since we last spoke, I met and learned MUCH about how global aid/corruption REALLY works from Ted Miguel and his book, ECONOMIC GANGSTERS; learned about the very real ways technology alters the mind (see-I’m not crazy!) and what we can do about it from Dr. Gary Small; had a tour of the Theo Chocolate Factory in Fremont and WOW-not only do you get to eat incredible chocolates but drink wonderful Cafe Vita coffee and learn about the amazing farmers that carry these huge pods to market so we can have truly real and deep chocolate. I think we should pay MORE for those chocolates! and did you know that uncured cocoa beans look like lima beans?

Then I enjoyed food conversation (not to mention incredible course) with Chez Panisse’s chef David Tanis at Lark–with wines and food by the incredible John Sundstrom.  Along the way I have been reading Sandra Tsing Loh’s hilarious/heartbreaking and wonderful memoir about “the year I caught on fire”—and have marked so many pages to read to people that its crazy. excerpts to come in the next blog–the book is Mother on Fire! A True Motherf*^#gstory about Parenting (and for all of the mothers out there-been there!)

Tomorrow I meet Dr. Greg Berns who will be speaking on the unusual mind–the mind that sees things that other people think are impossible and says: ‘why not’?  a goal for us all–Dr. Berns book is ICONOCLAST.

more to come soon

Kim

since last I posted: dinner with Marcella and Victor Hazan at Ste Michelle Winery where the food was incredible, the wines stupendous and who could imagine a stormy night, fireplace glowing: and Victor Hazan reading a chapter from his beloved wife’s memoir: yes, it involved a skeleton BUT; it was charming and sweet and a moment I couldn’t recreate–wish I could.   Then, a private concert with pianist/genius Lang Lang at a corporate HQ at noon, and a chat about his memoir(he graciously invited young ones in the audience to join him at the piano; then some time with Warren Buffett’s designated memoirist/truth teller about his brain/life/times–captured in THE SNOWBALL ( now #1 on the NYTimes list–and well deserved. amazing mind and story) then off to this week: a week of challenging thinking and people: Dr. Gary Small and iBrain: (finally, a neuroscientist explaining the science about what we have felt to be true–technology is changing our brains!!!) and economist Ted Miguel with ECONOMIC GANGSTERS (and more than one economist has said to me: this is better than FREAKONOMICS–because it matters) and then chef David Tanis, of Chez Panisse–for dinner with a bunch of some lucky foodies– at Seattle’s Lark Restaurant….on tired days I remind myself and all of us at Book Events–life is crazy and busy but good!

So we’ve managed to arrange a Steinway Grand piano for Lang Lang’s event next week, which I’m sure will be fantastic.  What an opportunity!  Seeing an amazing world-renowned pianist up close & personal.  I can’t wait.  Next week we’re also having a dinner at Chateau Ste Michelle with Marcella Hazan, and then later in the week Alice Schroeder will be here to talk about her Warren Buffett biography, ‘Snowball’.  It’s a great time to be releasing a Buffett biography, since he and his investments are in the news so often these days.  At the end of October, we’re doing a Cooks & Books event at Lark with David Tanis, head chef at Chez Panisse.  His new book, A Platter of Figs, is gorgeous, with vibrant yet delicate photos framed beautifully on the pages, amidst enticing recipes.  Reading it makes me want to be a better cook!

On the fiction front, a couple more great books that I’ve just read:  Annie Proulx’s Fine Just The Way It Is and Philip Roth’s Indignation.

today I joined a large group of employees at one local company to begin the workday with some poetry! Roger Housden, author of many books (including TEN POEMS TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE AGAIN AND AGAIN) was there to discuss the role of poetry in corporate life—and along the way we got to listen to Mary Oliver’s “The Journey”, Ellen Bass’s “Gate C-22″; Rilke’s “Sonnet to Orpheus” and others.   After more conversation and coffee, we headed on our way into the work-a-day world, but I know I wasn’t the only one who felt calmer, more focused than when I entered the room.  

a good reminder to self: read a poem aloud each morning before heading off to work…

Kim

Well, this is my first posting on a blog…. ever.  But if I’m going to blog somewhere, what better place to do it than Kim Ricketts’ website?!  I can babble on about books and authors for hours, but I’ll try to keep it succinct.  I’m Kim’s office manager, and these days, the office is a flurry of boxes of books coming and going.  We’ve got Cooks & Books events coming up with Marcella Hazan and David Tanis this month, and I’m planning October corporate series events with some great nonfiction writers like Ted Miguel, Keith Devlin, Greg Berns and Alice Schroeder, among others.  I’m even arranging the rental of a Steinway piano for an event with Lang Lang, the pianist!  As for which books are on my nightstand right now:  I’m about to finish Curtis Sittenfeld’s The American Wife, which I am liking quite a bit.  I just read Mary Pol’s memoir Accidentally on Purpose, which I absolutely loved .  Next up for me is Jim Harrison’s latest, The English Major, Marilynne Robinson’s Home, and Sandra Tsing Loh’s Mother on Fire (she’s coming for Words & Wine in November!).  To be honest, I have about 20 books on my nightstand, but that’s just the top of the pile.  More later…..  ~ Hilary

Last night I got to meet one of my longtime favorite writers-Francine Prose-and you know how sometimes you are so excited to meet a literary hero that there is probably no way they could be as great as you want them to be? and since I meet writers and thinkers daily in my job I can be pretty jaded about heroes–but Francine was exactly as smart, interesting, funny, warm, and as I *wanted* her to be–just like her novels and essays. Goldengrove, her latest novel, is a haunting, beautiful read—and if you don’t have the opportunity to meet her in person (lucky me and Words & Wine guests!), reading Francine is the next best thing….

and her husband Howie is a delight too!

I get to listen to fantastically interesting people every day–and yesterday I got to spend the day with one of my heroes–Tony Wagner–who was in town to discuss his new book, THE GLOBAL ACHIEVEMENT GAP. He is an ex-teacher and principal who knows first hand what is wrong with our education system–but even better, he knows what we need to do to fix it.  It won’t be easy and we can’t hang new ideas on the old structure–we have to throw it all pretty much out and come up with new and better ways to evaluate our students, train our teachers and run our schools.   at last-a blueprint for change…how exciting! and I think the big thinkers are listening….

yes, we still need to read stories; lately when I immerse myself in a novel or story I feel relief; for once I kinda get that whole “reading for escape” kind of reading–after finishing Francine Prose’s GOLDENGROVE I keep wondering about that one summer of the book–the story stays with you as all really well written and softly-sadly stories do, and I think right now I am longing to go anywhere that is not HERE: the election countdown.

but–as citizens: we can’t escape! we need to get out and do what we need to do to make our “process”happen.  and since I can’t be unbiased here-hey, its MY blog, yes? I want to send everyone to a great writer’s latest essay on the election: Anne Lamott and A CALL TO ARMS–find it, do it, and by the way my Sarah Palin Baby Generator Name: Rake Trinket.

 oddly fitting, hmmm?

and found a wonderful new author from Farrar, Straus and Giroux–the author is C.E. Morgan and the novel–coming out in April of 2009 is ALL THE LIVING–described to me, pre-reading as reminiscent of Marilynne Robinson—and I agree, but also perhaps Annie Dillard and Leif Enger.  Its a quiet story of two people stranded-both physically and emotionally-on a dusty, dying tobacco farm in southern Kentucky, and the intense, painful and difficult path to not happiness, exactly, but a kind of love and safety.

Sorry to recommend a book that you can’t read until spring–but put it on your “list” and keep an eye out for this new and promising writer.

and truly loved it–what a entertaining way to remind ourselves of the joy (and subversive power) of reading.  It is like a grown up version of Sharon Creech’s LOVE THAT DOG—

I wonder what Queen Elizabeth thinks of it? I passed it on to my daughter here in Maine–but I think I might buy one for a bunch of people for gifts..

still reading GOLDENGROVE and savoring it…though I have a sense of impending doom for the poor young girl…

Kim, Waterville, Maine