Another chance to meet Chris Cleave, 2010 Santa Monica Citywide Reads featured author

As we get ready to turn towards the 2011 Santa Monica Citywide Reads selection, we're taking one quick look back at our 2010 featured author, Chris Cleave. It's timely that we're doing so, as well, because Chris will be back in the Los Angeles area next week for two book tour appearances. We heard from many who missed their chance to see Chris when he visited with us at the Santa Monica Public Library in February 2010, so this might be a great chance to catch up with this absolutely delightful author.

On Wednesday, January 12th at 7:00 p.m., Chris will visit Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena to sign copies of his first novel, Incendiary. Details on his Vroman's appearance can be found here: http://www.vromansbookstore.com/chris-cleave

The following night, Thursday, January 13th at 7:00 p.m., Chris will visit our good friends Book Soup in West Hollywood, also to sign Incendiary. But we're sure he'll be happy to sign copies of Little Bee as well. More details on that signing can be found here: http://www.booksoup.com/Details.asp?ProductID=2119

If you have a chance to stop by and meet Chris at either of these events, tell him your friends at the Santa Monica Public Library sent you.

Oh, What a Day!!!

Wow, was it ever a good day today at the Santa Monica Public Library! This afternoon, we welcomed author Chris Cleave to the Main Library's Martin Luther King, Jr. Auditorium, along with more than 150 readers, a pair of talented actresses, and it all added up to a spectacular Citywide Reads event.

Just prior to Chris' appearance, we put on a brief, but very moving staged reading of excerpts from Little Bee, which we called "The Voices of Little Bee." Actress Petal d'Avril Walker gave voice to Little Bee and actress and veteran audiobook reader Rosalyn Landor gave voice to Sarah. The result was fifteen minutes of theater that we think left author Chris Cleave, as well as the audience, both mesmerized and moved. The photo below features Petal, Rosalyn, Library Board President Edward Edwards (who scripted and directed this performance), and Chris Cleave. And we really want to thank Petal, Rosalyn and Edward for all their hard work in putting this unique and very special reading together.

Immediately following the staged reading, we welcomed Chris to the stage to discuss his book and we have a pretty strong feeling that audience members fell head over heels for this charming, gregarious and talented author.

Chris told three stories that inspired his decision to write Little Bee. While in high school, Chris was deeply affected when his school's principal shared a video with students of four young East Berliners risking life and limb to escape to the West. Video of that escape can be seen on Youtube in this German television video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUkimskFJ0w. Chris came away from that screening viewing those asylum seekers as heroes. However, by the time was 22, the world appeared to have changed. That summer, Chris was assigned as a day laborer to work at a newly-opened immigration detention center called Campsfield House near his U.K. home, and spent 3 days learning the stories of the refugees he met there from countries like Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and Jamaica. At the time, he was struck by the fact that these asylum seekers were detained in prison-like conditions for indefinite terms, and treated as if they were criminals, when all they had done was flee horrific situations in their home countries. Finally, in 2005, he learned the story of Angolan asylum seeker Manuel Bravo. Bravo's story is a difficult one to hear, but there's a chilling account of it on Britain's Independent newspaper website, which you can reach via this link: http://bit.ly/cN1ai4. Finally prodded by Bravo's tale, Chris began interviewing refugees, doing independent research, and then spent roughly two years writing Little Bee. His intent was to take an unwieldy issue such as immigration and asylum and turn it into an intimate, accessible story that might challenge readers to think about the larger issue. As he pointed out to audience members, Little Bee is not his attempt to offer answers to such a challenging problem, but rather to start a debate.

For anyone who missed Chris' appearance with us, we're very sorry you did. But we definitely welcome you to join in on any one of our five remaining book discussions, or watch us on CityTV (Channel 16 in Santa Monica, and Channel 36 in Los Angeles) this coming Wednesday, February 24 at 7pm as we conduct a live, call-in discussion of the book. We also have a couple more related special events yet to come, including The Art of Storytelling on Saturday, March 6 at 2pm, in which veteran storyteller and artist Michael D. McCarty celebrates Little Bee's claim that even a sad story can be proof "that this storyteller is alive!"

For dates, times and venues for everything we still have in store, check out our resource guide, posted here: http://www.smpl.org/cwr/LITTLE%20BEE.pdf.

Special Events

Mark your calendars for these upcoming special events. We have a great lineup this year, with six events you won’t want to miss! It all begins on February 20, when the author will join us for a book discussion & signing.

The Voices of Little Bee
Saturday, February 20 at 1:30 pm — Main Library, MLK Jr. Auditorium
As a special prelude to author Chris Cleave’s appearance, we present this special reading of passages from Little Bee, in which the voices of Sarah and Little Bee are brought to life by gifted local actresses, Rosalyn Landor and Petal d’Avril Walker.

An Afternoon with Chris Cleave
Saturday, February 20 at 2:00 pm — Main Library, MLK Jr. Auditorium
The award-winning author of Little Bee presents a reading and discussion, followed by a book signing.

City TV Call-In Show
Wednesday, February 24 at 7:00 pm — Tune in to Channel 16
Can’t make it to one of our book discussions, or just looking for more perspective into Little Bee? Tune in to Channel 16 for a live, moderated discussion of this year’s featured novel, and feel free to call in with questions of your own.

Incendiary Book Discussion
Monday, March 1 at 7:00 pm — Main Library, Community Room
Published to controversy and acclaim in 2005, Chris Cleave’s first novel traces the tumultuous fallout for a London woman when her husband and young son are killed in a terrorist attack.

Movie Screening: The Visitor
Tuesday, March 2 at 7:00 pm — Main Library, MLK Jr. Auditorium
The story of Walter Vale (Oscar nominee Richard Jenkins), who returns home after a conference to find two illegal immigrants living in his apartment. These disparate characters come to know each other and affect each other’s lives in a story that is very similar to the themes of Little Bee.

The Art of Storytelling with Michael D. McCarty
Saturday, March 6 at 2:00 pm — Main Library, MLK Jr. Auditorium
Storytelling lies at the heart of Little Bee. As Little Bee states, even a sad story offers proof that “this storyteller is alive.” Michael D. McCarty has been entertaining audiences through the art of storytelling for a long time now. Drawing on international folk tales and other storytelling techniques, Michael taps into stories that inform, educate, inspire and amuse.

Jim Lynch Visits Santa Monica

On a very warm afternoon last Saturday, Jim Lynch spoke to an enthusiastic audience of The Highest Tide readers. He read from his book, talked about his inspiration and experience of writing the novel, and answer audience questions.

Many thanks to Santa Monica College and Santa Monica College Associates and the California Center for the Book for making this event happen.

Author! Author!

Santa Monica Citywide Reads is in its closing week, and we've saved the best for last. The Highest Tide's author, Jim Lynch, will be making an appearance at the Santa Monica College's Pavilion (Gym) on Saturday, May 17, at 3:00 p.m. Admission is completely free and all ages are welcome. Jim will introduce and give some background on the book that's bringing us all together and audience members will have the opportunity to ask him questions. A book sale and signing will follow.

Parking at Santa Monica College on Saturday is free. The college's address is 1900 Pico Boulevard. We recommend parking in Parking Structure A (see map below), which is accessed off Pico Boulevard, near 17th Street. The author talk will take place in the Pavilion (Gym), which is located south of Parking Structure A, and can be found near the bottom center of the map detail posted below.

We hope you will join us!