Talks at Google

The cast & creatives of Broadway’s "The Kite Runner" visit Google to discuss their critically acclaimed play, based on Khaled Hosseini’s internationally best-selling novel. Originally published in 2003, "The Kite Runner" became a bestseller across the globe and has since been published in 70 countries, selling 31.5 million copies in 60 languages. Now this powerful story has been adapted into a stunning stage production. One of the best-loved and most highly acclaimed novels of our time, "The Kite Runner" is a powerful tale of friendship spanning cultures and continents, that follows one man’s journey to confront his past and find redemption. In 1972, Afghanistan is a divided country on the verge of war and two childhood friends are about to be torn apart. It’s a beautiful afternoon in Kabul and the skies are full of the excitement and joy of a kite flying tournament. But neither of the boys can foresee the terrible incident which will shatter their lives forever. Visit YouTube.com/TalksatGoogle to watch the video.  

Dr. John P. Kotter is a New York Times best-selling author, award winning business and management thought leader, business entrepreneur, inspirational speaker and Harvard Professor. His ideas, books, speeches, and company, Kotter International, have helped mobilize people around the world to better lead organizations, and their own lives. Dr. Kotter visits Google to discuss his book "Change: How Organizations Achieve Hard-to-Imagine Results In Uncertain and Volatile Times". In the 21st century, the stakes for organizations, and more broadly humankind, are large and growing. The events of the last few years, from the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic crisis, to the social justice protests in the United States and the climate change induced forest fires in Australia and California, are a reminder that the world is increasingly unpredictable. Our ability to effectively adapt our institutions and engage many hearts, minds, and arms to deal with rapid and complex changes will have a profound impact on how we collectively address these challenges. The science and the stories of that science in action, shared in this book, will guide the reader in making decisions, mobilizing others, and executing change that will help individuals, teams, and organizations survive and thrive even in highly uncertain times. Visit YouTube.com/TalksatGoogle to watch the video.  

Author Cate Flanders visits Google to discuss her book “The Year of Less”. In her late twenties, Cait found herself stuck in the consumerism cycle that grips so many of us: earn more, buy more, want more, rinse, repeat. Even after she worked her way out of nearly $30,000 of consumer debt, her old habits took hold again. When she realized that nothing she was doing or buying was making her happy, she decided to set herself a challenge: she would not shop for an entire year. "The Year of Less" documents Cait’s life for twelve months during which she bought only consumables such as groceries, toiletries, and gas for her car. Along the way, she challenged herself to consume less of many other things besides shopping. She decluttered her apartment and got rid of 70 percent of her belongings; learned how to fix things rather than throw them away; researched the zero waste movement; and completed a television ban. At every stage, she learned that the less she consumed, the more fulfilled she felt. This challenge became a lifeline when, in the course of the year, Cait found herself in situations that turned her life upside down. In the face of hardship, she realized why she had always turned to shopping, alcohol, and food—and what it had cost her. Unable to reach for any of her usual vices, she changed habits she’d spent years perfecting and discovered what truly mattered to her. Blending Cait’s compelling story with inspiring insight and practical guidance, The Year of Less will leave you questioning what you’re holding on to in your own life—and, quite possibly, lead you to find your own path of less. Originally published in June of 2018. Visit YouTube.com/TalksatGoogle to watch the video.  

Anand Giridharadas visits Google to discuss his book "Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World." Anand Giridharadas takes us into the inner sanctums of a new gilded age, where the rich and powerful fight for equality and justice any way they can—except ways that threaten the social order and their position atop it. The book argues that elites rebrand themselves as saviors of the poor; that they lavishly reward so-called thought leaders who redefine “change” in ways that preserve the status quo; and that they constantly seek to do more good, but never less harm. Giridharadas asks hard questions: for example, why should our gravest problems be solved by the unelected upper crust instead of the public institutions eroded by lobbying and tax dodging? His groundbreaking investigation has already forced a great, sorely needed reckoning among the world’s wealthiest and those they hover above, and it points toward an answer: Rather than rely on scraps from the winners, we must take on the grueling democratic work of building more robust, egalitarian institutions. Originally published in October of 2018. Visit YouTube.com/TalksatGoogle to watch the video.  

Author Michael Lent visits Google to discuss his book "Christmas Letters from Hell: All The News We Hate from the People We Love." Who doesn't love to open the mailbox during the holidays and find a newsletter? Whether it's a letter from an old college roommate inadvertently revealing her husband's wandering eye, a self-congratulatory account of a cousin's rise to power at the local fast-food joint, or a mind-numbingly detailed account of a year's medical ailments from a coworker, they're always entertaining. "Christmas Letters from Hell" skewers holiday letters of all shapes and sizes, from the ones that come crammed with cheesy graphics or written from the perspective of the recently neutered family dog to those filled with stories of "perfect" family vacations that were clearly anything but. Here Santa uses his holiday letter to let the elves know that he'll be outsourcing their roles overseas…effective immediately; a bipolar mom tells two very different versions of the year's events; and Osama bin Laden touches base with his high school host family in Minneapolis. "Christmas Letters from Hell" serves up a steaming, savory blend of the holiday cheer, humor, and twisted truth in our well-intended attempts to stay in touch gone horribly, horribly wrong. Originally published in December of 2007. Visit YouTube.com/TalksatGoogle to watch the video.