“We are a uniquely fire creature on a uniquely fire planet….Other animals knock over trees and dig holes; we do fire.” Fire is an “ecological signature” of who we are. “It forces us to act and to chose.”–Stephen J. Pyne
Tuesday night I had the honor of conversing with fire historian Pyne and our host Bill Deverell at the historic Los Angeles public library as part of the ALOUD program. This was the first in what promises to be an intriguing series on fire, wind, water, and earth. You can listen to the podcast here or on the player below.
Speaking of animals digging holes, one of my cats is in the hospital receiving continuous fluids, in critical condition. I held him in my lap today. He was earth, water, wind. Very little presence of fire, and yet, his illness is yet another kind of fire to meet, right there alongside the exhileration of my book tour.
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On deck
Capitola Book Cafe (near Santa Cruz) tonight at 7:30pm. Tomorrow, Los Angeles central library’s Mark Taper auditorium, 7pm. Thursday I’m back in Berkeley at Mrs. Dalloway’s. Ici, the ever-popular ice cream place, is just down the street so you can cool your taste buds after hearing me read about fires in the forest and in the mind.
SFZC Launch event
Live radio show at 1pm PST/3pm CST on Wisconsin Public Radio’s Here on Earth. Click here to learn how to listen or call in. Tonight I’ll be joined by fire monks, firefighters, and fire alumni at the San Francisco Zen Center for a reading, discussion, and short film viewing.
three years
Fire Monks Book Tour
Tomorrow is pub date, and my book tour gets underway on Friday in Big Sur at the Henry Miller Library. I’m excited to be appearing there, where the Basin Complex fire left a lasting impression, with David Zimmerman. Stay tuned…
