Bay Area Book Festival Podcast

Money can't buy happiness. Except when these whip-smart, hilarious authors are writing about money, that is. Jonas Luscher (author of the German Book Award nominated 'Barbarian Spring'), Paul Murray ('The Mark and the Void,' which has been described as "probably the funniest novel ever written about a financial crisis"), and Doree Shafrir ('Startup', a novel about a $600 million idea) will talk turkey on making money funny. Take a break from all the seriousness out there. Don't wait to cash in on this opportunity.

There's a book in all of us, but what does it take to get it out into the world? Hear four successful authors give their expert advice on writing their first books and navigating the sometimes bumpy road to publication. They come from Ireland, Switzerland, Finland, and Mexico, and all saw publication in their home countries and recently in the United States. How was the process of writing, revising, publishing and marketing their books different and similar across these regions and writers?

You've no doubt heard the adage, "Write what you know," but what if you want to write about aliens, dragons, wizards, or people from an entirely different culture? Four writers debunk the myth that "knowing" trumps all, and how it's far more important to write what you imagine, what inspires you, and what story you want to tell.

The Summer of Love brought us sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll, but it was also a decade of extremes and radical cultural change that, in many ways, mirrors what's going on today. A renewed interest in psychedelic drugs? Check. Women organizing for vast social change? Check. The back-to-the-land movement? You bet. Join historians, and journalists, for an explosive look at how counterculture meets cyberculture. A fresh review of fifty years!

Behind appearances are stories — and sometimes they're complex, frightening stories that people hide. People milling through The Cheeseboard on Shattuck Avenue are harboring heart-stopping secrets in Shanthi Sekaran's page-turner, 'Lucky Boy.' That normal-looking guy at the Chinatown restaurant is actually fleeing a scandalous Hong Kong celebrity career, in 'Deceit and Other Possibilities' by Vanessa Hua, also a columnist with the San Francisco Chronicle. Characters cope with mental illness in 'The Border of Paradise' ("stunning," said the New York Times) by Esme Wang, who also blogs about cultivating resilience amidst disabilities. Start the morning with pathos, truth and wisdom from three dazzling fresh voices.

How do we process loss? What role does memory play in mourning? The novelists gathered here—from Iceland, Sweden, and the United States—all use extraordinary restraint and carefully structure their work in order to create great emotional impact. Why do they take this approach; how do they sustain it; and what it is like personally to write these stories? They also discuss the psychology of grief and the ways in which we come to terms with devastation.

Mentored by LGBT rights pioneer Harvey Milk, Cleve Jones is an activist and author whose new memoir, 'When We Rise,' inspired an ABC TV mini-series of the same title. Rebecca Solnit said, "You could read Cleve Jones's book because you should know about the struggle for gay, lesbian, and transgender rights from one of its key participants—but really, you should read it for pleasure and joy." Armistead Maupin wrote of Jones, "Some people witness history; other actually make it happen." Hear Jones' personal telling of nearly four decades at the heart of the gay rights movement, and learn about his latest work in activism.

"Everyone is born once. I have been born many times," wrote Rumi, the beloved Persian poet, whose words often draw comparisons to Shakespeare. But who was the person behind the poems? And why does a fairly obscure 13th-century mystic continue to captivate contemporary audiences? Brad Gooch, formidable biographer and bestselling author of 'Smash Cut,' 'Flannery,' and 'City Poet,' brilliantly brings the legend to life, vividly coloring in his time and place—imagine trying to write erotic poetry under the seige of Genghis Khan—and reminding us that the power of poetry transcends time and place, much like Rumi himself.

Join beloved children's author Cornelia Funke, the award-winning German storyteller and illustrator of 'Inkheart,' the Reckless series, 'Lilly and Finn,' and her latest, 'The Book No One Ever Read.' A children's story that Cornelia calls "her 'Inkheart' for kindergarteners," this new picture book is a magical journey into the experience of a book that longs to be read. Don't miss your chance to hear one of the great voices of children's literature and take part in the debut of this picture book (already a favorite of festival staff) that is sure to become a classic. In collaboration with the Goethe-Institut San Francisco.

"Read it again!" So goes the litany of kids wanting their favorite book again. Adults too have favorites among authors they read to their children or enjoyed in their youth. Stellar, much-loved authors and illustrators gather here, for a perfect Sunday morning for kids, families, and book-loving avid fans, to talk about their love of storytelling, of making books, and what they're working on now. (Book signings follow; you may buy books at the festival, and bring a few from home, too!)