John Freeman: California Rewritten—the Golden State’s New Literature
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John Freeman has followed the evolution of California's literary life since his teenage years in Sacramento. As editor of the new book California Rewritten: A Journey Through the Golden State's New Literature, he presents more than 50 essays inspired by his hosting of Alta Journal's popular California Book Club. Freeman offers an essential road map to today's California literature. He shows us how the state's most exciting writers can unlock our understanding of the past, and how they can deepen our imaginations as we confront the most pressing issues that face our society: labor and inequality, migration and citizenship, technology and its limits, changing landscapes and climate catastrophe.
Freeman offers up the revelatory worlds of California's most exciting writers, like Percival Everett, Rebecca Solnit, Tommy Orange, Michael Connelly, and Julie Otsuka, so readers can discover how their books uncover our history and can help us imagine our shared future.
Join us for this program to get a tour of the state's lit scene.
This program is in-person only. If you have symptoms of illness (coughing, fever, etc.), we ask that you either stay home or wear a mask. Our front desk has complimentary masks for members and guests who would like one.
The Commonwealth Club of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming.
A Humanities Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums.
Kingston photo by Maryanne Teng Hogarth; photos courtesy the speakers.
Commonwealth Club World Affairs is a public forum. Any views expressed in our programs are those of the speakers and not of Commonwealth Club World Affairs.
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The Commonwealth Club of California
110 The Embarcadero
Toni Rembe Rock Auditorium
San Francisco, CA 94105
United States
John Freeman
Executive Editor, Alfred A. Knopf; Host, Alta Journal's California Book Club; Editor, California Rewritten: A Journey Through the Golden State’s New Literature
In conversation with Maxine Hong Kingston
Professor Emerita, University of California, Berkeley; Author, The Woman Warrior
Introduction by George Hammond
Author, Conversations With Socrates
5 p.m. doors open & check-in
5:30–6:30 p.m. program
6:30 p.m. book signing
(all times Pacific)
COST
In-person:
$22
$52 with a book
Free for Leadership Circle members and students (without a book)
