculpture to painting to digital media. Like Waters, Koons’s art comments on the notion of "good taste," as well as the decadence of capitalist culture, the innocence of childhood, and beauty’s eternal resonance. Waters will speak with Koons about the inspiration and ideas behind his iconic works, such as Michael Jackson and Bubbles, Balloon Dog (Blue), and Girl with Dolphin and Monkey Triple Popeye (Seascape), all of which are part of the Broad's collection. 01:15:48 http://www.lapl.org/node/29921 Thu, 20 Feb 2014 19:00:00 -0800 Walter Mosley, one of America’s most admired crime novelists joins one of its newest stars—Attica Locke—for a conversation about noir, race and writing in and from Los Angeles. Presented in collaboration with the Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West, the evening kicks off Tales from Two Cities: Writing from California, a free two-day conference at the downtown Central Library spotlighting the writers who help define Los Angeles as a place with a language, culture, and aesthetic all its own. Walter Mosley, one of America’s most admired crime novelists joins one of its newest stars—Attica Locke—for a conversation about noir, race and writing in and from Los Angeles. Presented in collaboration with the Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West, the evening kicks off Tales from Two Cities: Writing from California, a free two-day conference at the downtown Central Library spotlighting the writers who help define Los Angeles as a place with a language, culture, and aesthetic all its own. 01:09:40 http://www.lapl.org/node/29920 Thu, 13 Feb 2014 19:00:00 -0800 Frenkel, one of the 21st century’s leading mathematicians, works on one of the biggest ideas to come out of mathematics in the last 50 years: the Langlands Program. In his lyrical autobiography, he reveals a side of math we’ve never seen, suffused with all the metaphysical beauty and elegance of a work of art. Known for his controversial erotic film about math, Frenkel believes a mathematical formula can carry a charge of love. Frenkel is joined by screenwriter and The X-Files creator Chris Carter to discuss how mathematics reaches to the heart of all matter, uniting us across culture, time, and space. Frenkel, one of the 21st century’s leading mathematicians, works on one of the biggest ideas to come out of mathematics in the last 50 years: the Langlands Program. In his lyrical autobiography, he reveals a side of math we’ve never seen, suffused with all the metaphysical beauty and elegance of a work of art. Known for his controversial erotic film about math, Frenkel believes a mathematical formula can carry a charge of love. Frenkel is joined by screenwriter and The X-Files creator Chris Carter to discuss how mathematics reaches to the heart of all matter, uniting us across culture, time, and space. 01:13:46 http://www.lapl.org/node/28992 Mon, 03 Feb 2014 19:00:00 -0800 William Burroughs was the original cult figure of the Beat Movement, author of Naked Lunch, and influence to scores of artists, writers, and musicians. For the centennial celebration of Burroughs’ birth, beat historian and biographer Barry Miles discusses the long-term cultural legacy of Burroughs and his literary risk-taking. William Burroughs was the original cult figure of the Beat Movement, author of Naked Lunch, and influence to scores of artists, writers, and musicians. For the centennial celebration of Burroughs’ birth, beat historian and biographer Barry Miles discusses the long-term cultural legacy of Burroughs and his literary risk-taking. 01:07:22 http://www.lapl.org/node/28739 Thu, 30 Jan 2014 19:00:00 -0800 The Days of Anna Madrigal, the suspenseful, comic, and touching ninth (and final) novel in Armistead Maupin’s bestselling Tales of the City series, follows one of modern literature’s most unforgettable and enduring characters—Anna Madrigal, the legendary transgender landlady of 28 Barbary Lane. While some members of Anna’s family head for the other-worldly landscape of Burning Man, Anna embarks on a road trip that takes her deep into her past, including a visit to Winnemucca, Nevada where the 16-year old boy she used to be ran away from the whorehouse he called home. The Days of Anna Madrigal, the suspenseful, comic, and touching ninth (and final) novel in Armistead Maupin’s bestselling Tales of the City series, follows one of modern literature’s most unforgettable and enduring characters—Anna Madrigal, the legendary transgender landlady of 28 Barbary Lane. While some members of Anna’s family head for the other-worldly landscape of Burning Man, Anna embarks on a road trip that takes her deep into her past, including a visit to Winnemucca, Nevada where the 16-year old boy she used to be ran away from the whorehouse he called home. 01:03:12 http://www.lapl.org/node/28738 Tue, 28 Jan 2014 19:00:00 -0800 This new work by the MacArthur Award-winning novelist begins when composer Peter Els opens the door to find the police on his doorstep. His home microbiology lab—where he experiments to find music in surprising patterns—has aroused the suspicions of Homeland Security. Seeking help from family and a longtime collaborator, this "Bioterrorist Bach" hatches a plan to turn his disastrous collision with the security state into a work of art that will reawaken its audience to the sounds all around them. This new work by the MacArthur Award-winning novelist begins when composer Peter Els opens the door to find the police on his doorstep. His home microbiology lab—where he experiments to find music in surprising patterns—has aroused the suspicions of Homeland Security. Seeking help from family and a longtime collaborator, this "Bioterrorist Bach" hatches a plan to turn his disastrous collision with the security state into a work of art that will reawaken its audience to the sounds all around them. 01:06:24 http://www.lapl.org/node/28737 Thu, 23 Jan 2014 19:00:00 -0800 Hailed as one of the most inspiring women of our time, musician and activist Angélique Kidjo shares the story of her world in the memoir, Spirit Rising: from the communist regime of her native Benin to her work as a UNICEF Ambassador and activist promoting education for all girls in Africa. Kidjo’s GRAMMY-Award winning music, rich with African rhythms, speaks to her own vibrancy, resilience, and to the hope she carries for the world’s spirit rising. Kidjo brings her electrifying presence to the Library in a special evening of conversation, story and song, where she will perform excerpts from her new CD Eve, before embarking on a world tour. Hailed as one of the most inspiring women of our time, musician and activist Angélique Kidjo shares the story of her world in the memoir, Spirit Rising: from the communist regime of her native Benin to her work as a UNICEF Ambassador and activist promoting education for all girls in Africa. Kidjo’s GRAMMY-Award winning music, rich with African rhythms, speaks to her own vibrancy, resilience, and to the hope she carries for the world’s spirit rising. Kidjo brings her electrifying presence to the Library in a special evening of conversation, story and song, where she will perform excerpts from her new CD Eve, before embarking on a world tour. 01:26:42 http://www.lapl.org/node/28736 Tue, 21 Jan 2014 19:00:00 -0800 This first sweeping history of Parks' life challenges perceptions of her as an accidental actor in the civil rights movement. Theoharis offers a compelling portrait of the working class activist who stared poverty and discrimination squarely in the face and never stopped rebelling against them in both the segregated South and North. Ericka Huggins—former political prisoner, human rights activist, poet and teacher—who met Parks during her days of Black Panther activism—joins the discussion This first sweeping history of Parks' life challenges perceptions of her as an accidental actor in the civil rights movement. Theoharis offers a compelling portrait of the working class activist who stared poverty and discrimination squarely in the face and never stopped rebelling against them in both the segregated South and North. Ericka Huggins—former political prisoner, human rights activist, poet and teacher—who met Parks during her days of Black Panther activism—joins the discussion 01:12:39 http://www.lapl.org/node/28735 Sat, 18 Jan 2014 19:00:00 -0800 A Tribute to Wanda Coleman with Terrance Hayes and Douglas Kearney. Music by David Ornette Cherry and featuring Stephen Kessler, Ron Koertge, Laurel Ann Bogen, Charles Harper Webb, Michael Datcher, Suzanne Lummis, Sesshu Foster, Jack and Adelle Foley, Brendan Constantine, Cecilia Woloch, Robin Coste Lewis, Austin Straus. A Tribute to Wanda Coleman with Terrance Hayes and Douglas Kearney. Music by David Ornette Cherry and featuring Stephen Kessler, Ron Koertge, Laurel Ann Bogen, Charles Harper Webb, Michael Datcher, Suzanne Lummis, Sesshu Foster, Jack and Adelle Foley, Brendan Constantine, Cecilia Woloch, Robin Coste Lewis, Austin Straus. 01:19:14 http://www.lapl.org/node/28734 Tue, 14 Jan 2014 19:00:00 -0800 In a series of meditative essays, the award-winning writer Richard Rodriguez turns his perceptive gaze to the desert—in both the physical and spiritual sense—in a quest to understand his relationship to the "desert God" and to terrorists who kill in the name of that same God. He delves into what it means to be a gay, devout, Roman Catholic in his 60s—attempting to make sense of a world and a religion that have both rejected him at times. His peregrinations take him beyond the Middle East—to San Francisco, Paris, Las Vegas and Malibu. He writes about the rise of atheism in America after 9/11, the modern evasion of place, and the uses of doubt for religious believers. In a series of meditative essays, the award-winning writer Richard Rodriguez turns his perceptive gaze to the desert—in both the physical and spiritual sense—in a quest to understand his relationship to the "desert God" and to terrorists who kill in the name of that same God. He delves into what it means to be a gay, devout, Roman Catholic in his 60s—attempting to make sense of a world and a religion that have both rejected him at times. His peregrinations take him beyond the Middle East—to San Francisco, Paris, Las Vegas and Malibu. He writes about the rise of atheism in America after 9/11, the modern evasion of place, and the uses of doubt for religious believers. 01:17:43 http://www.lapl.org/node/28602 Thu, 09 Jan 2014 19:00:00 -0800 McDonnell’s Queens of Noise: The Real Story of The Runaways is a testimonial to the inspiration and insecurity of the trailblazer, a look at the Los Angeles music scene of the 70s and women on the run. Joined by Exene Cervenka of seminal L.A. punk band X and Riot Grrrl Allison Wolfe—veteran journalist McDonnell will lead a discussion on music making and selling, legacies, and the women who are breaking new ground. McDonnell’s Queens of Noise: The Real Story of The Runaways is a testimonial to the inspiration and insecurity of the trailblazer, a look at the Los Angeles music scene of the 70s and women on the run. Joined by Exene Cervenka of seminal L.A. punk band X and Riot Grrrl Allison Wolfe—veteran journalist McDonnell will lead a discussion on music making and selling, legacies, and the women who are breaking new ground. 01:14:02 http://www.lapl.org/node/27126 Wed, 11 Dec 2013 19:00:00 -0800 World-renowned visual artist and filmmaker Shirin Neshat’s provocative yet poetic work addresses issues of social repression among women, in her native Iran and beyond. Through haunting allegory and imagery, she portrays women as complex individuals with desires and ambitions, who move between intense private feelings and public life. Reaching beyond her own identity, Neshat also addresses broader concerns about cultural beliefs and the power of the erotic. World-renowned visual artist and filmmaker Shirin Neshat’s provocative yet poetic work addresses issues of social repression among women, in her native Iran and beyond. Through haunting allegory and imagery, she portrays women as complex individuals with desires and ambitions, who move between intense private feelings and public life. Reaching beyond her own identity, Neshat also addresses broader concerns about cultural beliefs and the power of the erotic. 01:08:12 http://www.lapl.org/node/27511 Mon, 09 Dec 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Robert Capa photographed her as a toddler; she chatted with Brando and Steinbeck in her living room. Academy Award-winning actress/director Anjelica Huston shares from A Story Lately Told: Coming of Age in Ireland, London, and New York with Colm Tóibín, one of Ireland’s greatest living writers. Huston’s memoir illuminates the unconventional life of the daughter of director John Huston and prima ballerina Enrica Soma. She recounts her childhood, early romances, and the successful modeling career that helped launch her acting career. A Story Lately Told follows Anjelica from the Irish estate where she spent her childhood to the dynamic cultural scenes of London in the 60s and New York in the 70s where she spent her teens and early adulthood. The evening also celebrates Huston’s Irish upbringing through readings, song, and rare footage of the Huston clan in County Galway. Robert Capa photographed her as a toddler; she chatted with Brando and Steinbeck in her living room. Academy Award-winning actress/director Anjelica Huston shares from A Story Lately Told: Coming of Age in Ireland, London, and New York with Colm Tóibín, one of Ireland’s greatest living writers. Huston’s memoir illuminates the unconventional life of the daughter of director John Huston and prima ballerina Enrica Soma. She recounts her childhood, early romances, and the successful modeling career that helped launch her acting career. A Story Lately Told follows Anjelica from the Irish estate where she spent her childhood to the dynamic cultural scenes of London in the 60s and New York in the 70s where she spent her teens and early adulthood. The evening also celebrates Huston’s Irish upbringing through readings, song, and rare footage of the Huston clan in County Galway. 01:01:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/27125 Thu, 05 Dec 2013 19:00:00 -0800 In Connelly’s newest courtroom drama, lawyer Mickey Haller defends a murder case in which the murder victim was his very own former client, a prostitute he thought he’d rescued and put on the straight and narrow path. Haller is forced to find justice for both of his clients, living and dead. As he faces the "gods of guilt," he must struggle with personal demons for a shot at his own redemption. Connelly discusses the mysteries of crime writing with Miles Corwin, acclaimed author, and former crime reporter for the Los Angeles Times. In Connelly’s newest courtroom drama, lawyer Mickey Haller defends a murder case in which the murder victim was his very own former client, a prostitute he thought he’d rescued and put on the straight and narrow path. Haller is forced to find justice for both of his clients, living and dead. As he faces the "gods of guilt," he must struggle with personal demons for a shot at his own redemption. Connelly discusses the mysteries of crime writing with Miles Corwin, acclaimed author, and former crime reporter for the Los Angeles Times. 01:07:48 http://www.lapl.org/node/25682 Thu, 21 Nov 2013 19:00:00 -0800 As an activist lawyer and leading member of the African National Congress, Albie Sachs lost his right arm and the sight in one eye when his car was bombed by agents of South Africa’s security forces in 1988. After recuperating in London, he returned to South Africa and played a key role in drafting its democratic constitution. Nelson Mandela appointed him a judge in the new constitutional court, where Sachs made a number of landmark rulings, including recognizing gay marriage. Sachs, a man with a remarkable ability to extract positive emotions from wounding events, shares with us South Africa’s experience in healing divided societies. As an activist lawyer and leading member of the African National Congress, Albie Sachs lost his right arm and the sight in one eye when his car was bombed by agents of South Africa’s security forces in 1988. After recuperating in London, he returned to South Africa and played a key role in drafting its democratic constitution. Nelson Mandela appointed him a judge in the new constitutional court, where Sachs made a number of landmark rulings, including recognizing gay marriage. Sachs, a man with a remarkable ability to extract positive emotions from wounding events, shares with us South Africa’s experience in healing divided societies. 01:27:56 http://www.lapl.org/node/25679 Wed, 13 Nov 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Roy Choi, border-crossing chef and co-founder of the Kogi BBQ taco truck, pays homage to the city that he loves in this memoir, a tale of his journey from childhood afternoons at his parents’ Korean restaurant, to pizza-fueled studying at the Culinary Institute of America, to becoming one of America’s most acclaimed chefs. Join us as Choi takes a break from the kitchen to talk about his new book, L.A. Son, a flavorful love letter to Los Angeles. Roy Choi, border-crossing chef and co-founder of the Kogi BBQ taco truck, pays homage to the city that he loves in this memoir, a tale of his journey from childhood afternoons at his parents’ Korean restaurant, to pizza-fueled studying at the Culinary Institute of America, to becoming one of America’s most acclaimed chefs. Join us as Choi takes a break from the kitchen to talk about his new book, L.A. Son, a flavorful love letter to Los Angeles. 01:09:16 http://www.lapl.org/node/25678 Tue, 12 Nov 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Hailed as the creator of war reportage comics, Joe Sacco uses darkly funny short-form comics to recount conflicts, including his latest book The Great War, an illustrated panorama of the first day of the Battle of the Somme. Gene Luen Yang, the author of the acclaimed graphic novel American Born Chinese, brings clear-eyed storytelling and magical realism to tell parallel stories of two young people caught up on opposite sides of China’s violent Boxer Rebellion in his new work, Boxers and Saints. Join these two daring writers for a conversation on how the graphic novel and graphic non-fiction —rising from the frontlines of popular culture—can serve our understanding of history. Hailed as the creator of war reportage comics, Joe Sacco uses darkly funny short-form comics to recount conflicts, including his latest book The Great War, an illustrated panorama of the first day of the Battle of the Somme. Gene Luen Yang, the author of the acclaimed graphic novel American Born Chinese, brings clear-eyed storytelling and magical realism to tell parallel stories of two young people caught up on opposite sides of China’s violent Boxer Rebellion in his new work, Boxers and Saints. Join these two daring writers for a conversation on how the graphic novel and graphic non-fiction —rising from the frontlines of popular culture—can serve our understanding of history. 01:14:10 http://www.lapl.org/node/25357 Thu, 07 Nov 2013 19:00:00 -0800 What happens when formerly estranged peoples look at their entwined history together? After attending a Zen Peacemaker retreat at Auschwitz-Birkenau in 2000, Steinman embarked on a decade-long exploration—into her own family’s history in a small Polish town—as well as an immersion in the exhilarating and discomforting, sometimes surreal, yet ultimately healing process of Polish-Jewish reconciliation taking place in today’s democratic Poland. What happens when formerly estranged peoples look at their entwined history together? After attending a Zen Peacemaker retreat at Auschwitz-Birkenau in 2000, Steinman embarked on a decade-long exploration—into her own family’s history in a small Polish town—as well as an immersion in the exhilarating and discomforting, sometimes surreal, yet ultimately healing process of Polish-Jewish reconciliation taking place in today’s democratic Poland. 00:00:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/25676 Tue, 05 Nov 2013 19:00:00 -0800 In her new collection of selected stories, Taraghi—one of Iran’s best-known and most critically acclaimed authors—draws on her childhood experiences in Tehran, adult exile in Paris, and subsequent returns to post-revolution Tehran. Her stories are, as Azar Nafisi writes, “filled with passion, curiosity, empathy, as well as mischief—definitely mischief.” Listen in as Taraghi shares from The Pomegranate Lady and Her Sons, made fully accessible to the English-speaking audience for the first time. In her new collection of selected stories, Taraghi—one of Iran’s best-known and most critically acclaimed authors—draws on her childhood experiences in Tehran, adult exile in Paris, and subsequent returns to post-revolution Tehran. Her stories are, as Azar Nafisi writes, “filled with passion, curiosity, empathy, as well as mischief—definitely mischief.” Listen in as Taraghi shares from The Pomegranate Lady and Her Sons, made fully accessible to the English-speaking audience for the first time. 01:13:56 http://www.lapl.org/node/25355 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 19:00:00 -0800 The National Book Award-winning author of The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression, mines the eloquence of ordinary people facing extreme challenges in his new book. From families coping with deafness, dwarfism, Down syndrome, autism, and schizophrenia, to children who are prodigies or transgender—Solomon illuminates the universal experiences of difference and the triumph of love. The National Book Award-winning author of The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression, mines the eloquence of ordinary people facing extreme challenges in his new book. From families coping with deafness, dwarfism, Down syndrome, autism, and schizophrenia, to children who are prodigies or transgender—Solomon illuminates the universal experiences of difference and the triumph of love. 01:11:54 http://www.lapl.org/node/25045 Tue, 15 Oct 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Weisman offers a long-awaited follow-up to The World Without Us, his brilliant thought experiment that considered how the Earth could heal if relieved of humanity’s constant pressures. Now, after traveling to more than 20 countries to ask four questions that experts agreed were probably the most important on Earth—he explores the complexity of calculating how many humans this planet can hold without capsizing. Weisman offers a long-awaited follow-up to The World Without Us, his brilliant thought experiment that considered how the Earth could heal if relieved of humanity’s constant pressures. Now, after traveling to more than 20 countries to ask four questions that experts agreed were probably the most important on Earth—he explores the complexity of calculating how many humans this planet can hold without capsizing. 01:18:16 http://www.lapl.org/node/25009 Thu, 10 Oct 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Seven years after the publication of the extraordinary novel After This, the National Book Award-winning author returns with Someone, a transformative novel about childhood, adolescence, motherhood, and old age, deftly stitched together by McDermott’s lyrical voice. McDermott takes the stage to discuss this masterful portrait of the 20th-century Irish-American family. Seven years after the publication of the extraordinary novel After This, the National Book Award-winning author returns with Someone, a transformative novel about childhood, adolescence, motherhood, and old age, deftly stitched together by McDermott’s lyrical voice. McDermott takes the stage to discuss this masterful portrait of the 20th-century Irish-American family. 01:08:02 http://www.lapl.org/node/24725 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 19:00:00 -0800 How was our understanding of whales transformed from grotesque monsters, useful only as wallowing kegs of fat, to playful friends of humanity and bellwethers of environmental devastation? Burnett, a historian of science and energetic polymath, offers a sweeping history of how science, politics, and simple human wonder have transformed our way of seeing these behemoths from below. How was our understanding of whales transformed from grotesque monsters, useful only as wallowing kegs of fat, to playful friends of humanity and bellwethers of environmental devastation? Burnett, a historian of science and energetic polymath, offers a sweeping history of how science, politics, and simple human wonder have transformed our way of seeing these behemoths from below. 01:19:52 http://www.lapl.org/node/24723 Wed, 02 Oct 2013 19:00:00 -0800 In Atwood’s dark and hilarious new novel, a man-made plague has swept the earth, but only a small group survives. In a world only Atwood could imagine, the Crakers’ reluctant prophet is hallucinating, and giant Pigeons and malevolent Painballers threaten to attack. Join us for a conversation with this visionary author on the stunning conclusion to her dystopian trilogy, set in a future that is not only possible but perhaps inevitable. In Atwood’s dark and hilarious new novel, a man-made plague has swept the earth, but only a small group survives. In a world only Atwood could imagine, the Crakers’ reluctant prophet is hallucinating, and giant Pigeons and malevolent Painballers threaten to attack. Join us for a conversation with this visionary author on the stunning conclusion to her dystopian trilogy, set in a future that is not only possible but perhaps inevitable. 01:17:42 http://www.lapl.org/node/24172 Thu, 26 Sep 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Over a multi-year collaboration, playwright and director Ricardo Pitts-Wiley, Melville scholar Wyn Kelley, and media expert Henry Jenkins have developed a new approach for teaching Moby-Dick in the age of YouTube and hip-hop. They will explore how "learning through remixing" can speak to contemporary youth, why Melville might be understood as the master mash-up artist of the 19th century, and what might have happened if Captain Ahab had been a 21st century gang leader. Over a multi-year collaboration, playwright and director Ricardo Pitts-Wiley, Melville scholar Wyn Kelley, and media expert Henry Jenkins have developed a new approach for teaching Moby-Dick in the age of YouTube and hip-hop. They will explore how "learning through remixing" can speak to contemporary youth, why Melville might be understood as the master mash-up artist of the 19th century, and what might have happened if Captain Ahab had been a 21st century gang leader. 01:21:42 http://www.lapl.org/node/24171 Tue, 24 Sep 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Award-winning Los Angeles-based visual artist Alison Saar explores her own artistic practice and that of the Luba people of Central Africa with African art scholar and curator Polly Nooter Roberts. Using memory and the use of the female body as a mnemonic for social and political history, they explore race and gender through this conversation on artistic form. Award-winning Los Angeles-based visual artist Alison Saar explores her own artistic practice and that of the Luba people of Central Africa with African art scholar and curator Polly Nooter Roberts. Using memory and the use of the female body as a mnemonic for social and political history, they explore race and gender through this conversation on artistic form. 01:16:36 http://www.lapl.org/node/24170 Thu, 19 Sep 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Kennedy—a Harvard Law professor, former clerk to Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, and author of the New York Times best-seller Nigger: The Strange Career of a Troublesome Word—ponders the future of affirmative action and offers a definitive reckoning with one of the most explosively contentious and sharply divisive issues in American society. Kennedy—a Harvard Law professor, former clerk to Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, and author of the New York Times best-seller Nigger: The Strange Career of a Troublesome Word—ponders the future of affirmative action and offers a definitive reckoning with one of the most explosively contentious and sharply divisive issues in American society. 01:18:10 http://www.lapl.org/node/24156 Mon, 16 Sep 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer A. Scott Berg clears away myths and misconceptions in this penetrating portrait of one of America’s most influential yet often misunderstood presidents. This deeply emotional study reflects the whole of Wilson’s life, accomplishments, and failings- from designing the ill-fated League of Nations, using his trailblazing ideas that paved the way for the New Deal, to his denouement as a politician whose partisan battles left him a broken man. Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer A. Scott Berg clears away myths and misconceptions in this penetrating portrait of one of America’s most influential yet often misunderstood presidents. This deeply emotional study reflects the whole of Wilson’s life, accomplishments, and failings- from designing the ill-fated League of Nations, using his trailblazing ideas that paved the way for the New Deal, to his denouement as a politician whose partisan battles left him a broken man. 01:07:48 http://www.lapl.org/node/24071 Thu, 12 Sep 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Los Angeles is a city of renowned private collections that have become public museums: The Getty, the Hammer, the Norton Simon, The Huntington, and soon, The Broad. Consisting of over 2,000 artworks by established and emerging international artists, The Broad will add significantly to the contemporary art holdings on view to the Southern California public. Inge Reist will lead a discussion with the Broads and The Broad museum director Joanne Heyler about how their aesthetic tastes and social and political viewpoints have informed their collection as well as the decision to build a new museum as an investment in downtown’s Grand Avenue and the cultural life of Los Angeles. Los Angeles is a city of renowned private collections that have become public museums: The Getty, the Hammer, the Norton Simon, The Huntington, and soon, The Broad. Consisting of over 2,000 artworks by established and emerging international artists, The Broad will add significantly to the contemporary art holdings on view to the Southern California public. Inge Reist will lead a discussion with the Broads and The Broad museum director Joanne Heyler about how their aesthetic tastes and social and political viewpoints have informed their collection as well as the decision to build a new museum as an investment in downtown’s Grand Avenue and the cultural life of Los Angeles. 00:59:20 http://www.lapl.org/node/23992 Tue, 10 Sep 2013 19:00:00 -0800 In MK Asante’s new memoir Buck, the award-winning writer, filmmaker, poet and professor scripts his rise from Philadelphia dealer and delinquent to the passionate and driven artist he is today. To share his powerful story of redemption, Asante sits down to rap with Jeff Chang, author of Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation, on how he was transformed by the most unconventional teachers and the freedom to create on the blank page. In MK Asante’s new memoir Buck, the award-winning writer, filmmaker, poet and professor scripts his rise from Philadelphia dealer and delinquent to the passionate and driven artist he is today. To share his powerful story of redemption, Asante sits down to rap with Jeff Chang, author of Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation, on how he was transformed by the most unconventional teachers and the freedom to create on the blank page. 01:05:51 http://www.lapl.org/node/22315 Tue, 30 Jul 2013 19:00:00 -0800 What might our city look like if the master plans of prominent architects had been brought to fruition? This panel—including architects, an architectural curator and the L.A. Times’ architecture critic—looks at those visionary works, which held great potential to re-form Los Angeles, yet were undermined by institutions and infrastructure. Can L.A.’s civic future be shaped from these unrealized lessons of the past? What might our city look like if the master plans of prominent architects had been brought to fruition? This panel—including architects, an architectural curator and the L.A. Times’ architecture critic—looks at those visionary works, which held great potential to re-form Los Angeles, yet were undermined by institutions and infrastructure. Can L.A.’s civic future be shaped from these unrealized lessons of the past? 01:15:56 http://www.lapl.org/node/22314 Tue, 23 Jul 2013 19:00:00 -0800 In March of 1928, the St. Francis Dam north of Los Angeles—designed by William Mulholland as a reservoir for the California Aqueduct—collapsed. The largest engineering disaster in California history is inextricably woven into the epic history of water in Los Angeles. In this centennial year of the California Aqueduct, join us for a discussion of the St. Francis tragedy and its enduring catastrophic and cultural significance. In March of 1928, the St. Francis Dam north of Los Angeles—designed by William Mulholland as a reservoir for the California Aqueduct—collapsed. The largest engineering disaster in California history is inextricably woven into the epic history of water in Los Angeles. In this centennial year of the California Aqueduct, join us for a discussion of the St. Francis tragedy and its enduring catastrophic and cultural significance. 01:05:25 http://www.lapl.org/node/22313 Thu, 18 Jul 2013 19:00:00 -0800 The recently published Songs in the Key of Los Angeles showcases the rich sheet music collection of the Los Angeles Public Library, and is the fruit of a collaboration between USC Professor Kun, his students and the Library Foundation. Join us for a night of rare L.A. musical history, in which the Los Angeles Public Library’s sheet music archive will come alive in story and song when Kun is joined by beloved, GRAMMY-winning Los Angeles band Quetzal. The recently published Songs in the Key of Los Angeles showcases the rich sheet music collection of the Los Angeles Public Library, and is the fruit of a collaboration between USC Professor Kun, his students and the Library Foundation. Join us for a night of rare L.A. musical history, in which the Los Angeles Public Library’s sheet music archive will come alive in story and song when Kun is joined by beloved, GRAMMY-winning Los Angeles band Quetzal. 00:10:07 http://www.lapl.org/node/21943 Thu, 11 Jul 2013 19:00:00 -0800 In this Los Angeles segment of the Poetry Society of America’s 2013 national series, three distinguished poets will celebrate the lives and poetry of major 20th century figures—James Weldon Johnson, Countee Cullen, and Gwendolyn Brooks-—discussing their influence, and reading poems of their own in tribute. In this Los Angeles segment of the Poetry Society of America’s 2013 national series, three distinguished poets will celebrate the lives and poetry of major 20th century figures—James Weldon Johnson, Countee Cullen, and Gwendolyn Brooks-—discussing their influence, and reading poems of their own in tribute. 01:23:48 http://www.lapl.org/node/21592 Thu, 20 Jun 2013 19:00:00 -0800 In his newest book, Senegal Taxi, California’s Poet Laureate—and teacher and activist—turns his gaze to Africa. For this special evening, Herrera invites two talented younger poets to join him for a foray into what he calls: "the Plankton-like, Picasso-Like, Kandinsky-like chromatics of heart fire, short line enlightenment meditations…double shocked to the present life of what is going on in our diagonal world, war here, peace there—making it all right with these oceanic voices." In his newest book, Senegal Taxi, California’s Poet Laureate—and teacher and activist—turns his gaze to Africa. For this special evening, Herrera invites two talented younger poets to join him for a foray into what he calls: "the Plankton-like, Picasso-Like, Kandinsky-like chromatics of heart fire, short line enlightenment meditations…double shocked to the present life of what is going on in our diagonal world, war here, peace there—making it all right with these oceanic voices." 01:12:13 http://www.lapl.org/node/21481 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:00:00 -0800 On the morning of November 7, 1938, a seventeen-year-old Jewish refugee, Herschel Grynszpan, walked into the German embassy in Paris and assassinated Ernst vom Rath, a low-level Nazi diplomat. Two days later, the Third Reich exploited the murder to inaugurate its long-planned campaign of terror against Germany’s Jewish citizens—what became known as Kristallnacht. On the seventy-fifth anniversary of Kristallnacht, Kirsch— lawyer and bestselling author—unpacks the moral dimensions of one of the most enigmatic cases of World War II. On the morning of November 7, 1938, a seventeen-year-old Jewish refugee, Herschel Grynszpan, walked into the German embassy in Paris and assassinated Ernst vom Rath, a low-level Nazi diplomat. Two days later, the Third Reich exploited the murder to inaugurate its long-planned campaign of terror against Germany’s Jewish citizens—what became known as Kristallnacht. On the seventy-fifth anniversary of Kristallnacht, Kirsch— lawyer and bestselling author—unpacks the moral dimensions of one of the most enigmatic cases of World War II. 01:08:18 http://www.lapl.org/node/21143 Tue, 11 Jun 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Imagine a rain-soaked Beckett knocks on your door with a new manuscript. What was it like to collaborate with, publish, and know the genius? Seaver (who with her husband discovered and published Beckett’s early work) and Mandell (an actor directed by the playwright himself) team up to read both Beckett’s work and the Seavers’ memoir about the golden age of publishing—and to discuss how the unconventional writer came to be revered by audiences everywhere. Imagine a rain-soaked Beckett knocks on your door with a new manuscript. What was it like to collaborate with, publish, and know the genius? Seaver (who with her husband discovered and published Beckett’s early work) and Mandell (an actor directed by the playwright himself) team up to read both Beckett’s work and the Seavers’ memoir about the golden age of publishing—and to discuss how the unconventional writer came to be revered by audiences everywhere. 01:24:40 http://www.lapl.org/node/21142 Thu, 06 Jun 2013 19:00:00 -0800 The award-winning author of Half a Yellow Sun delivers a powerful new story of love and culture clash between two Nigerian friends across several decades and three different continents—keenly observing race, identity, and belonging in today’s globalized world. The award-winning author of Half a Yellow Sun delivers a powerful new story of love and culture clash between two Nigerian friends across several decades and three different continents—keenly observing race, identity, and belonging in today’s globalized world. 01:17:02 http://www.lapl.org/node/20827 Thu, 30 May 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Fifteen years ago, in Autobiography of Red, Anne Carson, critically acclaimed poet, essayist, translator and classics professor, wrote about a boy named Geryon and his love affair with Herakles. In her newest work Red Doc>, Carson revisits these characters in later life, yet creates a dreamlike offshoot, abandoning her previous style and narrative threads while moving towards the perilous edge of living past the end of one’s myth. Fifteen years ago, in Autobiography of Red, Anne Carson, critically acclaimed poet, essayist, translator and classics professor, wrote about a boy named Geryon and his love affair with Herakles. In her newest work Red Doc>, Carson revisits these characters in later life, yet creates a dreamlike offshoot, abandoning her previous style and narrative threads while moving towards the perilous edge of living past the end of one’s myth. 00:47:12 http://www.lapl.org/node/20830 Wed, 29 May 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Holt, an irreverent detective of metaphysics and science, dives deep into conversation with Caltech cosmologist Sean Carroll, to try and answer the most persistent mystery of existence: Why should there be a universe at all, and why are we a part of it? why is there Something rather than Nothing? Join us for a discussion of time, infinity, consciousness, the multiverse, and the haunting possibility of Absolute Nothingness. Holt, an irreverent detective of metaphysics and science, dives deep into conversation with Caltech cosmologist Sean Carroll, to try and answer the most persistent mystery of existence: Why should there be a universe at all, and why are we a part of it? why is there Something rather than Nothing? Join us for a discussion of time, infinity, consciousness, the multiverse, and the haunting possibility of Absolute Nothingness. 01:16:30 http://www.lapl.org/node/20499 Thu, 23 May 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Eve Ensler, author of The Vagina Monologues and the new memoir In the Body of the World, discusses the female body and the world’s responsibility to protect it with Jody Williams, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for her work banning landmines. Williams’ memoir, My Name is Jody Williams, promotes civil society's power to help change the world. These two remarkable women discuss activism, their collaboration on ending violence against women, and bringing women together through the International Campaign to Stop Rape & Gender Violence in Conflict and One Billion Rising. Eve Ensler, author of The Vagina Monologues and the new memoir In the Body of the World, discusses the female body and the world’s responsibility to protect it with Jody Williams, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for her work banning landmines. Williams’ memoir, My Name is Jody Williams, promotes civil society's power to help change the world. These two remarkable women discuss activism, their collaboration on ending violence against women, and bringing women together through the International Campaign to Stop Rape & Gender Violence in Conflict and One Billion Rising. 01:26:46 http://www.lapl.org/node/20401 Wed, 22 May 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Weaving her own experience with remarkable new discoveries, Grandin brings her singular perspective to the thrilling journey through the revolution in the understanding of autism. She introduces advances in neuroimaging and genetic research that link brain science to behavior, even sharing her own brain scans from numerous studies. Weaving her own experience with remarkable new discoveries, Grandin brings her singular perspective to the thrilling journey through the revolution in the understanding of autism. She introduces advances in neuroimaging and genetic research that link brain science to behavior, even sharing her own brain scans from numerous studies. 01:11:14 http://www.lapl.org/node/20400 Tue, 21 May 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Basking in the golden age of the graphic novel, a group of talented visual artists teamed up to adapt the greatest literature of all time. The Graphic Canon, a visual literary anthology, is a three-volume epic that spans from Greek tragedy to David Foster Wallace. Join us for a look at this stunning work with the editor and illustrators of Zora Neale Hurston, Thomas Pynchon and more, as they unlock the literary canon for a new generation of readers. Basking in the golden age of the graphic novel, a group of talented visual artists teamed up to adapt the greatest literature of all time. The Graphic Canon, a visual literary anthology, is a three-volume epic that spans from Greek tragedy to David Foster Wallace. Join us for a look at this stunning work with the editor and illustrators of Zora Neale Hurston, Thomas Pynchon and more, as they unlock the literary canon for a new generation of readers. 00:54:45 http://www.lapl.org/node/20233 Thu, 16 May 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Panel discussion with author Ben Ehrenreich; Barbara Epler, president, New Directions; author Mónica Maristain; and poet-translator David Shook. Moderated by Héctor Tobar, staff writer, Los Angeles Times "Books are the only homeland of the true writer, books that may sit on shelves or in the memory," wrote Roberto Bolaño. Ten years after his death, the legacy of Chilean author Roberto Bolaño lives not just in his poetry and prose but also in the myth that surrounds a man who has come to define 21st-century Latin American literature. This panel delves into the Bolaño mystique, convening the voices that have engaged both with his words and his ghosts. Panel discussion with author Ben Ehrenreich; Barbara Epler, president, New Directions; author Mónica Maristain; and poet-translator David Shook. Moderated by Héctor Tobar, staff writer, Los Angeles Times "Books are the only homeland of the true writer, books that may sit on shelves or in the memory," wrote Roberto Bolaño. Ten years after his death, the legacy of Chilean author Roberto Bolaño lives not just in his poetry and prose but also in the myth that surrounds a man who has come to define 21st-century Latin American literature. This panel delves into the Bolaño mystique, convening the voices that have engaged both with his words and his ghosts. 01:21:32 http://www.lapl.org/node/19139 Tue, 23 Apr 2013 19:00:00 -0800 In 1983, Granta devoted an entire issue to new fiction by 20 of the "Best of Young British Novelists" and did so again ten years later. From Martin Amis, Salman Rushdie, Kazuo Ishiguro to Zadie Smith, these lists have offered a revealing snapshot of a generation of writers about to come into their own. Join us for a reading and discussion with some of Britain’s best, including a judge of the 2013 series and this year’s newly announced novelists. In 1983, Granta devoted an entire issue to new fiction by 20 of the "Best of Young British Novelists" and did so again ten years later. From Martin Amis, Salman Rushdie, Kazuo Ishiguro to Zadie Smith, these lists have offered a revealing snapshot of a generation of writers about to come into their own. Join us for a reading and discussion with some of Britain’s best, including a judge of the 2013 series and this year’s newly announced novelists. 01:14:39 http://www.lapl.org/node/19066 Wed, 17 Apr 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Esteemed primatologist de Waal discusses his pioneering research on primate behavior, the latest findings in evolutionary biology, and insights from moral philosophy to prove that morality does not require the specters of God or the law of man. Esteemed primatologist de Waal discusses his pioneering research on primate behavior, the latest findings in evolutionary biology, and insights from moral philosophy to prove that morality does not require the specters of God or the law of man. 01:09:46 http://www.lapl.org/node/18860 Wed, 10 Apr 2013 19:00:00 -0800 At age twenty-six, in the wake of a divorce and her mother’s death, Cheryl Strayed made the most impulsive decision of her life: to hike the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert to Washington State—and to do it alone. Wild, Strayed’s best-selling memoir, is the utterly compelling story of a young woman finding her way—and herself—one brave step at a time. At age twenty-six, in the wake of a divorce and her mother’s death, Cheryl Strayed made the most impulsive decision of her life: to hike the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert to Washington State—and to do it alone. Wild, Strayed’s best-selling memoir, is the utterly compelling story of a young woman finding her way—and herself—one brave step at a time. 01:04:56 http://www.lapl.org/node/18859 Tue, 09 Apr 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Caroline Kennedy, editor of eight New York Times bestselling books on American history, politics, law, and poetry, discusses her new anthology, Poetry to Live By with Los Angeles’ first Poet Laureate, Eloise Klein Healy. In their far-ranging conversation, these two long-time poetry advocates deliberate on the roles of language, imagination and education in the development of children, and explore how a poem can inspire and challenge both the young and the young at heart. Caroline Kennedy, editor of eight New York Times bestselling books on American history, politics, law, and poetry, discusses her new anthology, Poetry to Live By with Los Angeles’ first Poet Laureate, Eloise Klein Healy. In their far-ranging conversation, these two long-time poetry advocates deliberate on the roles of language, imagination and education in the development of children, and explore how a poem can inspire and challenge both the young and the young at heart. 01:07:12 http://www.lapl.org/node/18005 Thu, 04 Apr 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Hemon returns to his childhood roots in Sarajevo, a small blissful city where he used to write bad poetry, play soccer, and listen to American music. Years later, Sarajevo came under siege while Hemon was in Chicago starting a new life and new family, as his parents were fleeing all they’d ever known. The Book of My Lives is a love song to two cities—a daring first book of non-fiction from a turbulent literary talent. Hemon returns to his childhood roots in Sarajevo, a small blissful city where he used to write bad poetry, play soccer, and listen to American music. Years later, Sarajevo came under siege while Hemon was in Chicago starting a new life and new family, as his parents were fleeing all they’d ever known. The Book of My Lives is a love song to two cities—a daring first book of non-fiction from a turbulent literary talent. 01:13:14 http://www.lapl.org/node/18004 Thu, 21 Mar 2013 19:00:00 -0800 More valuable than gold, more ubiquitous than water, what is really brewing behind the $100 billion global coffee industry? Local coffee connoisseurs gather to discuss the journey of the bean from seed to cup. From the role of organic farming and the livelihood of producers, to trends in curating the consumer’s palate, the nuances of this beloved beverage have never been so complex. More valuable than gold, more ubiquitous than water, what is really brewing behind the $100 billion global coffee industry? Local coffee connoisseurs gather to discuss the journey of the bean from seed to cup. From the role of organic farming and the livelihood of producers, to trends in curating the consumer’s palate, the nuances of this beloved beverage have never been so complex. 01:13:02 http://www.lapl.org/node/18003 Tue, 19 Mar 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Many generations have been moved by Dorothea Lange’s iconic image of "Migrant Mother," photographed during the Great Depression. In her decades-spanning new novel, Mary Coin, author Marisa Silver presents a brilliant reimagining of the story behind that arresting face. In today’s world, bombarded with visual imagery and the need for information, Silver brings into question: What’s in a picture? Many generations have been moved by Dorothea Lange’s iconic image of "Migrant Mother," photographed during the Great Depression. In her decades-spanning new novel, Mary Coin, author Marisa Silver presents a brilliant reimagining of the story behind that arresting face. In today’s world, bombarded with visual imagery and the need for information, Silver brings into question: What’s in a picture? 01:04:58 http://www.lapl.org/node/18002 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Borrowing the ambitious structure of a self-help guide, Hamid, a radically inventive storyteller and author of The Reluctant Fundamentalist, tells the riveting tale of a man’s journey from impoverished rural boy to corporate tycoon. Both social satire and love story, Hamid’s new book braves its way into the frenetic epicenter of the global economy. Borrowing the ambitious structure of a self-help guide, Hamid, a radically inventive storyteller and author of The Reluctant Fundamentalist, tells the riveting tale of a man’s journey from impoverished rural boy to corporate tycoon. Both social satire and love story, Hamid’s new book braves its way into the frenetic epicenter of the global economy. 01:25:22 http://www.lapl.org/node/18001 Tue, 12 Mar 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Krause, a musician and naturalist and one of the world’s leading experts in natural sound, explores how the myriad voices and rhythms of the natural world—from snapping shrimp to cracking glaciers—formed a basis from which our own musical expression emerged. His book is an impassioned plea for the conservation of one of our most overlooked natural resources—the music of the wild. Krause, a musician and naturalist and one of the world’s leading experts in natural sound, explores how the myriad voices and rhythms of the natural world—from snapping shrimp to cracking glaciers—formed a basis from which our own musical expression emerged. His book is an impassioned plea for the conservation of one of our most overlooked natural resources—the music of the wild. 01:07:28 http://www.lapl.org/node/17619 Tue, 05 Mar 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Considered one of the masters of the short story form, Nathan Englander offers fiction that is both edgy and timeless. His new collection, the title of which is inspired by Raymond Carver’s masterpiece on love, grapples with some of today’s questions with great care. As Jonathan Lethem praises, “Englander’s elegant, inquisitive, and hilarious fictions are a working definition of what the modern short story can do.” Considered one of the masters of the short story form, Nathan Englander offers fiction that is both edgy and timeless. His new collection, the title of which is inspired by Raymond Carver’s masterpiece on love, grapples with some of today’s questions with great care. As Jonathan Lethem praises, “Englander’s elegant, inquisitive, and hilarious fictions are a working definition of what the modern short story can do.” 01:13:06 http://www.lapl.org/node/16881 Tue, 26 Feb 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Is it possible for Americans to better their future by reinventing their relationship with government? Newsom, lieutenant governor of California and San Francisco's former mayor, explores how a modern digital government could house the information, concerns, convictions-even the protests of an enlightened digital citizenry. Is it possible for Americans to better their future by reinventing their relationship with government? Newsom, lieutenant governor of California and San Francisco's former mayor, explores how a modern digital government could house the information, concerns, convictions-even the protests of an enlightened digital citizenry. 01:18:21 http://www.lapl.org/node/16840 Thu, 21 Feb 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Betty Friedan's groundbreaking book is now 50 years old, and the global struggle for gender equality is-according to many-the paramount moral struggle of this century. Different generations of feminists discuss their perspectives on the issues defining the struggle for women's rights today. Where are we now, and where is this revolution headed? Betty Friedan's groundbreaking book is now 50 years old, and the global struggle for gender equality is-according to many-the paramount moral struggle of this century. Different generations of feminists discuss their perspectives on the issues defining the struggle for women's rights today. Where are we now, and where is this revolution headed? 01:20:30 http://www.lapl.org/node/16880 Mon, 11 Feb 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Gale, one of the world's leading experts on radiation, together with writer Eric Lax, draw on the most up-to-date research and on Gale's extensive experience treating victims of radiation accidents around the globe to correct myths and establish facts about life on our radioactive planet in our post-Chernobyl, post-Fukushima world. Gale, one of the world's leading experts on radiation, together with writer Eric Lax, draw on the most up-to-date research and on Gale's extensive experience treating victims of radiation accidents around the globe to correct myths and establish facts about life on our radioactive planet in our post-Chernobyl, post-Fukushima world. 01:12:21 http://www.lapl.org/node/16836 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 19:00:00 -0800 "We work in the dark," said Henry James. "Our doubt is our passion, and our passion is our task." Two completely original, and often hilarious writers, Saunders (Tenth of December) and Cooper (The Bill from My Father) begrudgingly agree. Saunders and Cooper step out of the dark and onto the stage to discuss how they grapple with the difficult, but essential challenges of their creative work. "We work in the dark," said Henry James. "Our doubt is our passion, and our passion is our task." Two completely original, and often hilarious writers, Saunders (Tenth of December) and Cooper (The Bill from My Father) begrudgingly agree. Saunders and Cooper step out of the dark and onto the stage to discuss how they grapple with the difficult, but essential challenges of their creative work. 01:20:12 http://www.lapl.org/node/16839 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 19:00:00 -0800 From acting in award-winning films such as Before Night Falls, Frida, and Milk, to directing a forthcoming feature on Cesar Chavez, Luna's passion for storytelling as an agent for social change is illuminated in his film work. As an activist, he speaks out against the bi-national arms trade and he is founder of Ambulante, a mobile documentary project bringing cinema to remote places in the Americas. Inspired by art as reflections, Luna talks about these projects and life on both sides of the border. From acting in award-winning films such as Before Night Falls, Frida, and Milk, to directing a forthcoming feature on Cesar Chavez, Luna's passion for storytelling as an agent for social change is illuminated in his film work. As an activist, he speaks out against the bi-national arms trade and he is founder of Ambulante, a mobile documentary project bringing cinema to remote places in the Americas. Inspired by art as reflections, Luna talks about these projects and life on both sides of the border. 01:08:59 http://www.lapl.org/node/16837 Thu, 24 Jan 2013 19:00:00 -0800 What does it mean to see your life reenacted as film? Could you imagine watching Robert De Niro play your father, Julianne Moore your mother? Describing the surreal process of adapting his memoir, Another Bullshit Night in Suck City, into a film called Being Flynn, a master storyteller offers a compelling meditation on the very nature of grief, survival, and making art. What does it mean to see your life reenacted as film? Could you imagine watching Robert De Niro play your father, Julianne Moore your mother? Describing the surreal process of adapting his memoir, Another Bullshit Night in Suck City, into a film called Being Flynn, a master storyteller offers a compelling meditation on the very nature of grief, survival, and making art. 01:07:02 http://www.lapl.org/node/16716 Thu, 17 Jan 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Join us for a conversation about the hugely influential photographer Maynard L. Parker, who aimed his lens at the mid-century masterworks of the L.A. architects and designers whose homes embodied the American dream during a time of demographic transitions, Cold War anxieties, and a suburban society driven to consume. Join us for a conversation about the hugely influential photographer Maynard L. Parker, who aimed his lens at the mid-century masterworks of the L.A. architects and designers whose homes embodied the American dream during a time of demographic transitions, Cold War anxieties, and a suburban society driven to consume. 01:04:36 http://www.lapl.org/node/16717 Tue, 15 Jan 2013 19:00:00 -0800 Veteran journalist Wilentz, a passionate longtime observer of Haiti, reports on the uncanny resilience of the confounding country that emerged from the dust of the 2010 earthquake like a powerful spirit. She looks back and forward--at Haiti's slave plantations, revolutionary history, its totalitarian regimes and its profound creative culture. Populated with rock stars and Voodoo priests, heartbreak and magic, her brilliant storytelling brings to life a place like nowhere in the world. Veteran journalist Wilentz, a passionate longtime observer of Haiti, reports on the uncanny resilience of the confounding country that emerged from the dust of the 2010 earthquake like a powerful spirit. She looks back and forward--at Haiti's slave plantations, revolutionary history, its totalitarian regimes and its profound creative culture. Populated with rock stars and Voodoo priests, heartbreak and magic, her brilliant storytelling brings to life a place like nowhere in the world. 00:59:08 http://www.lapl.org/node/16718 Thu, 10 Jan 2013 19:00:00 -0800 In their new book, Oscar-winning actor Jeff Bridges and world-renowned Roshi Bernie Glassman offer an intimate glimpse into the conversations between student and teacher, a shared philosophy of life and spirituality, and the everyday wisdom of Buddhism. The Dude and the Zen Master captures a freewheeling dialogue about life, laughter, and the movies, from two men whose charm and bonhomie never fail to enlighten and entertain—while reminding us of the importance of doing good in a difficult world. In their new book, Oscar-winning actor Jeff Bridges and world-renowned Roshi Bernie Glassman offer an intimate glimpse into the conversations between student and teacher, a shared philosophy of life and spirituality, and the everyday wisdom of Buddhism. The Dude and the Zen Master captures a freewheeling dialogue about life, laughter, and the movies, from two men whose charm and bonhomie never fail to enlighten and entertain—while reminding us of the importance of doing good in a difficult world. 00:53:40 http://www.lapl.org/node/16727 Mon, 10 Dec 2012 19:00:00 -0800 It is these three prayers- asking for assistance from a higher power, appreciating the goodness in our lives, and feeling awe at the world around us- that Lamott believes can guide us through the day and illuminate the way forward. As one of today's most trusted authorities on life lessons, Lamott coalesces everything she has learned about prayer through her own everyday trials of faith, and explores how others have embraced these same ideas. It is these three prayers- asking for assistance from a higher power, appreciating the goodness in our lives, and feeling awe at the world around us- that Lamott believes can guide us through the day and illuminate the way forward. As one of today's most trusted authorities on life lessons, Lamott coalesces everything she has learned about prayer through her own everyday trials of faith, and explores how others have embraced these same ideas. 01:20:30 http://www.lapl.org/node/16729 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Meditations on captivity, knowledge and inheritance permeate Trethewey’s poems, as she reflects on her own interracial, complicated—and utterly American—roots. This brilliant and fearless poet masterfully gives a voice to the past and present as she explores human struggles we face in common. Meditations on captivity, knowledge and inheritance permeate Trethewey’s poems, as she reflects on her own interracial, complicated—and utterly American—roots. This brilliant and fearless poet masterfully gives a voice to the past and present as she explores human struggles we face in common. 01:05:31 http://www.lapl.org/node/16730 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 19:00:00 -0800 With excursions into culture and public policy, a theoretical physicist named one of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” explores how we decide which scientific questions to study, how we go about answering them, and how science might radically revise our understanding of the world. With excursions into culture and public policy, a theoretical physicist named one of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” explores how we decide which scientific questions to study, how we go about answering them, and how science might radically revise our understanding of the world. 01:02:48 http://www.lapl.org/node/16731 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Mendelsohn, who has devoted his career to nonfiction—memoir, translation and criticism—discusses his latest collection of essays, (Waiting for the Barbarians), with novelist and essayist Lethem (The Ecstasy of Influence), as the two celebrate (and commiserate) the blessings and curses of the contemporary essay form. Mendelsohn, who has devoted his career to nonfiction—memoir, translation and criticism—discusses his latest collection of essays, (Waiting for the Barbarians), with novelist and essayist Lethem (The Ecstasy of Influence), as the two celebrate (and commiserate) the blessings and curses of the contemporary essay form. 01:20:36 http://www.lapl.org/node/16737 Wed, 07 Nov 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Martínez, an award-winning author and performer, takes us on a deeply personal tour of the 21st century West—far from our romantic illusions of John Wayne, cacti and cowboys—and discusses the political and demographic upheaval in this most iconic of American landscapes Martínez, an award-winning author and performer, takes us on a deeply personal tour of the 21st century West—far from our romantic illusions of John Wayne, cacti and cowboys—and discusses the political and demographic upheaval in this most iconic of American landscapes 01:17:34 http://www.lapl.org/node/16739 Tue, 30 Oct 2012 19:00:00 -0800 In the wake of 9/11 and the growth of a worrying animosity towards American Muslims, Patel—author, activist, and presidential advisor—argues that prejudice is not just a problem for American Muslims but also a challenge to the very idea of an America founded on the premise of pluralism. In this visionary book, he illuminates how faith can be a bridge of cooperation rather than a barrier of division. In the wake of 9/11 and the growth of a worrying animosity towards American Muslims, Patel—author, activist, and presidential advisor—argues that prejudice is not just a problem for American Muslims but also a challenge to the very idea of an America founded on the premise of pluralism. In this visionary book, he illuminates how faith can be a bridge of cooperation rather than a barrier of division. 01:22:30 http://www.lapl.org/node/17237 Mon, 29 Oct 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Master American chronicler Tom Wolfe, author of more than a dozen books—including, The Right Stuff, The Bonfire of the Vanities, and The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test—presents us with a panoramic story of America in his most recent novel, Back to Blood. Wolfe joins screenwriter Howard A. Rodman for a conversation that spans Wolfe's seven-decade writing career, from the days of a new journalism to how he penned the terms "good ol boy" and "the right stuff." Master American chronicler Tom Wolfe, author of more than a dozen books—including, The Right Stuff, The Bonfire of the Vanities, and The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test—presents us with a panoramic story of America in his most recent novel, Back to Blood. Wolfe joins screenwriter Howard A. Rodman for a conversation that spans Wolfe's seven-decade writing career, from the days of a new journalism to how he penned the terms "good ol boy" and "the right stuff." 01:18:22 http://www.lapl.org/node/16740 Wed, 17 Oct 2012 19:00:00 -0800 The culinary experience has turned into an experiment through the hands of Chef Ludo’s guerilla style pop-up restaurant LudoBites and Chef Roy’s roaming Kogi BBQ truck. How do these ephemeral establishments play with the identity of the city and the palates of its inhabitants? Listen in on what promises to be a playful, irreverent journey into the creative minds of these celebrated chefs. The culinary experience has turned into an experiment through the hands of Chef Ludo’s guerilla style pop-up restaurant LudoBites and Chef Roy’s roaming Kogi BBQ truck. How do these ephemeral establishments play with the identity of the city and the palates of its inhabitants? Listen in on what promises to be a playful, irreverent journey into the creative minds of these celebrated chefs. 01:18:08 http://www.lapl.org/node/16741 Wed, 10 Oct 2012 19:00:00 -0800 From stardom at Motown at age sixteen, to obscurity and near destitution, to an amazing career revival in her sixties when she sang at President Obama’s pre-inaugural concert at the Lincoln Memorial, LaVette—one of R&B’s legendary singers—discusses her roller-coaster ride through the world of music. From stardom at Motown at age sixteen, to obscurity and near destitution, to an amazing career revival in her sixties when she sang at President Obama’s pre-inaugural concert at the Lincoln Memorial, LaVette—one of R&B’s legendary singers—discusses her roller-coaster ride through the world of music. 00:59:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/16742 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Locke, whose new novel The Cutting Season is set at a Louisiana plantation re-purposed for weddings and Civil War reenactments, joins Edwards (Charisma and the Fictions of Black Leadership) to explore how African American literature, rooted in stories of struggle and dispossession and overcoming all odds, has been affected by the same racial progress that has culminated in the first African American presidency. Locke, whose new novel The Cutting Season is set at a Louisiana plantation re-purposed for weddings and Civil War reenactments, joins Edwards (Charisma and the Fictions of Black Leadership) to explore how African American literature, rooted in stories of struggle and dispossession and overcoming all odds, has been affected by the same racial progress that has culminated in the first African American presidency. 01:23:20 http://www.lapl.org/node/16743 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 19:00:00 -0800 From the intellectuals who remade China, Turkey and Iran, to East-West encounters in Benares to the footprints of the Buddha in the small towns of India, Pankaj Mishra takes us on a historical journey through Asia, with detours to explore his own fiction and non-fiction. From the intellectuals who remade China, Turkey and Iran, to East-West encounters in Benares to the footprints of the Buddha in the small towns of India, Pankaj Mishra takes us on a historical journey through Asia, with detours to explore his own fiction and non-fiction. 01:17:36 http://www.lapl.org/node/16744 Thu, 27 Sep 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Play is an inherent part of life. How are games revolutionizing the way we educate our children, think about the future, and engage with each other? Game designers Essen and Fullerton bridge the gap between art and education with their approach to play, and show us how reality is really just one big game we should all be playing. Play is an inherent part of life. How are games revolutionizing the way we educate our children, think about the future, and engage with each other? Game designers Essen and Fullerton bridge the gap between art and education with their approach to play, and show us how reality is really just one big game we should all be playing. 01:17:02 http://www.lapl.org/node/16745 Mon, 24 Sep 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Rushdie, recipient of the 2012 Los Angeles Public Library Literary Award, honoring his commitment to public libraries and literature, discusses Joseph Anton, his provocative new memoir—a frank depiction of how he and his family lived with the threat of murder for nine years after being condemned for his writing, and how he struggled for the freedom of speech. Rushdie, recipient of the 2012 Los Angeles Public Library Literary Award, honoring his commitment to public libraries and literature, discusses Joseph Anton, his provocative new memoir—a frank depiction of how he and his family lived with the threat of murder for nine years after being condemned for his writing, and how he struggled for the freedom of speech. 00:59:24 http://www.lapl.org/node/16746 Tue, 18 Sep 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Imagine a world where kids got gold stars for grit and curiosity. Paul Tough introduces us to a new generation of scientists and educators who are radically rethinking our understanding of how children develop character, how they learn to think, and how they overcome adversity. Imagine a world where kids got gold stars for grit and curiosity. Paul Tough introduces us to a new generation of scientists and educators who are radically rethinking our understanding of how children develop character, how they learn to think, and how they overcome adversity. 01:18:04 http://www.lapl.org/node/16747 Fri, 14 Sep 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Hass, a Pulitzer Prize winning poet and former U.S. Poet Laureate, is also a luminous essayist. In this talk and discussion with poet Carol Muske-Dukes, he considers the claims on a poet’s attention as he explores art, imagination, and the natural world. Hass, a Pulitzer Prize winning poet and former U.S. Poet Laureate, is also a luminous essayist. In this talk and discussion with poet Carol Muske-Dukes, he considers the claims on a poet’s attention as he explores art, imagination, and the natural world. 01:17:36 http://www.lapl.org/node/16748 Tue, 24 Jul 2012 19:00:00 -0800 The seventeenth annual newer poets program is guest curated by three acclaimed poets: Eloise Klein Healy, Arktoi Press; Suzanne Lummis, Los Angeles Poetry Festival; and Gail Wronsky, professor, Loyola Marymount University and member, Glass Table Collective. The seventeenth annual newer poets program is guest curated by three acclaimed poets: Eloise Klein Healy, Arktoi Press; Suzanne Lummis, Los Angeles Poetry Festival; and Gail Wronsky, professor, Loyola Marymount University and member, Glass Table Collective. 01:25:26 http://www.lapl.org/node/16749 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 19:00:00 -0800 How are downtown chefs curating our cultural palate? New culinary projects are stirring up a neighborhood renaissance as the city’s best chefs are blending their ethnic and cultural traditions with the contemporary taste of eclectic Los Angeles. Join us to explore this diverse panel of chefs who are pushing downtown’s flavor forward. Stay for a post-panel tasting reception in the library courtyard, complements of participanting restaurants. How are downtown chefs curating our cultural palate? New culinary projects are stirring up a neighborhood renaissance as the city’s best chefs are blending their ethnic and cultural traditions with the contemporary taste of eclectic Los Angeles. Join us to explore this diverse panel of chefs who are pushing downtown’s flavor forward. Stay for a post-panel tasting reception in the library courtyard, complements of participanting restaurants. 01:12:37 http://www.lapl.org/node/16726 Tue, 10 Jul 2012 19:00:00 -0800 In her new memoir, Harjo, an internationally known performer and writer of the Mvskoke/Creek Nation, explores her own journey to becoming an award-winning poet. From growing up in Oklahoma, the end place of the Trail of Tears, and learning to escape her abusive stepfather through her imagination, to attending an Indian arts boarding school, to becoming a teenage single mother, Harjo eventually finds her poetic voice. In her new memoir, Harjo, an internationally known performer and writer of the Mvskoke/Creek Nation, explores her own journey to becoming an award-winning poet. From growing up in Oklahoma, the end place of the Trail of Tears, and learning to escape her abusive stepfather through her imagination, to attending an Indian arts boarding school, to becoming a teenage single mother, Harjo eventually finds her poetic voice. 01:16:09 http://www.lapl.org/node/16715 Mon, 09 Jul 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Bestselling author Sapphire tells the electrifying story of Abdul Jones, the son of Precious, the unforgettable heroine of her novel Push. This generational story—which moves from a Mississippi dirt farm to Harlem in its heyday—tells of a twenty-first century young man’s fight to find a way toward the future. Bestselling author Sapphire tells the electrifying story of Abdul Jones, the son of Precious, the unforgettable heroine of her novel Push. This generational story—which moves from a Mississippi dirt farm to Harlem in its heyday—tells of a twenty-first century young man’s fight to find a way toward the future. 01:02:09 http://www.lapl.org/node/16725 Thu, 28 Jun 2012 19:00:00 -0800 The struggles of an artist’s life are re-examined through a modern urban lens by these two critically acclaimed novelists. In Spiotta’s Stone Arabia, a fifty-year-old musician sinks away from public life until his niece begins to make a film about him, bringing many vulnerabilities to the surface. Fitch’s Paint it Black unravels the painful aftermath of the suicide of the son of a renowned pianist. Both novels, set in Los Angeles, vibrantly depict characters who are inspired and destroyed by music—and question the consequences of being an artist. The struggles of an artist’s life are re-examined through a modern urban lens by these two critically acclaimed novelists. In Spiotta’s Stone Arabia, a fifty-year-old musician sinks away from public life until his niece begins to make a film about him, bringing many vulnerabilities to the surface. Fitch’s Paint it Black unravels the painful aftermath of the suicide of the son of a renowned pianist. Both novels, set in Los Angeles, vibrantly depict characters who are inspired and destroyed by music—and question the consequences of being an artist. 01:02:41 http://www.lapl.org/node/16724 Tue, 26 Jun 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Lost City Radio novelist Daniel Alarcón and team joins us for a special live presentation of Radio Ambulante - the first ever Spanish-language radio show created to tell the stories of latinoamericanos de todas las Américas. Everyday stories find voice in this multi-national, bilingual production, a collaboration of NPR stations and independent journalists from over nine countries. In a city with a majority Spanish-speaking population, Radio Ambulante introduces Angelenos to the crónicas de nuestro mundo, and examines the role radio and digital media play in keeping storytelling alive.You'll also have the opportunity to meet Sonic Trace: KCRW's new storytelling project that begins in the heart of Los Angeles and crosses into Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Part radio, part video, Sonic Trace maps LA residents' answers to the questions: ¿Por qué te vas? ¿Por qué te quedas? ¿Por qué regresas? Come early on June 26th, and help us trace your story. We'll be there with mic in hand, collecting your stories in English and Spanish. Lost City Radio novelist Daniel Alarcón and team joins us for a special live presentation of Radio Ambulante - the first ever Spanish-language radio show created to tell the stories of latinoamericanos de todas las Américas. Everyday stories find voice in this multi-national, bilingual production, a collaboration of NPR stations and independent journalists from over nine countries. In a city with a majority Spanish-speaking population, Radio Ambulante introduces Angelenos to the crónicas de nuestro mundo, and examines the role radio and digital media play in keeping storytelling alive.You'll also have the opportunity to meet Sonic Trace: KCRW's new storytelling project that begins in the heart of Los Angeles and crosses into Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Part radio, part video, Sonic Trace maps LA residents' answers to the questions: ¿Por qué te vas? ¿Por qué te quedas? ¿Por qué regresas? Come early on June 26th, and help us trace your story. We'll be there with mic in hand, collecting your stories in English and Spanish. 01:20:33 http://www.lapl.org/node/16723 Thu, 21 Jun 2012 19:00:00 -0800 In less than a decade, President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal agencies radically transformed Los Angeles as they did other American cities in a successful, but largely forgotten, effort to extricate the nation from the Great Depression. In addition to building the region's cultural infrastructure of schools, libraries, and museums, the Federal Writers Project left us a vivid freeze frame description of what Southern California was like just before World War II. Author David Kipen discusses the recently republished Los Angeles in the 1930s: The WPA Guide to the City of Angels and geographer Gray Brechin shows the public works that revolutionized the lives of millions 75 years ago. In less than a decade, President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal agencies radically transformed Los Angeles as they did other American cities in a successful, but largely forgotten, effort to extricate the nation from the Great Depression. In addition to building the region's cultural infrastructure of schools, libraries, and museums, the Federal Writers Project left us a vivid freeze frame description of what Southern California was like just before World War II. Author David Kipen discusses the recently republished Los Angeles in the 1930s: The WPA Guide to the City of Angels and geographer Gray Brechin shows the public works that revolutionized the lives of millions 75 years ago. 01:18:31 http://www.lapl.org/node/16722 Tue, 19 Jun 2012 19:00:00 -0800 As a culture, we are often focused on beginnings— the start of things instead of the endings. Acclaimed sociologist and MacArthur prize-winning Harvard professor Lawrence-Lightfoot examines moments that define how we transition through our lives. From looking at an Iranian teenager who leaves the political strife of his native land, to a middle-aged gay man who reflects on his ‘exit’ from the closet, to the director of a hospital ICU who oversees patients facing death, Lawrence-Lightfoot examines new ways of seeing our farewells. As a culture, we are often focused on beginnings— the start of things instead of the endings. Acclaimed sociologist and MacArthur prize-winning Harvard professor Lawrence-Lightfoot examines moments that define how we transition through our lives. From looking at an Iranian teenager who leaves the political strife of his native land, to a middle-aged gay man who reflects on his ‘exit’ from the closet, to the director of a hospital ICU who oversees patients facing death, Lawrence-Lightfoot examines new ways of seeing our farewells. 01:05:41 http://www.lapl.org/node/16721 Wed, 13 Jun 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Part One: Tales of DesperationM.C.'d by Richard Montoya of Culture ClashJoin in this first-ever edition of live storytelling at ALOUD as six local voices take us through the comedic, tragic, entertaining, and desperate tales of life in the City of Angels.Music by Tom Lutz and Blue TunaIn partnership with the Los Angeles Review of Books Part One: Tales of DesperationM.C.'d by Richard Montoya of Culture ClashJoin in this first-ever edition of live storytelling at ALOUD as six local voices take us through the comedic, tragic, entertaining, and desperate tales of life in the City of Angels.Music by Tom Lutz and Blue TunaIn partnership with the Los Angeles Review of Books 6/13/201 http://www.lapl.org/node/16720 Tue, 12 Jun 2012 19:00:00 -0800 The popular columnist for the New York Times declares that the proud state of big oil and bigger ambitions matters most in America’s political landscape, that “what happens in Texas doesn’t stay in Texas anymore.” The country’s fundamental divide has long been seen as a war between the Republican heartland and its two liberal coasts. But after visiting Texas, Collins reconsiders where the epicenter of a conservative political agenda resides and how it is sweeping across the country to redefine our national identity. The popular columnist for the New York Times declares that the proud state of big oil and bigger ambitions matters most in America’s political landscape, that “what happens in Texas doesn’t stay in Texas anymore.” The country’s fundamental divide has long been seen as a war between the Republican heartland and its two liberal coasts. But after visiting Texas, Collins reconsiders where the epicenter of a conservative political agenda resides and how it is sweeping across the country to redefine our national identity. 00:56:23 http://www.lapl.org/node/16719 Wed, 06 Jun 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Two celebrated writers deeply influenced by the riparian and other landscapes of the American West will read from their work and explore how storytelling, in the tradition of Thoreau and Emerson, can give voice to natural resources. Activist and award-winning author Kathleen Dean Moore discusses her newest book Moral Ground: Ethical Action for a Planet in Peril and Craig Childs, the author of more than a dozen acclaimed books on nature and science, reflects on expedition adventures from Colorado to Tibet.The Elemental West: Fire, Water, Air, Earth (Program two of four) Two celebrated writers deeply influenced by the riparian and other landscapes of the American West will read from their work and explore how storytelling, in the tradition of Thoreau and Emerson, can give voice to natural resources. Activist and award-winning author Kathleen Dean Moore discusses her newest book Moral Ground: Ethical Action for a Planet in Peril and Craig Childs, the author of more than a dozen acclaimed books on nature and science, reflects on expedition adventures from Colorado to Tibet.The Elemental West: Fire, Water, Air, Earth (Program two of four) 01:16:04 http://www.lapl.org/node/7421 Thu, 31 May 2012 19:00:00 -0800 The Washington Post calls Richard Ford, "One of the finest curators of the great American living museum." In his haunting new novel, Canada, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author explores the mysterious and consoling bonds of family in a tale about a young man forced by catastrophic circumstance to reconcile himself to a world that has been rendered unrecognizable. The Washington Post calls Richard Ford, "One of the finest curators of the great American living museum." In his haunting new novel, Canada, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author explores the mysterious and consoling bonds of family in a tale about a young man forced by catastrophic circumstance to reconcile himself to a world that has been rendered unrecognizable. 01:14:33 http://www.lapl.org/node/7420 Thu, 24 May 2012 19:00:00 -0800 From hired mourners who will scatter your loved one's ashes, to nameologists (who help you name your child)-the sociologist and acclaimed author of The Second Shift draws on original research to reveal the threats inherent in a world in which the most intuitive and emotional of human acts have become work for hire. From hired mourners who will scatter your loved one's ashes, to nameologists (who help you name your child)-the sociologist and acclaimed author of The Second Shift draws on original research to reveal the threats inherent in a world in which the most intuitive and emotional of human acts have become work for hire. 00:00:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/16628 Tue, 22 May 2012 19:00:00 -0800 How have unreasonable principles —from negotiating to risk-taking, from investing to hiring— helped billionaire philanthropist Eli Broad in founding two Fortune 500 companies, funding scientific research and education reform, and building some of the world’s greatest contemporary art museums? Why is he drawn to the unreasonableness of contemporary artists like Richard Serra and Robert Rauschenberg? What can we learn from the wisdom of an unreasonable man? How have unreasonable principles —from negotiating to risk-taking, from investing to hiring— helped billionaire philanthropist Eli Broad in founding two Fortune 500 companies, funding scientific research and education reform, and building some of the world’s greatest contemporary art museums? Why is he drawn to the unreasonableness of contemporary artists like Richard Serra and Robert Rauschenberg? What can we learn from the wisdom of an unreasonable man? 00:47:07 http://www.lapl.org/node/7418 Tue, 15 May 2012 19:00:00 -0800 If the conscious mind is the only part of the brain we are aware of, then what in the world else is happening up there? Renowned neuroscientist (and novelist) David Eagleman navigates the depth of the subconscious brain to illuminate surprising mysteries that take in brain damage, plane spotting, dating, drugs, synesthesia, criminal law, artificial intelligence and visual illusions. If the conscious mind is the only part of the brain we are aware of, then what in the world else is happening up there? Renowned neuroscientist (and novelist) David Eagleman navigates the depth of the subconscious brain to illuminate surprising mysteries that take in brain damage, plane spotting, dating, drugs, synesthesia, criminal law, artificial intelligence and visual illusions. 00:00:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/7417 Thu, 10 May 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Bechdel follows her best-selling graphic memoir, Fun Home, with a second tale of filial sleuthing-this time about her mother: voracious reader, music lover, amateur actor, and also a woman, unhappily married to a gay man. Bechdel's quest for answers concerning the mother-daughter gulf leads through psychoanalysis and Dr. Seuss to a truce that will move all adult children of gifted mothers. Bechdel follows her best-selling graphic memoir, Fun Home, with a second tale of filial sleuthing-this time about her mother: voracious reader, music lover, amateur actor, and also a woman, unhappily married to a gay man. Bechdel's quest for answers concerning the mother-daughter gulf leads through psychoanalysis and Dr. Seuss to a truce that will move all adult children of gifted mothers. 00:00:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/7415 Wed, 09 May 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Upon her mother's passing, Williams inherited three shelves of journals. Not only was it a shock that her mother kept journals, but it was also a shock to see what the journals contained-pages and pages of blank pages. In fifty-four chapters that unfold like a series of yoga poses, each with its own logic and beauty, Williams-author of the iconic memoir Refuge-creates a soaring meditation on the mystery of her mother's empty journals, always asking, \"What does it mean to have a voice?\" Upon her mother's passing, Williams inherited three shelves of journals. Not only was it a shock that her mother kept journals, but it was also a shock to see what the journals contained-pages and pages of blank pages. In fifty-four chapters that unfold like a series of yoga poses, each with its own logic and beauty, Williams-author of the iconic memoir Refuge-creates a soaring meditation on the mystery of her mother's empty journals, always asking, \"What does it mean to have a voice?\" 00:00:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/7414 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Javier Sicilia, Mexican poet-turned-activist and leader of Mexico's Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity, is turning personal horror into hope for himself and his country. After the death of his son at the hands of drug traffickers last year, Sicilia swapped his pen for protest, pushing to stop the bloodshed. Leading the fight with a radiant intellect and deep faith, this TIME Magazine Protester of the Year speaks on the power of words as an instrument for peace, recognizing that responsibility lies on both sides of the border. Javier Sicilia, Mexican poet-turned-activist and leader of Mexico's Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity, is turning personal horror into hope for himself and his country. After the death of his son at the hands of drug traffickers last year, Sicilia swapped his pen for protest, pushing to stop the bloodshed. Leading the fight with a radiant intellect and deep faith, this TIME Magazine Protester of the Year speaks on the power of words as an instrument for peace, recognizing that responsibility lies on both sides of the border. 01:49:02 http://www.lapl.org/node/7416 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Slavoj Zizek, renowned Slovenian critical theorist, dissects and reconstructs three major faith-based systems of belief in the world today, showing how each faith understands humanity and divinity-and how the differences between the faiths may be far stranger than they at first seem. Slavoj Zizek, renowned Slovenian critical theorist, dissects and reconstructs three major faith-based systems of belief in the world today, showing how each faith understands humanity and divinity-and how the differences between the faiths may be far stranger than they at first seem. 01:17:19 http://www.lapl.org/node/7413 Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Smart, comical, and sensible, this children's book-follow-up to the widely successful Go the F*** to Sleep by Adam Mansbach, offers kids the opportunity to recognize their tactics, giggle at their own mischievousness, and empathize with their parents' struggles, while providing both kids and parents common ground to talk about one of the most stressful aspects of parenting. Smart, comical, and sensible, this children's book-follow-up to the widely successful Go the F*** to Sleep by Adam Mansbach, offers kids the opportunity to recognize their tactics, giggle at their own mischievousness, and empathize with their parents' struggles, while providing both kids and parents common ground to talk about one of the most stressful aspects of parenting. 00:45:37 http://www.lapl.org/node/7412 Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Smith takes us on a trip-mind-blowing and humorous-deep into the international underground where super-high-grade marijuana is developed, produced, sold, and entered into the Super Bowl of the marijuana world, Amsterdam's Cannabis Cup. Moving between California, the hub of the legalization and decriminalization debate, and the Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam, Smith infiltrates a world where science, nature, and the sometimes criminal intersect. Smith takes us on a trip-mind-blowing and humorous-deep into the international underground where super-high-grade marijuana is developed, produced, sold, and entered into the Super Bowl of the marijuana world, Amsterdam's Cannabis Cup. Moving between California, the hub of the legalization and decriminalization debate, and the Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam, Smith infiltrates a world where science, nature, and the sometimes criminal intersect. 00:59:34 http://www.lapl.org/node/7411 Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Two celebrated poets read from their most recent work and discuss how Los Angeles has influenced their writing, how some influences overlap and others diverge. Born in Watts, Wanda Coleman witnessed Simon Rodia working on the Towers firsthand. Coleman's work is often concerned with the outsider, both in terms of race and poverty in California. Lewis MacAdams is a poet, journalist, filmmaker, and activist who has written on topics ranging from cultural history to the environment. Known as the Los Angeles River's most influential advocate, he co-founded the Friends of the LA River (FoLAR) and dubbed it \"a forty year art work.\" Two celebrated poets read from their most recent work and discuss how Los Angeles has influenced their writing, how some influences overlap and others diverge. Born in Watts, Wanda Coleman witnessed Simon Rodia working on the Towers firsthand. Coleman's work is often concerned with the outsider, both in terms of race and poverty in California. Lewis MacAdams is a poet, journalist, filmmaker, and activist who has written on topics ranging from cultural history to the environment. Known as the Los Angeles River's most influential advocate, he co-founded the Friends of the LA River (FoLAR) and dubbed it \"a forty year art work.\" 01:16:23 http://www.lapl.org/node/7410 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Using film clips and text in a detailed play-by-play of Harpo Marx's physical movements, Koestenbaum celebrates the astonishing range of Harpo's body-- its kinks, sexual multiplicities, somnolence, Jewishness, \"cute\" pathos, and more. Holding up a mirror to Marx's 13 films, Koestenbaum takes a sharp look at American culture and mythology and the intimacies of how we communicate without words. Using film clips and text in a detailed play-by-play of Harpo Marx's physical movements, Koestenbaum celebrates the astonishing range of Harpo's body-- its kinks, sexual multiplicities, somnolence, Jewishness, \"cute\" pathos, and more. Holding up a mirror to Marx's 13 films, Koestenbaum takes a sharp look at American culture and mythology and the intimacies of how we communicate without words. 00:53:33 http://www.lapl.org/node/7409 Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Lelyveld, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, offers an intricate portrait of Gandhi's conflicted mission. After shaping his philosophy of nonviolent resistance during his time in South Africa, Gandhi promoted these social values back in his native India. Although India quickly revered the \"Great Soul,\" Gandhi's following only contributed a small part to the social transformation he imagined. In this new biography, Lelyveld brings us closer to one of history's most remarkable self-creations and one of the twentieth century's most inspiring figures. Lelyveld, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, offers an intricate portrait of Gandhi's conflicted mission. After shaping his philosophy of nonviolent resistance during his time in South Africa, Gandhi promoted these social values back in his native India. Although India quickly revered the \"Great Soul,\" Gandhi's following only contributed a small part to the social transformation he imagined. In this new biography, Lelyveld brings us closer to one of history's most remarkable self-creations and one of the twentieth century's most inspiring figures. 01:15:19 http://www.lapl.org/node/7408 Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:00:00 -0800 From the best-selling author of How We Decide comes a revelatory look at the new science of creativity. Why did Elizabethan England experience a creative explosion? What can we learn from Bob Dylan's writing habits and the drug addiction of poets? How did Pixar redesign its office space for maximum creativity? How can you embrace your own creative side and make your community more vibrant? Join us for a discussion into the deep inventiveness of the human mind, and its essential role in our increasingly complex world. From the best-selling author of How We Decide comes a revelatory look at the new science of creativity. Why did Elizabethan England experience a creative explosion? What can we learn from Bob Dylan's writing habits and the drug addiction of poets? How did Pixar redesign its office space for maximum creativity? How can you embrace your own creative side and make your community more vibrant? Join us for a discussion into the deep inventiveness of the human mind, and its essential role in our increasingly complex world. 01:08:55 http://www.lapl.org/node/7407 Thu, 22 Mar 2012 19:00:00 -0800 As he approached midlife, bestselling author and Los Angeles local Mark Salzman (Iron and Silk, The Soloist, Lying Awake) confronted a year of catastrophe. Overwhelmed by terrifying panic attacks, suffering from a crippling case of writer's block, and dealing with the very sudden death of his sister, Salzman began a spiritual search for equanimity. His new memoir, The Man in the Empty Boat is the result of his journey to find peace as a father, writer, and individual. Navigating the turbulent waters of heartbreak with great force and wit, Salzman takes the stage to perform a monologue based on his memoir. As he approached midlife, bestselling author and Los Angeles local Mark Salzman (Iron and Silk, The Soloist, Lying Awake) confronted a year of catastrophe. Overwhelmed by terrifying panic attacks, suffering from a crippling case of writer's block, and dealing with the very sudden death of his sister, Salzman began a spiritual search for equanimity. His new memoir, The Man in the Empty Boat is the result of his journey to find peace as a father, writer, and individual. Navigating the turbulent waters of heartbreak with great force and wit, Salzman takes the stage to perform a monologue based on his memoir. 01:10:55 http://www.lapl.org/node/7406 Tue, 20 Mar 2012 19:00:00 -0800 There may be more to \"Like Ike\" than we realize. Veteran journalist and editor-at-large of the Los Angeles Times, Jim Newton offers a bold reappraisal of the 34th president, who was belittled by critics as \"the babysitter in chief.\" Newton yields a portrait of a shrewd leader, a progressive politician, and a champion of peace who refused to use an atomic bomb, grounded McCarthyism, built an interstate system, and turned a $8 billion deficit into a $500 million surplus. There may be more to \"Like Ike\" than we realize. Veteran journalist and editor-at-large of the Los Angeles Times, Jim Newton offers a bold reappraisal of the 34th president, who was belittled by critics as \"the babysitter in chief.\" Newton yields a portrait of a shrewd leader, a progressive politician, and a champion of peace who refused to use an atomic bomb, grounded McCarthyism, built an interstate system, and turned a $8 billion deficit into a $500 million surplus. 01:00:49 http://www.lapl.org/node/7405 Thu, 15 Mar 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Literary Los Angeles has always existed apart from our country's publishing capital--3,000 miles apart, to be exact. What does this distance offer writers and book artists? What are the freedoms and the challenges of being outside the traditions and trends of literature? A panel of L.A. writers-authors of fiction, essays, graphic novels, screenplays, and poetry-delve into these questions, considering their impact on both the individual and the community. Part of Pacific Standard Time, Los Angeles Art 1945-1980 Literary Los Angeles has always existed apart from our country's publishing capital--3,000 miles apart, to be exact. What does this distance offer writers and book artists? What are the freedoms and the challenges of being outside the traditions and trends of literature? A panel of L.A. writers-authors of fiction, essays, graphic novels, screenplays, and poetry-delve into these questions, considering their impact on both the individual and the community. Part of Pacific Standard Time, Los Angeles Art 1945-1980 01:30:45 http://www.lapl.org/node/7404 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 19:00:00 -0800 In an election year driven by worldwide public demonstrations, congressional stagecraft and conflicting narratives, rhetoric, aesthetics and politics are apt to collide. As part of a 2012 national series, poet-performer Douglas Kearney and artist-activist Edgar Arceneaux of the Watts House Project discuss the political impetus and implications of their work. In an election year driven by worldwide public demonstrations, congressional stagecraft and conflicting narratives, rhetoric, aesthetics and politics are apt to collide. As part of a 2012 national series, poet-performer Douglas Kearney and artist-activist Edgar Arceneaux of the Watts House Project discuss the political impetus and implications of their work. 01:20:01 http://www.lapl.org/node/7403 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 19:00:00 -0800 What is the power of historical perspective? How can we learn from the past to reform our society of the future? The late historian Tony Judt reframed the history of the European continent after WWII in his book Postwar. A luminous thinker, he clarified the power of historical perspective for living even ordinary lives. In this final book, written with Timothy Snyder, he traverses the complexities of the twentieth century and guides us through the great debates that made our world. What is the power of historical perspective? How can we learn from the past to reform our society of the future? The late historian Tony Judt reframed the history of the European continent after WWII in his book Postwar. A luminous thinker, he clarified the power of historical perspective for living even ordinary lives. In this final book, written with Timothy Snyder, he traverses the complexities of the twentieth century and guides us through the great debates that made our world. 01:17:49 http://www.lapl.org/node/7402 Tue, 28 Feb 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Independents unite! In a powerful assessment of an unprecedented social change, a renowned sociologist chronicles the biggest demographic shift since the baby boom: we thrive when we go it alone. Independents unite! In a powerful assessment of an unprecedented social change, a renowned sociologist chronicles the biggest demographic shift since the baby boom: we thrive when we go it alone. 01:05:53 http://www.lapl.org/node/7401 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 19:00:00 -0800 The 18th Poet Laureate reads from his work and discusses life, literature, and his time in the Golden State. Presented in collaboration with the California Center for the Book and the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress The 18th Poet Laureate reads from his work and discusses life, literature, and his time in the Golden State. Presented in collaboration with the California Center for the Book and the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress 01:13:11 http://www.lapl.org/node/7400 Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:00:00 -0800 In the years since World War II, the literature of Los Angeles, like much about the city, has shifted, becoming less a literature of exile than one of place. Weschler- one of our foremost practitioners of literary nonfiction discusses this definitive period in Los Angeles' literary life. Part of Pacific Standard Time, Art in LA 1945-1980 In the years since World War II, the literature of Los Angeles, like much about the city, has shifted, becoming less a literature of exile than one of place. Weschler- one of our foremost practitioners of literary nonfiction discusses this definitive period in Los Angeles' literary life. Part of Pacific Standard Time, Art in LA 1945-1980 01:13:07 http://www.lapl.org/node/7398 Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Percival Everett's Assumption, a baffling murder mystery and Steve Erickson's These Dreams of You, an enigmatic search for an adopted black daughter's past, both delve into race, the history of their characters, and the places they reside. From a hippie commune in Denver to a city in Ethiopia, these two acclaimed Los Angeles novelists go to great lengths in search of truth. Percival Everett's Assumption, a baffling murder mystery and Steve Erickson's These Dreams of You, an enigmatic search for an adopted black daughter's past, both delve into race, the history of their characters, and the places they reside. From a hippie commune in Denver to a city in Ethiopia, these two acclaimed Los Angeles novelists go to great lengths in search of truth. 00:57:59 http://www.lapl.org/node/7397 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Take control of your brain, come learn from the authors of Memory Bible about cutting-edge research on this devastating brain disease and the progress towards a cure as well as strategies for prevention. Take control of your brain, come learn from the authors of Memory Bible about cutting-edge research on this devastating brain disease and the progress towards a cure as well as strategies for prevention. 01:13:25 http://www.lapl.org/node/7396 Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:00:00 -0800 The Washington correspondent for the New York Times leads us on a tour deep inside the White House as the Obamas grapple with their new roles, raise children, maintain friendships, and figure out what it means to be the first black President and First Lady. The Washington correspondent for the New York Times leads us on a tour deep inside the White House as the Obamas grapple with their new roles, raise children, maintain friendships, and figure out what it means to be the first black President and First Lady. 01:06:57 http://www.lapl.org/node/7395 Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Wael Ghonim was a little-known 30-year-old Google exec when he launched a Facebook campaign to protest the death of an Egyptian man at the hands of security forces. Now, in his new memoir, one of the key figures behind the Egyptian uprising takes us inside the making of a modern revolution- and discusses youth, activism, the Arab Spring, and why he is optimistic for the future. Wael Ghonim was a little-known 30-year-old Google exec when he launched a Facebook campaign to protest the death of an Egyptian man at the hands of security forces. Now, in his new memoir, one of the key figures behind the Egyptian uprising takes us inside the making of a modern revolution- and discusses youth, activism, the Arab Spring, and why he is optimistic for the future. 01:19:47 http://www.lapl.org/node/7394 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:00:00 -0800 El Sistema, the music education program that nurtured Gustavo Dudamel's musical talent, now reaches children in Los Angeles and cities around the world. Changing Lives author Tricia Tunstall reveals in her book how arts education effects positive social change. Join us for an inspiring look at El Sistema and Dudamel's great passion for spreading hope through music. El Sistema, the music education program that nurtured Gustavo Dudamel's musical talent, now reaches children in Los Angeles and cities around the world. Changing Lives author Tricia Tunstall reveals in her book how arts education effects positive social change. Join us for an inspiring look at El Sistema and Dudamel's great passion for spreading hope through music. 01:13:05 http://www.lapl.org/node/7393 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:00:00 -0800 In his new memoir, Pico Iyer, one of our most astute observers of inner journeys, chronicles his obsession with the writer Graham Greene, what it means to be an outsider, and the place of a mysterious father in his own imagination. In his new memoir, Pico Iyer, one of our most astute observers of inner journeys, chronicles his obsession with the writer Graham Greene, what it means to be an outsider, and the place of a mysterious father in his own imagination. 01:05:18 http://www.lapl.org/node/7391 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:00:00 -0800 A live-in maid in the conflicted Torres-Thompson household is accused of kidnapping the family's children, when in fact, she is taking them by bus from Orange Co. to L.A. to find refuge with their grandfather. An authentic rendering of social and class divides from a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Tobar's brilliant novel redefines Southern California in the 21st century. A live-in maid in the conflicted Torres-Thompson household is accused of kidnapping the family's children, when in fact, she is taking them by bus from Orange Co. to L.A. to find refuge with their grandfather. An authentic rendering of social and class divides from a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Tobar's brilliant novel redefines Southern California in the 21st century. 01:12:27 http://www.lapl.org/node/7390 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:00:00 -0800 In his new biography, Lebrecht explores the life of the composer who straddled two musical worlds- born into the age of high romanticism and most prolific at a time of artistic revolution. Presented in association with The Mahler Project, A Symphonic Cycle for the New World, a project of the Los Angeles Philharmonic In his new biography, Lebrecht explores the life of the composer who straddled two musical worlds- born into the age of high romanticism and most prolific at a time of artistic revolution. Presented in association with The Mahler Project, A Symphonic Cycle for the New World, a project of the Los Angeles Philharmonic 01:15:37 http://www.lapl.org/node/7389 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Akhtar's American Dervish and Waldman's The Submission, both explore the lives of American Muslims, one in pre-9/11 suburbia and the other in post-9/11 Manhattan. In Akhtar's family drama, a father and son are fractured by their understandings of Islam. In Waldman's story, a city is outraged when a Muslim architect wins a blind competition to design the 9/11 Memorial. Following the conflicts within and between religions, these two brilliant debut novels grapple with identity, community, and a country in crisis. Akhtar's American Dervish and Waldman's The Submission, both explore the lives of American Muslims, one in pre-9/11 suburbia and the other in post-9/11 Manhattan. In Akhtar's family drama, a father and son are fractured by their understandings of Islam. In Waldman's story, a city is outraged when a Muslim architect wins a blind competition to design the 9/11 Memorial. Following the conflicts within and between religions, these two brilliant debut novels grapple with identity, community, and a country in crisis. 01:14:33 http://www.lapl.org/node/7388 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:00:00 -0800 Acclaimed journalist and poet Luis J. Rodríguez, who chronicled his harrowing journey from gang member to a revered figure of Chicano literature, discusses the struggles of post-gang life with Father Gregory Boyle, the founder of Homeboy Industries and author of a bestselling memoir. Acclaimed journalist and poet Luis J. Rodríguez, who chronicled his harrowing journey from gang member to a revered figure of Chicano literature, discusses the struggles of post-gang life with Father Gregory Boyle, the founder of Homeboy Industries and author of a bestselling memoir. 01:11:37 http://www.lapl.org/node/7386 Tue, 06 Dec 2011 19:00:00 -0800 An original song cycle exploring the regrets, fears, and remembered losses that arise in this fell season. This year, the unsung and the unsaid, the long-buried and repressed, the saddened and the dead... are allowed a voice, and are made welcome at the table. Piano provided courtesy of Keyboard Concepts An original song cycle exploring the regrets, fears, and remembered losses that arise in this fell season. This year, the unsung and the unsaid, the long-buried and repressed, the saddened and the dead... are allowed a voice, and are made welcome at the table. Piano provided courtesy of Keyboard Concepts 00:37:11 http://www.lapl.org/node/7385 Thu, 01 Dec 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Award-winning novelist Luis Alberto Urrea explores the intrepid life of his great-aunt, a healer and \"Saint of Cabora\" who flees to Arizona when she is claimed as the spiritual leader of the Mexican Revolution. This spellbinding sequel to The Hummingbird's Daughter is a turn-of-the-century journey across America. Presented in association with the exhibition, A Nation Emerges: The Mexican Revolution Revealed Award-winning novelist Luis Alberto Urrea explores the intrepid life of his great-aunt, a healer and \"Saint of Cabora\" who flees to Arizona when she is claimed as the spiritual leader of the Mexican Revolution. This spellbinding sequel to The Hummingbird's Daughter is a turn-of-the-century journey across America. Presented in association with the exhibition, A Nation Emerges: The Mexican Revolution Revealed 01:10:01 http://www.lapl.org/node/7384 Tue, 29 Nov 2011 19:00:00 -0800 In procrastination mode while finishing the screenplay for her second film, Miranda July obsessively read the Pennysaver. Who was the person selling Care Bears for two dollars each? She crisscrossed L.A. to meet a random selection of PennySaver sellers, grabbing hold of the invisible world in a book that blends narrative, interviews, photographs and deadpan humor. In procrastination mode while finishing the screenplay for her second film, Miranda July obsessively read the Pennysaver. Who was the person selling Care Bears for two dollars each? She crisscrossed L.A. to meet a random selection of PennySaver sellers, grabbing hold of the invisible world in a book that blends narrative, interviews, photographs and deadpan humor. 01:10:49 http://www.lapl.org/node/7383 Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Challenging our concept of what science is; how it works; and who it is for, outsider physicist Jim Carter discusses with science writer Margaret Wertheim his own theory of matter, energy, and gravity. Challenging our concept of what science is; how it works; and who it is for, outsider physicist Jim Carter discusses with science writer Margaret Wertheim his own theory of matter, energy, and gravity. 01:13:14 http://www.lapl.org/node/7382 Wed, 16 Nov 2011 19:00:00 -0800 A literary icon for Los Angeles and a cultural visionary for the rest of America, the acclaimed author of The White Album, The Year of Magical Thinking, and most recently, Blue Nights, discusses her current work and life in Los Angeles in the 60s. Part of Pacific Standard Time: Art in LA 1945-1980 A literary icon for Los Angeles and a cultural visionary for the rest of America, the acclaimed author of The White Album, The Year of Magical Thinking, and most recently, Blue Nights, discusses her current work and life in Los Angeles in the 60s. Part of Pacific Standard Time: Art in LA 1945-1980 01:12:45 http://www.lapl.org/node/7399 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Philip K. Dick dedicated his life to questioning the nature of reality and perception, the malleability of space and time, and the relationship between the human and divine. Dick's two daughters and novelist Jonathan Lethem- Exegesis co-editor-serve as guides to exploring the magnificent final work of the author. Philip K. Dick dedicated his life to questioning the nature of reality and perception, the malleability of space and time, and the relationship between the human and divine. Dick's two daughters and novelist Jonathan Lethem- Exegesis co-editor-serve as guides to exploring the magnificent final work of the author. 01:15:07 http://www.lapl.org/node/7381 Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Artists, scholars, and cultural activists from Europe, Mexico, and the United States convene in Los Angeles-home to migrants, refugees, and exiles from all over the world-to share their respective experiences with and approaches to border issues. In an age of increased border militarization, how might we redefine borderlands as zones of mutual intermingling, co-existence, and dialogue? Made possible by special funding from the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, part of the 2011 Milosz Year Artists, scholars, and cultural activists from Europe, Mexico, and the United States convene in Los Angeles-home to migrants, refugees, and exiles from all over the world-to share their respective experiences with and approaches to border issues. In an age of increased border militarization, how might we redefine borderlands as zones of mutual intermingling, co-existence, and dialogue? Made possible by special funding from the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, part of the 2011 Milosz Year 01:38:27 http://www.lapl.org/node/7379 Thu, 03 Nov 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Having spent the last 40 years examining his experiences in Vietnam, Marlantes, the decorated war veteran and bestselling author (Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War), discusses his visceral new nonfiction book about the psychological and spiritual toll that combat takes on those who fight. Having spent the last 40 years examining his experiences in Vietnam, Marlantes, the decorated war veteran and bestselling author (Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War), discusses his visceral new nonfiction book about the psychological and spiritual toll that combat takes on those who fight. 01:14:29 http://www.lapl.org/node/7378 Wed, 02 Nov 2011 19:00:00 -0800 From Chaplin to Schwarzenegger, movie stars have played a leading role in shaping the course of American politics. Join us for a conversation about how Hollywood has evolved into a vital center for American political life. From Chaplin to Schwarzenegger, movie stars have played a leading role in shaping the course of American politics. Join us for a conversation about how Hollywood has evolved into a vital center for American political life. 01:15:35 http://www.lapl.org/node/7377 Thu, 27 Oct 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Twenty years after her testimony in the Clarence Thomas confirmation mesmerized the nation, Hill shifts her focus from the public forum to the private. As today's families are being devastated by the subprime mortgage crisis, Hill speaks out for a new understanding about the importance of home and its place in the American Dream. Twenty years after her testimony in the Clarence Thomas confirmation mesmerized the nation, Hill shifts her focus from the public forum to the private. As today's families are being devastated by the subprime mortgage crisis, Hill speaks out for a new understanding about the importance of home and its place in the American Dream. 01:13:12 http://www.lapl.org/node/7376 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 19:00:00 -0800 In MacArthur Award-winning Whitehead's satiric take on the post-apocalyptic horror novel, a plague has sorted humanity into two types: the infected and the uninfected, the living and the living dead. How will these civilians rebuild their lives? Join this subversive discussion about the 21st century zombie. In MacArthur Award-winning Whitehead's satiric take on the post-apocalyptic horror novel, a plague has sorted humanity into two types: the infected and the uninfected, the living and the living dead. How will these civilians rebuild their lives? Join this subversive discussion about the 21st century zombie. 01:00:35 http://www.lapl.org/node/7375 Thu, 20 Oct 2011 19:00:00 -0800 How did a 19-year-old undocumented migrant worker toiling in the tomato fields of central California become an internationally renowned neurosurgeon? Join us for a story about the importance of family, of mentors, the fight to cure brain cancer, and of giving people a chance.In association with the exhibition, "A Nation Emerges: The Mexican Revolution Revealed" How did a 19-year-old undocumented migrant worker toiling in the tomato fields of central California become an internationally renowned neurosurgeon? Join us for a story about the importance of family, of mentors, the fight to cure brain cancer, and of giving people a chance.In association with the exhibition, "A Nation Emerges: The Mexican Revolution Revealed" 01:02:57 http://www.lapl.org/node/7374 Sat, 15 Oct 2011 19:00:00 -0800 From the Russian steppes to Spanish and French anthems for love, liberty and freedom, ¡REVOLUCIÓN! looks at a pivotal historic event-- the Mexican Revolution--through an Internationalist gaze, showcasing a rare ensemble of Chicano musical, visual and performance talent.In association with the exhibition, "A Nation Emerges: The Mexican Revolution Revealed" From the Russian steppes to Spanish and French anthems for love, liberty and freedom, ¡REVOLUCIÓN! looks at a pivotal historic event-- the Mexican Revolution--through an Internationalist gaze, showcasing a rare ensemble of Chicano musical, visual and performance talent.In association with the exhibition, "A Nation Emerges: The Mexican Revolution Revealed" 01:17:51 http://www.lapl.org/node/7373 Wed, 12 Oct 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Dorfman, one of Latin America's great writers and ally to President Allende, fled Chile in the wake of the military coup in 1973. His passionate memoir describes the transformative decades of exile, his eventual questioning of allegiance to past and party, and the unimaginable outcome of his return to Chile 17 years later. Dorfman, one of Latin America's great writers and ally to President Allende, fled Chile in the wake of the military coup in 1973. His passionate memoir describes the transformative decades of exile, his eventual questioning of allegiance to past and party, and the unimaginable outcome of his return to Chile 17 years later. 01:19:03 http://www.lapl.org/node/7372 Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:00:00 -0800 The Irish author of The Gathering (Man Booker Prize) discusses her new novel-set in suburban Dublin with an unforgettably spirited heroine- that explores the momentous romance of everyday life and the volatile arena of family and marriage. The Irish author of The Gathering (Man Booker Prize) discusses her new novel-set in suburban Dublin with an unforgettably spirited heroine- that explores the momentous romance of everyday life and the volatile arena of family and marriage. 01:00:33 http://www.lapl.org/node/7371 Thu, 06 Oct 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Award-winning criminologist Kennedy, who orchestrated the \"Boston Miracle\", a revolutionary method for gang intervention in the mid-1990s, writes about this successful approach in his new book, Don't Shoot, and discusses solving the problem of crime in our country today, along with the launch of \"Operation Ceasefire\" in Los Angeles with Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department Charlie Beck. Award-winning criminologist Kennedy, who orchestrated the \"Boston Miracle\", a revolutionary method for gang intervention in the mid-1990s, writes about this successful approach in his new book, Don't Shoot, and discusses solving the problem of crime in our country today, along with the launch of \"Operation Ceasefire\" in Los Angeles with Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department Charlie Beck. 01:23:53 http://www.lapl.org/node/7367 Mon, 03 Oct 2011 19:00:00 -0800 In a personal account of the communal power of women to change history, the founder of the Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace chronicles the unthinkable violence she's confronted living through civil war and the peace she helped to broker by empowering her countrywomen and others around the world to take action. In a personal account of the communal power of women to change history, the founder of the Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace chronicles the unthinkable violence she's confronted living through civil war and the peace she helped to broker by empowering her countrywomen and others around the world to take action. 01:15:37 http://www.lapl.org/node/7370 Tue, 27 Sep 2011 19:00:00 -0800 In a provocative and controversial history, Winkler, a constitutional lawyer, disputes that guns--not abortion, race, or religion--are at the heart of America's cultural divide. Co-presented with the Council of the Library Foundation In a provocative and controversial history, Winkler, a constitutional lawyer, disputes that guns--not abortion, race, or religion--are at the heart of America's cultural divide. Co-presented with the Council of the Library Foundation 01:04;23 http://www.lapl.org/node/7369 Mon, 26 Sep 2011 19:00:00 -0800 From the best-selling author of 1491-a study of the pre-Columbian Americas- comes a deeply engaging new history that explores the most momentous biological event since the death of the dinosaurs. From the best-selling author of 1491-a study of the pre-Columbian Americas- comes a deeply engaging new history that explores the most momentous biological event since the death of the dinosaurs. 01:14:44 http://www.lapl.org/node/7368 Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Reiss, a leading expert on dolphins (adviser for the Oscar-winning film, The Cove), offers both a scientific revelation and an emotional eye-opener in this reflection on one of the greatest intelligences on the planet. Reiss, a leading expert on dolphins (adviser for the Oscar-winning film, The Cove), offers both a scientific revelation and an emotional eye-opener in this reflection on one of the greatest intelligences on the planet. 01:19:57 http://www.lapl.org/node/7366 Fri, 16 Sep 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Common, the Grammy award-winning hip-hop artist and actor was born Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. on Chicago's rough South Side. In his soulfully candid memoir, he unleashes himself line by line--from his childhood to tragic losses, from addiction to love--revealing the inner-makings of an extraordinary life. Common, the Grammy award-winning hip-hop artist and actor was born Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. on Chicago's rough South Side. In his soulfully candid memoir, he unleashes himself line by line--from his childhood to tragic losses, from addiction to love--revealing the inner-makings of an extraordinary life. 00:50:37 http://www.lapl.org/node/7365 Thu, 15 Sep 2011 19:00:00 -0800 In this sequel to Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight, Alexandra Fuller returns to Africa and her unforgettable family in a multilayered narrative that contrasts the perfectly lit, Happy Valley-era Africa of her mother's childhood and the darker, civil war-torn Africa of her own. In this sequel to Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight, Alexandra Fuller returns to Africa and her unforgettable family in a multilayered narrative that contrasts the perfectly lit, Happy Valley-era Africa of her mother's childhood and the darker, civil war-torn Africa of her own. 01:03:49 http://www.lapl.org/node/7364 Wed, 07 Sep 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Mycoskie, the man behind TOMS Shoes and Goldhirsh, founder of GOOD, discuss alternatives for creating work that simultaneously fulfills our hunger for material success, philanthropic impact, and personal meaning. Mycoskie, the man behind TOMS Shoes and Goldhirsh, founder of GOOD, discuss alternatives for creating work that simultaneously fulfills our hunger for material success, philanthropic impact, and personal meaning. 01:05:30 http://www.lapl.org/node/7361 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 19:00:00 -0800 It took fifty years and more before a former real-estate billboard atop Mt. Lee became the world-wide symbol of Hollywood. How did it happen? A master interpreter of popular culture examines why the Hollywood sign is unique in the way cities show themselves to the world. It took fifty years and more before a former real-estate billboard atop Mt. Lee became the world-wide symbol of Hollywood. How did it happen? A master interpreter of popular culture examines why the Hollywood sign is unique in the way cities show themselves to the world. 01:16:53 http://www.lapl.org/node/7360 Tue, 19 Jul 2011 19:00:00 -0800 When a massive wildfire blazed across California in June 2008, five monks risked their lives to save Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. Pyne-- wildfire expert and the country's pre-eminent fire historian-- and Busch-- author and longtime Zen student-- discuss the ways of wildfires in the West and what it means to meet a crisis with full presence of mind. Program one of four, co-presented with the Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West When a massive wildfire blazed across California in June 2008, five monks risked their lives to save Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. Pyne-- wildfire expert and the country's pre-eminent fire historian-- and Busch-- author and longtime Zen student-- discuss the ways of wildfires in the West and what it means to meet a crisis with full presence of mind. Program one of four, co-presented with the Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West 01:13:51 http://www.lapl.org/node/7359 Thu, 14 Jul 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Four veteran Los Angeles crime writers discuss the genre they love and the stories that keep them up at night. Paula L. Woods (Charlotte Justice mystery series) talks murder and mayhem with Haywood (Cemetery Road), Hirahara (Blood Hina), and Smith (Moist). Four veteran Los Angeles crime writers discuss the genre they love and the stories that keep them up at night. Paula L. Woods (Charlotte Justice mystery series) talks murder and mayhem with Haywood (Cemetery Road), Hirahara (Blood Hina), and Smith (Moist). 01:18:47 http://www.lapl.org/node/7358 Tue, 12 Jul 2011 19:00:00 -0800 McMillen--part sculptor, installation artist, printmaker, cultural anthropologist and L.A. native-- has been creating environmental installations with architectural references that deal with themes of time, change, and illusion since the 1970s, and his work is the subject of a current retrospective at the Oakland Museum of Art. Join us for a glimpse into McMillen's creative process and current obsessions. McMillen--part sculptor, installation artist, printmaker, cultural anthropologist and L.A. native-- has been creating environmental installations with architectural references that deal with themes of time, change, and illusion since the 1970s, and his work is the subject of a current retrospective at the Oakland Museum of Art. Join us for a glimpse into McMillen's creative process and current obsessions. 01:01:03 http://www.lapl.org/node/7357 Thu, 07 Jul 2011 19:00:00 -0800 In this popular, long-running event, six talented Los Angeles poets present short readings of their work. Hosted by Suzanne Lummis, Los Angeles Poetry Festival, and Richard Modiano, Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center In this popular, long-running event, six talented Los Angeles poets present short readings of their work. Hosted by Suzanne Lummis, Los Angeles Poetry Festival, and Richard Modiano, Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center 01:15:37 http://www.lapl.org/node/7356 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 19:00:00 -0800 The Hollywood home of Laura and Aldous Huxley, psychedelic pioneer and author of Brave New World, was a hotspot for the West Coast artistic avant-garde like Igor Stravinsky and Christopher Isherwood. Join us for a discussion of the Huxleys' influence on American culture, plus excerpts from Mary Ann Braubach's 2009 documentary, Huxley on Huxley. The Hollywood home of Laura and Aldous Huxley, psychedelic pioneer and author of Brave New World, was a hotspot for the West Coast artistic avant-garde like Igor Stravinsky and Christopher Isherwood. Join us for a discussion of the Huxleys' influence on American culture, plus excerpts from Mary Ann Braubach's 2009 documentary, Huxley on Huxley. 01:08:29 http://www.lapl.org/node/7355 Thu, 16 Jun 2011 19:00:00 -0800 In her wickedly bittersweet and hilarious novel You Must Go and Win, the Ukrainian-born, critically acclaimed singer traces her bizarre journey through the indie rock world, from disastrous Craigslist auditions with sketchy producers to catching fleas in a Williamsburg sublet. Simone performs songs from her newly released Make Your Own Danger album. In her wickedly bittersweet and hilarious novel You Must Go and Win, the Ukrainian-born, critically acclaimed singer traces her bizarre journey through the indie rock world, from disastrous Craigslist auditions with sketchy producers to catching fleas in a Williamsburg sublet. Simone performs songs from her newly released Make Your Own Danger album. 01:11:33 http://www.lapl.org/node/7354 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Are the media arts a sensitizing force? What is media art's capacity to respond to political conditions? Cultural practitioners and scholars explore the role artists play as innovators of media technology and instigators in the public and media art realms. Co-presented with Freewaves Are the media arts a sensitizing force? What is media art's capacity to respond to political conditions? Cultural practitioners and scholars explore the role artists play as innovators of media technology and instigators in the public and media art realms. Co-presented with Freewaves 01:26:27 http://www.lapl.org/node/7353 Mon, 06 Jun 2011 19:00:00 -0800 HBO's Treme (from the creators of The Wire) is set in the aftermath of the greatest man-made disaster in American history. Join us for a discussion of New Orleans' music and its unique culture as reflected in one of episodic television's most powerful dramas. HBO's Treme (from the creators of The Wire) is set in the aftermath of the greatest man-made disaster in American history. Join us for a discussion of New Orleans' music and its unique culture as reflected in one of episodic television's most powerful dramas. 01:25:48 http://www.lapl.org/node/7333 Thu, 02 Jun 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Hochschild (King Leopold's Ghost), one of America's best narrative historians, examines one of the greatest and most puzzling examples of civilized evils in history and the now obscure civilians and soldiers who waged a bitter, often heroic, struggle against it. Hochschild (King Leopold's Ghost), one of America's best narrative historians, examines one of the greatest and most puzzling examples of civilized evils in history and the now obscure civilians and soldiers who waged a bitter, often heroic, struggle against it. 01:08:31 http://www.lapl.org/node/7351 Tue, 31 May 2011 19:00:00 -0800 In the eight years after her four children left home, Melissa Greene and her husband adopted five children from orphanages in Bulgaria and Ethiopia. She chronicles their adventures from the front lines of parenthood. In the eight years after her four children left home, Melissa Greene and her husband adopted five children from orphanages in Bulgaria and Ethiopia. She chronicles their adventures from the front lines of parenthood. 01:23:56 http://www.lapl.org/node/7350 Thu, 26 May 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Join Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Snyder and friends for an evening of spoken word to celebrate the work of Beat poet Lew Welch, on the 40th anniversary of his disappearance. Join Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Snyder and friends for an evening of spoken word to celebrate the work of Beat poet Lew Welch, on the 40th anniversary of his disappearance. 01:29:12 http://www.lapl.org/node/7349 Thu, 19 May 2011 19:00:00 -0800 In his monumental new novel, Sayles-the great indy filmmaker-travels from the Yukon gold fields, to New York's bustling Newspaper Row, to Wilmington's deadly racial coup of 1898, to the bitter triumphs at El Caney and San Juan Hill in Cuba, and to war zones in the Philippines. In his monumental new novel, Sayles-the great indy filmmaker-travels from the Yukon gold fields, to New York's bustling Newspaper Row, to Wilmington's deadly racial coup of 1898, to the bitter triumphs at El Caney and San Juan Hill in Cuba, and to war zones in the Philippines. 01:15:51 http://www.lapl.org/node/7348 Tue, 17 May 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Written in the aftermath of his wife's death, Goldman's tale weighs the unexpected gift of love against the blinding grief of loss. Written in the aftermath of his wife's death, Goldman's tale weighs the unexpected gift of love against the blinding grief of loss. 01:17:07 http://www.lapl.org/node/7347 Thu, 12 May 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Shteyngart, one of the New Yorker's "Best Under 40" novelists, offers a devilishly funny cyber-apocalyptic vision of an America future that seems eerily like the present. Shteyngart, one of the New Yorker's "Best Under 40" novelists, offers a devilishly funny cyber-apocalyptic vision of an America future that seems eerily like the present. 00:57:34 http://www.lapl.org/node/7346 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Kincaid, former New Yorker staff writer and author of more than ten books, is known for her candid and emotionally-charged writing. She reads from her forthcoming novel about a family's life in a small Vermont town and discusses her creative process. Kincaid, former New Yorker staff writer and author of more than ten books, is known for her candid and emotionally-charged writing. She reads from her forthcoming novel about a family's life in a small Vermont town and discusses her creative process. 01:18:03 http://www.lapl.org/node/7345 Thu, 21 Apr 2011 19:00:00 -0800 How did tribal order and society evolve into the political institutions of today? Drawing on a vast body of knowledge-- two celebrated scholars discuss the origins of democratic societies and raise essential questions about the nature of politics. How did tribal order and society evolve into the political institutions of today? Drawing on a vast body of knowledge-- two celebrated scholars discuss the origins of democratic societies and raise essential questions about the nature of politics. 01:11:47 http://www.lapl.org/node/7344 Wed, 20 Apr 2011 19:00:00 -0800 One of America's most celebrated classical dancers writes of his years with Balanchine, Robbins, LeClercq, and Farrell-the irresistible story of an exhilarating life in dance. One of America's most celebrated classical dancers writes of his years with Balanchine, Robbins, LeClercq, and Farrell-the irresistible story of an exhilarating life in dance. 01:09:21 http://www.lapl.org/node/7343 Thu, 14 Apr 2011 19:00:00 -0800 An intimate work by one of America's great writers chronicles the unexpected death of her husband of forty-eight years and its wrenching, surprising aftermath. An intimate work by one of America's great writers chronicles the unexpected death of her husband of forty-eight years and its wrenching, surprising aftermath. 01:14:55 http://www.lapl.org/node/7342 Tue, 12 Apr 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Skloot's stunning narrative about the use and misuse of medical authority delves into the life of a poor Southern tobacco farmer named Henrietta Lacks, whose cells-taken without her knowledge-became one of the most important tools in medicine. Skloot's stunning narrative about the use and misuse of medical authority delves into the life of a poor Southern tobacco farmer named Henrietta Lacks, whose cells-taken without her knowledge-became one of the most important tools in medicine. 01:13:47 http://www.lapl.org/node/7341 Wed, 06 Apr 2011 19:00:00 -0800 What is literature? How might we restore it to the center of our lives? Garber, Harvard English professor and Ulin, book critic for the Los Angeles Times, explore how reading can be a \"revolutionary act\" in the digital age. What is literature? How might we restore it to the center of our lives? Garber, Harvard English professor and Ulin, book critic for the Los Angeles Times, explore how reading can be a \"revolutionary act\" in the digital age. 01:18:55 http://www.lapl.org/node/7340 Tue, 05 Apr 2011 19:00:00 -0800 How does a poet view time, the slant of light on a windowsill? How might a theoretical cosmologist approach those same phenomena? Hirshfield and Carroll---both at the vanguard of their disciplines-- discuss different (and perhaps similar) points of entry into the realm of observation and metaphor. How does a poet view time, the slant of light on a windowsill? How might a theoretical cosmologist approach those same phenomena? Hirshfield and Carroll---both at the vanguard of their disciplines-- discuss different (and perhaps similar) points of entry into the realm of observation and metaphor. 01:22:27 http://www.lapl.org/node/7339 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Lemmon, a former ABC news reporter, tells the remarkable true story of an unlikely entrepreneur who, against all odds, saved her family and inspired her community in Afghanistan under the Taliban. Lemmon, a former ABC news reporter, tells the remarkable true story of an unlikely entrepreneur who, against all odds, saved her family and inspired her community in Afghanistan under the Taliban. 01:06:47 http://www.lapl.org/node/7338 Thu, 24 Mar 2011 19:00:00 -0800 The New York Times columnist uses revolutionary discoveries in neuroscience and cognition to paint a surprisingly moving picture of how we can educate our emotions to lead richer lives. The New York Times columnist uses revolutionary discoveries in neuroscience and cognition to paint a surprisingly moving picture of how we can educate our emotions to lead richer lives. 01:07:55 http://www.lapl.org/node/7337 Tue, 22 Mar 2011 19:00:00 -0800 A reading and panel discussion Moderated by Susan Salter Reynolds, L.A. Times book reviewerWith Chuck Rosenthal, Alicia Partnoy, Ramón Garcia, & Gail Wronsky. Projected paintings by Gronk.Members of the L.A.-based Glass Table Collective read their work and discuss publishing outside the lines. A reading and panel discussion Moderated by Susan Salter Reynolds, L.A. Times book reviewerWith Chuck Rosenthal, Alicia Partnoy, Ramón Garcia, & Gail Wronsky. Projected paintings by Gronk.Members of the L.A.-based Glass Table Collective read their work and discuss publishing outside the lines. 01:23:27 http://www.lapl.org/node/7336 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Two of the world's most respected travel writers discuss pilgrimages to exceptional places, mining one's personal history, and the holiest mountain on earth. Two of the world's most respected travel writers discuss pilgrimages to exceptional places, mining one's personal history, and the holiest mountain on earth. 01:11:05 http://www.lapl.org/node/7335 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 19:00:00 -0800 What makes us who we are? An award-winning science journalist and a leading scientific investigator delve into the rich history of ideas about how we're shaped before birth. What makes us who we are? An award-winning science journalist and a leading scientific investigator delve into the rich history of ideas about how we're shaped before birth. 01:27:35 http://www.lapl.org/node/7334 Mon, 07 Mar 2011 19:00:00 -0800 The Los Angeles-based artist and designer behind the ubiquitous Obey Giant stencil and the now legendary Obama HOPE poster, talks about his life, his work and his move from the street to large-scale museum exhibitions. The Los Angeles-based artist and designer behind the ubiquitous Obey Giant stencil and the now legendary Obama HOPE poster, talks about his life, his work and his move from the street to large-scale museum exhibitions. 01:19:31 http://www.lapl.org/node/7319 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Patricia Highsmith's dazzling, dangerous novels entered the American consciousness in classic films such as Strangers on a Train and The Talented Mr. Ripley. Join us for an evening celebrating Highsmith: Schenkar's author talk that captures Highsmith's brilliance in creating disturbing fictions, a dramatic presentation by Obie Award- winning actress Chalfant, and never-before seen photos. Patricia Highsmith's dazzling, dangerous novels entered the American consciousness in classic films such as Strangers on a Train and The Talented Mr. Ripley. Join us for an evening celebrating Highsmith: Schenkar's author talk that captures Highsmith's brilliance in creating disturbing fictions, a dramatic presentation by Obie Award- winning actress Chalfant, and never-before seen photos. 01:10:59 http://www.lapl.org/node/7323 Thu, 24 Feb 2011 19:00:00 -0800 One of literature's masters offers a wild, riveting saga that explores passion, magic and corruption in modern Mexico, mixing ancient mythologies with the avarice of the twenty-first century. One of literature's masters offers a wild, riveting saga that explores passion, magic and corruption in modern Mexico, mixing ancient mythologies with the avarice of the twenty-first century. 01:13:14 http://www.lapl.org/node/7318 Tue, 22 Feb 2011 19:00:00 -0800 One of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people and best-selling author of Dead Aid reveals the economic myopia of the West and the radical solutions it needs to adopt in order to assert itself as a global economic power once again. One of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people and best-selling author of Dead Aid reveals the economic myopia of the West and the radical solutions it needs to adopt in order to assert itself as a global economic power once again. 01:16:17 http://www.lapl.org/node/7327 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Two brilliant young writers (among the New Yorker's \"Twenty Under Forty\" noted fiction writers) read and discuss their work and the role of the unexpected in writing fiction. Two brilliant young writers (among the New Yorker's \"Twenty Under Forty\" noted fiction writers) read and discuss their work and the role of the unexpected in writing fiction. 01:11:05 http://www.lapl.org/node/7320 Thu, 10 Feb 2011 19:00:00 -0800 She eloped with Winston Churchill's nephew, severing her ties to privilege. She fought in the Spanish Civil War and joined the Freedom Riders in Montgomery, Alabama. She bore witness to the defining history of the 20th century. Jessica Mitford: queen of the muckrakers. She eloped with Winston Churchill's nephew, severing her ties to privilege. She fought in the Spanish Civil War and joined the Freedom Riders in Montgomery, Alabama. She bore witness to the defining history of the 20th century. Jessica Mitford: queen of the muckrakers. 01:11:57 http://www.lapl.org/node/7326 Tue, 08 Feb 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Chemerinsky-- founding dean at U.C. Irvine School of Law-- and Eastman-- Kennedy Chair in Law at Chapman University-- debate whether the country's highest court has been ideologically motivated during recent decades, thus denying justice to millions of Americans. Chemerinsky-- founding dean at U.C. Irvine School of Law-- and Eastman-- Kennedy Chair in Law at Chapman University-- debate whether the country's highest court has been ideologically motivated during recent decades, thus denying justice to millions of Americans. 01:17:11 http://www.lapl.org/node/7325 Thu, 03 Feb 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Barnes, successful entrepreneur (Working Assets Long Distance) and Appleby, eminent historian (The Relentless Revolution: A History of Capitalism) discuss whether the market can effectively serve both private interest and public good. Can capitalism be upgraded for the 21st century? Barnes, successful entrepreneur (Working Assets Long Distance) and Appleby, eminent historian (The Relentless Revolution: A History of Capitalism) discuss whether the market can effectively serve both private interest and public good. Can capitalism be upgraded for the 21st century? 01:13:25 http://www.lapl.org/node/7322 Tue, 25 Jan 2011 19:00:00 -0800 In a voice that is humble, elegiac, and practical, the award-winning author of The Woman Warrior contemplates the meaning of family, the politics of war, and the striving for peace in this unconventional memoir In a voice that is humble, elegiac, and practical, the award-winning author of The Woman Warrior contemplates the meaning of family, the politics of war, and the striving for peace in this unconventional memoir 01:15:53 http://www.lapl.org/node/7321 Thu, 20 Jan 2011 19:00:00 -0800 From autism to basic self-awareness, \"the Marco Polo of neuroscience\" traces the strange links between neurology and behavior, probing the mystery of human uniqueness. From autism to basic self-awareness, \"the Marco Polo of neuroscience\" traces the strange links between neurology and behavior, probing the mystery of human uniqueness. 01:16:15 http://www.lapl.org/node/7316 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 19:00:00 -0800 Rachman's witty novel-- about the the ragtag staff of an English language newspaper in Rome facing financial oblivion-- is based on his own experience as a foreign correspondent. Rachman's witty novel-- about the the ragtag staff of an English language newspaper in Rome facing financial oblivion-- is based on his own experience as a foreign correspondent. 01:03:25 http://www.lapl.org/node/7315 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 19:00:00 -0800 A Palestinian doctor's response to the tragedy of losing four family members to an Israeli shelling has won him humanitarian awards around the world. Rather than revenge, he calls for people in the region to come together in understanding, respect, and peace. A Palestinian doctor's response to the tragedy of losing four family members to an Israeli shelling has won him humanitarian awards around the world. Rather than revenge, he calls for people in the region to come together in understanding, respect, and peace. 01:19:35 http://www.lapl.org/node/7312 Tue, 11 Jan 2011 19:00:00 -0800 News and stories from NPR have helped shape our world. Join two veteran journalists to explore how public radio might respond to tectonic shifts in the media landscape. News and stories from NPR have helped shape our world. Join two veteran journalists to explore how public radio might respond to tectonic shifts in the media landscape. 01:10:31 http://www.lapl.org/node/7317 Wed, 15 Dec 2010 19:00:00 -0800 From Auld Lang Syne to Henei Ma Tov, from Sanskrit devotionals to gospel spirituals, join us for an evening of songs new and old drawn from various faith and folk traditions, with perhaps some surprising new lyrics set to familiar tunes. No singing experience necessary, a willingness to participate is the only requirement. Appropriate for all ages. Let us Sing! From Auld Lang Syne to Henei Ma Tov, from Sanskrit devotionals to gospel spirituals, join us for an evening of songs new and old drawn from various faith and folk traditions, with perhaps some surprising new lyrics set to familiar tunes. No singing experience necessary, a willingness to participate is the only requirement. Appropriate for all ages. Let us Sing! 59:25 http://www.lapl.org/node/7314 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Harvey, a poetic and passionate mystic and writer, suggests that what unites all religions \"is a truth that the service of God is putting love into action.\" He discusses his dramatic life conversion from mysticism to mystic activism with the Rector of Pasadena's All Saint's Church-known for its focus on social justice initiatives. Harvey, a poetic and passionate mystic and writer, suggests that what unites all religions \"is a truth that the service of God is putting love into action.\" He discusses his dramatic life conversion from mysticism to mystic activism with the Rector of Pasadena's All Saint's Church-known for its focus on social justice initiatives. 01:08:12 http://www.lapl.org/node/7311 Thu, 02 Dec 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Filmmakers Jessum and Joseph explore the meaning and value of inter-faith dialogue with selected representatives of the more than 40 devotional communities in Los Angeles profiled in their award-winning new documentary. Filmmakers Jessum and Joseph explore the meaning and value of inter-faith dialogue with selected representatives of the more than 40 devotional communities in Los Angeles profiled in their award-winning new documentary. 01:08:26 http://www.lapl.org/node/7310 Tue, 30 Nov 2010 19:00:00 -0800 In his new Novel, Luka and the Fire of Life, written for his youngest son, Rushdie explores the relationships between fathers and sons, life and death, the real and the imagined, freedom and authority. Join us for an evening with one of the world's most celebrated authors. In his new Novel, Luka and the Fire of Life, written for his youngest son, Rushdie explores the relationships between fathers and sons, life and death, the real and the imagined, freedom and authority. Join us for an evening with one of the world's most celebrated authors. 01:21:41 http://www.lapl.org/node/7309 Mon, 29 Nov 2010 19:00:00 -0800 In a groundbreaking new account, Rowley describes the remarkable courage and lack of convention-private and public-that kept FDR and Eleanor together. In a groundbreaking new account, Rowley describes the remarkable courage and lack of convention-private and public-that kept FDR and Eleanor together. 01:12:59 http://www.lapl.org/node/7307 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Balakian's new collection of poems explore the aftermath of 9/11 through layered perspectives of myth, history, and personal memory; a panoramic work of contemporary witness in a new age of American uncertainty. Balakian's new collection of poems explore the aftermath of 9/11 through layered perspectives of myth, history, and personal memory; a panoramic work of contemporary witness in a new age of American uncertainty. 01:20:13 http://www.lapl.org/node/7306 Thu, 18 Nov 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Turner's poems reflect his experiences as a soldier--seven years in the US Army, including a year as infantry team leader in Iraq--with penetrating lyric power and compassion. Turner's poems reflect his experiences as a soldier--seven years in the US Army, including a year as infantry team leader in Iraq--with penetrating lyric power and compassion. 01:15:05 http://www.lapl.org/node/7305 Tue, 16 Nov 2010 19:00:00 -0800 A Pulitzer-Prize willing biographer boldly separates fact from fiction to rescue the queen from her own hazy legend, subtly and originally probing classical sources to yield a fresh, thrilling account of a remarkable woman. A Pulitzer-Prize willing biographer boldly separates fact from fiction to rescue the queen from her own hazy legend, subtly and originally probing classical sources to yield a fresh, thrilling account of a remarkable woman. 01:03:39 http://www.lapl.org/node/7304 Tue, 09 Nov 2010 19:00:00 -0800 This long-awaited work, assembled by Reza Aslan, features literature from countries as diverse as Morocco and Iran, Turkey and Pakistan, many presented in English for the first time. Celebrate this landmark publication with a stellar cast who will read from a diverse selection of authors- from Khalil Gibran to Naguib Mahfouz, from Orhan Pamuk to the grand dame of Urdu fiction, Ismat Chughtai. This long-awaited work, assembled by Reza Aslan, features literature from countries as diverse as Morocco and Iran, Turkey and Pakistan, many presented in English for the first time. Celebrate this landmark publication with a stellar cast who will read from a diverse selection of authors- from Khalil Gibran to Naguib Mahfouz, from Orhan Pamuk to the grand dame of Urdu fiction, Ismat Chughtai. 01:14:21 http://www.lapl.org/node/7303 Mon, 08 Nov 2010 19:00:00 -0800 The acclaimed historian offers a love story, an intimate account of the life of a major artist, and an exercise in self-revelation, based on thirty-three years of marriage. The acclaimed historian offers a love story, an intimate account of the life of a major artist, and an exercise in self-revelation, based on thirty-three years of marriage. 01:09:47 http://www.lapl.org/node/7301 Tue, 02 Nov 2010 19:00:00 -0800 The author of the bestseller The History of Love offers a soaring novel about a stolen desk that contains the secrets, and becomes the obsession of the lives it passes through. The author of the bestseller The History of Love offers a soaring novel about a stolen desk that contains the secrets, and becomes the obsession of the lives it passes through. 00:59:21 http://www.lapl.org/node/7300 Thu, 28 Oct 2010 19:00:00 -0800 A land of palm trees and movie stars, sunshine and glamour, Los Angeles inhabits a place of the mind as much as it does a physical geographic space. Often imagined of as a kind of paradise, the actual reality of the city is far more complex. Join us for cartographic history of the City of Angels from the colonial era to the present, with Creason, author and LAPL map librarian and Waldie, cultural critic and author of Holy Land. A land of palm trees and movie stars, sunshine and glamour, Los Angeles inhabits a place of the mind as much as it does a physical geographic space. Often imagined of as a kind of paradise, the actual reality of the city is far more complex. Join us for cartographic history of the City of Angels from the colonial era to the present, with Creason, author and LAPL map librarian and Waldie, cultural critic and author of Holy Land. 01:15:49 http://www.lapl.org/node/7299 Tue, 26 Oct 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Danticat, the acclaimed Haitian-American novelist, tells the stories of artists who create despite, or because of, the horrors that drove them from their homelands and that continue to haunt them. Danticat, the acclaimed Haitian-American novelist, tells the stories of artists who create despite, or because of, the horrors that drove them from their homelands and that continue to haunt them. 01:11:33 http://www.lapl.org/node/7296 Thu, 21 Oct 2010 19:00:00 -0800 What is Latino literature? Who writes it? Who reads it? Explore a rich literary tradition of five centuries of writing from two continents and 10 countries, from letters to the Spanish crown, to U.S. urbanites who grow up speaking Spanglish. Join this national conversation about the contribution of Latino writing to American culture. What is Latino literature? Who writes it? Who reads it? Explore a rich literary tradition of five centuries of writing from two continents and 10 countries, from letters to the Spanish crown, to U.S. urbanites who grow up speaking Spanglish. Join this national conversation about the contribution of Latino writing to American culture. 01:12:51 http://www.lapl.org/node/7295 Wed, 20 Oct 2010 19:00:00 -0800 One of the most gifted and best known Native American writers today offers this highly original self-portrait, steeped in Native American storytelling traditions, that weaves together family/personal memoir with an accounting of the creatures and landscapes that inform her vision of the world. One of the most gifted and best known Native American writers today offers this highly original self-portrait, steeped in Native American storytelling traditions, that weaves together family/personal memoir with an accounting of the creatures and landscapes that inform her vision of the world. 01:20:09 http://www.lapl.org/node/7298 Tue, 19 Oct 2010 19:00:00 -0800 The New Yorker music critic leads an audio tour of several hundred years of music history, from Renaissance lute songs to Led Zeppelin, showing how certain motifs of celebration and lament recur in many different contexts and cultures. The New Yorker music critic leads an audio tour of several hundred years of music history, from Renaissance lute songs to Led Zeppelin, showing how certain motifs of celebration and lament recur in many different contexts and cultures. 01:20:25 http://www.lapl.org/node/7294 Thu, 14 Oct 2010 19:00:00 -0800 O'Neill, a former barrister and PEN/Faulkner award-winning author of the novel Netherland has written a brilliant inquiry propelled by the unexplained incarcerations of both his grandfathers (one Irish, one Turkish) during the Second World War. O'Neill, a former barrister and PEN/Faulkner award-winning author of the novel Netherland has written a brilliant inquiry propelled by the unexplained incarcerations of both his grandfathers (one Irish, one Turkish) during the Second World War. 00:59:17 http://www.lapl.org/node/7293 Tue, 12 Oct 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Set among the mid-forties denizens of Manhattan's SoHo-the new novel by the Pulitzer-Prize winning author of The Hours takes a deep look at the meaning of beauty and the place of love in our lives. Set among the mid-forties denizens of Manhattan's SoHo-the new novel by the Pulitzer-Prize winning author of The Hours takes a deep look at the meaning of beauty and the place of love in our lives. 01:03:17 http://www.lapl.org/node/7292 Thu, 07 Oct 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Appiah, a leading philosopher (\"America's Socrates\") and a professor at Princeton University, demonstrates that honor is the driving force in the struggle against man's inhumanity to man. Appiah, a leading philosopher (\"America's Socrates\") and a professor at Princeton University, demonstrates that honor is the driving force in the struggle against man's inhumanity to man. 01:17:23 http://www.lapl.org/node/7291 Tue, 05 Oct 2010 19:00:00 -0800 What causes a child to grow up gay or straight or bisexual? Neuroscientist LeVay summarizes where the quest for a biological explanation of sexual orientation stands today, taking us on a tour of laboratories that specialize in genetics, endocrinology, neuroscience, cognitive psychology, evolutionary psychology and more. What causes a child to grow up gay or straight or bisexual? Neuroscientist LeVay summarizes where the quest for a biological explanation of sexual orientation stands today, taking us on a tour of laboratories that specialize in genetics, endocrinology, neuroscience, cognitive psychology, evolutionary psychology and more. 01:14:59 http://www.lapl.org/node/7290 Mon, 04 Oct 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Join us for a mind-boggling multi-media tour through the early days of an institution whose alumni left their fingerprints all over popular culture: Animal House, Caddyshack, Saturday Night Live, Ghostbusters, SCTV, Spinal Tap, In Living Color, Ren & Stimpy, and The Simpsons. Long before there was The Onion and Comedy Central, there was the National Lampoon. Join us for a mind-boggling multi-media tour through the early days of an institution whose alumni left their fingerprints all over popular culture: Animal House, Caddyshack, Saturday Night Live, Ghostbusters, SCTV, Spinal Tap, In Living Color, Ren & Stimpy, and The Simpsons. Long before there was The Onion and Comedy Central, there was the National Lampoon. 01:28:27 http://www.lapl.org/node/7289 Thu, 30 Sep 2010 19:00:00 -0800 More than half of the worlds' 1.3 billion Muslims live along the tenth parallel, as do roughly sixty percent of the world's 2 billion Christians. Griswold, award-winning poet and investigative journalist, traveled for seven years on the tenth parallel, examining the complex relationship of religion, land, oil; local conflicts and global ideology; politics and contemporary martyrdom, both Islamic and Christian. More than half of the worlds' 1.3 billion Muslims live along the tenth parallel, as do roughly sixty percent of the world's 2 billion Christians. Griswold, award-winning poet and investigative journalist, traveled for seven years on the tenth parallel, examining the complex relationship of religion, land, oil; local conflicts and global ideology; politics and contemporary martyrdom, both Islamic and Christian. 01:16:37 http://www.lapl.org/node/7288 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Join us for an illuminating journey through history, geopolitics, and religion to investigate whether Islam is indeed the cause of some of today's most important international crises and how we might move conversations beyond religious and ideological divides. Join us for an illuminating journey through history, geopolitics, and religion to investigate whether Islam is indeed the cause of some of today's most important international crises and how we might move conversations beyond religious and ideological divides. 01:24:09 http://www.lapl.org/node/7284 Thu, 23 Sep 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Hyde--MacArthur Fellow and author of the ground breaking study of art and commerce The Gift--offers a stirring defense of our cultural commons, that vast store of art and ideas we inherited from the past which continues to enrich the present. Hyde--MacArthur Fellow and author of the ground breaking study of art and commerce The Gift--offers a stirring defense of our cultural commons, that vast store of art and ideas we inherited from the past which continues to enrich the present. 01:05:49 http://www.lapl.org/node/7282 Wed, 22 Sep 2010 19:00:00 -0800 A Pulitzer-Prize winning reporter chronicles a watershed event in American history-- the decades-long migration of African Americans from the South to the North and West--through the stories of three individuals and their families. A Pulitzer-Prize winning reporter chronicles a watershed event in American history-- the decades-long migration of African Americans from the South to the North and West--through the stories of three individuals and their families. 01:17:41 http://www.lapl.org/node/7283 Tue, 21 Sep 2010 19:00:00 -0800 The new novel by the celebrated author of Anywhere But Here tells the story of two women whose lives entwine and unfold behind the glittery surface of Hollywood. The new novel by the celebrated author of Anywhere But Here tells the story of two women whose lives entwine and unfold behind the glittery surface of Hollywood. 01:03:33 http://www.lapl.org/node/7276 Thu, 16 Sep 2010 19:00:00 -0800 In Freedom, his first novel since The Corrections Franzen comically and tragically captures the thrills of teenage lust, the shaken compromises of middle age, the wages of suburban sprawl, the temptations and burdens of liberty, and the heavy weight of empire. In Freedom, his first novel since The Corrections Franzen comically and tragically captures the thrills of teenage lust, the shaken compromises of middle age, the wages of suburban sprawl, the temptations and burdens of liberty, and the heavy weight of empire. 01:20:03 http://www.lapl.org/node/7275 Wed, 15 Sep 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Fascinating stories of key Supreme Court decisions, told from a unique perspective, illuminate this original and accessible theory of the United States Supreme Court's responsibility and integrity. Fascinating stories of key Supreme Court decisions, told from a unique perspective, illuminate this original and accessible theory of the United States Supreme Court's responsibility and integrity. 01:20:27 http://www.lapl.org/node/7281 Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Trombley, the preeminent Twain scholar at work today (and the president of Pitzer College), cracks open the enduring mystery of Mark Twain's final decade to reveal the true story of Isabel Lyon, the \"forgotten woman\" who haunts the official Twain narrative. Trombley, the preeminent Twain scholar at work today (and the president of Pitzer College), cracks open the enduring mystery of Mark Twain's final decade to reveal the true story of Isabel Lyon, the \"forgotten woman\" who haunts the official Twain narrative. 01:10:39 http://www.lapl.org/node/7280 Thu, 22 Jul 2010 19:00:00 -0800 A panel discussion and conversation about a public art theater project that chronicles the emergence of a permanent community and culture in what has been perceived as a transient Skid Row. Join the social and artistic visionaries who have contributed to reweaving the social fabric of Skid Row. A panel discussion and conversation about a public art theater project that chronicles the emergence of a permanent community and culture in what has been perceived as a transient Skid Row. Join the social and artistic visionaries who have contributed to reweaving the social fabric of Skid Row. 01:31:23 http://www.lapl.org/node/7279 Tue, 20 Jul 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Join us in a celebration and exploration of traditional American vocal music, drawn from several rich sources of community singing- from 19th century Sacred Harp shape note hymnals, to songs from the oral tradition of the Appalachian mountains, to glee club-style rounds. No prior singing experience or musical knowledge necessary. All voices and ages are welcome-the only requirement is a willingness to sing. Join us in a celebration and exploration of traditional American vocal music, drawn from several rich sources of community singing- from 19th century Sacred Harp shape note hymnals, to songs from the oral tradition of the Appalachian mountains, to glee club-style rounds. No prior singing experience or musical knowledge necessary. All voices and ages are welcome-the only requirement is a willingness to sing. 00:46:57 http://www.lapl.org/node/7278 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 19:00:00 -0800 How do the technologies we use every day affect our state(s) of mind? One of the country's leading commentators on the information culture ponders the conundrum of connectedness, and offers a new philosophy of life in a world of screens. How do the technologies we use every day affect our state(s) of mind? One of the country's leading commentators on the information culture ponders the conundrum of connectedness, and offers a new philosophy of life in a world of screens. 01:17:21 http://www.lapl.org/node/7277 Tue, 13 Jul 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Two L.A.-native novelists read and discuss fiction, theatre, magic spells, cats, MFAs, and some other stuff. Two L.A.-native novelists read and discuss fiction, theatre, magic spells, cats, MFAs, and some other stuff. 01:14:41 http://www.lapl.org/node/7272 Thu, 08 Jul 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Two brilliant young writers-both daughters of the 1960s and '70s civil rights, black power and feminist political movements-read and discuss the inspiriation for their fiction. Two brilliant young writers-both daughters of the 1960s and '70s civil rights, black power and feminist political movements-read and discuss the inspiriation for their fiction. 01:15:37 http://www.lapl.org/node/7271 Wed, 30 Jun 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Introducing six accomplished poets from the Los Angeles literary world in a lively showcase of poetic voices and styles. Introducing six accomplished poets from the Los Angeles literary world in a lively showcase of poetic voices and styles. 01:26:07 http://www.lapl.org/node/7270 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 19:00:00 -0800 The author of Love and Other Impossible Pursuits offers a sane and bracingly honest perspective on the challenges of motherhood. The author of Love and Other Impossible Pursuits offers a sane and bracingly honest perspective on the challenges of motherhood. 01:13:47 http://www.lapl.org/node/7269 Wed, 23 Jun 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Black, white and biracial contributors to a brave and unprecedented anthology take on the challenge of interpreting the black body's dramatic role in American culture. What does it mean to have, or love, a black body? Black, white and biracial contributors to a brave and unprecedented anthology take on the challenge of interpreting the black body's dramatic role in American culture. What does it mean to have, or love, a black body? 01:17:51 http://www.lapl.org/node/7268 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 19:00:00 -0800 A book and a documentary film chronicle how a family built a paper to greatness and how the confluence of a family feud and a cultural-economic cataclysm changed media history. A book and a documentary film chronicle how a family built a paper to greatness and how the confluence of a family feud and a cultural-economic cataclysm changed media history. 01:03:04 http://www.lapl.org/node/7267 Thu, 17 Jun 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Workman, a skilled storyteller, uncovers the universal politics of water and draws wisdom from tragedy in the Kalahari desert-opening our eyes to the ongoing struggle to secure water for life on earth. Workman, a skilled storyteller, uncovers the universal politics of water and draws wisdom from tragedy in the Kalahari desert-opening our eyes to the ongoing struggle to secure water for life on earth. 01:03:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/7266 Tue, 15 Jun 2010 19:00:00 -0800 A staged reading of John Ashbery's great, dense work-one of the defining poems of the 20th century. Six readers, accompanied by projected text and image, illuminate and bring to life Ashbery's tonal shifts and juxtapositions. Directed by Jim Paul with technical direction by Beth Thielen. A staged reading of John Ashbery's great, dense work-one of the defining poems of the 20th century. Six readers, accompanied by projected text and image, illuminate and bring to life Ashbery's tonal shifts and juxtapositions. Directed by Jim Paul with technical direction by Beth Thielen. 00:59:49 http://www.lapl.org/node/7263 Thu, 10 Jun 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Operatic Vaudeville with a Bohemian Attitude Blending a tenor's haunting vocals with cabaret-inspired reinventions of songs both old and new. Featuring selections by Russian Gypsy songwriter Vadim Kozin from the 1930s to songs by Radiohead and David Bowie, this eclectic performance will provide the eyes and ears with beautiful and slightly dark entertainment. Operatic Vaudeville with a Bohemian Attitude Blending a tenor's haunting vocals with cabaret-inspired reinventions of songs both old and new. Featuring selections by Russian Gypsy songwriter Vadim Kozin from the 1930s to songs by Radiohead and David Bowie, this eclectic performance will provide the eyes and ears with beautiful and slightly dark entertainment. 01:18:29 http://www.lapl.org/node/7242 Thu, 03 Jun 2010 19:00:00 -0800 This panel of experts will present and analyze the urban agriculture programs emerging in Los Angeles, with a focus on key topics such as policies, challenges, trends and the programs currently in place. This panel of experts will present and analyze the urban agriculture programs emerging in Los Angeles, with a focus on key topics such as policies, challenges, trends and the programs currently in place. 01:26:45 http://www.lapl.org/node/7261 Wed, 02 Jun 2010 19:00:00 -0800 The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Empire Falls and Nobody's Fool offers a novel of deep introspection and great comedy-the story of a marriage and of all the other ties that bind. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Empire Falls and Nobody's Fool offers a novel of deep introspection and great comedy-the story of a marriage and of all the other ties that bind. 01:15:17 http://www.lapl.org/node/7260 Wed, 26 May 2010 19:00:00 -0800 The author of A Perfect Storm turns his empathetic eye to a single platoon through a 15-month tour of duty in the most dangerous outpost in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley. The author of A Perfect Storm turns his empathetic eye to a single platoon through a 15-month tour of duty in the most dangerous outpost in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley. 01:26:45 http://www.lapl.org/node/7259 Tue, 25 May 2010 19:00:00 -0800 A deft and exhaustively researched account of a near-forgotten chapter of Newton's extraordinary life. Levenson, a documentary filmmaker and head of the Graduate Program in Science Writing at MIT, allows us to see how Newton's amazing mind worked when dealing with practical rather than theoretical questions. A deft and exhaustively researched account of a near-forgotten chapter of Newton's extraordinary life. Levenson, a documentary filmmaker and head of the Graduate Program in Science Writing at MIT, allows us to see how Newton's amazing mind worked when dealing with practical rather than theoretical questions. 01:08:29 http://www.lapl.org/node/7258 Mon, 17 May 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Melding memoir and history, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author fuses his early life in Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Egypt with an account of the American experience in the Middle East offering intimate insights into the Arab-Israeli tragedy. Melding memoir and history, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author fuses his early life in Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Egypt with an account of the American experience in the Middle East offering intimate insights into the Arab-Israeli tragedy. 01:19:05 http://www.lapl.org/node/7257 Thu, 13 May 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Father Greg (affectionately known as G-dog), pastor of Dolores Mission in Boyle Heights since 1986, has made it his mission to help at-risk youth. His remedy for what he calls \"a global sense of failure\" is radical and simple: boundless, restorative love. His book, filled with sparkling humor and generosity, gives a window on gangs in the context of spirituality. Father Greg (affectionately known as G-dog), pastor of Dolores Mission in Boyle Heights since 1986, has made it his mission to help at-risk youth. His remedy for what he calls \"a global sense of failure\" is radical and simple: boundless, restorative love. His book, filled with sparkling humor and generosity, gives a window on gangs in the context of spirituality. 01:23:05 http://www.lapl.org/node/7256 Mon, 10 May 2010 19:00:00 -0800 In her new novel, Island Beneath the Sea, the master storyteller introduces yet another unforgettable woman-a slave and concubine determined to claim her own destiny against impossible odds. In her new novel, Island Beneath the Sea, the master storyteller introduces yet another unforgettable woman-a slave and concubine determined to claim her own destiny against impossible odds. 01:16:29 http://www.lapl.org/node/7252 Wed, 05 May 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Syjuco's daring debut novel opens with Crispin Salvador, lion of Philippine letters, dead in the Hudson River. Winner of the 2008 Man Asian Literary Prize, Syjuco exposes the corruption behind the rich families who have ruled the Philippines for generations offering an unhindered view of a society caught between reckless decay and hopeful progress. Syjuco's daring debut novel opens with Crispin Salvador, lion of Philippine letters, dead in the Hudson River. Winner of the 2008 Man Asian Literary Prize, Syjuco exposes the corruption behind the rich families who have ruled the Philippines for generations offering an unhindered view of a society caught between reckless decay and hopeful progress. 01:08:09 http://www.lapl.org/node/7251 Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:00:00 -0800 The world-renowned neuroscientist Gary Lynch, subject of McDermott's new book, discusses his decades-long obsessive pursuit to uncover the mechanism by which the brain makes memories. The world-renowned neuroscientist Gary Lynch, subject of McDermott's new book, discusses his decades-long obsessive pursuit to uncover the mechanism by which the brain makes memories. 01:15:53 http://www.lapl.org/node/7250 Tue, 27 Apr 2010 19:00:00 -0800 A work of brilliant and compassionate reporting, \"a must-read for everyone who cares about women, justice, fairness, the military, and the United States.\" (Katha Pollitt, The Nation) A work of brilliant and compassionate reporting, \"a must-read for everyone who cares about women, justice, fairness, the military, and the United States.\" (Katha Pollitt, The Nation) 01:12:17 http://www.lapl.org/node/7249 Wed, 21 Apr 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Bowden, award-winning Tucson-based author and journalist reveals the story of the disintegration of Ciudad Juárez. Interweaving stories of the city's inhabitants-a raped beauty queen, a repentant hitman, a journalist fleeing for his life-with a broader meditation on the Mexican town's descent into anarchy. Bowden, award-winning Tucson-based author and journalist reveals the story of the disintegration of Ciudad Juárez. Interweaving stories of the city's inhabitants-a raped beauty queen, a repentant hitman, a journalist fleeing for his life-with a broader meditation on the Mexican town's descent into anarchy. 01:08:18 http://www.lapl.org/node/7248 Mon, 19 Apr 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Conlon, music director of LA Opera and one of the world's preeminent conductors, will discuss Wagner's monumental work, challenging preconceptions while guiding the audience through the music and dramatic themes in a way that both opera novice and aficionado can enjoy. Conlon, music director of LA Opera and one of the world's preeminent conductors, will discuss Wagner's monumental work, challenging preconceptions while guiding the audience through the music and dramatic themes in a way that both opera novice and aficionado can enjoy. 01:10:21 http://www.lapl.org/node/7244 Tue, 13 Apr 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Imagination. Luminosity. Mystery and grief. Ghost landscapes. Joy and celebration. Join us for a reading by three award-winning California poets. Imagination. Luminosity. Mystery and grief. Ghost landscapes. Joy and celebration. Join us for a reading by three award-winning California poets. 01:08:15 http://www.lapl.org/node/7246 Tue, 13 Apr 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Gale, editor, writer, teacher; Kearney, poet, performer, and librettist; and Shumaker, poet, author and teacher read from their work. Gale, editor, writer, teacher; Kearney, poet, performer, and librettist; and Shumaker, poet, author and teacher read from their work. 01:05:47 http://www.lapl.org/node/7245 Mon, 12 Apr 2010 19:00:00 -0800 In his new novel Solar, the best-selling author of Atonement, explores the quest of one overweight and philandering Nobel prize-winning physicist to save the world from environmental disaster. In his new novel Solar, the best-selling author of Atonement, explores the quest of one overweight and philandering Nobel prize-winning physicist to save the world from environmental disaster. 01:17:37 http://www.lapl.org/node/7243 Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:00:00 -0800 A performative reading and talk, from the bestselling author of Red Azalea and Empress Orchid whose new novel- the powerful story of the friendship of a lifetime-is based on the life of Pearl S. Buck. A performative reading and talk, from the bestselling author of Red Azalea and Empress Orchid whose new novel- the powerful story of the friendship of a lifetime-is based on the life of Pearl S. Buck. 00:57:23 http://www.lapl.org/node/7239 Mon, 05 Apr 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Sapphire's fiction, poems and essays have taken on the myths and assumptions of class, gender and race in America. Join us for a discussion of her writing, the evolution of Push from stage to screen, her influences from the literary canon to the zeitgeist of our times, and her new novel. Sapphire's fiction, poems and essays have taken on the myths and assumptions of class, gender and race in America. Join us for a discussion of her writing, the evolution of Push from stage to screen, her influences from the literary canon to the zeitgeist of our times, and her new novel. 01:21:33 http://www.lapl.org/node/7241 Thu, 01 Apr 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Two celebrated authors-one from Kenya, the other from Morocco-examine how writers take on the challenges posed by political and cultural conflict in our modern world. Two celebrated authors-one from Kenya, the other from Morocco-examine how writers take on the challenges posed by political and cultural conflict in our modern world. 01:19:43 http://www.lapl.org/node/7240 Thu, 25 Mar 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Three new biographies-on Frank Oppenheimer, Frank Gehry, and Joseph Papp-offer completely different strategies for revealing complex and accomplished lives. Three new biographies-on Frank Oppenheimer, Frank Gehry, and Joseph Papp-offer completely different strategies for revealing complex and accomplished lives. 01:11:45 http://www.lapl.org/node/7238 Wed, 24 Mar 2010 19:00:00 -0800 A panel of outdoor media professionals and legal experts focus on the city's recent debate surrounding LED billboards and illegal signage, raising the notion of free speech as it relates to images on the street along the way. Presented in conjunction with the exhibition \"How Many Billboards? Art In Stead\" at The MAK Center for Art and Architecture at the Schindler House, Feb. 5 - March 12, 2010. A panel of outdoor media professionals and legal experts focus on the city's recent debate surrounding LED billboards and illegal signage, raising the notion of free speech as it relates to images on the street along the way. Presented in conjunction with the exhibition \"How Many Billboards? Art In Stead\" at The MAK Center for Art and Architecture at the Schindler House, Feb. 5 - March 12, 2010. 01:31:53 http://www.lapl.org/node/7235 Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:00:00 -0800 A reading and conversation honoring the 20th anniversary of one of America's most important novels, a book as vitally important for anyone interested in the Vietnam War as it is for those concerned with the craft of storytelling. A reading and conversation honoring the 20th anniversary of one of America's most important novels, a book as vitally important for anyone interested in the Vietnam War as it is for those concerned with the craft of storytelling. 00:59:41 http://www.lapl.org/node/7237 Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:00:00 -0800 This enchanting novel by Shriver, author of the bestseller We Need to Talk about Kevin, is a witty and timely exploration of the failure of our health-care system. This enchanting novel by Shriver, author of the bestseller We Need to Talk about Kevin, is a witty and timely exploration of the failure of our health-care system. 01:12:15 http://www.lapl.org/node/7236 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Mlodinow - a physicist with the grace of a born storyteller - illuminates the improbable ways that chance and probability affect our daily lives. Mlodinow - a physicist with the grace of a born storyteller - illuminates the improbable ways that chance and probability affect our daily lives. 01:16:13 http://www.lapl.org/node/7234 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:00:00 -0800 In his remarkable and ambitious new memoir, The Opposite Field, Katz tells a story of good love and failed love, of Los Angeles and Portland and Nicaragua and Mexico and a father and son in search of a place to play baseball. In his remarkable and ambitious new memoir, The Opposite Field, Katz tells a story of good love and failed love, of Los Angeles and Portland and Nicaragua and Mexico and a father and son in search of a place to play baseball. 01:02:03 http://www.lapl.org/node/7232 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Drawing on a trove of original documents, tapes, and interviews to chronicle the rise of the United Farm Workers during the heady days of civil rights struggles, the antiwar movement, and 60s and 70s student activism, Pawel weaves together a powerful portrait of a people and their movement. Drawing on a trove of original documents, tapes, and interviews to chronicle the rise of the United Farm Workers during the heady days of civil rights struggles, the antiwar movement, and 60s and 70s student activism, Pawel weaves together a powerful portrait of a people and their movement. 01:01:50 http://www.lapl.org/node/7230 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Want to know Isaac Babel's secret influence on the making of \"King Kong\"? Literally and metaphorically following the footsteps of her favorite authors, Batuman combines fresh readings of the great Russians, from Pushkin to Tolstoy, along with some sad and funny stories from the people's lives they've influenced-including her own. Want to know Isaac Babel's secret influence on the making of \"King Kong\"? Literally and metaphorically following the footsteps of her favorite authors, Batuman combines fresh readings of the great Russians, from Pushkin to Tolstoy, along with some sad and funny stories from the people's lives they've influenced-including her own. 01:09:31 http://www.lapl.org/node/7229 Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Nobel Prize-winner Joseph Stiglitz explains the current financial crisis-and the coming global economic order. Nobel Prize-winner Joseph Stiglitz explains the current financial crisis-and the coming global economic order. 01:19:05 http://www.lapl.org/node/7227 Wed, 17 Feb 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Crease, a science historian and philosopher, takes us on a tour of ten of the most important victories in our long struggle to understand the world we live in. Crease, a science historian and philosopher, takes us on a tour of ten of the most important victories in our long struggle to understand the world we live in. 01:03:31 http://www.lapl.org/node/7226 Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Crawford, a musicologist, reveals the uniquely vibrant era when Southern California became a hub of unprecedented musical talent. Crawford, a musicologist, reveals the uniquely vibrant era when Southern California became a hub of unprecedented musical talent. 01:06:13 http://www.lapl.org/node/7225 Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:00:00 -0800 What will America look like in 2050? Kotkin, a renowned social and economic trend analyst, argues that the key to America's economic recovery is its robust population growth. What will America look like in 2050? Kotkin, a renowned social and economic trend analyst, argues that the key to America's economic recovery is its robust population growth. 01:05:31 http://www.lapl.org/node/7224 Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:00:00 -0800 McLennan, Dean for Religious Life at Stanford (and inspiration for Doonesbury's Rev. Scot Sloan) gives voice to millions of liberal Christians and builds solid bridges to all sides of the cultural divide. McLennan, Dean for Religious Life at Stanford (and inspiration for Doonesbury's Rev. Scot Sloan) gives voice to millions of liberal Christians and builds solid bridges to all sides of the cultural divide. 01:14:53 http://www.lapl.org/node/7223 Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Draitser, Professor of Russian at Hunter College (CUNY), resurrects-with great humor-the world of his Jewish childhood in the Soviet Union. Draitser, Professor of Russian at Hunter College (CUNY), resurrects-with great humor-the world of his Jewish childhood in the Soviet Union. 01:09:17 http://www.lapl.org/node/7222 Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Page, now a Pulitzer-winning music critic, offers a riveting portrayal of what it is like to live in a psychological world that few understand. Page, now a Pulitzer-winning music critic, offers a riveting portrayal of what it is like to live in a psychological world that few understand. 01:14:46 http://www.lapl.org/node/7221 Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:00:00 -0800 In her new novel The Swan Thieves, the author of the bestseller The Historian offers a story of obsession, history's losses, and the power of art to preserve human hope. In her new novel The Swan Thieves, the author of the bestseller The Historian offers a story of obsession, history's losses, and the power of art to preserve human hope. 00:47:33 http://www.lapl.org/node/7220 Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:00:00 -0800 The settings for Boyle's bold new stories range from a California suburb terrorizedby a mountain lion, to Napoleonic France where a feral child is captured naked in the forest. He reads and discusses his new collection, Wild Child as well as his novel The Women about the life of Frank Lloyd Wright. The settings for Boyle's bold new stories range from a California suburb terrorizedby a mountain lion, to Napoleonic France where a feral child is captured naked in the forest. He reads and discusses his new collection, Wild Child as well as his novel The Women about the life of Frank Lloyd Wright. 01:00:15 http://www.lapl.org/node/7219 Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Patel (author of Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System) asks us to reconsider how democracy might be the route by which we can reclaim markets so that they work for rather than against social change. Patel (author of Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System) asks us to reconsider how democracy might be the route by which we can reclaim markets so that they work for rather than against social change. 01:13:51 http://www.lapl.org/node/7218 Thu, 14 Jan 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Gawande, a bestselling author and surgeon, takes us on an intellectual adventure in which lives are lost and saved and one simple idea makes a tremendous difference. Gawande, a bestselling author and surgeon, takes us on an intellectual adventure in which lives are lost and saved and one simple idea makes a tremendous difference. 01:18:19 http://www.lapl.org/node/7217 Tue, 12 Jan 2010 19:00:00 -0800 Grandin offers remarkable insights into animal behavior from her unique position at the intersection of autism and science. In her new book, she aims to revolutionize our ideas about what animals want and need-on their terms, not ours. Grandin offers remarkable insights into animal behavior from her unique position at the intersection of autism and science. In her new book, she aims to revolutionize our ideas about what animals want and need-on their terms, not ours. 00:59:05 http://www.lapl.org/node/7211 Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:00:00 -0800 The new play by L.A.'s premiere Chicano performance group, Culture Clash, molds an intensely personal story into galvanizing theatricality. Join us for a discussion of the Culture Clash creative process that mixes humor and cold fact to unforgettable effect. The new play by L.A.'s premiere Chicano performance group, Culture Clash, molds an intensely personal story into galvanizing theatricality. Join us for a discussion of the Culture Clash creative process that mixes humor and cold fact to unforgettable effect. 01:17:40 http://www.lapl.org/node/7209 Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Drawing on a cache of important new sources unavailable to previous biographers,?The Wall Street Journal's drama critic and arts columnist paints a gripping portrait of Louis Armstrong's world and his music. Drawing on a cache of important new sources unavailable to previous biographers,?The Wall Street Journal's drama critic and arts columnist paints a gripping portrait of Louis Armstrong's world and his music. 00:58:36 http://www.lapl.org/node/7208 Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:00:00 -0800 In this audience-collaborative talk, one of America's greatest choreographers shares what she's learned from working with some of the most gifted people on the planet. In this audience-collaborative talk, one of America's greatest choreographers shares what she's learned from working with some of the most gifted people on the planet. 01:19:23 http://www.lapl.org/node/7207 Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Griffin inquires into the \"interior life of democracy\" and the divide between theory and practice, continuing the unique \"social autobiography\" she began with A Chorus of Stones: A Private Life of War. Griffin inquires into the \"interior life of democracy\" and the divide between theory and practice, continuing the unique \"social autobiography\" she began with A Chorus of Stones: A Private Life of War. 01:13:10 http://www.lapl.org/node/7206 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:00:00 -0800 From the author of Flags of our Fathers and Flyboys, a startling new look at the events that set the stage for WWII. From the author of Flags of our Fathers and Flyboys, a startling new look at the events that set the stage for WWII. 00:56:14 http://www.lapl.org/node/7200 Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:00:00 -0800 A new memoir by the author of The Liar's Club, about getting drunk and getting sober; becoming a mother by letting go of a mother; learning to write by learning to live. A new memoir by the author of The Liar's Club, about getting drunk and getting sober; becoming a mother by letting go of a mother; learning to write by learning to live. 01:04:40 http://www.lapl.org/node/7199 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Join us for a fascinating discussion on the Polish theater tradition and what makes Polish theater so vital today. Join us for a fascinating discussion on the Polish theater tradition and what makes Polish theater so vital today. 01:13:32 http://www.lapl.org/node/7198 Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Three distinctive voices in contemporary American poetry read their work and engage in an informal group discussion on their craft. Three distinctive voices in contemporary American poetry read their work and engage in an informal group discussion on their craft. 01:24:16 http://www.lapl.org/node/7197 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:00:00 -0800 In a lyric narrative inspired by history and imagination, the former U.S. Poet Laureate re-creates the life of a biracial nineteenth-century virtuoso violinist. In a lyric narrative inspired by history and imagination, the former U.S. Poet Laureate re-creates the life of a biracial nineteenth-century virtuoso violinist. 01:22:20 http://www.lapl.org/node/7196 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:00:00 -0800 In announcing the 2006 Nobel Prize in Literature, the Swedish Academy said of Orhan Pamuk: his \"quest for the melancholic soul of his native city, Istanbul, led him to discover new symbols for the clash and interlacing of cultures.\" Pamuk reads from his new novel, The Museum of Innocence, and discusses his life and work with Reza Aslan (How to Win a Cosmic War). In announcing the 2006 Nobel Prize in Literature, the Swedish Academy said of Orhan Pamuk: his \"quest for the melancholic soul of his native city, Istanbul, led him to discover new symbols for the clash and interlacing of cultures.\" Pamuk reads from his new novel, The Museum of Innocence, and discusses his life and work with Reza Aslan (How to Win a Cosmic War). 00:38:29 http://www.lapl.org/node/7201 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:00:00 -0800 In announcing the 2006 Nobel Prize in Literature, the Swedish Academy said of Orhan Pamuk: his \"quest for the melancholic soul of his native city, Istanbul, led him to discover new symbols for the clash and interlacing of cultures.\" Pamuk reads from his new novel, The Museum of Innocence, and discusses his life and work with Reza Aslan (How to Win a Cosmic War). In announcing the 2006 Nobel Prize in Literature, the Swedish Academy said of Orhan Pamuk: his \"quest for the melancholic soul of his native city, Istanbul, led him to discover new symbols for the clash and interlacing of cultures.\" Pamuk reads from his new novel, The Museum of Innocence, and discusses his life and work with Reza Aslan (How to Win a Cosmic War). 00:48:06 http://www.lapl.org/node/7195 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:00:00 -0800 From jet-lag to aging to cryogenic freezing, acclaimed scholar, historian, and memoirist Hoffman offers a broad, eye-opening look beyond the clock. From jet-lag to aging to cryogenic freezing, acclaimed scholar, historian, and memoirist Hoffman offers a broad, eye-opening look beyond the clock. 01:01:54 http://www.lapl.org/node/7194 Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:00:00 -0800 West coast vs. east coast culinary histories collide as two of the nation's best restaurant critics trade stories about the art of eating-- past and present. West coast vs. east coast culinary histories collide as two of the nation's best restaurant critics trade stories about the art of eating-- past and present. 01:13:34 http://www.lapl.org/node/7193 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Khan--the first woman, first Asian, and first Muslim to serve as the Secretary General of Amnesty International--sheds a much needed light on the rights and powerlessness of the poor. Khan--the first woman, first Asian, and first Muslim to serve as the Secretary General of Amnesty International--sheds a much needed light on the rights and powerlessness of the poor. 01:14:18 http://www.lapl.org/node/7187 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:00:00 -0800 In this new novel, the acclaimed author of Motherless Brooklyn portrays a Manhattan that is beautiful and tawdry, tragic and forgiving, devastating and utterly unique. In this new novel, the acclaimed author of Motherless Brooklyn portrays a Manhattan that is beautiful and tawdry, tragic and forgiving, devastating and utterly unique. 01:14.17 http://www.lapl.org/node/7186 Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Gail Collins, brilliant New York Times columnist and bestselling author, recounts the astounding revolution in women's lives over the past 50 years. Gail Collins, brilliant New York Times columnist and bestselling author, recounts the astounding revolution in women's lives over the past 50 years. 01:12:57 http://www.lapl.org/node/7185 Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Desbois, a French Catholic priest, has devoted his life to confronting anti-Semitism and furthering Catholic-Jewish understanding. Since 2001 he and his team have crisscrossed the Ukrainian countryside in an effort to locate every mass grave and site at which Jews were killed during the Holocaust. Co-presented with Claremont McKenna College's Center for the Study of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights Desbois, a French Catholic priest, has devoted his life to confronting anti-Semitism and furthering Catholic-Jewish understanding. Since 2001 he and his team have crisscrossed the Ukrainian countryside in an effort to locate every mass grave and site at which Jews were killed during the Holocaust. Co-presented with Claremont McKenna College's Center for the Study of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights 01:01:37 http://www.lapl.org/node/7184 Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:00:00 -0800 The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Mountains Beyond Mountains tells the inspiring tale of Deogratias (Deo), a young medical student from the mountains of Burundi, who narrowly survived civil war and genocide before seeking a new life in America. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Mountains Beyond Mountains tells the inspiring tale of Deogratias (Deo), a young medical student from the mountains of Burundi, who narrowly survived civil war and genocide before seeking a new life in America. 01:06:15 http://www.lapl.org/node/7183 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:00:00 -0800 A shy manifesto and an impractical handbook by one of America's finest writers. A shy manifesto and an impractical handbook by one of America's finest writers. 01:20:01 http://www.lapl.org/node/7205 Fri, 09 Oct 2009 19:00:00 -0800 In this intimate exploration, one of America's most gifted and provocative public intellectuals peels back the layers of a remarkable life. In this intimate exploration, one of America's most gifted and provocative public intellectuals peels back the layers of a remarkable life. 01:22:35 http://www.lapl.org/node/7182 Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:00:00 -0800 A renowned professor of computer science recounts the spiritual odyssey of philosopher Bertrand Russell in a historical graphic novel that explicates some of the biggest ideas of mathematics and modern philosophy. A renowned professor of computer science recounts the spiritual odyssey of philosopher Bertrand Russell in a historical graphic novel that explicates some of the biggest ideas of mathematics and modern philosophy. 01:11:19 http://www.lapl.org/node/7181 Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:00:00 -0800 The host and writer of \"A Prairie Home Companion\" knows how to spin a yarn. Join us for an evening of inspired storytelling, as Keillor converts the \"base metal of small town tedium to the gold of comedy.\" (NYTimes) The host and writer of \"A Prairie Home Companion\" knows how to spin a yarn. Join us for an evening of inspired storytelling, as Keillor converts the \"base metal of small town tedium to the gold of comedy.\" (NYTimes) 01:25:53 http://www.lapl.org/node/7180 Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Sandel--whose Justice course is one of the most popular and influential at Harvard-- hallenges us to think our way through the hard moral challenges we confront as citizens. Co-presented by the Council of the Library Foundation and City National Bank Sandel--whose Justice course is one of the most popular and influential at Harvard-- hallenges us to think our way through the hard moral challenges we confront as citizens. Co-presented by the Council of the Library Foundation and City National Bank 01:00:23 http://www.lapl.org/node/7179 Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:00:00 -0800 No toilet paper! No plastic containers! No new clothes! No eating out! Beavan discusses-and screens film clips about-- his family's yearlong experiment to live a zero waste lifestyle in New York City. No toilet paper! No plastic containers! No new clothes! No eating out! Beavan discusses-and screens film clips about-- his family's yearlong experiment to live a zero waste lifestyle in New York City. 01:14:33 http://www.lapl.org/node/7175 Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:00:00 -0800 In his first book, Le writes stunningly inventive stories that take us from the slums of Columbia to the streets of Tehran; from a tiny fishing village in Australia to a foundering vessel in the South China Sea. In his first book, Le writes stunningly inventive stories that take us from the slums of Columbia to the streets of Tehran; from a tiny fishing village in Australia to a foundering vessel in the South China Sea. 01:23:13 http://www.lapl.org/node/7174 Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:00:00 -0800 In re-imagining the lives and loves of history's great poets, Baker creates a seductive meditation on poetry and artistic expression. In re-imagining the lives and loves of history's great poets, Baker creates a seductive meditation on poetry and artistic expression. 01:12:47 http://www.lapl.org/node/7176 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:00:00 -0800 In her long-awaited new novel, set after the events of September 2001, Moore brings us up against the heart of racism, the shock of war, and the carelessness perpetrated against others in the name of love. In her long-awaited new novel, set after the events of September 2001, Moore brings us up against the heart of racism, the shock of war, and the carelessness perpetrated against others in the name of love. 01:13:29 http://www.lapl.org/node/7178 Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Can the social connectedness that arises in the aftermath of a disaster-whether natural or manmade-lead us to a new vision of society? Can the social connectedness that arises in the aftermath of a disaster-whether natural or manmade-lead us to a new vision of society? 01:05:59 http://www.lapl.org/node/7160 Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Why, when many of the problems of the twenty-first century require scientific solutions, are Americans paying less and less attention to scientists? How might we reverse this alarming trend and integrate science into our national discourse--before it's too late? Why, when many of the problems of the twenty-first century require scientific solutions, are Americans paying less and less attention to scientists? How might we reverse this alarming trend and integrate science into our national discourse--before it's too late? 01:18:11 http://www.lapl.org/node/7159 Tue, 04 Aug 2009 19:00:00 -0800 How do notions of social responsibility and sustainability, in terms of design, impact the response to the growing density of Los Angeles and beyond? Presented in conjunction with the exhibition \"Richard Neutra, Architect: Sketches and Drawings in the Getty Gallery\" How do notions of social responsibility and sustainability, in terms of design, impact the response to the growing density of Los Angeles and beyond? Presented in conjunction with the exhibition \"Richard Neutra, Architect: Sketches and Drawings in the Getty Gallery\" 01:25:06 http://www.lapl.org/node/7173 Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:00:00 -0800 An evening of stories and songs by Rubén Martinez, with Joe Garcia and featuring John Schayer and Ruben Gonzalez High end art colonies materialize on dusty plains. Mexican migrant corridors transect Native lands. Writer Martinez, accompanied by his longtime musical partner, explores some of the oldest American symbols and the newest motley cast of characters to confront them. An evening of stories and songs by Rubén Martinez, with Joe Garcia and featuring John Schayer and Ruben Gonzalez High end art colonies materialize on dusty plains. Mexican migrant corridors transect Native lands. Writer Martinez, accompanied by his longtime musical partner, explores some of the oldest American symbols and the newest motley cast of characters to confront them. 01:12:05 http://www.lapl.org/node/7168 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Urban and rural collide in this wry, inspiring memoir of a woman who turned a vacant lot in downtown Oakland into a thriving farm. Urban and rural collide in this wry, inspiring memoir of a woman who turned a vacant lot in downtown Oakland into a thriving farm. 01:18:02 http://www.lapl.org/node/7158 Tue, 21 Jul 2009 19:00:00 -0800 What alternative avenues for urbanism can be developed as existing models have been undermined by the current economic crisis? How will issues of planning, infrastructure, and the public realm shape architecture and design in the coming generation? Presented in conjunction with the exhibition \"Richard Neutra, Architect: Sketches and Drawings in the Getty Gallery\" What alternative avenues for urbanism can be developed as existing models have been undermined by the current economic crisis? How will issues of planning, infrastructure, and the public realm shape architecture and design in the coming generation? Presented in conjunction with the exhibition \"Richard Neutra, Architect: Sketches and Drawings in the Getty Gallery\" 01:38:19 http://www.lapl.org/node/7157 Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:00:00 -0800 An award-winning journalist chronicles the life of her great-great grandfather, a brilliant gold-rush era entrepreneur and financier, who rose from store clerk to the upper echelons of society, founded L.A.'s first bank, resurrected the financially troubled Los Angeles Times, and helped establish U.S.C. An award-winning journalist chronicles the life of her great-great grandfather, a brilliant gold-rush era entrepreneur and financier, who rose from store clerk to the upper echelons of society, founded L.A.'s first bank, resurrected the financially troubled Los Angeles Times, and helped establish U.S.C. 00:59:57 http://www.lapl.org/node/7156 Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Abandonment, life, death (and, oddly, Cleveland) are explored in the hilarious second installment of Jim Krusoe's trilogy of novels about resurrection. Abandonment, life, death (and, oddly, Cleveland) are explored in the hilarious second installment of Jim Krusoe's trilogy of novels about resurrection. 01:14:53 http://www.lapl.org/node/7155 Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:00:00 -0800 \"Crimes litter the floor of California's great Central Valley like fallen plums . . . Old ties of blood, friendship, and memory are harshly tested . . . but hope takes root in the valley's generous yet unforgiving soil.\" (D.J. Waldie) \"Crimes litter the floor of California's great Central Valley like fallen plums . . . Old ties of blood, friendship, and memory are harshly tested . . . but hope takes root in the valley's generous yet unforgiving soil.\" (D.J. Waldie) 01:11:58 http://www.lapl.org/node/7154 Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Tabloid crimes, the Roaring 20's, and the onset of the Depression form the backdrop of Rayner's captivating tale of how the City of Angels lost its soul. Tabloid crimes, the Roaring 20's, and the onset of the Depression form the backdrop of Rayner's captivating tale of how the City of Angels lost its soul. 01:12:55 http://www.lapl.org/node/7153 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:00:00 -0800 A New Yorker reporter's definitive account of how decisions made behind closed doors in Washington spiraled out around the world, often with unintended consequences. A New Yorker reporter's definitive account of how decisions made behind closed doors in Washington spiraled out around the world, often with unintended consequences. 01:09:57 http://www.lapl.org/node/7151 Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Ansary, native of Afghanistan and astute cultural interpreter, tells the rich story of world history as the Islamic world sees it, from the time of Mohammed to the fall of the Ottoman Empire and beyond. Ansary, native of Afghanistan and astute cultural interpreter, tells the rich story of world history as the Islamic world sees it, from the time of Mohammed to the fall of the Ottoman Empire and beyond. 01:17:15 http://www.lapl.org/node/7150 Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:00:00 -0800 One of the world's best-known cognitive scientists explains why understanding language is critical in politics and why Reason is not as reasonable as we thought. One of the world's best-known cognitive scientists explains why understanding language is critical in politics and why Reason is not as reasonable as we thought. 01:22:07 http://www.lapl.org/node/7149 Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Photographer/author Harry Brant Chandler and historian Kevin Starr explore the fascinating lives of inspirational Southern Californians, the subjects of Chandler's unique portraits. Photographer/author Harry Brant Chandler and historian Kevin Starr explore the fascinating lives of inspirational Southern Californians, the subjects of Chandler's unique portraits. 00:57:44 http://www.lapl.org/node/7148 Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:00:00 -0800 A peerless interpreter of American life recounts his own long strange trip from rural Minnesota to the ivy-covered walls of Princeton-- a fascinating examination of the perils of an education that prizes the accumulation of points over the enrichment of the mind. A peerless interpreter of American life recounts his own long strange trip from rural Minnesota to the ivy-covered walls of Princeton-- a fascinating examination of the perils of an education that prizes the accumulation of points over the enrichment of the mind. 01:01:02 http://www.lapl.org/node/7147 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:00:00 -0800 In this history of human adventure, one of Latin America's most distinguished writers illuminates movements of ideas and society across centuries by recalling the lives of artists, writers, gods and visionaries-- from the Garden of Eden to 21st-century New York. In this history of human adventure, one of Latin America's most distinguished writers illuminates movements of ideas and society across centuries by recalling the lives of artists, writers, gods and visionaries-- from the Garden of Eden to 21st-century New York. 01:21:48 http://www.lapl.org/node/7146 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:00:00 -0800 How did smog help mold the modern-day culture of Los Angeles? Join this discussion about pollution, progress and the epic struggle against airborne poisons. How did smog help mold the modern-day culture of Los Angeles? Join this discussion about pollution, progress and the epic struggle against airborne poisons. 01:28:14 http://www.lapl.org/node/7145 Thu, 04 Jun 2009 19:00:00 -0800 A renowned essayist considers the achievements and limitations of his tantalizing, daunting subject. A renowned essayist considers the achievements and limitations of his tantalizing, daunting subject. 01:11:12 http://www.lapl.org/node/7142 Wed, 03 Jun 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Violence spills north of the border after the bloodiest year in the war to control drug smuggling through Tijuana. Join journalists from San Diego and Tijuana and a long-time watchdog of border violence to discuss the difficulties faced and methods used by reporters doing their jobs in Tijuana. Violence spills north of the border after the bloodiest year in the war to control drug smuggling through Tijuana. Join journalists from San Diego and Tijuana and a long-time watchdog of border violence to discuss the difficulties faced and methods used by reporters doing their jobs in Tijuana. 01:24:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/7139 Thu, 28 May 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Join us for an illuminating conversation with Tom Brokaw, veteran news anchor, author and 2009 recipient of the Los Angeles Public Library Literary Award. Join us for an illuminating conversation with Tom Brokaw, veteran news anchor, author and 2009 recipient of the Los Angeles Public Library Literary Award. 00:58:09 http://www.lapl.org/node/7141 Wed, 20 May 2009 19:00:00 -0800 The historically African- American enclave of Sag Harbor, on the east end of Long Island, is the setting for the wonderfully funny, supremely original novel by the MacArthur award-winning author of The Intuitionist. The historically African- American enclave of Sag Harbor, on the east end of Long Island, is the setting for the wonderfully funny, supremely original novel by the MacArthur award-winning author of The Intuitionist. 01:02:14 http://www.lapl.org/node/7140 Tue, 19 May 2009 19:00:00 -0800 In this tragicomic true story of the year in which both of his parents died, the award-winning author and humorist captures the heartbreaking and disorienting feeling of becoming a 55-year-old orphan. In this tragicomic true story of the year in which both of his parents died, the award-winning author and humorist captures the heartbreaking and disorienting feeling of becoming a 55-year-old orphan. 01:05:22 http://www.lapl.org/node/7128 Thu, 14 May 2009 19:00:00 -0800 One of America's most performed and admired composers, Adams (Nixon in China, Doctor Atomic) helped shape the landscape of contemporary classical music. His new memoir reveals the inner workings of his creative process and illuminates the recent history of music-making. One of America's most performed and admired composers, Adams (Nixon in China, Doctor Atomic) helped shape the landscape of contemporary classical music. His new memoir reveals the inner workings of his creative process and illuminates the recent history of music-making. 01:16:11 http://www.lapl.org/node/7135 Tue, 05 May 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Waldman-- a \"Cat 4 hurricane of unchained imagination, curiosity, and invention, political rage and erotic elation.\"-draws on animal lore, animal encounters, dreams, evolutionary biology, neuroscience, and Buddhist ritual in her new investigative hybrid-poem exploring the nuances of inter-species communication and compassion Waldman-- a \"Cat 4 hurricane of unchained imagination, curiosity, and invention, political rage and erotic elation.\"-draws on animal lore, animal encounters, dreams, evolutionary biology, neuroscience, and Buddhist ritual in her new investigative hybrid-poem exploring the nuances of inter-species communication and compassion 01:20:17 http://www.lapl.org/node/7134 Mon, 04 May 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Surveying the global scene, a preeminent scholar of religion launches a revolution in the way we understand-and confront-radical Islam. Surveying the global scene, a preeminent scholar of religion launches a revolution in the way we understand-and confront-radical Islam. 01:18:41 http://www.lapl.org/node/7144 Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Join us for this exuberant annual reading with emerging Los Angeles-area poets. Join us for this exuberant annual reading with emerging Los Angeles-area poets. 01:21:16 http://www.lapl.org/node/7133 Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Magically blending sarcasm and gravity, America's favorite surrealist poet and NPR commentator offers an impractical handbook for practical living in our posthuman world. Magically blending sarcasm and gravity, America's favorite surrealist poet and NPR commentator offers an impractical handbook for practical living in our posthuman world. 01:08:49 http://www.lapl.org/node/7132 Thu, 23 Apr 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Smiley, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and author of Thirteen Ways of Looking at the Novel, talks about how novels work and why we like them. Smiley, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and author of Thirteen Ways of Looking at the Novel, talks about how novels work and why we like them. 01:00:52 http://www.lapl.org/node/7131 Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Three members of the final judging panel for the Kingsley and Kate Tufts Poetry Awards, read from their own prize-winning work. Three members of the final judging panel for the Kingsley and Kate Tufts Poetry Awards, read from their own prize-winning work. 01:14:39 http://www.lapl.org/node/7127 Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Wangari Muta Maathai is the founder of the Green Belt Movement, which, through networks of rural women, has planted over 30 million trees across Kenya since 1977. In 2002, she was elected to Kenya's Parliament in the first free elections in a generation, and in 2003 was appointed Assistant Minister for Environment, Natural Resources, and Wildlife. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate of 2004, she is the author of Unbowed: A Memoir, and speaks to organizations around the world. Her newest book, The Challenge for Africa addresses the intricacies of African issues, such as the lack of technological developments, the absence of fair international trade, population pressures and enduring hunger, and the dearth of genuine political and economic leadership. Maathai stresses the need for Africans to invent and implement their own solutions, rather than relying on foreign aid and Western visions of change, and calls for a revolution in leadership on both a political and individual level. Wangari Muta Maathai is the founder of the Green Belt Movement, which, through networks of rural women, has planted over 30 million trees across Kenya since 1977. In 2002, she was elected to Kenya's Parliament in the first free elections in a generation, and in 2003 was appointed Assistant Minister for Environment, Natural Resources, and Wildlife. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate of 2004, she is the author of Unbowed: A Memoir, and speaks to organizations around the world. Her newest book, The Challenge for Africa addresses the intricacies of African issues, such as the lack of technological developments, the absence of fair international trade, population pressures and enduring hunger, and the dearth of genuine political and economic leadership. Maathai stresses the need for Africans to invent and implement their own solutions, rather than relying on foreign aid and Western visions of change, and calls for a revolution in leadership on both a political and individual level. 00:53:41 http://www.lapl.org/node/7130 Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Buergenthal, currently the American judge at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, arrived at Auschwitz at age ten, and was soon separated from his mother and then his father. In this inspiring memoir, he reminds us of the resilience of the human spirit. Buergenthal, currently the American judge at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, arrived at Auschwitz at age ten, and was soon separated from his mother and then his father. In this inspiring memoir, he reminds us of the resilience of the human spirit. 01:14:05 http://www.lapl.org/node/7129 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Nigerian music, Mexican farce, John Updike, Lou Reed. Polish puppeteers, Belgian Butoh, Irish bards? what goes into the making of a season of groundbreaking performing arts at REDCAT and UCLA Live? Nigerian music, Mexican farce, John Updike, Lou Reed. Polish puppeteers, Belgian Butoh, Irish bards? what goes into the making of a season of groundbreaking performing arts at REDCAT and UCLA Live? 01:09:10 http://www.lapl.org/node/7120 Tue, 14 Apr 2009 19:00:00 -0800 An award-winning investigative reporter exposes the global war on women's reproductive rights and its disastrous and unreported consequences for the future of global development. An award-winning investigative reporter exposes the global war on women's reproductive rights and its disastrous and unreported consequences for the future of global development. 01:08:55 http://www.lapl.org/node/7119 Tue, 07 Apr 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Fairchild, winner of the Kingsley Tufts Award, and Paschen, winner of the Nicholas Roerich Prize, read poems that celebrate how the humble -- the work of a machine shop, the duties of a home -- is exalted by attention and care, just as their poems are distinguished by thoughtfulness, gratitude, and a deep concern for the well-made phrase. Fairchild, winner of the Kingsley Tufts Award, and Paschen, winner of the Nicholas Roerich Prize, read poems that celebrate how the humble -- the work of a machine shop, the duties of a home -- is exalted by attention and care, just as their poems are distinguished by thoughtfulness, gratitude, and a deep concern for the well-made phrase. 00:56:19 http://www.lapl.org/node/7118 Mon, 06 Apr 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Arax, a native son, spent four years traveling the breadth of the Golden State to explore its singular place in the world. From the marijuana growing capital of the U.S. to the town that inspired The Grapes of Wrath, Arax offers a stunning panorama of California in a new century. Arax, a native son, spent four years traveling the breadth of the Golden State to explore its singular place in the world. From the marijuana growing capital of the U.S. to the town that inspired The Grapes of Wrath, Arax offers a stunning panorama of California in a new century. http://www.lapl.org/node/7117 Fri, 03 Apr 2009 19:00:00 -0800 SurveyLA marks a coming-of-age for LA's historic preservation movement. Join amateur historians and LA aficionados for the public kick off of SurveyLA, share your knowledge of LA's hidden gems, view a screening of the SurveyLA video, and attend a lively panel discussion with city officials, preservationists, community organizers and developers regarding this historic survey. SurveyLA marks a coming-of-age for LA's historic preservation movement. Join amateur historians and LA aficionados for the public kick off of SurveyLA, share your knowledge of LA's hidden gems, view a screening of the SurveyLA video, and attend a lively panel discussion with city officials, preservationists, community organizers and developers regarding this historic survey. http://www.lapl.org/node/7116 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:00:00 -0800 In this groundbreaking work, Hajratwala mixes history, memoir, and reportage to explore the questions facing not only her own Indian family but that of every immigrant: Where did we come from? Why did we leave? What did we give up and gain in the process? In this groundbreaking work, Hajratwala mixes history, memoir, and reportage to explore the questions facing not only her own Indian family but that of every immigrant: Where did we come from? Why did we leave? What did we give up and gain in the process? http://www.lapl.org/node/7115 Wed, 01 Apr 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Nilekani, Co-Chairman of Infosys, was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time Magazine in 2006 and Forbes Businessman of the Year in 2007. In his new book Imagining India, he discusses the future of the subcontinent and its role as a global citizen and emerging economic giant. Nilekani, Co-Chairman of Infosys, was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time Magazine in 2006 and Forbes Businessman of the Year in 2007. In his new book Imagining India, he discusses the future of the subcontinent and its role as a global citizen and emerging economic giant. http://www.lapl.org/node/7114 Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Relying on recently declassified documents, Richelson--Senior Fellow with the National Security Archive--reveals how NEST operated during the Cold War, how the agency has evolved, and its current efforts to reduce the chance of a nuclear device decimating an American city. Relying on recently declassified documents, Richelson--Senior Fellow with the National Security Archive--reveals how NEST operated during the Cold War, how the agency has evolved, and its current efforts to reduce the chance of a nuclear device decimating an American city. http://www.lapl.org/node/7113 Thu, 19 Mar 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Three emerging women writers discuss using nontraditional forms for an unconventional city, writing a polyvocal landscape for a polyvocal world, publishing with an independent press, and why women write LA better than anybody. Three emerging women writers discuss using nontraditional forms for an unconventional city, writing a polyvocal landscape for a polyvocal world, publishing with an independent press, and why women write LA better than anybody. http://www.lapl.org/node/7112 Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:00:00 -0800 A renowned scholar and translator offers a unique adaptation of the greatest passages from two ancient successors to Lao-tzu, illuminated by his own poetic commentary. A renowned scholar and translator offers a unique adaptation of the greatest passages from two ancient successors to Lao-tzu, illuminated by his own poetic commentary. http://www.lapl.org/node/7111 Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:00:00 -0800 A bestselling nonfiction author and renowned physician makes the leap to fiction with this epic tale that spans three continents and five decades, from a convent in India to a cargo ship bound for Yemen; from an operating room in Ethiopia to a hospital in the Bronx. A bestselling nonfiction author and renowned physician makes the leap to fiction with this epic tale that spans three continents and five decades, from a convent in India to a cargo ship bound for Yemen; from an operating room in Ethiopia to a hospital in the Bronx. http://www.lapl.org/node/7101 Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Is Pershing Square a study in failed urban design? What would it take to bring it back? Could we take lessons from New York City's beloved Bryant Park? Join us for a discussion on the future of what was once one of the most vibrant and elegant public spaces in downtown Los Angeles. Is Pershing Square a study in failed urban design? What would it take to bring it back? Could we take lessons from New York City's beloved Bryant Park? Join us for a discussion on the future of what was once one of the most vibrant and elegant public spaces in downtown Los Angeles. 01:30:09 http://www.lapl.org/node/7104 Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:00:00 -0800 A Pulitzer Prize-winning author reveals the inspiring and largely untold stories of the country's foremost environmental conservationists, activists, and visionaries. A Pulitzer Prize-winning author reveals the inspiring and largely untold stories of the country's foremost environmental conservationists, activists, and visionaries. 01:04:11 http://www.lapl.org/node/7110 Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Deftly weaving memoir and wide-ranging scientific investigation, a life-long insomniac guides us through the hidden terrain of a devastating and little understood condition. Deftly weaving memoir and wide-ranging scientific investigation, a life-long insomniac guides us through the hidden terrain of a devastating and little understood condition. http://www.lapl.org/node/7102 Thu, 05 Mar 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Resnick, who is one of Working Woman's Top 50 U.S. Women Business Owners began her career at the age of 19, when she founded a full-service advertising agency. She is behind the marketing success of brands such as POM Wonderful, Fiji Water and Teleflora. She and her husband Stewart also own Paramount Farms and Paramount Citrus Companies, making them the largest farmers of tree crops in the U.S. Resnick, who is one of Working Woman's Top 50 U.S. Women Business Owners began her career at the age of 19, when she founded a full-service advertising agency. She is behind the marketing success of brands such as POM Wonderful, Fiji Water and Teleflora. She and her husband Stewart also own Paramount Farms and Paramount Citrus Companies, making them the largest farmers of tree crops in the U.S. http://www.lapl.org/node/7109 Wed, 04 Mar 2009 19:00:00 -0800 American novelists are preoccupied with the tale of our (mostly dysfunctional) families. Unfortunately, contrary to Tolstoy's famous assertion, a lot of these unhappy families are starting to seem exactly alike. Two acclaimed novelists discuss ways to tell a true, new, enduring story of our most prized institution. American novelists are preoccupied with the tale of our (mostly dysfunctional) families. Unfortunately, contrary to Tolstoy's famous assertion, a lot of these unhappy families are starting to seem exactly alike. Two acclaimed novelists discuss ways to tell a true, new, enduring story of our most prized institution. http://www.lapl.org/node/7099 Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:00:00 -0800 New Yorker veteran Weschler discusses what it has been like, the past several decades, to be serving as Boswell simultaneously to two seemingly diametrically opposite giants of the contemporary art scene, Robert Irwin and David Hockney. New Yorker veteran Weschler discusses what it has been like, the past several decades, to be serving as Boswell simultaneously to two seemingly diametrically opposite giants of the contemporary art scene, Robert Irwin and David Hockney. 01:12:53 http://www.lapl.org/node/7100 Tue, 24 Feb 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Global investment guru El-Erian is published widely on international economics and financial topics, has served as Managing Director of Salomon Smith Barney/Citigroup in London and has enjoyed a 15-year career at the International Monetary Fund. He previously served as President and CEO of Harvard Management Company and as a member of the faculty of Harvard Business School. Global investment guru El-Erian is published widely on international economics and financial topics, has served as Managing Director of Salomon Smith Barney/Citigroup in London and has enjoyed a 15-year career at the International Monetary Fund. He previously served as President and CEO of Harvard Management Company and as a member of the faculty of Harvard Business School. http://www.lapl.org/node/7098 Mon, 23 Feb 2009 19:00:00 -0800 A longtime Middle East correspondent for Time Magazine-now living in Tehran-- offers a stunning and unforgettable window into the maelstrom of Iranian life and gives voice to the Iranian psyche. A longtime Middle East correspondent for Time Magazine-now living in Tehran-- offers a stunning and unforgettable window into the maelstrom of Iranian life and gives voice to the Iranian psyche. 01:06:11 http://www.lapl.org/node/7097 Thu, 19 Feb 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Fischer, a poet and well-known Zen teacher, deftly incorporates Buddhist, Judaic, and Christian thought-as well as his own unique understanding of life-into this reinterpretation of Homer's ancient story. Fischer, a poet and well-known Zen teacher, deftly incorporates Buddhist, Judaic, and Christian thought-as well as his own unique understanding of life-into this reinterpretation of Homer's ancient story. 01:15:31 http://www.lapl.org/node/7095 Thu, 12 Feb 2009 19:00:00 -0800 The author of Proust Was a Neuroscientist and creator of the Frontal Cortex blog draws on cutting-edge research and the real-world experience of a wide range of \"deciders\" to arm us with the tools we need to think harder (and smarter) about how we think. The author of Proust Was a Neuroscientist and creator of the Frontal Cortex blog draws on cutting-edge research and the real-world experience of a wide range of \"deciders\" to arm us with the tools we need to think harder (and smarter) about how we think. 01:10:49 http://www.lapl.org/node/7094 Thu, 05 Feb 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Why have we evolved positive emotions like gratitude, amusement, awe and compassion? Keltner, professor of psychology at UC Berkeley, offers a profound study of how emotion is the key to living the good life. Why have we evolved positive emotions like gratitude, amusement, awe and compassion? Keltner, professor of psychology at UC Berkeley, offers a profound study of how emotion is the key to living the good life. 01:04:49 http://www.lapl.org/node/7093 Wed, 04 Feb 2009 19:00:00 -0800 The bestselling author and director of the world-famous Hayden Planetarium chronicles America's irrational love affair with Pluto, man's best celestial friend The bestselling author and director of the world-famous Hayden Planetarium chronicles America's irrational love affair with Pluto, man's best celestial friend 01:21:49 http://www.lapl.org/node/7092 Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:00:00 -0800 A renowned sociologist challenges the still-prevailing and anachronistic images of aging, tracing the ways in which wisdom, experience, and new learning inspire individual growth and cultural transformation. A renowned sociologist challenges the still-prevailing and anachronistic images of aging, tracing the ways in which wisdom, experience, and new learning inspire individual growth and cultural transformation. 01:09:53 http://www.lapl.org/node/7103 Thu, 29 Jan 2009 19:00:00 -0800 The author of Out of Our Minds: Learning to Be Creative overcame polio to become one of the world's leaders in the development of creativity in business, education and human resources. Hear him hold forth on the potential and capacity of truly \"human\" resources. The author of Out of Our Minds: Learning to Be Creative overcame polio to become one of the world's leaders in the development of creativity in business, education and human resources. Hear him hold forth on the potential and capacity of truly \"human\" resources. http://www.lapl.org/node/7090 Wed, 28 Jan 2009 19:00:00 -0800 A distinguished panel explores the legacy of one of the West's most influential writers, who fought for protection of the region's delicate environment as well as recognition of a Western regional base and influenced generations of environmental writers. A distinguished panel explores the legacy of one of the West's most influential writers, who fought for protection of the region's delicate environment as well as recognition of a Western regional base and influenced generations of environmental writers. 01:23:43 http://www.lapl.org/node/7089 Tue, 27 Jan 2009 19:00:00 -0800 In his newest book, the Thurber-prize winning author interviews elder celebrities (among them Norman Mailer and LSD pioneer Ram Dass), reads deathbed confessions, Lao Tzu, William Burroughs' diaries, and considers the latest medical research on the brain as part of his quest to glean wisdom from the old (and wise) among us. In his newest book, the Thurber-prize winning author interviews elder celebrities (among them Norman Mailer and LSD pioneer Ram Dass), reads deathbed confessions, Lao Tzu, William Burroughs' diaries, and considers the latest medical research on the brain as part of his quest to glean wisdom from the old (and wise) among us. 01:18:55 http://www.lapl.org/node/7088 Thu, 22 Jan 2009 19:00:00 -0800 It's been 15 years since the 1994 quake. Is L.A. more prepared for the next one? Are WE? A panel of experts air their views: Mariana Amatullo, director, The L.A. Earthquake: Get Ready project at Art Center College of Design; Michael Dear, Professor of Geography and Urban Planning at USC; Lucy Jones, Caltech and USGS seismologist; Dennis Mileti, Director of the University of Colorado Natural Hazards Center; David Ulin, author, The Myth of Solid Ground: Earthquakes, Prediction and the Fault Line Between Reason and Faith. It's been 15 years since the 1994 quake. Is L.A. more prepared for the next one? Are WE? A panel of experts air their views: Mariana Amatullo, director, The L.A. Earthquake: Get Ready project at Art Center College of Design; Michael Dear, Professor of Geography and Urban Planning at USC; Lucy Jones, Caltech and USGS seismologist; Dennis Mileti, Director of the University of Colorado Natural Hazards Center; David Ulin, author, The Myth of Solid Ground: Earthquakes, Prediction and the Fault Line Between Reason and Faith. 01:28:32 http://www.lapl.org/node/7086 Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:00:00 -0800 A female boxer, a madwoman stuck in Purgatory, and an irreverent angel meet across space and time to explore redemption and forgiveness in this concert reading of a work-in-progress adapted from Wolverton's novel-in-poems. Cherry plays keyboards and conducts a jazz quartet to accompany the actors who will bring to life the poetry and song. Performed by: D'Lo, Marisol de Jesus, O-Lan Jones, Phil Meyer, Cesili Williams and David Ornette Cherry with Organic Roots: Justo Almario, reeds; Ollie Elder Jr., bass; Don Littleton, drums, percussion. A female boxer, a madwoman stuck in Purgatory, and an irreverent angel meet across space and time to explore redemption and forgiveness in this concert reading of a work-in-progress adapted from Wolverton's novel-in-poems. Cherry plays keyboards and conducts a jazz quartet to accompany the actors who will bring to life the poetry and song. Performed by: D'Lo, Marisol de Jesus, O-Lan Jones, Phil Meyer, Cesili Williams and David Ornette Cherry with Organic Roots: Justo Almario, reeds; Ollie Elder Jr., bass; Don Littleton, drums, percussion. 01:05:15 http://www.lapl.org/node/7084 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 19:00:00 -0800 01:22:37 http://www.lapl.org/node/7083 Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:00:00 -0800 The author of Reading Lolita in Tehran uses her life to transform the way we see the world and to \"remind us of why we read in the first place.\" The author of Reading Lolita in Tehran uses her life to transform the way we see the world and to \"remind us of why we read in the first place.\" 01:20:43 http://www.lapl.org/node/7082 Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:00:00 -0800 Combining two fascinating and contentious disciplines -- art and evolutionary science -- a philosopher, professor and founder/editor of the popular Arts & Letter Daily, argues that human tastes in art are shaped by Darwinian selection. Combining two fascinating and contentious disciplines -- art and evolutionary science -- a philosopher, professor and founder/editor of the popular Arts & Letter Daily, argues that human tastes in art are shaped by Darwinian selection. http://www.lapl.org/node/7081 Thu, 11 Dec 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Decades of conflicts and persecution have driven millions from their homes in all parts of the northeast African country of Sudan. Many thousands more have been enslaved as human spoils of war. Writers and surprise guests read alongside Sudanese refugees who recount their lives before their displacement, the reasons for their flight, and their hopes of someday returning home. Decades of conflicts and persecution have driven millions from their homes in all parts of the northeast African country of Sudan. Many thousands more have been enslaved as human spoils of war. Writers and surprise guests read alongside Sudanese refugees who recount their lives before their displacement, the reasons for their flight, and their hopes of someday returning home. 01:20:56 http://www.lapl.org/node/7075 Wed, 10 Dec 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Miller, book critic and co-founder of salon.com, fell in love with the Narnia books as a child. In this intellectual adventure story, she returns to Lewis' classic fantasies to see what mysteries Narnia still holds for adult eyes. Miller, book critic and co-founder of salon.com, fell in love with the Narnia books as a child. In this intellectual adventure story, she returns to Lewis' classic fantasies to see what mysteries Narnia still holds for adult eyes. 01:18:52 http://www.lapl.org/node/7085 Tue, 09 Dec 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Meet Michael Kinsley...TIME magazine columnist, and noted journalist who discussed his just-released book, Creative Capitalism at the ALOUD Business Forum in December. Nothing short of a revolution in thinking, Creative Capitalism is a collection of interviews and essays with Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and other key financial figures discussing the need to reinvent capitalism to benefit the world's poorest citizens. The book is intended to fuel debate, raise questions and inspire action. Kinsley was for many years the editor of The New Republic, host of CNN's Crossfire and founded Slate, the nation's first online magazine. He also served as the editorial page editor for The Los Angeles Times. Meet Michael Kinsley...TIME magazine columnist, and noted journalist who discussed his just-released book, Creative Capitalism at the ALOUD Business Forum in December. Nothing short of a revolution in thinking, Creative Capitalism is a collection of interviews and essays with Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and other key financial figures discussing the need to reinvent capitalism to benefit the world's poorest citizens. The book is intended to fuel debate, raise questions and inspire action. Kinsley was for many years the editor of The New Republic, host of CNN's Crossfire and founded Slate, the nation's first online magazine. He also served as the editorial page editor for The Los Angeles Times. 00:51:59 http://www.lapl.org/node/7074 Mon, 08 Dec 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Selected readings from Marisela Norte's debut collection of poetry, Peeping Tom Tom Girl, performed by long time friends and collaborators Norte y Gaitan. Selected readings from Marisela Norte's debut collection of poetry, Peeping Tom Tom Girl, performed by long time friends and collaborators Norte y Gaitan. 00:57:36 http://www.lapl.org/node/7079 Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Three distinctive voices in contemporary American poetry read their work and engage in an informal group discussion on their craft. Three distinctive voices in contemporary American poetry read their work and engage in an informal group discussion on their craft. 00:29:48 http://www.lapl.org/node/7073 Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Three distinctive voices in contemporary American poetry read their work and engage in an informal group discussion on their craft. Three distinctive voices in contemporary American poetry read their work and engage in an informal group discussion on their craft. 01:12:02 http://www.lapl.org/node/7077 Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:00:00 -0800 After building two Fortune 500 companies from the ground up, Eli Broad is devoting his full time and attention to philanthropy that uses entrepreneurship to advance the public good in education, science and the arts. In his book, Philanthrocapitalism, Matthew Bishop and co-author Michael Green examine how social investors, such as Broad, are using business acumen to reshape the way charitable giving is taking place. After building two Fortune 500 companies from the ground up, Eli Broad is devoting his full time and attention to philanthropy that uses entrepreneurship to advance the public good in education, science and the arts. In his book, Philanthrocapitalism, Matthew Bishop and co-author Michael Green examine how social investors, such as Broad, are using business acumen to reshape the way charitable giving is taking place. 01:02:06 http://www.lapl.org/node/7067 Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:00:00 -0800 In 1993, the Nobel committee lauded Toni Morrison \"who, in novels characterized by visionary force and poetic import, gives life to an essential aspect of American reality.\" Come celebrate this magnificent author and her new novel, A Mercy. In 1993, the Nobel committee lauded Toni Morrison \"who, in novels characterized by visionary force and poetic import, gives life to an essential aspect of American reality.\" Come celebrate this magnificent author and her new novel, A Mercy. 01:27:40 http://www.lapl.org/node/7059 Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:00:00 -0800 America's funnyman celebrates the electricity, the juju, the breeding, the sonic and kinetic energies of letters and their combinations, reminding us that "every time you use disinterested to mean uninterested, an angel dies." America's funnyman celebrates the electricity, the juju, the breeding, the sonic and kinetic energies of letters and their combinations, reminding us that "every time you use disinterested to mean uninterested, an angel dies." 1:06:56 http://www.lapl.org/node/7080 Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:00:00 -0800 How, in this age of scientific rationalism, can we begin to understand religious visions and mystical experiences--now being reported by a growing number of people on the nightly news, across the internet, and by word-of-mouth? Dr. Lisa Bitel and Dr. Michael A. Arbib discuss visions from the Middle Ages to today, especially the tensions between cultural, spiritual, and neurological explanations for extraordinary sights, and consider new ways to understand these mysterious phenomena.Made possible by a generous contribution from K&L Gates How, in this age of scientific rationalism, can we begin to understand religious visions and mystical experiences--now being reported by a growing number of people on the nightly news, across the internet, and by word-of-mouth? Dr. Lisa Bitel and Dr. Michael A. Arbib discuss visions from the Middle Ages to today, especially the tensions between cultural, spiritual, and neurological explanations for extraordinary sights, and consider new ways to understand these mysterious phenomena.Made possible by a generous contribution from K&L Gates 01:25:58 http://www.lapl.org/node/7076 Thu, 06 Nov 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Considered one of the top 100 influential people in Southern California (Los Angels Times), Tim Leiweke is a visionary leader at the forefront of change in downtown Los Angeles, creating a dining and entertainment district with Staples Center and LA Live. The collection of companies owned or operated by AEG are considered to be one of the world's leading presenters of sports and entertainment programming. Considered one of the top 100 influential people in Southern California (Los Angels Times), Tim Leiweke is a visionary leader at the forefront of change in downtown Los Angeles, creating a dining and entertainment district with Staples Center and LA Live. The collection of companies owned or operated by AEG are considered to be one of the world's leading presenters of sports and entertainment programming. 01:11:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/7066 Thu, 06 Nov 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Discussing Hebrew, Polish, and Irish writers, four of the world's best known poets examine how local politics, national realities, and cultural traditions affect great literary traditions. Discussing Hebrew, Polish, and Irish writers, four of the world's best known poets examine how local politics, national realities, and cultural traditions affect great literary traditions. 1:26:12 http://www.lapl.org/node/7072 Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Two fiction writers discuss what's real, what's not, and whether or not it really matters. Two fiction writers discuss what's real, what's not, and whether or not it really matters. 00:59:50 http://www.lapl.org/node/7071 Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:00:00 -0800 A Pulitzer Prize-winning historian (Battle Cry of Freedom) offers a revelatory portrait of leadership during the greatest crisis our nation has ever endured. A Pulitzer Prize-winning historian (Battle Cry of Freedom) offers a revelatory portrait of leadership during the greatest crisis our nation has ever endured. 01:13:30 http://www.lapl.org/node/7062 Thu, 23 Oct 2008 19:00:00 -0800 The Pulitzer Prize-winning author returns to the locale of her novel Gilead in a moving and healing book about love, death, faith, families, and the passing of the generations. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author returns to the locale of her novel Gilead in a moving and healing book about love, death, faith, families, and the passing of the generations. 1:01:06 http://www.lapl.org/node/7068 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:00:00 -0800 In his enthralling new novel, Buruma- an expert on modern Asia-uses the life of the starlet Yoshiko Yamaguchi as a lens through which to understand the contradictions and complexities of modern Japanese history. In his enthralling new novel, Buruma- an expert on modern Asia-uses the life of the starlet Yoshiko Yamaguchi as a lens through which to understand the contradictions and complexities of modern Japanese history. 01:13:22 http://www.lapl.org/node/7058 Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:00:00 -0800 The true story of the keepers of the Warsaw Zoo, who, with extraordinary courage, compassion, and calm under pressure, managed to save hundreds of people from Nazi hands. The true story of the keepers of the Warsaw Zoo, who, with extraordinary courage, compassion, and calm under pressure, managed to save hundreds of people from Nazi hands. 1:07:42 http://www.lapl.org/node/7041 Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:00:00 -0800 The writer who virtually invented the modern travel narrative returns-30 years later-to the changed landscape of Eastern Europe, Central Asia, India, China, Japan, and Siberia. The writer who virtually invented the modern travel narrative returns-30 years later-to the changed landscape of Eastern Europe, Central Asia, India, China, Japan, and Siberia. 00:52:10 http://www.lapl.org/node/7060 Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:00:00 -0800 A leading authority on Iraq-and architect of the partition plan endorsed by both Democratic and Republican presidential candidates and many members of Congress-reports on the real consequences of the U.S. invasion. A leading authority on Iraq-and architect of the partition plan endorsed by both Democratic and Republican presidential candidates and many members of Congress-reports on the real consequences of the U.S. invasion. 1:03:47 http://www.lapl.org/node/7188 Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:00:00 -0800 The photographer whose photographs serve as visual records for this city's dramatic evolution discusses his life and creative process. Presented in conjunction with the exhibition Julius Shulman's Los Angeles, at the Central Library's Getty Gallery October 6, 2007-January 20, 2008 The photographer whose photographs serve as visual records for this city's dramatic evolution discusses his life and creative process. Presented in conjunction with the exhibition Julius Shulman's Los Angeles, at the Central Library's Getty Gallery October 6, 2007-January 20, 2008 01:10:49 http://www.lapl.org/node/7065 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:00:00 -0800 A call to arms to every voter to remember what it means to live in a free democracy, and a reminder that it's possible for ordinary people to achieve extraordinary things-to get inspired and make a difference on their own. A call to arms to every voter to remember what it means to live in a free democracy, and a reminder that it's possible for ordinary people to achieve extraordinary things-to get inspired and make a difference on their own. 1:28:18 http://www.lapl.org/node/7061 Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:00:00 -0800 A historian and legal scholar tells the compelling saga of the Hemings family, whose close blood ties to our third president have been systemically expunged from American history until very recently. A historian and legal scholar tells the compelling saga of the Hemings family, whose close blood ties to our third president have been systemically expunged from American history until very recently. 1:14:52 http://www.lapl.org/node/7063 Sun, 28 Sep 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Two Los Angeles-based novelists explore the rise and fall of human lives in their brilliant fictions. Two Los Angeles-based novelists explore the rise and fall of human lives in their brilliant fictions. 1:07:42 http://www.lapl.org/node/7036 Thu, 25 Sep 2008 19:00:00 -0800 One of the world's leading intellectuals revisits his political roots, scrutinizes the totalitarianisms of the past, as well as those on the horizon, and argues powerfully for a new political and moral vision for our times. One of the world's leading intellectuals revisits his political roots, scrutinizes the totalitarianisms of the past, as well as those on the horizon, and argues powerfully for a new political and moral vision for our times. 01:08:26 http://www.lapl.org/node/7035 Tue, 23 Sep 2008 19:00:00 -0800 A Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter parts the curtains of secrecy to show how and why Dick Cheney operated and reflects on the legacy Cheney and the Bush administration as a whole will leave as they exit office. A Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter parts the curtains of secrecy to show how and why Dick Cheney operated and reflects on the legacy Cheney and the Bush administration as a whole will leave as they exit office. 01:11:58 http://www.lapl.org/node/7078 Thu, 18 Sep 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Two pre-eminent war correspondents offer a visceral understanding of America's overseas involvement-from the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan to the heat of the battle in Iraq, from Marine battalions in Ramadi to ordinary Iraqis whose voices have remained eerily silent. Two pre-eminent war correspondents offer a visceral understanding of America's overseas involvement-from the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan to the heat of the battle in Iraq, from Marine battalions in Ramadi to ordinary Iraqis whose voices have remained eerily silent. 01:14:50 http://www.lapl.org/node/7070 Wed, 17 Sep 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Detective Inspector Ray Lennox of the Edinburgh P.D., on leave for mental, finds himself in the underbelly of American party culture. A macabre and unorthodox thriller by the author of Trainspotting. Detective Inspector Ray Lennox of the Edinburgh P.D., on leave for mental, finds himself in the underbelly of American party culture. A macabre and unorthodox thriller by the author of Trainspotting. 01:11:48 http://www.lapl.org/node/7069 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:00:00 -0800 A reporter in the New York Times London bureau offers a hilarious and incisive look at her adopted home. \"Lyall will now be hailed as one of England's supreme analysts, preparatory to her being executed on Tower Green.\" (Clive James) A reporter in the New York Times London bureau offers a hilarious and incisive look at her adopted home. \"Lyall will now be hailed as one of England's supreme analysts, preparatory to her being executed on Tower Green.\" (Clive James) 01:10:04 http://www.lapl.org/node/7032 Wed, 10 Sep 2008 19:00:00 -0800 A philosopher and cultural critic-whose thought challenges traditional trajectories- takes on the signal issue of violence and inverts our pre-conceived and popular notions about its causes. A philosopher and cultural critic-whose thought challenges traditional trajectories- takes on the signal issue of violence and inverts our pre-conceived and popular notions about its causes. 01:19:42 http://www.lapl.org/node/7053 Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Coinciding with Banned Books Week is the revelatory story behind the 1939 burning and banning of Steinbeck's book in Kern County, Calif., home of the fictional Joads. Coinciding with Banned Books Week is the revelatory story behind the 1939 burning and banning of Steinbeck's book in Kern County, Calif., home of the fictional Joads. 01:09:52 http://www.lapl.org/node/7012 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:00:00 -0800 A Community Forum & Panel Discussion A Community Forum & Panel Discussion 01:38:36 http://www.lapl.org/node/7011 Thu, 07 Aug 2008 19:00:00 -0800 This pilot radio program (never broadcast) is comprised of excerpts from three ALOUD programs: a December 13, 2005 conversation between \"Six Feet Under\" writer/producer Alan Ball and writer/funeral director Thomas Lynch; a public talk on April 2, 2003 by playwright August Wilson, recipient of the 2003 Los Angeles Public Library Literary Award; and an April 4, 2005 poetry reading by W.S. Merwin. Guest Host: Alfred Molina. Co-produced by Louise Steinman and Johanna Cooper This pilot radio program (never broadcast) is comprised of excerpts from three ALOUD programs: a December 13, 2005 conversation between \"Six Feet Under\" writer/producer Alan Ball and writer/funeral director Thomas Lynch; a public talk on April 2, 2003 by playwright August Wilson, recipient of the 2003 Los Angeles Public Library Literary Award; and an April 4, 2005 poetry reading by W.S. Merwin. Guest Host: Alfred Molina. Co-produced by Louise Steinman and Johanna Cooper 00:50:26 http://www.lapl.org/node/7027 Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Featuring readings by Homeboy poets, on the deep impact creative writing can have on liberating formerly involved gang members. Featuring readings by Homeboy poets, on the deep impact creative writing can have on liberating formerly involved gang members. 1:23:19 http://www.lapl.org/node/7026 Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Please note, this program was presented in conjunction with a photo slide show. The slide show portion of the discussion is not included in this podcast. The longtime photojournalist for the L.A. Times, who has traveled the world documenting conflict, discusses his war photography in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as work on the project \"Altered Oceans,\" for which he shared the 2007 Pulitzer Prize. Please note, this program was presented in conjunction with a photo slide show. The slide show portion of the discussion is not included in this podcast. The longtime photojournalist for the L.A. Times, who has traveled the world documenting conflict, discusses his war photography in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as work on the project \"Altered Oceans,\" for which he shared the 2007 Pulitzer Prize. 00:46:50 http://www.lapl.org/node/7025 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:00:00 -0800 The inside account-with a wild cast of characters- of the battle over the true nature of black holes with nothing less than our understanding of the entire universe at stake. The inside account-with a wild cast of characters- of the battle over the true nature of black holes with nothing less than our understanding of the entire universe at stake. 1:03:07 http://www.lapl.org/node/7024 Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:00:00 -0800 An account of the legal struggles of two men whose civil liberties were compromised as a result of the US government's counterterrorism measures employed post-9/11 and how their experiences affect us all. An account of the legal struggles of two men whose civil liberties were compromised as a result of the US government's counterterrorism measures employed post-9/11 and how their experiences affect us all. 1:07:40 http://www.lapl.org/node/7023 Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Bardologists will love this wildly imaginative farce- think \"Shakespeare in Love\" on magic mushrooms-by the co-founder of The Reduced Shakespeare Company. Bardologists will love this wildly imaginative farce- think \"Shakespeare in Love\" on magic mushrooms-by the co-founder of The Reduced Shakespeare Company. 1:00:24 http://www.lapl.org/node/7022 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:00:00 -0800 A long-time community arts advocate recounts the efforts of artists world-wide (from Soweto to Belgrade to Watts) to resolve conflict, heal unspeakable trauma, give voice to the forgotten and disappeared, and re-stitch the cultural fabric of their communities. A long-time community arts advocate recounts the efforts of artists world-wide (from Soweto to Belgrade to Watts) to resolve conflict, heal unspeakable trauma, give voice to the forgotten and disappeared, and re-stitch the cultural fabric of their communities. 1:14:54 http://www.lapl.org/node/7021 Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:00:00 -0800 This annual poetry reading for local voices introduces a cross-section of lively, talented writers who are making an impression in the Los Angeles poetry community. This annual poetry reading for local voices introduces a cross-section of lively, talented writers who are making an impression in the Los Angeles poetry community. 1:39:30 http://www.lapl.org/node/7020 Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:00:00 -0800 The politically charged story of the wild horse in the American West, from its origins in North America to its life today, as government and lone operators with automatic weapons seek to clear it from the range. The politically charged story of the wild horse in the American West, from its origins in North America to its life today, as government and lone operators with automatic weapons seek to clear it from the range. 00:52:02 http://www.lapl.org/node/7019 Wed, 18 Jun 2008 19:00:00 -0800 First time author and three-time Oscar nominated actress (An Officer and a Gentleman, Terms of Endearment, and Shadowlands), Winger reflects upon her pursuit of a life beyond acting, converting her star status into a life filled with meaning. First time author and three-time Oscar nominated actress (An Officer and a Gentleman, Terms of Endearment, and Shadowlands), Winger reflects upon her pursuit of a life beyond acting, converting her star status into a life filled with meaning. 01:11:34 http://www.lapl.org/node/7018 Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:00:00 -0800 How does your mind know where your body ends and the outside world begins? Two acclaimed science writers discuss the largely unconscious ways that your brain builds maps of your body parts, your movements, the space around your body, the actions of others, and the sensations that lead to human emotions, health and disease.Made possible by a generous contribution from K&L Gates How does your mind know where your body ends and the outside world begins? Two acclaimed science writers discuss the largely unconscious ways that your brain builds maps of your body parts, your movements, the space around your body, the actions of others, and the sensations that lead to human emotions, health and disease.Made possible by a generous contribution from K&L Gates 1:23:50 http://www.lapl.org/node/7017 Thu, 12 Jun 2008 19:00:00 -0800 One of America's most admired journalists offers a manifesto for enlightened reform of the nation's military-industrial complex. One of America's most admired journalists offers a manifesto for enlightened reform of the nation's military-industrial complex. 1:10:50 http://www.lapl.org/node/7002 Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:00:00 -0800 A page-turning chronicle of the rise of the secretive think tank--born in the wake of World War II--that has been the driving force behind American government for the last half-century. A page-turning chronicle of the rise of the secretive think tank--born in the wake of World War II--that has been the driving force behind American government for the last half-century. 01:08:50 http://www.lapl.org/node/7016 Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Rising concerns over food safety and the environmental impact of industrialized agriculture suggest that the true costs of \"cheap\" calories are unsustainably high. As our food economy fast approaches its limits, California's innovative food community offers hope and a salad bar full of possible solutions. Rising concerns over food safety and the environmental impact of industrialized agriculture suggest that the true costs of \"cheap\" calories are unsustainably high. As our food economy fast approaches its limits, California's innovative food community offers hope and a salad bar full of possible solutions. 01:03:38 http://www.lapl.org/node/7015 Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:00:00 -0800 A candid account of a year in the life of four TFA recruits at Locke High School in South Central L.A. as they attempt to fulfill their mission to overcome the inequities in our educational system. A candid account of a year in the life of four TFA recruits at Locke High School in South Central L.A. as they attempt to fulfill their mission to overcome the inequities in our educational system. 1:12:04 http://www.lapl.org/node/7003 Tue, 03 Jun 2008 19:00:00 -0800 The author of House of Sand and Fog offers a new novel that explores sex and parenthood, honor and masculinity. The author of House of Sand and Fog offers a new novel that explores sex and parenthood, honor and masculinity. 01:06:56 http://www.lapl.org/node/7014 Thu, 29 May 2008 19:00:00 -0800 An acclaimed poet offers an unsparing portrait of her father-a civil rights leader and Episcopalian bishop of New York City- that explores the consequences of sexual secrets on one American family. An acclaimed poet offers an unsparing portrait of her father-a civil rights leader and Episcopalian bishop of New York City- that explores the consequences of sexual secrets on one American family. 1:10:54 http://www.lapl.org/node/7013 Wed, 28 May 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Greer (The Confessions of Max Tivoli) looks at the climate of repression in 1950s America and asks how far we are willing to go to escape that which confines us. Greer (The Confessions of Max Tivoli) looks at the climate of repression in 1950s America and asks how far we are willing to go to escape that which confines us. 1:03:04 http://www.lapl.org/node/7004 Wed, 21 May 2008 19:00:00 -0800 How do our brains construct a world from a confounding and often conflicting mass of visual cues? According to Koch, professor of Cognitive and Behavioral Biology at Caltech, understanding how we see helps us understand how we arrive at a sense of a conscious "self."This series made possible by a generous contribution from K&L Gates. How do our brains construct a world from a confounding and often conflicting mass of visual cues? According to Koch, professor of Cognitive and Behavioral Biology at Caltech, understanding how we see helps us understand how we arrive at a sense of a conscious "self."This series made possible by a generous contribution from K&L Gates. 01:15:51 http://www.lapl.org/node/7005 Tue, 20 May 2008 19:00:00 -0800 \"This is not a book about the decline of America, but rather about the rise of everyone else,\" begins the new work by Zakaria, editor of Newsweek International and one of our most distinguished thinkers. \"This is not a book about the decline of America, but rather about the rise of everyone else,\" begins the new work by Zakaria, editor of Newsweek International and one of our most distinguished thinkers. 01:05:20 http://www.lapl.org/node/7204 Wed, 14 May 2008 19:00:00 -0800 After a 32-year absence, the bestselling author and popular Miami Herald columnist returns to the fairways-with hilarious consequences. After a 32-year absence, the bestselling author and popular Miami Herald columnist returns to the fairways-with hilarious consequences. 01:00:35 http://www.lapl.org/node/7007 Tue, 13 May 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Drawn from a three-decades-long conversation with the Dalai Lama, Iyer's book explores the hidden life, the singular thinking, and the daily challenges of a global icon. Drawn from a three-decades-long conversation with the Dalai Lama, Iyer's book explores the hidden life, the singular thinking, and the daily challenges of a global icon. 01:18:15 http://www.lapl.org/node/7203 Thu, 08 May 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Coppola-award-winning documentary filmmaker, artist, wife and mother-employs the same insight and wit as she used in her Notes on the Making of Apocalypse Now to this account of the next chapters in her life. Coppola-award-winning documentary filmmaker, artist, wife and mother-employs the same insight and wit as she used in her Notes on the Making of Apocalypse Now to this account of the next chapters in her life. 01:12:50 http://www.lapl.org/node/7033 Tue, 06 May 2008 19:00:00 -0800 McSweeney's, publisher of the young and hip, brings us a debut novel of breadth, glee and sharp consequence by a 90-year-old ex-Marine who is also a two-time screenwriting Oscar nominee (\"Bad Day at Black Rock\") and co-creator of Mr. Magoo. McSweeney's, publisher of the young and hip, brings us a debut novel of breadth, glee and sharp consequence by a 90-year-old ex-Marine who is also a two-time screenwriting Oscar nominee (\"Bad Day at Black Rock\") and co-creator of Mr. Magoo. 1:10:35 http://www.lapl.org/node/7030 Thu, 01 May 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Larry McMurtry-Pulitzer prize-winning novelist, Academy Award-winning, screenwriter, essayist, and bookseller-will receive the 2008 Los Angeles Public Library Literary Award on April 30. As part of the tradition of the Literary Award, the recipient delivers a free public lecture. Join Mr. McMurtry for an afternoon of insights into his work and his life. \"No other author has so thoroughly and delightfully debunked the ill-advised romanticism of the American West. An American landmark in the world of fiction.\" (Jami Edwards, on Bookreporter.com). Larry McMurtry-Pulitzer prize-winning novelist, Academy Award-winning, screenwriter, essayist, and bookseller-will receive the 2008 Los Angeles Public Library Literary Award on April 30. As part of the tradition of the Literary Award, the recipient delivers a free public lecture. Join Mr. McMurtry for an afternoon of insights into his work and his life. \"No other author has so thoroughly and delightfully debunked the ill-advised romanticism of the American West. An American landmark in the world of fiction.\" (Jami Edwards, on Bookreporter.com). 00:58:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/7029 Mon, 28 Apr 2008 19:00:00 -0800 One of America's \"most exquisite storytellers\" (Esquire), a master of the memoir and the short story, reads from and discusses his first collection in over a decade. One of America's \"most exquisite storytellers\" (Esquire), a master of the memoir and the short story, reads from and discusses his first collection in over a decade. 1:10:44 http://www.lapl.org/node/7009 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:00:00 -0800 The two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and author of the bestseller Ghost Wars presents the story of the Bin Laden family's rise to power and privilege, revealing how American influences changed the family and how one member's rebellion changed America. The two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and author of the bestseller Ghost Wars presents the story of the Bin Laden family's rise to power and privilege, revealing how American influences changed the family and how one member's rebellion changed America. 01:03:36 http://www.lapl.org/node/7028 Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Few things are as fundamental to human happiness as satisfying sex. America's funniest science writer (Stiff) offers an ode to a fascinating and vital pursuit and a reminder that there is still much to learn. Few things are as fundamental to human happiness as satisfying sex. America's funniest science writer (Stiff) offers an ode to a fascinating and vital pursuit and a reminder that there is still much to learn. 00:56:14 http://www.lapl.org/node/7192 Mon, 07 Apr 2008 19:00:00 -0800 From the author of the bestseller The End of Poverty, a vivid map of the road to sustainable and equitable global prosperity and an augury of the global economic collapse that lies ahead if we don't follow it. From the author of the bestseller The End of Poverty, a vivid map of the road to sustainable and equitable global prosperity and an augury of the global economic collapse that lies ahead if we don't follow it. 01:10:37 http://www.lapl.org/node/7006 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Rosen, novelist and New York Times contributor, sets out to explore birdwatching's centrality--historical and literary, spiritual and scientific--to a culture torn between the desire both to conquer and to conserve. Rosen, novelist and New York Times contributor, sets out to explore birdwatching's centrality--historical and literary, spiritual and scientific--to a culture torn between the desire both to conquer and to conserve. 01:11:46 http://www.lapl.org/node/7000 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Millner, a young African-American woman, grew up in predominantly Hispanic and working class San Jose and went on to Harvard. In her memoir she tours the landscapes of possibility carved by race, class and culture for young Americans. Millner, a young African-American woman, grew up in predominantly Hispanic and working class San Jose and went on to Harvard. In her memoir she tours the landscapes of possibility carved by race, class and culture for young Americans. 01:05:20 http://www.lapl.org/node/7008 Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:00:00 -0800 From a great American realist-the author of Clockers and co-writer of The Wire-an X-ray of the streets of New York City in the age of no \"broken windows\" and \"quality of life\" police squads. From a great American realist-the author of Clockers and co-writer of The Wire-an X-ray of the streets of New York City in the age of no \"broken windows\" and \"quality of life\" police squads. 01:18:23 http://www.lapl.org/node/6999 Wed, 19 Mar 2008 19:00:00 -0800 In the years between World War II and the emergence of television as a mass medium, American popular culture was first created in the pulpy, boldly illustrated pages of comic books. Join us for a discussion of the lost world of comic books, their creativity, irreverence, and suspicion of authority. In the years between World War II and the emergence of television as a mass medium, American popular culture was first created in the pulpy, boldly illustrated pages of comic books. Join us for a discussion of the lost world of comic books, their creativity, irreverence, and suspicion of authority. 01:15:52 http://www.lapl.org/node/6998 Tue, 18 Mar 2008 19:00:00 -0800 In her new novel, the author of the now classic The Good Mother and While I Was Gone brings emotional power to her most transfixing themes: the meaning of loyalty, history, forgiveness and grace. In her new novel, the author of the now classic The Good Mother and While I Was Gone brings emotional power to her most transfixing themes: the meaning of loyalty, history, forgiveness and grace. 00:59:20 http://www.lapl.org/node/6983 Thu, 13 Mar 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Drawing on 35 years of reporting-through wars, revolutions and uprisings-one of America's most prescient journalists offers an insightful reckoning of the changes wracking the Middle East and their impact on its and America's future. Drawing on 35 years of reporting-through wars, revolutions and uprisings-one of America's most prescient journalists offers an insightful reckoning of the changes wracking the Middle East and their impact on its and America's future. 01:18:32 http://www.lapl.org/node/7202 Wed, 12 Mar 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Seeking a place where his deafness would be irrelevant, Josh Swiller volunteered for the Peace Corps and spent two years in a remote and impoverished village in Zambia. His hilarious and harrowing memoir recounts what he found there. Seeking a place where his deafness would be irrelevant, Josh Swiller volunteered for the Peace Corps and spent two years in a remote and impoverished village in Zambia. His hilarious and harrowing memoir recounts what he found there. 01:03:04 http://www.lapl.org/node/6997 Thu, 06 Mar 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Iran, as any civilization, is defined most thoroughly by the stories it spawns. Join us for a candid conversation between novelist Gina Nahai (Caspian Rain) and Robert Scheer (editor-in-chief, Truthdig.com and host of KCRW's Left, Right and Center) about faith, modernism, and the emotional ties that bind the people of Iran and America. Iran, as any civilization, is defined most thoroughly by the stories it spawns. Join us for a candid conversation between novelist Gina Nahai (Caspian Rain) and Robert Scheer (editor-in-chief, Truthdig.com and host of KCRW's Left, Right and Center) about faith, modernism, and the emotional ties that bind the people of Iran and America. 01:03:39 http://www.lapl.org/node/6996 Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:00:00 -0800 The prize-winning novelist (Il Postino)-for whom "neither life nor literature outside politics" is imaginable-sets his exuberant love story against the backdrop of the new Chile, free from the Pinochet dictatorship but prey to the perils of globalization. The prize-winning novelist (Il Postino)-for whom "neither life nor literature outside politics" is imaginable-sets his exuberant love story against the backdrop of the new Chile, free from the Pinochet dictatorship but prey to the perils of globalization. 01:16:32 http://www.lapl.org/node/6995 Wed, 27 Feb 2008 19:00:00 -0800 The Pulitzer Prize-winning author reveals the powerful legacy of the incomparable humanitarian who lost his life in a terrorist attack on UN Headquarters in Iraq in 2003. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author reveals the powerful legacy of the incomparable humanitarian who lost his life in a terrorist attack on UN Headquarters in Iraq in 2003. 01:19:10 http://www.lapl.org/node/6994 Tue, 26 Feb 2008 19:00:00 -0800 From the author of Freethinkers, a dazzlingly insightful-and occasionally hilarious-analysis of the anti-rationalism, anti-intellectualism, and anti-scientism that increasingly characterizes the cultural and intellectual life of this country. From the author of Freethinkers, a dazzlingly insightful-and occasionally hilarious-analysis of the anti-rationalism, anti-intellectualism, and anti-scientism that increasingly characterizes the cultural and intellectual life of this country. 01:08:40 http://www.lapl.org/node/6993 Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:00:00 -0800 The two-term mayor of San Francisco and longest-serving speaker of the California Assembly lays down some candid rules about surviving and manipulating Big Money and Big Media in today's politics. The two-term mayor of San Francisco and longest-serving speaker of the California Assembly lays down some candid rules about surviving and manipulating Big Money and Big Media in today's politics. 01:13:20 http://www.lapl.org/node/6982 Tue, 19 Feb 2008 19:00:00 -0800 The acclaimed poet and columnist for The Nation discusses her new book of essays dealing with sex, death, ex-lovers, politics, motherhood, aging, and learning to drive. The acclaimed poet and columnist for The Nation discusses her new book of essays dealing with sex, death, ex-lovers, politics, motherhood, aging, and learning to drive. 01:12:43 http://www.lapl.org/node/6991 Wed, 13 Feb 2008 19:00:00 -0800 From one of this country's most original voices comes a masterful new novel about a young Mexican-American who falls in love while sweeping the decks of an apartment building named The Flowers. In the midst of exploding racial violence, he must decide what he values and what he can do about it. From one of this country's most original voices comes a masterful new novel about a young Mexican-American who falls in love while sweeping the decks of an apartment building named The Flowers. In the midst of exploding racial violence, he must decide what he values and what he can do about it. 01:10:18 http://www.lapl.org/node/6981 Mon, 11 Feb 2008 19:00:00 -0800 The author of the national bestseller The Omnivore's Dilemma returns with a manifesto for our times: what to eat, what not to eat, and how to think about health. The author of the national bestseller The Omnivore's Dilemma returns with a manifesto for our times: what to eat, what not to eat, and how to think about health. 01:15:40 http://www.lapl.org/node/6990 Wed, 06 Feb 2008 19:00:00 -0800 The author of Reservation Road sets his mesmerizing new novel in 1959 Japan when Haruko, a non-aristocratic woman, marries the Crown Prince and enters the sealed-off and mysterious Japanese monarchy. The author of Reservation Road sets his mesmerizing new novel in 1959 Japan when Haruko, a non-aristocratic woman, marries the Crown Prince and enters the sealed-off and mysterious Japanese monarchy. 01:03:18 http://www.lapl.org/node/7216 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:00:00 -0800 The author's mother, Susan Sontag, died of a particularly acute form of leukemia in 2004. \"This,\" he writes, \"is a book of questions about what we know and, perhaps more importantly, what we can take in when confronted by the death of a loved one.\" The author's mother, Susan Sontag, died of a particularly acute form of leukemia in 2004. \"This,\" he writes, \"is a book of questions about what we know and, perhaps more importantly, what we can take in when confronted by the death of a loved one.\" 01:00:10 http://www.lapl.org/node/7215 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 19:00:00 -0800 The award-winning historian offers a new intellectual biography of the twentieth century's greatest experimental physicist, whose revolutionary discoveries included the orbital structure of the atom. The award-winning historian offers a new intellectual biography of the twentieth century's greatest experimental physicist, whose revolutionary discoveries included the orbital structure of the atom. 01:05:08 http://www.lapl.org/node/6989 Tue, 29 Jan 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Drawing on more than 6,000 pages of Leonardo's surviving notebooks, Capra reveals Leonardo-whose studies ranged from the flight patterns of birds to the mechanics of light-as the unacknowledged \"father of science.\" Drawing on more than 6,000 pages of Leonardo's surviving notebooks, Capra reveals Leonardo-whose studies ranged from the flight patterns of birds to the mechanics of light-as the unacknowledged \"father of science.\" 01:07:15 http://www.lapl.org/node/6984 Wed, 23 Jan 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Key voices in the development of downtown Los Angeles discuss their visions for the future. Key voices in the development of downtown Los Angeles discuss their visions for the future. 01:33:59 http://www.lapl.org/node/7214 Thu, 17 Jan 2008 19:00:00 -0800 In his explosive new book, Kennedy--a Harvard law scholar--shows how current fears of \"selling out\" are expressed in thought and practice and clarifies the effect they have on individuals and on American society as a whole. In his explosive new book, Kennedy--a Harvard law scholar--shows how current fears of \"selling out\" are expressed in thought and practice and clarifies the effect they have on individuals and on American society as a whole. 01:18:22 http://www.lapl.org/node/6976 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Frum-former speechwriter for President Bush-argues that Republicans, like the Democrats before them, have been the victims of their own success. He outlines a fresh vision of a GOP that can rebuild the conservative majority and elect the next Republican president. Frum-former speechwriter for President Bush-argues that Republicans, like the Democrats before them, have been the victims of their own success. He outlines a fresh vision of a GOP that can rebuild the conservative majority and elect the next Republican president. 01:15:56 http://www.lapl.org/node/6980 Tue, 15 Jan 2008 19:00:00 -0800 What if you could harness the power of the free market to solve the problems of poverty, hunger, and inequality? To some, it sounds impossible. But the Nobel Peace Prizewinner who invented micro-credit is doing exactly that. Yunus's \"Next Big Idea\" offers a pioneering model for nothing less than a new, more humane form of capitalism. What if you could harness the power of the free market to solve the problems of poverty, hunger, and inequality? To some, it sounds impossible. But the Nobel Peace Prizewinner who invented micro-credit is doing exactly that. Yunus's \"Next Big Idea\" offers a pioneering model for nothing less than a new, more humane form of capitalism. 01:19:30 http://www.lapl.org/node/6988 Thu, 10 Jan 2008 19:00:00 -0800 In her unconventional biography, Freeman illuminates the psyche and mystery of Chandler and his relationship with his much older wife as well as the City of Angels, to which Chandler's work is forever wed. In her unconventional biography, Freeman illuminates the psyche and mystery of Chandler and his relationship with his much older wife as well as the City of Angels, to which Chandler's work is forever wed. 01:05:10 http://www.lapl.org/node/6978 Wed, 09 Jan 2008 19:00:00 -0800 Slaves harvest cocoa in Ivory Coast, make charcoal used to produce steel in Brazil, weave carpets in India. The list goes on. Bales recounts his 15-year journey in search of real world solutions to ending slavery. Bales will introduce special guest Maria Suarez, an immigrant victim of sex trafficking. Slaves harvest cocoa in Ivory Coast, make charcoal used to produce steel in Brazil, weave carpets in India. The list goes on. Bales recounts his 15-year journey in search of real world solutions to ending slavery. Bales will introduce special guest Maria Suarez, an immigrant victim of sex trafficking. 01:18:10 http://www.lapl.org/node/6966 Mon, 03 Dec 2007 19:00:00 -0800 Known also as an essayist, translator, and activist on behalf of poetry, literacy, and the environment, the former United States Poet Laureate (1995-1997) is a poet of great eloquence, clarity, and force. About Hass's work, poet Stanley Kunitz wrote, \"Reading a poem by Robert Hass is like stepping into the ocean when the temperature of the water is not much different from that of the air. You scarcely know, until you feel the undertow tug at you, that you have entered into another element.\" Known also as an essayist, translator, and activist on behalf of poetry, literacy, and the environment, the former United States Poet Laureate (1995-1997) is a poet of great eloquence, clarity, and force. About Hass's work, poet Stanley Kunitz wrote, \"Reading a poem by Robert Hass is like stepping into the ocean when the temperature of the water is not much different from that of the air. You scarcely know, until you feel the undertow tug at you, that you have entered into another element.\" 01:30:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/6969 Wed, 28 Nov 2007 19:00:00 -0800 The longtime New Yorker writer--who once spent an evening with Jackie Onassis, smoking cigarettes and talking about men--culls from 20 years of probing and delightful cultural critiques of fashion, its personages, trends and history, to celebrate the lasting significance of its ephemeral qualities. The longtime New Yorker writer--who once spent an evening with Jackie Onassis, smoking cigarettes and talking about men--culls from 20 years of probing and delightful cultural critiques of fashion, its personages, trends and history, to celebrate the lasting significance of its ephemeral qualities. 01:30:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/7213 Tue, 27 Nov 2007 19:00:00 -0800 Two writers discuss their experiences writing at the historic MacDowell Colony then read from work begun or completed there. www.macdowellcolony.org Two writers discuss their experiences writing at the historic MacDowell Colony then read from work begun or completed there. www.macdowellcolony.org 01:05:36 http://www.lapl.org/node/6987 Mon, 26 Nov 2007 19:00:00 -0800 The New Yorker cartoonist who can explain phenomena such as \"The Museum of One's Kitchen\" (including the Refrigerator Door Gallery and the Cabinet of Many Teas) recently collaborated with Steve Martin on The Alphabet from A to Y With Bonus Letter Z. The New Yorker cartoonist who can explain phenomena such as \"The Museum of One's Kitchen\" (including the Refrigerator Door Gallery and the Cabinet of Many Teas) recently collaborated with Steve Martin on The Alphabet from A to Y With Bonus Letter Z. 01:02:56 http://www.lapl.org/node/6974 Mon, 19 Nov 2007 19:00:00 -0800 On March 5, 2007, a car bomb exploded on Mutanabbi Street, the lively center of Baghdad bookselling, filled with bookstores, cafes, and book stalls. 30 people were killed; more than 100 were wounded. Join poets and writers to memorialize this wounding of Baghdad's literary and intellectual heart. On March 5, 2007, a car bomb exploded on Mutanabbi Street, the lively center of Baghdad bookselling, filled with bookstores, cafes, and book stalls. 30 people were killed; more than 100 were wounded. Join poets and writers to memorialize this wounding of Baghdad's literary and intellectual heart. 02:00:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/7233 Thu, 15 Nov 2007 19:00:00 -0800 In the 2003 National Book Award judges' citation for his New Selected Poems, Kinnell was called \"America's preeminent visionary,\" with work in 12 collections that, \"greets each new age with rapture and abundance ... [and] sets him at the table with his mentors: Rilke, Whitman and Frost.\" In the 2003 National Book Award judges' citation for his New Selected Poems, Kinnell was called \"America's preeminent visionary,\" with work in 12 collections that, \"greets each new age with rapture and abundance ... [and] sets him at the table with his mentors: Rilke, Whitman and Frost.\" 01:10:29 http://www.lapl.org/node/6965 Wed, 14 Nov 2007 19:00:00 -0800 In this new novel by the National Book Award-winning author of Waiting, an émigré Chinese writer opens a restaurant in Atlanta in a daunting attempt to find his voice as a poet, support his family, and realize the American Dream. In this new novel by the National Book Award-winning author of Waiting, an émigré Chinese writer opens a restaurant in Atlanta in a daunting attempt to find his voice as a poet, support his family, and realize the American Dream. 01:30:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/6967 Tue, 13 Nov 2007 19:00:00 -0800 The iconoclastic Los Angeles Times columnist discusses how the mestizo legacy of Mexican-Americans, the largest immigrant group in the country's history, will forever change how Americans think about race and ethnicity. The iconoclastic Los Angeles Times columnist discusses how the mestizo legacy of Mexican-Americans, the largest immigrant group in the country's history, will forever change how Americans think about race and ethnicity. 01:30:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/6971 Thu, 08 Nov 2007 19:00:00 -0800 A riveting account of the unparalleled drama of the quest for the human genome by the scientist who went on to be the first to read and interpret his own genome. A riveting account of the unparalleled drama of the quest for the human genome by the scientist who went on to be the first to read and interpret his own genome. 01:30:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/6979 Thu, 01 Nov 2007 19:00:00 -0800 Evoking places as far flung as Iowa and India, Self-cultural provocateur, writer and long distance walker-teamed with legendary Gonzo illustrator Ralph Steadman to explore the intimate effects of geographical environment on human emotion and behavior. Evoking places as far flung as Iowa and India, Self-cultural provocateur, writer and long distance walker-teamed with legendary Gonzo illustrator Ralph Steadman to explore the intimate effects of geographical environment on human emotion and behavior. 01:10:18 http://www.lapl.org/node/7264 Tue, 30 Oct 2007 19:00:00 -0800 The illustrator, author and designer-known for her many New Yorker covers (including the famous map of \"Newyorkistan\")-contends with existential questions like: \"What is identity?\" \"Why do we fight wars?\" \"Why do hearts break in February and why do some people have a hankering for a dodo sandwich?\" Note: you are encouraged to wear your favorite hat to this program. The illustrator, author and designer-known for her many New Yorker covers (including the famous map of \"Newyorkistan\")-contends with existential questions like: \"What is identity?\" \"Why do we fight wars?\" \"Why do hearts break in February and why do some people have a hankering for a dodo sandwich?\" Note: you are encouraged to wear your favorite hat to this program. 01:01:43 http://www.lapl.org/node/7253 Mon, 29 Oct 2007 19:00:00 -0800 Today's most widely read economist weaves together a nuanced account of three generations of history with sharp political, social, and economic analysis. Today's most widely read economist weaves together a nuanced account of three generations of history with sharp political, social, and economic analysis. 01:16:03 http://www.lapl.org/node/7265 Wed, 24 Oct 2007 19:00:00 -0800 The New Yorker's brilliant music critic takes us inside the labyrinth of modern sound, from Vienna before World War I to New York City in the seventies. Through experiments, revolutions, riots, and friendships forged and broken-come listen to a history of the twentieth century through its music. The New Yorker's brilliant music critic takes us inside the labyrinth of modern sound, from Vienna before World War I to New York City in the seventies. Through experiments, revolutions, riots, and friendships forged and broken-come listen to a history of the twentieth century through its music. 01:20:08 http://www.lapl.org/node/6986 Tue, 23 Oct 2007 19:00:00 -0800 \"The poet laureate of medicine\" (New York Times) examines the complexities of our response to music and the particular powers of music to move us physically and emotionally, beneficially or destructively, showing how we humans are a musical species no less than a linguistic one. \"The poet laureate of medicine\" (New York Times) examines the complexities of our response to music and the particular powers of music to move us physically and emotionally, beneficially or destructively, showing how we humans are a musical species no less than a linguistic one. 01:08:37 http://www.lapl.org/node/7255 Mon, 22 Oct 2007 19:00:00 -0800 The acclaimed memoirist, author, and biographer of Jean Genet conjures the true-life love affair between author Stephen Crane and the woman known as his wife. The acclaimed memoirist, author, and biographer of Jean Genet conjures the true-life love affair between author Stephen Crane and the woman known as his wife. 01:01:15 http://www.lapl.org/node/7254 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 19:00:00 -0800 For 150 years, The Atlantic Monthly has explored what its founders-including Emerson, Longfellow and Holmes-called \"The American Idea.\" Join us for a high-spirited discussion with celebrated Atlantic contributors about the role literary masters have played in interpreting and often rebuking American society and culture. For 150 years, The Atlantic Monthly has explored what its founders-including Emerson, Longfellow and Holmes-called \"The American Idea.\" Join us for a high-spirited discussion with celebrated Atlantic contributors about the role literary masters have played in interpreting and often rebuking American society and culture. 01:14:25 http://www.lapl.org/node/7010 Tue, 16 Oct 2007 19:00:00 -0800 The Pulitzer Prize- winning author of Stiffed and Backlash examines the post-9/11 outpouring in the media, popular culture, and political life and offers a fiercely original view of ourselves, our history, and the future we may unwittingly be creating. The Pulitzer Prize- winning author of Stiffed and Backlash examines the post-9/11 outpouring in the media, popular culture, and political life and offers a fiercely original view of ourselves, our history, and the future we may unwittingly be creating. 01:17:36 http://www.lapl.org/node/6970 Tue, 02 Oct 2007 19:00:00 -0800 Based on exclusive interviews with Supreme Court Justices themselves and other insiders, The Nine is a timely and provocative report on America's most elite legal institution by The New Yorker's legal correspondent. Based on exclusive interviews with Supreme Court Justices themselves and other insiders, The Nine is a timely and provocative report on America's most elite legal institution by The New Yorker's legal correspondent. 01:30:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/6973 Thu, 27 Sep 2007 19:00:00 -0800 One of the world's preeminent scholars of World War II history, author of the bestselling Europe: A History and Rising '44, offers a clear-eyed reappraisal and an illuminating portrait of a conflict that continues to provoke debate today. One of the world's preeminent scholars of World War II history, author of the bestselling Europe: A History and Rising '44, offers a clear-eyed reappraisal and an illuminating portrait of a conflict that continues to provoke debate today. 01:30:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/6968 Mon, 24 Sep 2007 19:00:00 -0800 A highly respected statistical analyst of climate discusses why and how he believes the debate over climate change, fueled by politicians and the media, has stifled rational dialogue and marginalized meaningful dissent. A highly respected statistical analyst of climate discusses why and how he believes the debate over climate change, fueled by politicians and the media, has stifled rational dialogue and marginalized meaningful dissent. 01:30:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/6963 Tue, 18 Sep 2007 19:00:00 -0800 Alda and Farrell, former co-stars of M*A*S*H, both authors of recent memoirs, re-unite to discuss art, activism, family, money, and fame. Alda and Farrell, former co-stars of M*A*S*H, both authors of recent memoirs, re-unite to discuss art, activism, family, money, and fame. 01:00:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/6960 Mon, 17 Sep 2007 19:00:00 -0800 Robert Alter's translation of \"The Five Books of Moses\" was hailed as a \"godsend\" by poet Seamus Heaney. He discusses with Kirsch, also a Biblical scholar, his new translation of the timeless Book of Psalms. Robert Alter's translation of \"The Five Books of Moses\" was hailed as a \"godsend\" by poet Seamus Heaney. He discusses with Kirsch, also a Biblical scholar, his new translation of the timeless Book of Psalms. 1:03:28 http://www.lapl.org/node/7031 Mon, 10 Sep 2007 19:00:00 -0800 Gilmore's Golden Country vividly brings to life the intertwining stories of three immigrants seeking their fortunes. In Freudenberger's The Dissident, a performance artist/political activist collides with a wealthy Beverly Hills family. In these extraordinary first novels, family dynamics and cultures in collision are limned with hilarity and wisdom. Gilmore's Golden Country vividly brings to life the intertwining stories of three immigrants seeking their fortunes. In Freudenberger's The Dissident, a performance artist/political activist collides with a wealthy Beverly Hills family. In these extraordinary first novels, family dynamics and cultures in collision are limned with hilarity and wisdom. 1:03:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/60407 Wed, 25 Jul 2007 19:00:00 -0800 Kidd’s book jacket designs for Alfred A. Knopf, where he has worked since 1986, have helped spawn a revolution in the art of American book packaging. "The history of book design can be split into two eras: before graphic designer Chip Kidd and after." (Time Out New York)Presented on the occasion of the exhibition "Dancing by the Light of the Moon: The Art of Fred Marcellino" in Central Library’s Getty Gallery. Kidd’s book jacket designs for Alfred A. Knopf, where he has worked since 1986, have helped spawn a revolution in the art of American book packaging. "The history of book design can be split into two eras: before graphic designer Chip Kidd and after." (Time Out New York)Presented on the occasion of the exhibition "Dancing by the Light of the Moon: The Art of Fred Marcellino" in Central Library’s Getty Gallery. 01:15:13 http://www.lapl.org/node/7332 Tue, 24 Jul 2007 19:00:00 -0800 An unsettling and timely investigation into the ties between Beverly Hills, its oil wells, and a local cancer cluster. A compelling legal drama by a journalist and member of the Beverly Hills High School class of '71. An unsettling and timely investigation into the ties between Beverly Hills, its oil wells, and a local cancer cluster. A compelling legal drama by a journalist and member of the Beverly Hills High School class of '71. 01:10:29 http://www.lapl.org/node/7191 Mon, 04 Jun 2007 19:00:00 -0800 \"America's foremost literary pugilist\" (Village Voice) offers an elegantly argued case against all religions. \"America's foremost literary pugilist\" (Village Voice) offers an elegantly argued case against all religions. 01:24:20 http://www.lapl.org/node/7001 Wed, 23 May 2007 19:00:00 -0800 On a devastated, lawless American continent, families have only one hope: passage on a ship to Europe. A remarkable novel by one of the most inventive novelists writing in English today. On a devastated, lawless American continent, families have only one hope: passage on a ship to Europe. A remarkable novel by one of the most inventive novelists writing in English today. 01:24:06 http://www.lapl.org/node/6961 Tue, 22 May 2007 19:00:00 -0800 Two California-born writers-one from East L.A. and the other from the Central Valley-discuss their understanding of stories as a way to complicate our views of self, of morality, and of our relationships with the world around us. Two California-born writers-one from East L.A. and the other from the Central Valley-discuss their understanding of stories as a way to complicate our views of self, of morality, and of our relationships with the world around us. 01:30:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/30942 Mon, 21 May 2007 19:00:00 -0800 From the celebrated author of For the Relief of Unbearable Urges, a stunning historical novel—his first—set in Buenos Aires at the start of Argentina’s Dirty War.  From the celebrated author of For the Relief of Unbearable Urges, a stunning historical novel—his first—set in Buenos Aires at the start of Argentina’s Dirty War.  01:04:14 http://www.lapl.org/node/7302 Thu, 05 Apr 2007 19:00:00 -0800 At age twelve, Beah (now twenty-five), fled attacking rebels in his native Sierra Leone and was picked up by the government army. What is war like through the eyes of a child soldier? How does one become a killer? How does one stop? At age twelve, Beah (now twenty-five), fled attacking rebels in his native Sierra Leone and was picked up by the government army. What is war like through the eyes of a child soldier? How does one become a killer? How does one stop? 01:08:23 http://www.lapl.org/node/6964 Wed, 07 Mar 2007 19:00:00 -0800 Whether chronicling the class conflict in the African American community or exposing the failings of the government response to Hurricane Katrina, Dyson never shies away from controversy. Join two of America's most astute intellectuals in a discussion about issues that matter. Whether chronicling the class conflict in the African American community or exposing the failings of the government response to Hurricane Katrina, Dyson never shies away from controversy. Join two of America's most astute intellectuals in a discussion about issues that matter. 01:30:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/7034 Thu, 15 Feb 2007 19:00:00 -0800 In a society in which sex is both a major obsession and a major taboo, what is the function of erotic literature? Is there a new receptivity to thinking and writing about the sexual dimension? Join two award-winning American writers for a provocative discussion. In a society in which sex is both a major obsession and a major taboo, what is the function of erotic literature? Is there a new receptivity to thinking and writing about the sexual dimension? Join two award-winning American writers for a provocative discussion. 1:14:12 http://www.lapl.org/node/7330 Mon, 12 Feb 2007 19:00:00 -0800 Oren, recently visiting professor at Harvard and Yale and author of the best-selling Six Days of War - covers 230 years of America's political, military, and intellectual involvement in the Middle East from George Washington to George W. Bush. Oren, recently visiting professor at Harvard and Yale and author of the best-selling Six Days of War - covers 230 years of America's political, military, and intellectual involvement in the Middle East from George Washington to George W. Bush. 01:10:35 http://www.lapl.org/node/7331 Mon, 12 Feb 2007 19:00:00 -0800 Solnit-activist and cultural historian-draws on emblematic moments of uncertainty, trust, loss, memory, desire and place in brilliant autobiographical essays exploring how we find ourselves or lose ourselves. Solnit-activist and cultural historian-draws on emblematic moments of uncertainty, trust, loss, memory, desire and place in brilliant autobiographical essays exploring how we find ourselves or lose ourselves. 01:09:21 http://www.lapl.org/node/7038 Thu, 25 Jan 2007 19:00:00 -0800 Aslan (No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam) and Harris (The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason; Letter to a Christian Nation) square off for the first time to debate the future of religion and its role in society. Aslan (No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam) and Harris (The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason; Letter to a Christian Nation) square off for the first time to debate the future of religion and its role in society. 01:27:49 http://www.lapl.org/node/7273 Tue, 23 Jan 2007 19:00:00 -0800 A surprising love story set in 1946 Moscow and a camp in the Arctic Circle by the bestselling author of London Fields. A surprising love story set in 1946 Moscow and a camp in the Arctic Circle by the bestselling author of London Fields. 01:05:29 http://www.lapl.org/node/7286 Tue, 16 Jan 2007 19:00:00 -0800 What are the deep origins of communal celebration in human biology and culture? Join us for an original and exhilarating look at one of humanity's oldest traditions. What are the deep origins of communal celebration in human biology and culture? Join us for an original and exhilarating look at one of humanity's oldest traditions. 01:05:33 http://www.lapl.org/node/6977 Mon, 20 Nov 2006 19:00:00 -0800 The inimitable raconteur, essayist, novelist, playwright, historian, critic and screenwriter travels in memory through the arenas of literature, television, film, theater, politics, and international society. The inimitable raconteur, essayist, novelist, playwright, historian, critic and screenwriter travels in memory through the arenas of literature, television, film, theater, politics, and international society. 01:11:06 http://www.lapl.org/node/6985 Wed, 01 Nov 2006 19:00:00 -0800 The creator/executive producer and cast members of HBO's \"Deadwood\" discuss the themes and motivations that run through the series - gold, Custer, betrayal, profanity - and the remarkable accidents of history that created the wildest town in the West. The creator/executive producer and cast members of HBO's \"Deadwood\" discuss the themes and motivations that run through the series - gold, Custer, betrayal, profanity - and the remarkable accidents of history that created the wildest town in the West. 01:27:46 http://www.lapl.org/node/7037 Tue, 24 Oct 2006 19:00:00 -0800 The great Irish novelist--known as a pioneer for her frank portrayals of women--discusses her daring new work that explores the unbreakable bond between mother and child. \"O'Brien is a storyteller, an Irish story-teller, one of an ancient tradition of storytellers, people who tell the truth.\" (Thomas Cahill, Los Angeles Times Book Review) The great Irish novelist--known as a pioneer for her frank portrayals of women--discusses her daring new work that explores the unbreakable bond between mother and child. \"O'Brien is a storyteller, an Irish story-teller, one of an ancient tradition of storytellers, people who tell the truth.\" (Thomas Cahill, Los Angeles Times Book Review) 01:09:16 http://www.lapl.org/node/7039 Thu, 05 Oct 2006 19:00:00 -0800 Gordon, one of America's master story-tellers, probes the lives of her characters and how the workings of the world- both enormous events and intimate moments-define and change us. She discusses her writing life on the publication of the complete collection of her remarkable short fictions. Gordon, one of America's master story-tellers, probes the lives of her characters and how the workings of the world- both enormous events and intimate moments-define and change us. She discusses her writing life on the publication of the complete collection of her remarkable short fictions. 01:07:42 http://www.lapl.org/node/7352 Mon, 12 Jun 2006 19:00:00 -0800 A provocative discussion about the competing interests and issues raised by The Google Books Library Project, and whether a universal digital repository of our collective knowledge is in our future. With: Allan Adler, Association of American Publishers; David Drummond, Google; Fontayne Holmes, Los Angeles Public Library; Jonathan Kirsch, author and lawyer, Lawrence Lessig, Stanford Law School, and Gary Wolf, WIRED Magazine. A provocative discussion about the competing interests and issues raised by The Google Books Library Project, and whether a universal digital repository of our collective knowledge is in our future. With: Allan Adler, Association of American Publishers; David Drummond, Google; Fontayne Holmes, Los Angeles Public Library; Jonathan Kirsch, author and lawyer, Lawrence Lessig, Stanford Law School, and Gary Wolf, WIRED Magazine. 01:29:01 http://www.lapl.org/node/7274 Thu, 08 Jun 2006 19:00:00 -0800 Pekar, known for his autobiographical slice-of-life comic book series \"American Splendor\" and author of the just-released Ego & Hubris: The Michael Malice Story discusses artistic strategies and kvetching as a form of \"Outsider Realism\" with Conal, L.A.'s own iconic anti-icon master and guerrilla poster artist. Pekar, known for his autobiographical slice-of-life comic book series \"American Splendor\" and author of the just-released Ego & Hubris: The Michael Malice Story discusses artistic strategies and kvetching as a form of \"Outsider Realism\" with Conal, L.A.'s own iconic anti-icon master and guerrilla poster artist. 01:09:55 http://www.lapl.org/node/30935 Wed, 10 May 2006 19:00:00 -0800 The author of the national bestseller The Omnivore's Dilemma returns with a manifesto for our times: what to eat, what not to eat, and how to think about health. The author of the national bestseller The Omnivore's Dilemma returns with a manifesto for our times: what to eat, what not to eat, and how to think about health. 01:16:03 http://www.lapl.org/node/7040 Mon, 01 May 2006 19:00:00 -0800 Rowley, a distinguished biographer and Obst, legendary producer of films such as "Sleepless in Seattle" offers an intimate look at one of the world's most unconventional love stories. Rowley, a distinguished biographer and Obst, legendary producer of films such as "Sleepless in Seattle" offers an intimate look at one of the world's most unconventional love stories. 01:13:47 http://www.lapl.org/node/30944 Wed, 22 Feb 2006 19:00:00 -0800 Geraldine Brooks - in conversation with Carla Kaplan, Professor of English, USC - is the author of a luminous second novel (after 2001’s acclaimed Year of Wonders) entitled March: A Novel. This book imagines the Civil War experiences of Mr. March, the absent father in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. Geraldine Brooks - in conversation with Carla Kaplan, Professor of English, USC - is the author of a luminous second novel (after 2001’s acclaimed Year of Wonders) entitled March: A Novel. This book imagines the Civil War experiences of Mr. March, the absent father in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. 01:07:27 http://www.lapl.org/node/30948 Thu, 02 Feb 2006 19:00:00 -0800 Join two brilliant scholars of religion for a fascinating discussion on the internal conflict within Islam over the scope and outcome of the Islamic Reformation.This program was presented by ALOUD in 2006, and the recording from our archive was added to our podcast collection in 2014. Join two brilliant scholars of religion for a fascinating discussion on the internal conflict within Islam over the scope and outcome of the Islamic Reformation.This program was presented by ALOUD in 2006, and the recording from our archive was added to our podcast collection in 2014. 01:22:20 http://www.lapl.org/node/30939 Tue, 13 Dec 2005 19:00:00 -0800 Armistead Maupin discusses his book, A Night Listener.This program was presented by the Hot Off the Press series. Armistead Maupin discusses his book, A Night Listener.This program was presented by the Hot Off the Press series. 01:10:19 http://www.lapl.org/node/30945 Tue, 08 Nov 2005 19:00:00 -0800 Packer, award-winning staff writer for The New Yorker, explores the full range of ideas and emotions stirred up by our most controversial foreign-policy venture since Vietnam. Packer, award-winning staff writer for The New Yorker, explores the full range of ideas and emotions stirred up by our most controversial foreign-policy venture since Vietnam. 01:17:07 http://www.lapl.org/node/7329 Wed, 02 Nov 2005 19:00:00 -0800 Butler, one of the world's great science fiction writers, explores the limits of  "otherness" in her new novel-the story of a young, amnesiac girl whose alarmingly unhuman needs and abilities lead her to a startling conclusion. Butler, one of the world's great science fiction writers, explores the limits of  "otherness" in her new novel-the story of a young, amnesiac girl whose alarmingly unhuman needs and abilities lead her to a startling conclusion. 01:09:33 http://www.lapl.org/node/30938 Thu, 22 Sep 2005 19:00:00 -0800 Two great writers celebrate the novel—from the 1,000 year-old Tale of Genji to Zadie Smith’s recent bestseller White Teeth; from classics to little-known gems. Two great writers celebrate the novel—from the 1,000 year-old Tale of Genji to Zadie Smith’s recent bestseller White Teeth; from classics to little-known gems. 00:56:38 http://www.lapl.org/node/7285 Sat, 18 Jun 2005 19:00:00 -0800 While he can remember the plot of every book he's ever read, the hero of Eco's raucous new novel no longer knows his own name. While he can remember the plot of every book he's ever read, the hero of Eco's raucous new novel no longer knows his own name. 01:07:14 http://www.lapl.org/node/7262 Mon, 04 Apr 2005 19:00:00 -0800 In a career spanning five decades, W.S. Merwin, lauded poet, translator, and environmental activist, has become one of the most widely read poets in America. In a career spanning five decades, W.S. Merwin, lauded poet, translator, and environmental activist, has become one of the most widely read poets in America. 01:00:59 http://www.lapl.org/node/7313 Wed, 18 Feb 2004 19:00:00 -0800 The author of the prophetic national bestseller \"Blowback,\" offers a vivid look at the new caste of professional warriors who have infiltrated multiple branches of government, for whom the manipulation of the military budget is of vital interest. In conversation with journalist WARREN OLNEY (\"To the Point\"). The author of the prophetic national bestseller \"Blowback,\" offers a vivid look at the new caste of professional warriors who have infiltrated multiple branches of government, for whom the manipulation of the military budget is of vital interest. In conversation with journalist WARREN OLNEY (\"To the Point\"). 01:08:04 http://www.lapl.org/node/7287 Thu, 30 Jan 2003 19:00:00 -0800 A psychologist on South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission asks, "What does it mean when we discover than the incarnation of evil is as frighteningly human as we are?" In Conversation with Louise Steinman A psychologist on South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission asks, "What does it mean when we discover than the incarnation of evil is as frighteningly human as we are?" In Conversation with Louise Steinman 00:57:19 http://www.lapl.org/node/6972 Wed, 09 Oct 2002 19:00:00 -0800 An in-depth look at the impact of Vietnam on post-Cold War U.S. foreign policy by a distinguished Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. An in-depth look at the impact of Vietnam on post-Cold War U.S. foreign policy by a distinguished Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. 01:30:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/92644 Tue, 26 Sep 2000 19:00:00 -0800 In this recording from ALOUD's early years, Ursula K. Le Guin reads and discusses her 2000 science fiction novel The Telling, the first follow-up to the Hainish Cycle since 1974's The Dispossessed. The work explores themes of memory and forgetting in the context of political and religious conflicts between a corporate, totalitarian government and the indigenous resistance. The story hinges on the preservation and protection of ancient traditions of storytelling, locally referred to as "the Telling." In this recording from ALOUD's early years, Ursula K. Le Guin reads and discusses her 2000 science fiction novel The Telling, the first follow-up to the Hainish Cycle since 1974's The Dispossessed. The work explores themes of memory and forgetting in the context of political and religious conflicts between a corporate, totalitarian government and the indigenous resistance. The story hinges on the preservation and protection of ancient traditions of storytelling, locally referred to as "the Telling." http://www.lapl.org/node/7172 Sun, 07 May 2000 19:00:00 -0800 This podcast, taken from the ALOUD archive, is a discussion from 2000's \"Words In the World\" series; a curated series of artists whose stories, essays, poems, novels, and films illuminated a global culture in crisis and celebration, extending their imaginations into the vast territory of the heart and the world. This podcast, taken from the ALOUD archive, is a discussion from 2000's \"Words In the World\" series; a curated series of artists whose stories, essays, poems, novels, and films illuminated a global culture in crisis and celebration, extending their imaginations into the vast territory of the heart and the world. 01:26:59 http://www.lapl.org/node/30941 Sun, 12 Dec 1999 19:00:00 -0800 Robert Pinsky answers the question, "What Shall We Teach the Young?," touching on art and poetry.This program was presented by ALOUD's The Big Questions Series. Robert Pinsky answers the question, "What Shall We Teach the Young?," touching on art and poetry.This program was presented by ALOUD's The Big Questions Series. 01:00:44 http://www.lapl.org/node/7171 Sun, 05 Dec 1999 19:00:00 -0800 This podcast, taken from the ALOUD archive, is a discussion from 1999's \"The Big Questions\" series. A celebration of writing, reading, and public debate, \"The Big Questions\" features visionary thinkers in the arts, sciences, and humanities who are asking new questions, challenging accepted theories, and reframing ancient dialects. This podcast, taken from the ALOUD archive, is a discussion from 1999's \"The Big Questions\" series. A celebration of writing, reading, and public debate, \"The Big Questions\" features visionary thinkers in the arts, sciences, and humanities who are asking new questions, challenging accepted theories, and reframing ancient dialects. 01:20:45 http://www.lapl.org/node/7091 Fri, 30 Apr 1999 19:00:00 -0800 The great American writer John Updike received the Los Angeles Public Library's Literary Award in 1999. The award, given annually, is granted to a writer for his or her contribution to literature. Updike joins past winners Norman Mailer, Harper Lee, Susan Sontag, and Seamus Heaney in receiving this honor. The following recording is taken from his acceptance speech at the Library Foundation of Los Angeles' Annual Awards dinner. The great American writer John Updike received the Los Angeles Public Library's Literary Award in 1999. The award, given annually, is granted to a writer for his or her contribution to literature. Updike joins past winners Norman Mailer, Harper Lee, Susan Sontag, and Seamus Heaney in receiving this honor. The following recording is taken from his acceptance speech at the Library Foundation of Los Angeles' Annual Awards dinner. 00:20:00 http://www.lapl.org/node/7212 Fri, 05 Feb 1999 19:00:00 -0800 A novel about of a woman who refused to shrink from a life alone, and who comes to terms with the love she learns to share with both men and women. A novel about of a woman who refused to shrink from a life alone, and who comes to terms with the love she learns to share with both men and women. 01:02:08 http://www.lapl.org/node/7169 Sun, 15 Feb 1998 19:00:00 -0800 This podcast, taken from the ALOUD archive, is a discussion from 1998's \"Racing Towards the Millenium: Voices From the American West,\" a predecessor to ALOUD. This podcast, taken from the ALOUD archive, is a discussion from 1998's \"Racing Towards the Millenium: Voices From the American West,\" a predecessor to ALOUD. 01:29:22 http://www.lapl.org/node/74394 Sun, 01 Jun 1997 19:00:00 -0800 Bernard Cooper writes eloquently about the difficult landscape of memory as it pertains to sexuality, loss, AIDS, and family. He is the author of the collection of memoirs Maps to Anywhere, the novel A Year of Rhymes, and a recent collection of memoirs, Truth Serum. He received the 1991 PEN/Ernest Hemingway Award and a 1995 O. Henry Prize. He has taught at Antioch/Los Angeles, for the Masters of Professional Writing program at USC, at the UCLA Writer’s Program, and he has been a core faculty member in the MFA Writing Program at Bennington College. Of Truth Serum, playwright Tony Kushner has written, "One of the most beautiful and moving memoirs I've ever read... Reading Bernard Cooper is like reading Chechov, and he's really that good." This program was originally produced as part of the 1997 season of Racing Toward the Millennium: Voices from the American West, in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. Bernard Cooper writes eloquently about the difficult landscape of memory as it pertains to sexuality, loss, AIDS, and family. He is the author of the collection of memoirs Maps to Anywhere, the novel A Year of Rhymes, and a recent collection of memoirs, Truth Serum. He received the 1991 PEN/Ernest Hemingway Award and a 1995 O. Henry Prize. He has taught at Antioch/Los Angeles, for the Masters of Professional Writing program at USC, at the UCLA Writer’s Program, and he has been a core faculty member in the MFA Writing Program at Bennington College. Of Truth Serum, playwright Tony Kushner has written, "One of the most beautiful and moving memoirs I've ever read... Reading Bernard Cooper is like reading Chechov, and he's really that good." This program was originally produced as part of the 1997 season of Racing Toward the Millennium: Voices from the American West, in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. 01:29:53 http://www.lapl.org/node/74473 Sun, 18 May 1997 19:00:00 -0800 Kathleen Norris is the author of the 1993 bestseller Dakota: A Spiritual Geography. Her newest book, The Cloister Walk, is structured around two nine-month residencies at a Benedictine monastery. In it, she links the disparate worlds of 4th-century desert monks and modern-day Benedictines to epiphanies in the tiny South Dakota town where she and her husband moved in 1974. Renowned author Dr. Robert Coles lauded Norris's work in The New York Times Book Review: "Her writing is personal and epigrammatic—a series of short takes that ironically addresses the biggest subject matter possible: how one ought to live life and with what purposes in mind." Norris's narrative and lyrical poems have appeared in The New Yorker and the Paris Review. This program was produced as part of the 1997 season of Racing Toward the Millennium: Voices from the American West in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. Kathleen Norris is the author of the 1993 bestseller Dakota: A Spiritual Geography. Her newest book, The Cloister Walk, is structured around two nine-month residencies at a Benedictine monastery. In it, she links the disparate worlds of 4th-century desert monks and modern-day Benedictines to epiphanies in the tiny South Dakota town where she and her husband moved in 1974. Renowned author Dr. Robert Coles lauded Norris's work in The New York Times Book Review: "Her writing is personal and epigrammatic—a series of short takes that ironically addresses the biggest subject matter possible: how one ought to live life and with what purposes in mind." Norris's narrative and lyrical poems have appeared in The New Yorker and the Paris Review. This program was produced as part of the 1997 season of Racing Toward the Millennium: Voices from the American West in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. 01:32:44 http://www.lapl.org/node/75465 Sun, 04 May 1997 19:00:00 -0800 Dagoberto Gilb, of Anglo and Mexican heritage, calls both El Paso and Los Angeles home and is a union carpenter with a degree in philosophy. Gilb's rich experiences translate into stories that range the width of his native desert lands. He has been called "a powerful, necessary voice in American literature whose emergence defies any pigeon-holing." He is a winner of the James D. Phelan Award in Literature, the Whiting Award, the Dobie-Paisano Fellowship from the Texas Institute of Letters, and a recipient of an NEA Creative Writing Fellowship. He is the author of The Last Residence of Mickey Acuna and  The Magic of Blood, stories which Jim Harrison said: "deal with a portion of society that literature seldom ever reaches." Howard Junker is the founding editor & publisher of ZYZZYVA, a quarterly of West Coast writers and artists. This program was produced as part of the 1997 season of Racing Toward the Millennium: Voices from the American West in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. The media has been digitized with minor edits. Dagoberto Gilb, of Anglo and Mexican heritage, calls both El Paso and Los Angeles home and is a union carpenter with a degree in philosophy. Gilb's rich experiences translate into stories that range the width of his native desert lands. He has been called "a powerful, necessary voice in American literature whose emergence defies any pigeon-holing." He is a winner of the James D. Phelan Award in Literature, the Whiting Award, the Dobie-Paisano Fellowship from the Texas Institute of Letters, and a recipient of an NEA Creative Writing Fellowship. He is the author of The Last Residence of Mickey Acuna and  The Magic of Blood, stories which Jim Harrison said: "deal with a portion of society that literature seldom ever reaches." Howard Junker is the founding editor & publisher of ZYZZYVA, a quarterly of West Coast writers and artists. This program was produced as part of the 1997 season of Racing Toward the Millennium: Voices from the American West in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. The media has been digitized with minor edits. http://www.lapl.org/node/74486 Sun, 27 Apr 1997 19:00:00 -0800 Terry Tempest Williams is one of the most knowledgeable and elegant voices of the American West. She brings to her writing, in the words of the poet W.S. Merwin, "the dedicated observation of a naturalist and the abiding innocence and excitement of an open heart." Williams is a Naturalist-In-Residence at the Utah Museum of Natural History in Salt Lake City. A member of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, Williams is committed to protecting Americas Red Rock Desert. She is a recipient of a 1993 Fellowship for Nonfiction from the Lannan Foundation. Among her books are An Unnatural History of Family and Places and An Unspoken Hunger: Stories from the Field. This program was produced as part of the 1997 season of Racing Toward the Millennium: Voices from the American West in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. Terry Tempest Williams is one of the most knowledgeable and elegant voices of the American West. She brings to her writing, in the words of the poet W.S. Merwin, "the dedicated observation of a naturalist and the abiding innocence and excitement of an open heart." Williams is a Naturalist-In-Residence at the Utah Museum of Natural History in Salt Lake City. A member of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, Williams is committed to protecting Americas Red Rock Desert. She is a recipient of a 1993 Fellowship for Nonfiction from the Lannan Foundation. Among her books are An Unnatural History of Family and Places and An Unspoken Hunger: Stories from the Field. This program was produced as part of the 1997 season of Racing Toward the Millennium: Voices from the American West in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. 01:35:43 http://www.lapl.org/node/74442 Sun, 13 Apr 1997 19:00:00 -0800 Anne Lamott is the author of five novels, most recently Crooked Little Heart (1997). In addition, she wrote the bestseller Operating Instructions (1993), a highly personal account of life as a single mother during her son's first year; and Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, "a candidly drawn map of a writer's home terrain: dazzling peaks and weird, dark cellars." Lamott has been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship and has taught writing at U.C. Davis and at many writing conferences around the United States. She lives in the Bay Area. This program was produced as part of the 1997 season of Racing Toward the Millennium: Voices from the American West in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. Anne Lamott is the author of five novels, most recently Crooked Little Heart (1997). In addition, she wrote the bestseller Operating Instructions (1993), a highly personal account of life as a single mother during her son's first year; and Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, "a candidly drawn map of a writer's home terrain: dazzling peaks and weird, dark cellars." Lamott has been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship and has taught writing at U.C. Davis and at many writing conferences around the United States. She lives in the Bay Area. This program was produced as part of the 1997 season of Racing Toward the Millennium: Voices from the American West in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. 01:19:42 http://www.lapl.org/node/74441 Sun, 23 Mar 1997 19:00:00 -0800 Ivan Doig has described the Pacific Northwest in a number of well-known nonfiction books and novels, including Bucking the Sun (1996), Heart Earth (1993), Winter Brothers (1980), This House of Sky (1984), and the trilogy English Creek (1984), Dancing at the Rascal Fair (1987), and Ride with Me, Mariah Montana (1990). Born in White Sulpher Springs, Montana, Doig has been a ranch hand, newspaperman, magazine editor, and writer. Doig received the Distinguished Achievement Award of the Western Literature Association in 1989. He lives in Seattle, Washington. This program was originally produced as part of the 1997 season of Racing Toward the Millennium: Voices from the American West in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. Ivan Doig has described the Pacific Northwest in a number of well-known nonfiction books and novels, including Bucking the Sun (1996), Heart Earth (1993), Winter Brothers (1980), This House of Sky (1984), and the trilogy English Creek (1984), Dancing at the Rascal Fair (1987), and Ride with Me, Mariah Montana (1990). Born in White Sulpher Springs, Montana, Doig has been a ranch hand, newspaperman, magazine editor, and writer. Doig received the Distinguished Achievement Award of the Western Literature Association in 1989. He lives in Seattle, Washington. This program was originally produced as part of the 1997 season of Racing Toward the Millennium: Voices from the American West in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. 01:08:32 http://www.lapl.org/node/74411 Sun, 09 Mar 1997 19:00:00 -0800 This program includes readings and discussions among writers in exile from their native countries. Majid Naficy, an Iranian poet who fled Khomeini's regime at great risk, has lived in Los Angeles since 1985. He has published three collections of poems and holds a doctorate in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures from UCLA. Chinese novelist Anchee Min was born in Shanghai in 1957. At seventeen, she was sent to a labor collective, where talent scouts discovered her and recruited her to work as a movie actress at the Shanghai Film Studio. Her memoir Red Azalea, about life during the Cultural Revolution, was an international bestseller. SAID, born in Tehran in 1947, was forced to leave Iran at age seventeen and has lived in exile in Munich, Germany, since 1964. His publications include Poems of Love, Then I Will Scream Until Silence, and his most recent work, The Long Arm of the Mullahs: Notes from My Exile. This program was co-presented with Villa Aurora and produced in conjunction with the exhibition "Exiles and Emigres: The Flight of European Artists from Hitler" at LACMA. This program includes readings and discussions among writers in exile from their native countries. Majid Naficy, an Iranian poet who fled Khomeini's regime at great risk, has lived in Los Angeles since 1985. He has published three collections of poems and holds a doctorate in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures from UCLA. Chinese novelist Anchee Min was born in Shanghai in 1957. At seventeen, she was sent to a labor collective, where talent scouts discovered her and recruited her to work as a movie actress at the Shanghai Film Studio. Her memoir Red Azalea, about life during the Cultural Revolution, was an international bestseller. SAID, born in Tehran in 1947, was forced to leave Iran at age seventeen and has lived in exile in Munich, Germany, since 1964. His publications include Poems of Love, Then I Will Scream Until Silence, and his most recent work, The Long Arm of the Mullahs: Notes from My Exile. This program was co-presented with Villa Aurora and produced in conjunction with the exhibition "Exiles and Emigres: The Flight of European Artists from Hitler" at LACMA. 01:56:51 http://www.lapl.org/node/74410 Sun, 23 Feb 1997 19:00:00 -0800 In 1997, Sherman Alexie had just been named one of America's "Best Young Novelists" by GRANTA Magazine and had won the American Book Award. Alexie's work resonates with the collision between white and Native American cultures and while his subjects are serious, Alexie himself is often scathingly funny. In his work Indian Killer, Alexie creates a rich, panoramic portrayal of contemporary Seattle using a mystery story to tell some uncomfortable truths about Indian-white relations and racism in all its forms. A member of the Spokane/Coeur d'Alene tribe, Alexie lives in Seattle, Washington. This program was presented as part of the 1997 series of Racing Toward the Millennium: Voices from the American West. In 1997, Sherman Alexie had just been named one of America's "Best Young Novelists" by GRANTA Magazine and had won the American Book Award. Alexie's work resonates with the collision between white and Native American cultures and while his subjects are serious, Alexie himself is often scathingly funny. In his work Indian Killer, Alexie creates a rich, panoramic portrayal of contemporary Seattle using a mystery story to tell some uncomfortable truths about Indian-white relations and racism in all its forms. A member of the Spokane/Coeur d'Alene tribe, Alexie lives in Seattle, Washington. This program was presented as part of the 1997 series of Racing Toward the Millennium: Voices from the American West. 01:44:07 http://www.lapl.org/node/74396 Sun, 02 Feb 1997 19:00:00 -0800 David Mas Masumoto is a third-generation Japanese-American peach and grape farmer. His book Epitaph for a Peach: Four Seasons on My Family Farm is a chronicle of family, farm travails, and his struggle to market an old variety of peach. In addition to being a writer and farmer, Masumoto is a farm activist and a member of the California Council for the Humanities. His book was awarded the Julia Child Cookbook Award for best book in the Literary Food Writing category. He lives in Del Rey, California. This program as presented as part of the 1997 season of Racing Toward the Millennium: Voices from the American West in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. David Mas Masumoto is a third-generation Japanese-American peach and grape farmer. His book Epitaph for a Peach: Four Seasons on My Family Farm is a chronicle of family, farm travails, and his struggle to market an old variety of peach. In addition to being a writer and farmer, Masumoto is a farm activist and a member of the California Council for the Humanities. His book was awarded the Julia Child Cookbook Award for best book in the Literary Food Writing category. He lives in Del Rey, California. This program as presented as part of the 1997 season of Racing Toward the Millennium: Voices from the American West in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. 00:47:23