Author and investigative reporter David Epstein returned to Live Talks Los Angeles on Tuesday night, this time to talk about his new book INSIDE THE BOX: HOW CONSTRAINTS MAKE US BETTER. He appeared in conversation with Eric Barker, WSJ bestselling author of “Barking Up the Wrong Tree.” When David last visited us, he talked about his NY Times bestseller RANGE. His interest in human performance and how we choose to get better at something is still a topic he wants to delve into.
David’s first message is that convenience harms us. In a frictionless life, everything is delivered to us. Sadly, that’s where our culture is now. Instead, we want obstacles — they give our life meaning when learning and accomplishment are difficult. The easier life is, the less we learn from it. Ease is often mistaken for learning — it’s exactly the opposite. The brain gets primed for learning by trying to figure things out.
In fact, David would eliminate tech and AI from schools if he could. When the brain toggles with each focus change, studies find that it leaves a residue that builds up. Switching and multi-tasking increase stress, while mono-tasking is better for productivity, as we get chunks of work done instead of increments.
David’s second message is that innovation and productivity increase when we discover how to overcome what we think are dead ends. He shared a great Keith Jarrett story in which a bad piano in Koln, Germany forced the great musician to work around and with the piano’s limitations. It yielded a storied concert and an album which became the bestselling piano recording of all time. The unplayable piano forced him to reinvent.
To hear more about David’s research, watch the virtual presentation starting Tuesday, May 19. It remains available for five days after VOD. A signed book is included. Visit livetalksla.stellartickets.com for details and tickets.
#productivity #strategy #constraints #Innovation
Author and veteran tech journalist Joanna Stern comes to Live Talks Los Angeles to discuss her new book I AM NOT A ROBOT. She let AI control her life for a year. Is AI prepared to do this? Joanna discovered that human judgment is still necessary to make smart decisions. She also wondered about our increased dependency on it and the effect on our children. So many questions that we need humans to answer about AI!
This Monday night at 8pm in Santa Monica.
Joanna Stern in conversation with John Coogan
Author reception at 6.30pm
Visit livetalksla.org for details and tickets.
#AI #LLM #algorithms #tech #technology
Coming next week to LIVE TALKS LOS ANGELES!
MONDAY
Tech journalist JOANNA STERN with John Coogan
I AM NOT A ROBOT: MY YEAR USING AI FOR (ALMOST) ANYTHING
8pm, Santa Monica
Author reception 6.30pm
TUESDAY
TOM SELLECK with Ted Danson
YOU NEVER KNOW, A Memoir
7.30m, Santa Barbara
WEDNESDAY
LENA DUNHAM with Rita Wilson
FAMESICK, A Memoir
8pm, Culver City
Tix & signed books: livetalksla.org
#Tomselleck #ritawilson
Celebrity stylist Erin Walsh came to Live Talks LA Monday night to discuss her new book THE ART OF INTENTIONAL DRESSING: YOUR ESSENTIAL STYLE GUIDE FOR MANIFESTING A MAGNETIC LIFE. Erin, has styled stars like Anne Hathaway (most recently on her Prada 2 press tour), Selena Gomez, and the moderator for our talk, Mindy Kaling. She discussed her philosophy and visionary approach to fashion style through her CREATE method — an acronym to help you assess how you’re feeling and the image you want to project. It stands for: Clarity, Ritual, Editing, Alignment, Truth and Expansion. Walsh believes in the power of beauty and fashion to transform lives. The basis for CREATE is to ask yourself as you pick your clothes for the day, how you view yourself and who do you want to be? The question, “What do I wear?” can be answered by “Who do I want to be?” She believes you should let your clothes help embody that version of yourself. Use what you already have to become that person. That Chanel jacket won’t get you the job, but it helps you attain what you deserve.
She suggests that you pull three pieces from your closet that you like and build your capsule wardrobe around them. What are they offering you? Find three words to describe how you want to feel at work and inject pieces that make you feel comfortable inside that version you’ve created. Get rid of clothes that don’t serve you anymore! And if you work from home, get dressed to feel creative and energized. There is an affirming effect to wearing nice underwear and colorful shoes for that Zoom call that you don’t get from yellowed and tattered clothing.
Walsh’s audience had a lot of questions and comments, from what to do with an adolescent daughter who only wants to wear Ugg boots to how to assess if a new trend is for you.
Watch the virtual presentation starting Monday, May 18. It remains available for five days after VOD, and the ticket includes a signed book. Visit livetalksla.stellartickets.com.
#fashion #beauty #style #couture fastfashion looks
See former WSJ tech columnist Joanna Stern talk about our AI future. She let AI into her life, including medical care, and has written about that year in I AM NOT A ROBOT.
See her MAY 18 in Santa Monica.
Tix at livetalksla.org
#AI #womenshealth #breastcancer
Actress Jamie Lynn Sigler visited Live Talks Los Angeles last night to discuss her new memoir AND SO IT IS..., and it was a moving and tender conversation with author Laura Dave about Jamie’s early days as a young actress to her life-changing MS diagnosis, which she refuses to let define her. Jamie was trying to find her place in the industry when she was cast as daughter Meadow in “The Sopranos.” She was very green and star James Gandolfini made sure to protect her as an actress. She went into secret mode when she received her devastating diagnosis, scared that she wouldn’t work again. But finding a way out of the shadows allowed healing to begin. She found that acceptance is the opposite of fear. When producers now ask her how they can support MS, she says “Hire me!”
Jamie was very honest about other major challenges — her tumultuous first marriage and her son’s severe life-threatening illness that happened as she was writing this memoir. Hosting the “MeSsy” podcast with Christina Applegate helps her to talk about the tolls of her daily challenges without judgement. Above all, this book is a love letter to her friends, who she repeatedly cited as the tribe who heal, understand and love her unconditionally.
Make sure to watch the virtual presentation starting Thursday, May 14. It remains available for five days after VOD and a ticket includes a signed book. Visit livetalksla.stellartickets.com/
Live Talks Los Angeles’ sold out crowd for Isabel Klee on Tuesday night arriving early and lining up in the courtyard before doors open. They were treated to a memorable night with a lovely and moving conversation between Isabel Klee and Kristin Davis about Isabel’s debut book DOGS, BOYS, AND OTHER THINGS I’VE CRIED ABOUT. #dogs #rescuedogs
What a great night it was on Tuesday when Live Talks Los Angeles presented author and dog rescuer Isabel Klee in conversation with Kristin Davis to talk about Isabel’s debut book DOGS, BOYS, AND OTHER THINGS I’VE CRIED ABOUT. It’s a loving memoir about Isabel’s early days in NYC looking for love, and discovering her special connection to dogs who needed rescuing and fostering. Her dedication to dogs as @simonsits amassed a huge virtual following on social media, and that story is now a NYT bestseller and a future TV series. Isabel has attracted many ardent followers, evidenced by our sold-out crowd. The demand for tickets was so large that we had to move the event to a larger venue. Isabel’s warmth and sincerity cemented her fans’ admiration. They seemed to know the dogs she’s rescued by name, as well as recognize her fiance Jacob, as he took his seat. It was a lovely, funny and tender conversation about Isabel’s search for true love and the dogs who helped her find her true calling.
Kristin Davis, is known to most as an actress, but she’s also Chewy’s mom. Isabel had fostered Chewy and Kristin adopted her 1 1/2 years ago. All three reunited for the first time backstage before the talk.
The Forgotten Dog Foundation was on hand in the lobby with an info table. If you’re interested in the rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming work they do with dogs, please visit their page. @forgottendogfoundation_la
Congratulations to @isabelklee and her book debuting at #1 on the NYT non-fiction list --"Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I've Cried About. We hosted her last night at Live Talks Los Angeles in conversation with @iamkristindavis who led a fab convo to a sold out crowd of 750. She came into our office on Monday to sign 650 books #booksbooksbooks #booksofinstagram @simonsits@williammorrowbooks
"One of the reasons the book is called 'Famesick' is because the two most corrosive forces in my relationships were celebrity – how it perverted the space around old relationships, how it coloured my ability to understand new relationships – and illness. Illness, like fame, can make you contract into self because physical pain is one of the most selfish feelings that exists. All you want is to be out of it. Also, illness is scary to people." --Lena Dunham, Sydney Morning Herald Interview
See Lena Dunham in conversation with Rita Wilson on FAMESICK.
Tix: livetalkal.org
Here's a teaser to a virtual event airing May 3
@katecbowler in conversation with @rainnwilson
discussing her new book, "Joyful, Anyway"
Tix include a signed book and the stream is available on VOD for 5 days.
tix:
Spend an evening with Kate Bowler—bestselling author, Duke professor, and expert at telling the truth about being human—in conversation with actor Rainn Wilson. They will discuss joy that doesn’t require us to pretend everything is fine. Expect laughter, honesty, and the rare relief of being told the truth: you can’t always be happy—but you can be joyful, anyway.
“Joyful, Anyway is colorful and layered, unafraid of the occasional gut-punch of raw feeling and vulnerability—much like Kate Bowler herself. She suffers no fools, especially the toxic optimists.”—Jerry Seinfeld
We live in a culture convinced that chasing happiness will optimize our bodies, our minds, our relationships, our lives. But in the meantime, bad news usually stays bad: illness, chronic pain, grief, and disappointment don’t obey our timelines or vision boards. We are left wondering why, if we’re doing everything right, life still feels so hard.
Honest and bracingly tender, Joyful, Anyway proves that experiencing joy does not depend on resolving everything that makes life difficult. Drawing on a decade of living with serious illness and a lifetime studying America’s obsession with progress, Kate Bowler shows why people so busy chasing happiness miss out on actual joy.
