McCann was featured as the Sunday Interview in the Los Angeles Times on May 26th.  Here’s an excerpt…

National Book Award winner Colum McCann’s ninth book, “TransAtlantic,” is a fictionalized exploration of three historic journeys between North America and Ireland. He talked about his new novel, which hits bookstores on June 4, by phone from his birthplace, Dublin.

An Evening with Colum McCann
in conversation with Carolyn Kellogg
discussing new novel, Transatlantic

William Turner Gallery
Bergamot Station
2525 Michigan Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90404

PURCHASE TICKETS 
$20 General Admission
$40 Includes McCann’s book + Reserved seat

Colum McCann interview in the Los Angeles Times

Colum McCann is the bestselling author of the novels Let the Great World Spin, Zoli, Dancer, This Side of Brightness, and Songdogs, as well as two critically acclaimed story collections. His fiction has been published in thirty-five languages. Among his honors:  the National Book Award, the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, a Chevalier des Arts et Lettres from the French government, and the Ireland Fund of Monaco Literary Award in Memory of Princess Grace. He has been named one of Esquire’s “Best & Brightest,” and his short film Everything in This Country Must was nominated for an Oscar in 2005. A contributor to the New Yorker, New York Times Magazine, Atlantic Monthly, and Paris Review, he teaches in the Hunter College MFA Creative Writing Program.

McCann’s new novel spans continents, leaps centuries, and unites a cast of deftly rendered characters, both real and imagined.

Newfoundland, 1919. Two aviators—Jack Alcock and Arthur Brown—set course for Ireland as they attempt the first nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean, placing their trust in a modified bomber to heal the wounds of the Great War.

Dublin, 1845 and ’46. On an international lecture tour in support of his subversive autobiography, Frederick Douglass finds the Irish people sympathetic to the abolitionist cause—despite the fact that, as famine ravages the countryside, the poor suffer from hardships that are astonishing even to an American slave.

New York, 1998. Leaving behind a young wife and newborn child, Senator George Mitchell departs for Belfast, where it has fallen to him, the son of an Irish-American father and a Lebanese mother, to shepherd Northern Ireland’s notoriously bitter and volatile peace talks to an uncertain conclusion.

These three iconic crossings are connected by a series of remarkable women whose personal stories are caught up in the swells of history. Beginning with Irish housemaid Lily Duggan, who crosses paths with Frederick Douglass, the novel follows her daughter and granddaughter, Emily and Lottie, and culminates in the present-day story of Hannah Carson, in whom all the hopes and failures of previous generations live on. From the loughs of Ireland to the flatlands of Missouri and the windswept coast of Newfoundland, their journeys mirror the progress and shape of history. They each learn that even the most unassuming moments of grace have a way of rippling through time, space, and memory.

Carolyn Kellogg is a staff writer at the Los Angeles Times. She writes about books and he publishing industry.  She previously interviewed Carl Hiaasen at Live Talks Los Angeles.  Here’s the video.

May 14 Burt Bacharach in conversation with Mitch Albom
discussing his memoir, Anyone Who Had a Heart: My Life and Music, 8pm

Jun 12 Phil Jackson in conversation with John Salley
discussing his memoir, Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success, 8pm

An Evening with Burt Bacharach
in conversation with Carole Bayer Sager
discussing his memoir, Anyone Who Had a Heart: My Life and Music

Presented in association with New Roads School
Ann and Jerry Moss Theater
Herb Alpert Educational Village
New Roads School
3131 Olympic Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 9o404

PURCHASE TICKETS
$20 General Admission
$40 Includes Bacharach’s memoir
$95 *Includes Reserved seats + Burt Bacharach’s memoir

* Proceeds from our receptions, support the Live Talks Los Angeles Newer Voices series giving greater exposure to emerging authors and newer voices. At check in, you will get a ticket that gives you access to the aforementioned reserved block of seats

Carole Bayer Sager’s songbook spans 40 years, and contains some of the period’s most popular and successful songs. From the Grammy-winning “That’s What Friends Are For,” the Oscar-winning “Arthur’s Theme,” and the Oscar-nominated/Golden Globe winning “The Prayer,” Carole’s songs have become pop standards.

Honors for her work also include a Tony Award, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a Songwriter’s Hall of Fame induction and a Distinguished Alumni Award from the New York University Alumni Association.

One of the most prolific and poignant writers in pop history, Carole began her songwriting career while in high school. She wrote her first #1 hit, “A Groovy Kind of Love,” for the British group The Mindbenders in 1966. Phil Collins re-recorded it and took it to #1, and it was the most performed radio hit of 1990.In the 70s, Carole’s partnership with Burt Bacharach was fruitful, both professionally and personally. As husband and wife, they were one of songwriting’s most successful teams.  They contributed the proceeds of “That’s What Friends are For” to AIDS research, more than $3 million to date.

In addition to her philanthropic work, Carole began painting in 2006, and what began as a hobby has become a full-time passion.  She lives in LA and NY with her husband, the media executive Bob Daly.  Her son Cristopher Bacharach is now 27. Visit her website.

An Evening with Phil Jackson
in conversation with John Salley
discussing his memoir, Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success

The Alex Theatre
216 North Brand Boulevard
Glendale, CA 91203

PURCHASE TICKETS
$22 General Admission
$42 General Admission + Phil Jackson’s book, Eleven Rings
$55 Reserved Seats* + Phil Jackson’s book
$105 **Premier Reserved seating* + pre-event reception + Jackson’s book

EVENT IS SOLD OUT. VIDEO WILL BE RELEASED SOON.

* At check in, you will get a ticket that gives you access to a reserved block of seats
**Proceeds support the Live Talks “newer voices” author series launching in Fall ’13
All tickets include Alex Theatre restoration facility fee of $2.00 

A sampling of Phil Jackson in the news:
– NPR, May 21 (audio) – Courtside Chemistry: How NBA’s Phil Jackson won ‘Eleven Rings’
– New York Times, May 16 – Why Basketball Won’t Leave Phil Jackson Alone
– The Daily Show (via Huffington Post, May 22 – Phil Jackson on The Daily Show
– NBC, The Tonight Show, May 17 – Phil Jackson on the Tonight Show
– Los Angeles Times, May 16 – “Eleven Rings’: Phil Jackson Savors Beating Celtics in 2010
– Los Angeles Times, May 16 – Phil Jackson Throws the Book at Kobe Bryant
– Time Magazine interview, May 26 – “10 Questions for Phil Jackson”

During his storied career as head coach of the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson won eleven titles — more championships than any coach in the history of professional sports. Even more important, he succeeded in never wavering from coaching his way, from a place of deep values. Jackson was tagged as the “Zen master” half in jest by sportswriters, but the nickname speaks to an important truth: this is a coach who inspired, not goaded; who led by awakening and challenging the better angels of his players’ nature, not their egos, fear, or greed.

His memoir, Eleven Rings, is the story of a preacher’s kid from North Dakota who grew up to be an innovative leader. In his quest to reinvent himself, Jackson explored everything from humanistic psychology and Native American philosophy to Zen meditation. In the process, he developed a new approach to leadership based on freedom, authenticity, and selfless teamwork that turned the hypercompetitive world of professional sports on its head.In Eleven Rings, Jackson candidly describes how he: Learned the secrets of mindfulness and team chemistry while playing for the champion New York Knicks in the 1970s; Managed Michael Jordan, and got him to embrace selflessness, even if it meant losing a scoring title; Forged successful teams out of players of varying abilities by getting them to trust one another and perform in sync; Inspired Dennis Rodman and other “uncoachable” personalities to devote themselves to something larger than themselves; Transformed Kobe Bryant from a rebellious teenager into a mature leader of a championship team.  His memoir is full of revelations: about fascinating personalities and their drive to win; about the wellsprings of motivation and competition at the highest levels; and about what it takes to bring out the best in ourselves and others.

His reputation was established as head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 1989-1998; during his tenure, Chicago won six NBA titles. His next team, the Los Angeles Lakers, won five NBA titles, from 2000 to 2010. He holds the record for the most championships in NBA history as a player and a head coach. He also has the highest winning percentage of any NBA coach (.704). Jackson was a player on the 1970 and 1973 NBA champion New York Knicks. In 2007 Jackson was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Follow him on Twitter.

John Salley is an NBA veteran of 11 seasons.  He is the first basketball player in NBA history to win four championships with three different teams. He was on Phil Jackson coached teams in Chicago and Los Angeles. Drafted out of Georgia Tech in 1986 by the Detroit Pistons, Salley was a member of the “Bad Boys” squad which included Isaiah Thomas and the infamous Dennis Rodman; a team that went on to win back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990. Following stints with the Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors, Salley played with Michael Jordan as part of the Chicago Bulls 1996 championship team. After a brief retirement to co-host NBA on NBC, Phil Jackson invited Salley to come join the Los Angeles Lakers where he was on the 2000 NBA Championship team.Since his retirement from the NBA, Salley has worked in television, film, radio, print and new media. Salley was a co-host of the Emmy nominated series The Best Damn Sports Show Period (FOX) for seven years. He is presently hosted and was Executive Producer of his interview show, Game On! with John Salley on the Reelz Channel.  He has written on food, wine and wellness, for Wine Spectator, Cigar Aficionado and LA Confidential. Visit his website. Follow him on Twitter.

An Evening with Burt Bacharach
in conversation with Mitch Albom
discussing his memoir, Anyone Who Had a Heart: My Life and Music

The Alex Theatre
216 North Brand Boulevard
Glendale, CA 91203

PURCHASE TICKETS
$22 General Admission
$42 Includes Bacharach’s memoir
$55 *Includes Reserved seats + Burt Bacharach’s memoir
$70 *Includes Premium Reserved seats
Plus 2 books (Bacharach’s memoir & Mitch Albom’s recent book, The Time Keeper)

* At check in, you will get a ticket that gives you access to the aforementioned reserved block of seats

An Evening with Neil Gaiman
in conversation with Entertainment Weekly’s Geoff Boucher
discussing his new novel, The Ocean at the End of the Lane

The Alex Theatre
216 North Brand Boulevard
Glendale, CA 91203

PURHASE TICKETS
$42 General Admission (includes Gaiman’s new novel)
$55 Includes Reserved Seating* + Gaiman’s new novel
**$105 includes Premier reserved seating* + Pre-event reception + two Gaiman books (new novel & Make Good Art)
NOTE: THE $55 RESERVED SEATING AND $105 RECEPTION TICKETS ARE SOLD OUT. 

* At check in, you will get a ticket that gives you access to a reserved block of seats
**Proceeds support the Live Talks “newer voices” author series launching in Fall ’13
All tickets include Alex Theatre restoration facility fee of $2.00 

From one of the world’s most beloved storytellers––#1 New York Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman––comes his first adult novel in eight years. Wondrous and imaginative, and at times deeply scary, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, captures the very essence of childhood fear and uncertainty. In a clash of memory and reality, it is a pitched fever dream of a novel, and could very well be Gaiman’s most accomplished work to date.

“Poignant and heartbreaking, eloquent and frightening, impeccably rendered, it’s a fable that reminds us how our lives are shaped by childhood experiences, what we gain from them and the price we pay.” –– Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

 “Gaiman mines mythological typology––the three-fold goddess, the water of life (the pond, actually an ocean)––and his own childhood milieu to build the cosmology and theater of a story he tells more gracefully than anything he’s told since Stardust (1999).” ––Booklist (starred review)

Neil Gaiman is an English author who now lives in the US. He is the author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book. He has won numerous awards, including Hugo, Nebula, Bram Stoker, Newbery Medal, and Carnegie Medal. He is the first author to win both the Newbery and the Carnegie medals for the same work, The Graveyard Book (2008). Read more about Gaiman on his website.

In May 2012, Neil Gaiman delivered the commencement address at Philadelphia’s University of the Arts, in which he shared his thoughts about creativity, bravery, and strength. He encouraged the fledgling painters, musicians, writers, and dreamers to break rules and think outside the box. Most of all, he urged them to make good art. The book Make Good Art, designed by renowned graphic artist Chip Kidd, contains the full text of Gaiman’s inspiring speech. Watch the video.

Geoff Boucher is a staff writer at Entertainment Weekly. Prior to EW he was at the Los Angeles Times where he had more than 2,800 stories published and where he most recently covered entertainment. While at the Los Angeles Times, he also created the award-winning website, Hero Complex, and is the author of Two Badges, the biography of a gang member turned cop.  He interviewed John Lithgow at Live Talks Los Angeles in 2011.  See the video.  And also interviewed Wyclef Jean for Live Talks in September 2012. See the video.

An Evening with Deepak Chopra and Sanjiv Chopra
in conversation with Lisa Napoli
Brotherhood: Dharma, Destiny and the American Dream

All Saints Church-Beverly Hills
504 North Camden Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210

PURCHASE TICKETS
$20 General Admission
$40 Includes Reserved Seats, Deepak and Sanjiv Chopra’s book
$95 includes Reserved Seating + pre-event reception + book

At school, they learned of William Tell; Deepak later challenged Sanjiv to replicate the feat with a BB gun. The younger brother gave in—shooting Deepak square in the chin. They agreed to blame the wound on a fall, but their grandmother spotted the pellet beneath the skin. This early alliance helped forge a lifelong bond between them.

In Brotherhood, Deepak and Sanjiv Chopra reveal the story of their personal struggles and triumphs as doctors, immigrants, and brothers. Each brother faced obstacles: while Deepak encountered resistance from Western-trained doctors on the mind-body connection, Sanjiv struggled to recon­cile the beliefs of his birthplace with those of his new home. Each Chopra eventually decided to stay and build a life as an American citizen. And each went on to great achieve­ments—Deepak as a global authority on Eastern medicine and best-selling author, Sanjiv as a world-renowned medical expert and professor at Harvard Medical School.

Deepak Chopra, MD, is the author of more than seventy books, including twenty-one New York Times bestsellers. Visit www.deepakchopra.com.

Sanjiv Chopra, MD,  is professor of medicine and faculty dean for Continuing Education at Harvard Medical School, and the author of Leadership by Example.

Lisa Napoli is a journalist and author. She was a reporter and back-up host for public radio show Marketplace. She covered the Internet revolution and the cultural impact of technology as a columnist and staff reporter for the New York Times’ CyberTimes, and as a correspondent for MSNBC.  In her 25 year career in media, she has also worked for CNN. She is author of  RADIO SHANGRI-LA: What I Learned in Bhutan, the Happiest Kingdom on Earth. Presently, she is does arts and cultural stories for NPR affiliate KCRW. Visit her website.

This event is presented in association with InsightLA, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to helping people realize fuller and happier lives through the practice of mindfulness and mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques. They offer warm and supportive learning environments that foster compassion and understanding in all relationships – with oneself, with others and with our world.  To learn more about InsightLA, and their upcoming talk with Tara Brach on June 8th,  visit their website.

An Evening with Billy Ray Cyrus
discussing his memoir, Hillbilly Heart
and an acoustic guitar performance

Presented in association with New Roads School
Ann and Jerry Moss Theater
Herb Alpert Educational Village
New Roads School
3131 Olympic Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 9o404

PURCHASE TICKETS
$20 General Admission
$40 Reserved Seats (Includes Cyrus’ memoir)

An Evening with Isabel Allende
in conversation with Patt Morrison
discussing her novel, Maya’s Notebook

All Saints Church-Beverly Hills
504 North Camden Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210

PURHASE TICKETS
$20 General Admission
$40 Includes Allende’s new book, Maya’s Notebook
$95 includes reserved seating + pre-event reception + Allende’s book