Pico Iyer with Aimee Liu

Sunday, October 6, 2019
3:00pm 
  

An Afternoon with
Pico Iyer
in conversation with Aimee Liu

discussing his book,
A Beginner’s Guide to Japan: Observations and Provocations


Ahmanson Auditorium
Museum of Contemporary Art
250 S Grand Ave,
Los Angeles, CA 90012

PURCHASE TICKETS
$40 Reserved Section + Book
$20 General Admission Section

*** Make an afternoon of it.  Ticket includes admission to the museum, which opens at 11am.

— Pico Iyer Reflects on a Quarter-Century of Life in Japan, New York Times book review, April 22, 2019

Pico Iyer is the author of eight works of nonfiction and two novels. A writer for Time since 1982, he is a frequent contributor to The New York Times, Harper’s, The New York Review of Books, the Los Angeles Times, the Financial Times, and many other magazines and newspapers on both sides of the Atlantic and Pacific. He splits his time between Nara, Japan, and the United States.  His books include Video Night in Kathmandu (cited on many lists of the best travel books ever), The Lady and the Monk,  The Global Soul, The Man Within My Head, The Open Road, The Art of Stillness and Autumn Light: Season of Fire and Farewells.  His novels are Cuba and the Night and Abandon.

Pico Iyer has previously appeared on the Live Talks Los Angeles. He was interviewed by Lisa Napoli on the impact of the modern era of connectedness on our ability to think, create, and participate in the world (video).  He also interviewed Chris Anderson, Curator of TED (video), Andrew McCarthy (video), Paul Theroux (video), and Matthieu Ricard (video).

Aimee Liu is the author of the forthcoming novel Glorious Boy. Her other novels include Flash House; Cloud Mountain; and Face. Her memoirs include Gaining: The Truth About Life After Eating Disorders and Solitaire. A past president of the national literary organization PEN Center USA, she holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Bennington College and is on the faculty of Goddard College’s MFA in Creative Writing Program at Port Townsend, WA. She previously interviewed Amy Tan at Live Talks Los Angeles.

“We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next, to find ourselves. We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate. We travel to bring what little we can, in our ignorance and knowledge, to those parts of the globe whose riches are differently dispersed. And we travel, in essence, to become young fools again—to slow time down and get taken in, and fall in love once more.”—Pico Iyer

From the acclaimed author of The Art of Stillness--one of our most engaging and discerning travel writers–a unique, indispensable guide to the enigma of contemporary Japan.

After thirty-two years in Japan, Pico Iyer can use everything from anime to Oscar Wilde to show how his adopted home is both hauntingly familiar and the strangest place on earth. “Arguably the world’s greatest living travel writer” (Outside). He draws on readings, reflections, and conversations with Japanese friends to illuminate an unknown place for newcomers, and to give longtime residents a look at their home through fresh eyes. A Beginner’s Guide to Japan is a playful and profound guidebook full of surprising, brief, incisive glimpses into Japanese culture. Iyer’s adventures and observations as he travels from a meditation-hall to a love-hotel, from West Point to Kyoto Station, make for a constantly surprising series of provocations guaranteed to pique the interest and curiosity of those who don’t know Japan, and to remind those who do of the wide range of fascinations the country and culture contain.

Chris Anderson with Pico Iyer

Monday, May 9, 2016
8:00pm (Reception, 6:30-7:30pm)

 
Chris Anderson, Curator of TED
in conversation with Pico Iyer
 
discussing his book,
TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking


Aero Theatre
1328 Montana Avenue (at 14th Street)
Santa Monica, CA 90403 

SOLD OUT. 
Video will be posted soon.
$45 Reserved Section seating + Book*
$20 General Admission
$95 Pre-Reception(6:30-7:30pm) + Reserved Section seating + Book
* a booksigning follows the event

Chris Anderson is the curator of TED. Trained as a journalist after graduating from Oxford University, Anderson launched a number of successful magazines before turning his attention to TED, which he and his nonprofit acquired in 2001. His TED mantra—“ideas worth spreading”—continues to blossom on an international scale.  Watch Chris Anderson’s TEDGlobal Talk: How web video powers global innovation.

“Nobody in the world better understands the art and science of public speaking than Chris Anderson. He has nurtured, coaxed, and encouraged so many speakers over the years (myself included) — helping us to bring forth our very best performances onstage, even when we were at our most nervous and overwhelmed. He is the absolutely perfect person to have written this book, and it will be a gift to many.”
Elizabeth Gilbert (Big Magic, The Signature of All Things and Eat, Pray Love.)

Since taking over TED in the early 2000s, Chris Anderson has shown how carefully crafted short talks can be the key to unlocking empathy, stirring excitement, spreading knowledge, and promoting a shared dream. Done right, a talk can electrify a room and transform an audience’s worldview. Done right, a talk is more powerful than anything in written form.

The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking explains how the miracle of powerful public speaking is achieved, and equips you to give it your best shot. There is no set formula; no two talks should be the same. The goal is for you to give the talk that only you can give. But don’t be intimidated. You may find it more natural than you think.

Chris Anderson has worked behind the scenes with all the TED speakers who have inspired us the most, and here he shares insights from such favorites as Sir Ken Robinson, Amy Cuddy, Bill Gates, Elizabeth Gilbert, Salman Khan, Dan Gilbert, Mary Roach, Matt Ridley, and dozens more — everything from how to craft your talk’s content to how you can be most effective on stage. This is the 21st-century’s new manual for truly effective communication and it is a must-read for anyone who is ready to create impact with their ideas.

Pico Iyer is the author of twelve books, on subjects as varied as Cuba, globalism, Graham Greene and the XIVth Dalai Lama, and writes up to 100 articles a year for magazines from The New York Review of Books to Harper’s, and Vanity Fair to Wired. He delivered popular TED talks in both 2013 and 2014—his most recent book is a small TED Original on the theme of stillness, and his talk on the nature of home attracted millions of viewers—and he has written a film script for Miramax, done many liner notes for Leonard Cohen and written introductions to more than 50 other books. Born in Oxford, England, and educated at Eton, Oxford and Harvard, he has been based, since 1987, in Western Japan, while traveling widely, everywhere from North Korea to Ethiopia and Yemen to Easter Island. – 

Do you have a question for Chris Anderson, Curator of TED?

1.Cover_TEDTALKS_hiresMonday, May 9th we host Chris Anderson, Curator of TED Talks, in conversation with Pico Iyer at a sold out event at the Aero Theatre.  The occasion is the release of Chris Anderson’s book, TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking.

If you have a great question for Chris Anderson, here’s your chance to get a signed book.  Email your question to info@livetalksla.org; and if we use your question, we will ship you a signed book.

Video from the event will be posted to our Facebook page and YouTube channel soon.

 

Andrew McCarthy with Pico Iyer

Wednesday, April 5, 2017
8pm 
 
Andrew McCarthy
in conversation with Pico Iyer
 
discussing the writing life and his novel,
Just Fly Away


Ann and Jerry Moss Theatre
New Roads School

Herb Alpert Educational Village
3131 Olympic Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90404

PURCHASE TICKETS
$35 General Admission Section Seat + a copy of Just Fly Away
$40 Reserved Section Seat + copy of Just Fly Away
$20 General Admission Seat (on sale Jan 30)
$95 Reception (6:30-7:30pm) + Reserved Section Seat 
        + copy of Just Fly Away

Andrew McCarthy is a director, an award winning travel writer, and an actor. He is an editor-at-large at National Geographic Traveler, and has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, The Atlantic, Travel+Leisure, AFAR, Men’s Journal, Bon Appetit, and many others. He has received six Lowell Thomas awards, and been named Travel Journalist of the Year by The Society of American Travel Writers.

His travel memoir, The Longest Way Home, became a New York Times Best Seller, and the Financial Times named it one of the Best Books of the year. He served as guest editor for the prestigious Best American Travel series in 2015. Just Fly Away is his debut novel published by Algonquin (March 2017).

He made his professional début at 19 in Class, and has appeared in dozens of films, including such iconic movies as Pretty in Pink, St. Elmo’s Fire, Less Then Zero, and cult favorites Weekend At Bernie’s and Mannequin.

He has starred on Broadway and on television, most recently appearing in The Family, on ABC. McCarthy is also a highly regarded television director; having helmed Orange is the New Black, The Blacklist, Grace and Frankie, and many others.

Pico Iyer is the author of twelve books, on subjects as varied as Cuba, globalism, Graham Greene and the XIVth Dalai Lama, and writes up to 100 articles a year for magazines from The New York Review of Books to Harper’s, and Vanity Fair to Wired. He delivered popular TED talks in both 2013 and 2014—his most recent book is a small TED Original on the theme of stillness, and his talk on the nature of home attracted millions of viewers—and he has written a film script for Miramax, done many liner notes for Leonard Cohen and written introductions to more than 50 other books. Born in Oxford, England, and educated at Eton, Oxford and Harvard, he has been based, since 1987, in Western Japan, while traveling widely, everywhere from North Korea to Ethiopia and Yemen to Easter Island.

 

 

Paul Theroux with Pico Iyer

Tuesday, October 13, 2015
8:00pm (Reception, 6:30-7:30pm)

Paul Theroux
in conversation with Pico Iyer

Deep South: Four Seasons on Back Roads

Ann and Jerry Moss Theatre
New Roads School
Herb Alpert Educational Village
3131 Olympic Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90404

PURCHASE TICKETS 
$20 General Admission seating
$30 Reserved Section seating
$45 Reserved Section Seating + Theroux’s book
$95 Includes pre-event reception, Reserved section seat
+ Theroux’s book & Iyer’s book

Paul Theroux is the author of many highly acclaimed books. His novels include The Lower River and The Mosquito Coast, and his renowned travel books include Ghost Train to the Eastern Star and Dark Star Safari.

Paul Theroux has spent fifty years crossing the globe, adventuring in the exotic, seeking the rich history and folklore of the far away. For the first time, in his tenth travel book, Theroux explores a piece of America — the Deep South. He finds there a paradoxical place, full of incomparable music, unparalleled cuisine, and yet also some of the nation’s worst schools, housing, and unemployment rates. It’s these parts of the South, so often ignored, that have caught Theroux’s keen traveler’s eye.

On road trips spanning four seasons, wending along rural highways, Theroux visits gun shows and small-town churches, laborers in Arkansas, and parts of Mississippi where they still call the farm up the road “the plantation.” He talks to mayors and social workers, writers and reverends, the working poor and farming families — the unsung heroes of the south, the people who, despite it all, never left, and also those who returned home to rebuild a place they could never live without.

Pico Iyer is the author of twelve books, on subjects as varied as Cuba, globalism, Graham Greene and the XIVth Dalai Lama, and writes up to 100 articles a year for magazines from The New York Review of Books to Harper’s, and Vanity Fair to Wired. He delivered popular TED talks in both 2013 and 2014—his most recent book is a small TED Original on the theme of stillness, and his talk on the nature of home attracted millions of viewers—and he has written a film script for Miramax, done many liner notes for Leonard Cohen and written introductions to more than 50 other books. Born in Oxford, England, and educated at Eton, Oxford and Harvard, he has been based, since 1987, in Western Japan, while traveling widely, everywhere from North Korea to Ethiopia and Yemen to Easter Island.

Matthieu Ricard with Pico Iyer

Tuesday, June 9, 2015
8:00pm (Reception 6:30-7:30pm)

Matthieu Ricard
in conversation with Pico Iyer

Altruism:
The Power of Compassion to Change Yourself
and the World

Moss Theatre
New Roads School
3131 Olympic Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90404

THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT.  Please note that we are also hosting Matthieu Ricard in our morning Live Talks Business Forum on June 10. To purchase tickets to the morning event visit here.

PURCHASE TICKETS
$20 General Admission
$30 Reserved Section Seats
$43 Includes Ricard’s book + Reserved Section Seats
$95 Includes pre-event reception and + Reserved Seats
        + Ricard’s book as well as Iyer’s book.

This event presented in association with InsightLA

Born in France in 1946, Matthieu Ricard is a Buddhist monk who left a career in cellular genetics to study Buddhism in the Himalayas nearly 40 years ago. He is an international best-selling author and a prominent speaker on the world stage, celebrated at the World Economic Forum at Davos and at TED where his first talk on happiness has been viewed by over four million people.

His new book is Altruism: The Power of Compassion to Change Yourself and the World. His previous books have been translated into over twenty languages and include The Monk and the Philosopher; The Quantum and the Lotus; Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life’s Most Important Skill; and Why Meditate?, as well as five photography books.

As a trained scientist and Buddhist monk, he is uniquely positioned in the dialogue between East and West. He is an active participant in the current scientific research on the effects of meditation on the brain. He lives in Nepal and devotes much of his time to the preservation of Tibetan literature and to humanitarian projects in Tibet, India, and Nepal. www.matthieuricard.com

Pico Iyer is the author of twelve books, on subjects as varied as Cuba, globalism, Graham Greene and the XIVth Dalai Lama, and writes up to 100 articles a year for magazines from The New York Review of Books to Harper’s, and Vanity Fair to Wired. He delivered popular TED talks in both 2013 and 2014—his most recent book is a small TED Original on the theme of stillness, and his talk on the nature of home attracted millions of viewers—and he has written a film script for Miramax, done many liner notes for Leonard Cohen and written introductions to more than 50 other books. Born in Oxford, England, and educated at Eton, Oxford and Harvard, he has been based, since 1987, in Western Japan, while traveling widely, everywhere from North Korea to Ethiopia and Yemen to Easter Island.