MÓNICA GUZMÁN presents I Never Thought of It That Way:
How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Lives
In-conversation with PEGGY HOLMAN
Thursday, May 26, 2022, 6pm PDT
Tickets available now!
In Mónica Guzmán’s new book, I Never Thought of It That Way, the award-winning journalist illustrates how important it is to hear people out fully and freely. She provides a toolkit for asking what you really want to know, even if you’re afraid to; how to grow smarter from even the most tense interactions; and how to cross boundaries and find common ground with anyone.
Whether you're left, right, center, or not a fan of labels: if you're ready to transcend the confusion, heartbreak, and madness of our dangerously divided times, join us for a brief discussion of the book followed by small and large group conversations to experience talking constructively with strangers about difficult topics.
A community conversation is a dialog among participants. A community conversation is different from a traditional author event because it requires participants to practice active listening, explore each other’s views, and strive to discover common ground. This pilot community conversation is sponsored by Reimagining Bookstores, a movement to support bookstores as a social cause, a public good similar to libraries, public radio and television stations, and nonprofit journalism. We are committed to helping bookstores deepen literacy, strengthen their communities, and pay living wages to their staff.
Please note:
How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Lives
In-conversation with PEGGY HOLMAN
Thursday, May 26, 2022, 6pm PDT
Tickets available now!
In Mónica Guzmán’s new book, I Never Thought of It That Way, the award-winning journalist illustrates how important it is to hear people out fully and freely. She provides a toolkit for asking what you really want to know, even if you’re afraid to; how to grow smarter from even the most tense interactions; and how to cross boundaries and find common ground with anyone.
Whether you're left, right, center, or not a fan of labels: if you're ready to transcend the confusion, heartbreak, and madness of our dangerously divided times, join us for a brief discussion of the book followed by small and large group conversations to experience talking constructively with strangers about difficult topics.
A community conversation is a dialog among participants. A community conversation is different from a traditional author event because it requires participants to practice active listening, explore each other’s views, and strive to discover common ground. This pilot community conversation is sponsored by Reimagining Bookstores, a movement to support bookstores as a social cause, a public good similar to libraries, public radio and television stations, and nonprofit journalism. We are committed to helping bookstores deepen literacy, strengthen their communities, and pay living wages to their staff.
Please note:
- This is a virtual event. You can get tickets here.
- A connection link will be sent to all ticket holders.
- You can order I Never Thought of It That Way here and we'll ship it directly to you (or hold for pickup at our San Francisco shop). We are happy to fulfill orders anywhere in the world – international postage will be invoiced separately.
- Questions? Contact events@booksmith.com
Mónica Guzmán is a bridge builder, journalist, and entrepreneur who lives for great conversations sparked by curious questions. She's director of digital and storytelling at Braver Angels, the nation's largest cross-partisan grassroots organization working to depolarize America; host of live interview series at Crosscut; and cofounder of the award-winning Seattle newsletter The Evergrey. She was a 2019 fellow at the Henry M. Jackson Foundation, where she studied social and political division, and a 2016 fellow at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University, where she researched how journalists can rethink their roles to better meet the needs of a participatory public. She was named one of the 50 most influential women in Seattle, served twice as a juror for the Pulitzer Prizes, and plays a barbarian named Shadrack in her besties' Dungeons & Dragons campaign. A Mexican immigrant, Latina, and dual US/Mexico citizen, she lives in Seattle with her husband and two kids and is the proud liberal daughter of conservative parents.
Peggy Holman supports diverse groups in facing complex issues by turning presentation into conversation and passivity into participation. In The Change Handbook, Holman & her co-authors profile 61 practices that engage people in creating their desired future. Her award-winning Engaging Emergence: Turning Upheaval into Opportunity provides a roadmap for tackling complex challenges through stories, principles, and practices. Holman is a co-founder of Journalism That Matters, a nonprofit that supports and equips the adventurers who transform relationships between communities and journalism for a strong, inclusive democracy.
OBI KAUFMANN presents THE COASTS OF CALIFORNIA
Tuesday, June 7, 2022, 6pm PDT
Tickets available now!
California's coastline is world famous, an endless source of fascination and fantasy, but there is no book about it like this one. Obi Kaufmann, author-illustrator of The California Field Atlas and The Forests of California, now turns his attention to the 1,200 miles of the Golden State where the land meets the ocean. Bursting with color, The Coasts of California is in Kaufmann's signature style, fusing science with art and pure poetic reverie. And much more than a survey of tourist spots, Coasts is a full immersion into the astonishingly varied natural worlds that hug California's shoreline. With hundreds of gorgeous watercolor maps and illustrations, Kaufmann explores the rhythms of the tides, the lives of sea creatures, the shifting of rocks and sand, and the special habitats found on California's islands. At the book's core is an expansive, detailed walk down the California Coastal Trail, including maps of parks along the way--a wealth of knowledge for any coast-lover. The Coasts of California is a geographic epic, an odyssey in nature, a grand and glorious book for a grand and glorious part of the world.Whether you're left, right, center, or not a fan of labels: if you're ready to transcend the confusion, heartbreak, and madness of our dangerously divided times, join us for a brief discussion of the book followed by small and large group conversations to experience talking constructively with strangers about difficult topics.
Please note:
Tuesday, June 7, 2022, 6pm PDT
Tickets available now!
California's coastline is world famous, an endless source of fascination and fantasy, but there is no book about it like this one. Obi Kaufmann, author-illustrator of The California Field Atlas and The Forests of California, now turns his attention to the 1,200 miles of the Golden State where the land meets the ocean. Bursting with color, The Coasts of California is in Kaufmann's signature style, fusing science with art and pure poetic reverie. And much more than a survey of tourist spots, Coasts is a full immersion into the astonishingly varied natural worlds that hug California's shoreline. With hundreds of gorgeous watercolor maps and illustrations, Kaufmann explores the rhythms of the tides, the lives of sea creatures, the shifting of rocks and sand, and the special habitats found on California's islands. At the book's core is an expansive, detailed walk down the California Coastal Trail, including maps of parks along the way--a wealth of knowledge for any coast-lover. The Coasts of California is a geographic epic, an odyssey in nature, a grand and glorious book for a grand and glorious part of the world.Whether you're left, right, center, or not a fan of labels: if you're ready to transcend the confusion, heartbreak, and madness of our dangerously divided times, join us for a brief discussion of the book followed by small and large group conversations to experience talking constructively with strangers about difficult topics.
Please note:
- This is a virtual event. You can get tickets here.
- A connection link will be sent to all ticket holders.
- You can order The Coasts of California here and we'll ship it directly to you (or hold for pickup at our San Francisco shop). We are happy to fulfill orders anywhere in the world – postage will be invoiced separately.
- Questions? Contact events@booksmith.com
Growing up in the East Bay as the son of an astrophysicist and a psychologist, Obi Kaufmann spent most of high school practicing calculus and breaking away on weekends to scramble around Mount Diablo and map its creeks, oak forests, and sage mazes. Into adulthood, he would regularly journey into the mountains, spending more summer nights without a roof than with one. He is the author of The California Field Atlas (2017, #1 San Francisco Chronicle Best Seller), The State of Water: Understanding California’s Most Precious Natural Resource (2019), and The Forests of California: A California Field Atlas (2020), all published by Heyday. When he is not backpacking, you can find the painter-poet at home in the East Bay, posting trail paintings at his handle @coyotethunder on Instagram. His website is coyoteandthunder.com.
DR. IBRAM X. KENDI presents HOW TO RAISE AN ANTIRACIST
In-conversation with W. KAMAU BELL
Friday, June 24, 2022, 7pm PDT
First Presbyterian Church, 2407 Dana Street, Berkeley
Tickets available now!
The tragedies and reckonings around racism that are rocking the country have created a specific crisis for parents, educators, and other caregivers: How do we talk to our children about racism? How do we teach children to be antiracist? How are kids at different ages experiencing race? How are racist structures impacting children? How can we inspire our children to avoid our mistakes, to be better, to make the world better?
These are the questions Ibram X. Kendi found himself avoiding as he anticipated the birth of his first child. Like most parents or parents-to-be, he felt the reflex to not talk to his child about racism, which he feared would stain her innocence and steal away her joy. But research and experience changed his mind, and he realized that raising his child to be antiracist would actually protect his child, and preserve her innocence and joy. He realized that teaching students about the reality of racism and the myth of race provides a protective education in our diverse and unequal world. He realized that building antiracist societies safeguards all children from the harms of racism.
Following the accessible genre of his internationally bestselling How to Be an Antiracist, Kendi combines a century of scientific research with a vulnerable and compelling personal narrative of his own journey as a parent and as a child in school. The chapters follow the stages of child development from pregnancy to toddler to schoolkid to teenager. It is never too early or late to start raising young people to be antiracist.
Please note:
In-conversation with W. KAMAU BELL
Friday, June 24, 2022, 7pm PDT
First Presbyterian Church, 2407 Dana Street, Berkeley
Tickets available now!
The tragedies and reckonings around racism that are rocking the country have created a specific crisis for parents, educators, and other caregivers: How do we talk to our children about racism? How do we teach children to be antiracist? How are kids at different ages experiencing race? How are racist structures impacting children? How can we inspire our children to avoid our mistakes, to be better, to make the world better?
These are the questions Ibram X. Kendi found himself avoiding as he anticipated the birth of his first child. Like most parents or parents-to-be, he felt the reflex to not talk to his child about racism, which he feared would stain her innocence and steal away her joy. But research and experience changed his mind, and he realized that raising his child to be antiracist would actually protect his child, and preserve her innocence and joy. He realized that teaching students about the reality of racism and the myth of race provides a protective education in our diverse and unequal world. He realized that building antiracist societies safeguards all children from the harms of racism.
Following the accessible genre of his internationally bestselling How to Be an Antiracist, Kendi combines a century of scientific research with a vulnerable and compelling personal narrative of his own journey as a parent and as a child in school. The chapters follow the stages of child development from pregnancy to toddler to schoolkid to teenager. It is never too early or late to start raising young people to be antiracist.
Please note:
- This is a ticketed, in-person event. Each ticket includes a hardcover copy of How to Raise an Antiracist.
- This is an offsite event, to be held at First Presbyterian Church, 2407 Dana St. in Berkeley, CA.
- Safety: ID and proof of full vaccination, including booster, will be required at the door. Masks will be required throughout the duration of the event and capacity will be limited to allow indoor distancing.
- Because we’re limiting capacity, we can't guarantee we'll have space for walk-ins. The best way to ensure you’ll get a seat is to order a ticket now.
- We are happy to offer *signed copies* of How to Raise an Antiracist (while supplies last): order a ticket if you'd like to pick up a signed copy at the event.
- We will also be celebrating the release of Dr. Kendi's new picture book Goodnight Racism, a modern bedtime classic illustrated by Cbabi Bayoc that gives children the language to dream of a better world, which you can order here or purchase from our sales table at the event.
- You can pre-order signed copies of Do the Work! An Antiracist Activity Book by W. Kamau Bell and Kate Schatz here.
- If we feel it is not safe to gather, as the event gets closer, we will pivot to a virtual event and your registration will remain valid.
- Questions? Write events@booksmith.com.
Dr. Ibram X. Kendi is the Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities at Boston University and the founding director of the BU Center for Antiracist Research. He is a contributing writer at The Atlantic and a CBS News racial justice contributor. He is the host of the new action podcast Be Antiracist. Dr. Kendi is the author of many highly acclaimed books including Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, which won the National Book Award for Nonfiction, making him the youngest-ever winner of that award. He has also produced five straight #1 New York Times bestsellers, including How to Be an Antiracist, Antiracist Baby, and Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, co-authored by Jason Reynolds. In 2020, Time magazine named Dr. Kendi one of the 100 most influential people in the world. He was awarded a 2021 MacArthur Fellowship, popularly known as the Genius Grant. Author photo by Stephen Voss.
W. Kamau Bell is a dad, husband, and comedian. He directed and executive-produced the four-part Showtime documentary We Need To Talk About Cosby, which premiered at Sundance. He famously met with the KKK on his Emmy-Award-winning CNN docu-series United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell, where he serves as host and executive producer. He has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Conan, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, CBS Mornings, MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Comedy Central, HBO, Fresh Air with Terry Gross, WTF with Marc Maron, The Breakfast Club, and This American Life. He has two stand-up comedy specials, Private School Negro (Netflix) and Semi-Prominent Negro (Showtime). Kamau’s writing has been featured in Time, The New York Times, Vanity Fair, The Hollywood Reporter, CNN.com, Salon, and The LA Review of Books. Kamau’s first book has an easy-to-remember title, The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell: Tales of a 6' 4", African American, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Left-Leaning, Asthmatic, Black and Proud Blerd, Mama's Boy, Dad, and Stand-Up Comedian. He is the ACLU Artist Ambassador for Racial Justice and serves on the board of directors of Donors Choose and the advisory board of Hollaback! Author photo by John Nowak for CNN.
PATRICK RADDEN KEEFE presents ROGUES:
TRUE STORIES OF GRIFTERS, KILLERS, REBELS AND CROOKS
In-conversation with JONAH WEINER
Friday, July 8, 2022, 7pm PDT
Hillside Club, 2286 Cedar Street, Berkeley
Tickets available now!
Patrick Radden Keefe has garnered prizes ranging from the National Magazine Award to the Orwell Prize to the National Book Critics Circle Award for his meticulously-reported, hypnotically-engaging work on the many ways people behave badly. Rogues brings together a dozen of his most celebrated articles from The New Yorker. As Keefe says in his preface “They reflect on some of my abiding preoccupations: crime and corruption, secrets and lies, the permeable membrane separating licit and illicit worlds, the bonds of family, the power of denial.”
Keefe brilliantly explores the intricacies of forging $150,000 vintage wines, examines whether a whistleblower who dared to expose money laundering at a Swiss bank is a hero or a fabulist, spends time in Vietnam with Anthony Bourdain, chronicles the quest to bring down a cheerful international black market arms merchant, and profiles a passionate death penalty attorney who represents the “worst of the worst,” among other bravura works of literary journalism.
The appearance of his byline in The New Yorker is always an event, and collected here for the first time readers can see his work forms an always enthralling but deeply human portrait of criminals and rascals, as well as those who stand up against them.
Please note:
TRUE STORIES OF GRIFTERS, KILLERS, REBELS AND CROOKS
In-conversation with JONAH WEINER
Friday, July 8, 2022, 7pm PDT
Hillside Club, 2286 Cedar Street, Berkeley
Tickets available now!
Patrick Radden Keefe has garnered prizes ranging from the National Magazine Award to the Orwell Prize to the National Book Critics Circle Award for his meticulously-reported, hypnotically-engaging work on the many ways people behave badly. Rogues brings together a dozen of his most celebrated articles from The New Yorker. As Keefe says in his preface “They reflect on some of my abiding preoccupations: crime and corruption, secrets and lies, the permeable membrane separating licit and illicit worlds, the bonds of family, the power of denial.”
Keefe brilliantly explores the intricacies of forging $150,000 vintage wines, examines whether a whistleblower who dared to expose money laundering at a Swiss bank is a hero or a fabulist, spends time in Vietnam with Anthony Bourdain, chronicles the quest to bring down a cheerful international black market arms merchant, and profiles a passionate death penalty attorney who represents the “worst of the worst,” among other bravura works of literary journalism.
The appearance of his byline in The New Yorker is always an event, and collected here for the first time readers can see his work forms an always enthralling but deeply human portrait of criminals and rascals, as well as those who stand up against them.
Please note:
- This is a ticketed, in-person event. Each ticket includes a *signed* copy of Rogues.
- Safety: ID and proof of full vaccination, including booster, will be required at the door. Masks will be required throughout the duration of the event and capacity will be limited to allow indoor distancing.
- Because we’re limiting capacity, we can't guarantee we'll have space for walk-ins. The best way to ensure you’ll get a seat is to order a ticket now.
- We are happy to offer *signed copies* of Rogues: order either of the ticket tiers if you'd like to pick up a signed copy at the event, or order here if you just want a signed copy and no admission.
- If we feel it is not safe to gather, as the event gets closer, we will pivot to a virtual event and your registration will remain valid.
- Questions? Write events@booksmith.com.
Patrick Radden Keefe is a staff writer at The New Yorker and the author, most recently, of the New York Times bestseller Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland, which received the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction and was selected as one of the ten best books of 2019 by The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune and The Wall Street Journal, and was named one of the top ten nonfiction books of the decade by Entertainment Weekly. His previous books are The Snakehead and Chatter. His work has been recognized with a Guggenheim Fellowship, the National Magazine Award for Feature Writing and the Orwell Prize for Political Writing. He is also the creator and host of the eight-part podcast Wind of Change
Jonah Weiner is a contributing writer at the New York Times Magazine. His work has also appeared in Rolling Stone, The New Yorker, Wired, and New York Magazine