STACEY’S EVENTS –AUGUST 2008
581 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
www.staceys.com
415-421-4687

Monday, August 4th @ 12:30
MYSTERY CIRCLE
Tana French
The Likeness

We round off Mystery Month at Stacey’s—okay, Mystery Month and a Week—with Tana French, Edgar-award winner for her debut thriller In The Woods. In The Likeness, the follow-up to In the Woods, Dublin Murder Squad detective Cassie Maddox goes undercover, assuming the identity of a murdered woman.

Tuesday, August 5th @ 12:30
COSPONSORED BY ASIA SOCIETY
Niloufar Talebi
Belonging: New Poetry by Iranians Around the World

Stacey’s and the Asia Society are delighted to host Niloufar Talebi, Founder and Executive Director of The Translation Project and editor of Belonging: New Poetry by Iranians Around the World. Recent political developments, including the shadow of a new war, have obscured the fact that Iran has a long and splendid artistic tradition ranging from the visual arts to literature. Talebi has collected a selection of eclectic and vibrant poems that deepen the often limited awareness of Iranian identity today.

Wednesday, August 13th @ 12:30
Thomas Frank
The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Rule

Thomas Frank, author of the bestselling What’s the Matter with Kansas, takes a look at what he considers to be decades of deliberate—and lucrative—conservative misrule. Frank suggests that conservatism itself has become a mega-business and chronicles the grievous repercussions of jettisoning oversight and accountability, accruing massive public debt, and endangering the environment, the economy, the food supply, health care, and education.

Thursday, August 21st @ 12:30
Dean Karnazes
50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days—And How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance!

In the Fall of 2006, Dean Karnazes took on the ultimate challenge: running 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 consecutive days.  50/50 is the incredible story of these 50 marathons and a firsthand account of what happens when your body defies all limitations. For us mere mortals, Dean offers practical training tips that runners everywhere will want to know.

Wednesday, September 3rd @ 12:30
Moustafa Bayoumi
How Does It Feel to Be a Problem?: Being Young and Arab in America

English professor and Arab American Moustafa Bayoumi wondered how younger generations of Arab Americans were faring in a post-9/11 United States. In How Does It Feel to Be a Problem, Bayoum focuses on the lives of seven young people living in Brooklyn and offers revealing portraits of people who are often scrutinized but seldom heard from.

Thursday, September 4th @ 12:30
Joe Quirk
It’s Not You. It’s Biology.: The Science of Love, Sex, and Relationships

In one small paperback book, Joe Quirk has collected everything you should've learned in high school biology. It’s Not You. It’s Biology. is a humorous look at the real differences—biological, historical, psychological—between men and women...with fun and provocative insight into what "really" drives behavior.

Affiliate Events

Thursday, August 7th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
HOW WE EAT
Peter Menzel and Faith D’Alusio
Hungry Planet: What the World Eats

In connection with a Club photo exhibit, Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio will discuss discoveries made on their 24-country odyssey photographing thirty families with the food each family ate during the week it was interviewed. From Bhutan and Bosnia to Mexico and Mongolia, they shopped with the families, observed meal preparation and were awed at the diversity of food culture—including a Darfur mother with five children living on $1.44 a week in a refugee camp in Chad, and a German family of four spending $494.19. Along with presenting a visual exhibit of striking family portraits, they will comment on issues lying at the heart (and stomach) of the global diet. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is free for members,  $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Thursday, August 7th @ 6:00 pm
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
Jane Mayer
The Dark Side

Has America’s “War on Terror” turned into a war on American ideals and its international standing? Since the early development of the United States’ pursuit of international terrorists, many have argued that the US has suffered incalculable losses in the country’s moral and political standing in the world. Moreover, many have questioned whether the government’s decisions and actions are in violation of the Constitution and American values, and perhaps hampering the pursuit of Al Qaeda. In The Dark Side, Jane Mayer recounts how America has fought the “War on Terror” and explores its implications for our security and freedom. In recent years, she has written extensive articles for The New Yorker on the bin Laden family and the US government’s controversial policy of extraordinary rendition. Please note: This event will take place at the World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter Street, 2nd Floor. Check in is at 5:30 pm. Admission is free for members, $5 for students, and $15 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Monday, August 11th @ Noon
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Amit Goswami
God is Not Dead

What special insights might a theoretical physicist have about God? Goswami searches for proof of God's existence using quantum and Newtonian physics, understandings of consciousness, and his own personal experiences. He advocates the "science within consciousness," urging people to look beyond "materialistic" scientific understanding to broaden their conceptions of spirituality and the universe. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is free for members,  $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 11:30 am. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Tuesday, August 12th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
HOW WE EAT
Dean Ornish
The Spectrum

Everyone has heard that diet and lifestyle have a profound, long-term impact on our health and well-being. But many people do not take immediate steps to improve their long-term outlook. Dean Ornish has dedicated himself to improving people's health by helping them better understand the choices that lead to a healthy life. Come hear this leader in the field share his insights and knowledge. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $12 for members,  $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Wednesday, August 13th
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
HOW WE EAT
Nutrition Symposium

Don't miss this day-long series of programs providing critical information on living longer and healthier lives. The Nutrition Symposium features booths and vendors in the Club office as well as a nutrition fair in the evening. Noon: Patty Facendini will talk about “The Benefits of Snacking. “2:00 pm: Laurie Zerga will offer a “Salute to Salads.” 3:00 pm: Michael Lipelt talks about “Our Health and Heavy Metals.” 4:30 pm: Ed Bauman discusses “Pollution Protection.” 6:00 pm: Larry Kushi asks, “Can What You Eat Cause or Prevent Cancer?” Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $8 for members, $15 for non-members and is good for the entire symposium. Check-in is 30 minutes prior to program start. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Tuesday, August 19th @ 6:00 pm
MARINES’ MEMORIAL CLUB
David Danelo
The Border: Exploring the U.S.-Mexican Divide

In 2007, award-winning writer David J. Danelo spent three months traveling the 1,952-mile length of the U.S.-Mexico border from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean. In an effort to gain firsthand knowledge of the front-line political and security issues facing America, Danelo interviewed Border Patrol agents, local politicians, immigration activists, deported migrants, and religious officials. The Border: Exploring the U.S.-Mexican Divide chronicles Danelo’s three month quest to comprehend la frontera’s natural beauty, lethal reality, and political complexity. Please note: This event will take place at the Marines’ Memorial Association, 609 Sutter Street. Check in is at 5:00 pm. Admission is free to all. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Monday, August 25th @ 5:15 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
HOW WE EAT
Jenni Ferrari-Adler
Alone in the Kitchen with Eggplant: Confessions of Cooking for One and Dining Alone

Is there a stigma about eating alone? We all cook alone at one point or another. Jenni Ferrari-Adler lets us know that other people are as hung up on it as we are. Her essays make good company: They're meant to inspire, entertain, comfort and provide practical help in the form of recipes for one. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is free for members, $8 for non-members. Check-in is at 4:45 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Tuesday, August 26th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
HOW WE EAT
Marion Nestle and Davia Nelson
Pet Food Politics and Hidden Kitchens
 
There's more than meets the eye in that box of Meow Mix. The pet food industry links matters as diverse as global food safety, health policy, international trade, and corporate and governmental influence. Marion Nestle's examination of the 2007 pet food recall developed into an expose that revealed glaring gaps in food safety between the United States and the developing countries that produce the food. She will speak about her research, which follows tainted pet food from its source in China to its destination—feed for pigs, chickens and fish in the United States. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $12 for members,  $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Wednesday, August 27th @ 6:30 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
HOW WE EAT
Raj Patel
Stuffed and Starved

Stuffed: Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States, and over 60 percent of us are considered overweight. Starved: Worldwide, nearly a billion people are starving to death, and 35 million Americans went hungry at some point last year. Moreover, Raj Patel contends that the U.S.'s influence in organizations like the WTO, and our trade policies on issues like corn ethanol fuel production, have driven up food prices; and that the issue of starvation must be addressed at home as well as abroad. Why is there such a large discrepancy between the haves and the have-nots for what we all need: food? Patel, author of Stuffed and Starved, strives to answer that question by telling the tale of the global food system. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $12 for members,  $20 for non-members. Check-in is at 6:0 0 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Wednesday, September 3rd @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Richard Elkus
Winner Take All: How Competitiveness Shapes the Fate of Nations

Richard Elkus, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and business leader, chronicles the history of what he calls America's abdication in key industries like television, consumer electronics and semiconductors. He cites short-term financial interests that triumphed over long-term national strategies for economic competitiveness. He then outlines 10 critical principles essential for America to regain the economic and political clout that comes from strength in strategic global markets. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $8 for members,  $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Thursday, September 4th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Daniel Ellsberg
Secrets

One of the turning points in the opposition movement to the Vietnam War was the release of Daniel Ellsberg's Pentagon Papers, chronicling decades of Defense Department involvement in Vietnam. Today, the war in Iraq is fraught with criticism, but there are fewer protests and no internal leaks have had the impact of the Pentagon Papers. As operations in Iraq continue and the U.S. threatens to attack Iran, Ellsberg compares the two periods, including constitutional issues, and gives his views on the future. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $8 for members,  $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:15 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

STACEY’S EVENTS –JULY 2008
581 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
www.staceys.com
415-421-4687

Wednesday, July 9th @ 12:30
EVOLUTION OF A WRITER
David Wroblewski
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

Few debut novelists enjoy the kind of prepublication publicity and glowing reviews as David Wroblewski has received. Wroblewski’s riveting saga of an American family captures the deep and ancient alliance between humans and dogs, and the power of fate through one boy's epic journey into the wild. Richard Russo said, “David Wroblewski’s got storytelling talent to burn and a big, generous heart to go with it.” Please join us as Mr. Wroblewski reads from his remarkable novel and discusses his writing process.

Thursday, July 10th through Saturday, July 12th
Stacey’s Semi-Annual License to Save

For three days only, Stacey’s Literary License members save 20% on everything (excluding periodicals) in the store! Not a Literary License holder? Why not? It’s free: sign up at the Mezzanine Service Desk.

Thursday, July 10th @ 12:30
MYSTERY CIRCLE
Robert Crais
Chasing Darkness

Who better to kick off Mystery Month at Stacey’s than customer favorite Robert Crais? In his new novel featuring Elvis Cole, a man cleared of murder charges years earlier is found dead,az and Elvis becomes the primary suspect. According to Publishers’ Weekely, “The story opens with a bang and never slows.”

Tuesday, July 15th @ 12:30
EVOLUTION OF A WRITER/
SUMMER READING
Vincent Carrella and Dan White
Serpent Box and The Cactus Eaters

Local debut authors Vincent Carrella and Dan White offer a one-two, fiction-nonfiction punch. Vincent Carrella’s novel is set in the deep mountains of Appalachia, where the Flints of Leatherwood, Tennessee, spread their version of the gospel by handling deadly serpents and drinking lye in front of large gatherings of the faithful. Dan White’s The Cactus Eaters is a hilarious and harrowing account of a young couple's hike along the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail. Carrella and White’s books are part of the P.S. Paperback series featuring back of book discussion with the authors.

Wednesday, July 16th @ 12:30
MYSTERY CIRCLE TEA
Rhys Bowen
A Royal Pain

Mystery Month at Stacey’s continues . . . Join us for tea and treats as local writer Rhys Bowen introduces us to her delightful new series set in 1930s London, featuring a penniless 20-something member of the extended royal family. Wear a hat and have a chance to win a bag of English goodies.

Thursday, July 17th @ 12:30
Stefan Fatsis
A Few Seconds of Panic

Stefan Fatsis hit the bestseller charts with Word Freak, a look at the insular world of competitive Scrabble players. In A Few Seconds of Panic, Fatsis examines a different kind of competition as he embeds himself with the Denver Broncos.

Wednesday, July 23rd @ 12:30
MYSTERY CIRCLE
Local Mystery Panel
Michelle Gagnon, Claire M. Johnson, and Simon Wood
Boneyard, Roux Morgue, and We All Fall Down

We’re delighted to continue Mystery Month at Stacey’s with a panel of three local writers who have garnered rave reviews. In Michelle Gagnon’s Boneyard FBI special agent Kelly Jones searches for a serial killer and a copycat nemesis. Claire M. Johnson’s pastry chef/sleuth Mary Ryan investigates mysterious deaths at a San Francisco culinary school. Simon Wood returns to Stacey’s with We All Fall Down and looks at the deaths at a research firm that come on the heals of a high-level government project.

Thursday, July 24th @ 12:30
Erich Origen and Gan Golan
Goodnight Bush: An Unauthorized Parody

Erich Origen and Gan Golan’s Goodnight Bush is a publishing sensation. Sent to a publisher on spec, it quickly hit the bestseller lists. Goodnight Bush is a parody of the children’s classic Goodnight Moon and is a hilarious and poignant visual requiem for the Bush administration. In it we see a childlike George W. Bush tucked safely away in the confines of his own room and a quiet Dick Cheney whispering "hush.”


Monday, July 28th @ 12:30
MYSTERY CIRCLE
T.J. English
Havana Nocturne: How the Mob Owned Cuba . . . and Then Lost It to the Revolution

Mystery Month at Stacey’s continues with a true crime account of the Mob’s influence in Cuba during the 1950s. T.J. English, author of Paddy Whacked, offers a fascinating chronicle of organized crime, political corruption, roaring nightlife and the seeds of the revolution that ended it all.

Monday, August 4th @ 12:30
MYSTERY CIRCLE
Tana French
The Likeness

We round off Mystery Month at Stacey’s—okay, Mystery Month and a Week—with Tana French, Edgar-award winner for her debut thriller In The Woods. In The Likeness, the follow-up to In the Woods, Dublin Murder Squad detective Cassie Maddox goes undercover, assuming the identity of a murdered woman.

Tuesday, August 5th @ 12:30
COSPONSORED BY ASIA SOCIETY
Niloufar Talebi
Belonging: New Poetry by Iranians Around the World

Stacey’s and the Asia Society are delighted to host Niloufar Talebi, Founder and Creative/Executive Director of The Translation Project and editor of Belonging: New Poetry by Iranians Around the World. Recent political developments, including the shadow of a new war, have obscured the fact that Iran has a long and splendid artistic tradition ranging from the visual arts to literature. Talebi has collected a selection of eclectic and vibrant poems that deepen the often limited awareness of Iranian identity today.

Affiliate Events

Tuesday, July 1st @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Michael Meyer
The Last Days of Old Beijing

As Beijing prepares to host the 2008 Summer Olympics, century-old houses and ways of life are being destroyed to make way for shopping malls, a Wal-Mart, high-rise buildings, and widened streets for cars replacing bicycles. Michael Meyer, who lived in a shared courtyard home in Dazhalan—Beijing's oldest neighborhood—will share his experience and photos of life in Beijing's vanishing lanes. He will tell us the life stories of the Widow, who shared his courtyard; co-teacher Miss Zhu and student Little Liu; and the migrants Recycler Wang and Soldier Liu; among many others who, despite great differences in age and profession, make up the fabric of this unique neighborhood, and whose bond is being torn by Beijing's quest for modernization. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $8 for members,  $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Wednesday, July 2nd @ 12:30 pm
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
Senator Chuck Hagel
America: Our Next Chapter

In his two terms in the US Senate, Chuck Hagel has distinguished himself as an outspoken and thoughtful political leader. Unafraid to challenge the policies of his own party, Senator Hagel has drawn praise and admiration from across the ideological spectrum by expressing grave concerns about the war in Iraq. In America: Our Next Chapter, Senator Hagel sets forth his vision for a humbler US foreign policy guided by international diplomacy and free trade. He also addresses key domestic policy issues by calling for a significant reduction in the size of the federal government, demanding more fiscal responsibility in Washington, and supporting reforms to reduce the spiraling costs of entitlement programs—all great challenges the next president must confront. Please note: This event will take place at the Fairmont Hotel, 950 Mason Street. Admission is $20 for members, $45 for non-members. Premium seating is $35 for members, $60 for non-members. Check-in is at 11:45 am. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Tuesday, July 8th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Lewis Schiff
The Middle Class Millionaire

Lewis Schiff reveals original research about current American millionaires who have earned rather than inherited their wealth. He estimates 6 million U.S. households have a self-made net worth over $1 million. The research compares attitudes, values and social contributions of the traditional middle class to those of the "middle-class millionaire." Schiff also examines the broader societal impact this group has. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $8 for members,  $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Tuesday, July 8th  @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Marwan Muasher
The Arab Center

Is there any hope for moderate voices in the Arab world? Many international leaders and scholars agree that compromise and centrist policies will help to broker peace and stability in the Middle East, but religious and political extremism has been growing. Marwan Muasher served as Jordan's first ambassador to Israel and as ambassador to the U.S. He will discuss the importance of, and the challenges facing, moderates in the Arab world. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $12 for members,  $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Wednesday, July 9th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
David Boaz
The Politics of Freedom

David Boaz, a key figure in the libertarian movement, surveys what he sees as the threats to freedom from the Bush administration and the current presidential candidates. Though he is frustrated with many of the candidates' positions, he remains optimistic about the future of civil and economic liberties. However, he says that the future of freedom requires that Americans devote considerable effort to preserving and protecting these rights. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $12 for members,  $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Thursday, July 10th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Mahvish Khan
My Guatanamo Diary

Spurred by the detainment of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, American lawyer Mahvish Khan decided to offer help to the detainees. Born to Afghan parents, she used her language skills as a translator, and from her time with these detainees she has written a diary that provides insights into the lives and families of those held at Guantanamo. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $8 for members,  $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Thursday, July 10th @ 6:30 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB/INFORUM
Peter Gosselin and Panel
High Wire

Recent expert prognosis for the overall economy is not  good. Housing bust, credit crunch, unemployment and high commodity prices (oil anyone?) are familiar faces in the news, and they all lead up to the most dreaded word of all—"recession." Unemployed? Self-employed? A small business owner? A family just trying to survive? Some believe that no one may be safe this time around. With economic worries mounting, we talk to the experts to find out how to survive these trying times. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $12 for members,  $20 for non-members. Check-in is at 6:00 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Monday, July 14th @ Noon
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Russell Targ
Do You See What I See?

Visually impaired physicist Russell Targ pioneered research in lasers and optics. His work in "remote viewing," sponsored by NASA and the CIA, has recently been declassified and dubbed by the media as "America's psychic spy program." Targ presents anecdotes about his life and his experiences with some of the 20th century's leading figures—including Ayn Rand, Alan Greenspan, Alan Alda, as well as Targ's brother-in-law, world chess champion Bobby Fischer. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is free for members,  $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 11:30 am. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Monday, July 14th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Steve Levine
Putin's Labyrinth

Russia's rich oil reserves are helping the country regain prominence. Under Vladimir Putin and his sucessor, Dmitry Medvedev, nationalism has grown as well. Is there a return to Soviet-era systems and beliefs? Or has the nation moved into a different paradigm? LeVine says the country is stained by a "culture of death," from assassinations of state critics to possible Kremlin indifference in hostage crises. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is free for members,  $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Tuesday, July 15th @ 6:00 pm
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
Timothy Lynch
After Bush

Toward the end of his second term it appears George W. Bush’s foreign policy has won few admirers, with pundits and politicians questioning the actions of the past eight years. Author Timothy Lynch counters the dogma of Bush’s detractors and ideological opponents, arguing that Bush’s policy belongs within the mainstream of the American foreign policy tradition. Further, he suggests that there will, and should, be continuity in US foreign policy from his presidency to those of his successors. Providing a positive audit of the War on Terror, Lynch maintains that the Bush Doctrine has been consistent with past foreign policies from Republican and Democratic presidencies—and that the key elements of Bush’s grand strategy will continue to shape the American approach in the future. Please note: This event will take place at the World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter Street, 2nd Floor. Check in is at 5:30 pm. Admission is free for members, $5 for students, and $15 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Wednesday, July 16th @ 6:00 pm
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
Lane Montgomery
Never Again, Again, Again

Lane Montgomery has traveled as a photographer with the International Rescue Committee, Americares and other humanitarian groups in such places as Rwanda, Liberia, Haiti, Kosovo, Ethiopia and the Congo. Never Again, Again, Again is a photographic essay with text on the major genocides in the 20th and 21st centuries including Armenia, the Holocaust, Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, Herzegovina and Darfur. She visits the Council to discuss the role of the international community and its responsibilities. Please note: This event will take place at the World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter Street, 2nd Floor. Check in is at 5:30 pm. Admission is free for members, $5 for students, and $15 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Wednesday, July 16th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Alice Feiring
The Battle for Wine and Love

In fear of losing the wines she loves best, Alice Feiring is on a quest to save those beloved authentic wines from creeping globalization. Tune into one of the most debated topics in today's wine world and you might end up questioning what you really want in your glass. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $12 for members,  $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Thursday, July 17th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Robert N. Butler
The Longevity Revolution

People in developed nations have gained an average of 30 additional years of life during the 20th century, the greatest advance in longevity in 5,000 years of human history. But are we as a society prepared to handle this remarkable change? World-renowned gerontologist and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Robert Butler will examine the challenges this creates, the adjustments that have been made, what will need to be done in the future, and possible threats to our longevity. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $8 for members,  $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:15 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Monday, July 28th @ 6:00 pm
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL/MARINES’ MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION
Ralph Peters
A Brief History of the Future

Ralph Peters is a retired military officer, a popular media commentator on both television and radio and the author of more than twenty books. He has authored numerous essays on strategy for military journals such as Armed Forces Journal. He writes an opinion column for the New York Post, and frequently writes columns for USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and Newsweek. He writes frequently from his travels to trouble spots like Iraq, West Africa and Israel. Mr. Peters joins the World Affairs Council and the Marines’ Memorial Association to discuss his new book, A Brief History of the Future. Please note: This event will take place at the Marines’ Memorial Association, 609 Sutter Street. Check in is at 5:30 pm. Admission is free to all. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Thursday, July 31st @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Alice Waters and Eric Schlosser
The Art of Simple Food and Fast Food Nation

Help kick off our Third Annual Platforum Series, "How We Eat," with Alice Waters, one of the most knowledgeable and dedicated slow-food advocates in the world. This James Beard Award-winning chef and author will discuss the importance of sustainable agricultural methods and practices, as well as the joy and the pleasure of eating well. Ms. Waters will be in conversation with Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation. Please note: This event will take place at the Fairmont Hotel, 950 Mason Street. Admission is $15 for members, $30 for non-members. Premium seating is $55 for members, $75 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Wednesday, August 6th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
David Gill
It’s About Excellence

Too often, business ethics is a narrow exercise in damage control, says David Gill. A looming indictment or a brand-tarnishing scandal activates the ethics folks. But this reactive approach will never be preventive. Gill argues that it's better to proactively build ethically healthy organizations—not just for risk management but for competitive advantage and organizational excellence. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $8 for members,  $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Thursday, August 7th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Peter Menzel and Faith D’Alusio
Hungry Planet: What the World Eats

In connection with a Club photo exhibit, Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio will discuss the discoveries of their 24-country odyssey photographing thirty families with the food they ate during the week they were interviewed. From Bhutan and Bosnia to Mexico and Mongolia, they shopped with the families, observed meal preparation and were awed at the diversity of food culture—including a Darfur mother with five children living on $1.44 a week in a refugee camp in Chad, and a German family of four spending $494.19. Presenting a visual exhibit of striking family portraits, they will comment on issues lying at the heart (and stomach) of the global diet. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is free for members,  $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Thursday, August 7th @ 6:00 pm
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
Jane Mayer
The Dark Side

Has America’s “War on Terror” turned into a war on American ideals and its international standing? Since the early development of the United States’ pursuit of international terrorists, many have argued that the US has suffered incalculable losses in the country’s moral and political standing in the world. Moreover, many of the government’s decisions and actions have come into question for violating the Constitution and American values, as well as for hampering the pursuit of Al Qaeda. In The Dark Side, Jane Mayer recounts how America has fought the “War on Terror” and explores its implications for our security and freedom. In recent years, she has written extensive articles for The New Yorker on the bin Laden family and the US government’s controversial policy of extraordinary rendition. Please note: This event will take place at the World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter Street, 2nd Floor. Check in is at 5:30 pm. Admission is free for members, $5 for students, and $15 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.
STACEY’S EVENTS –JUNE 2008
581 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
www.staceys.com
415-421-4687

Friday, June 6th @ 12:30
Andre Dubus
The Garden of Last Days

Andre Dubus’s book House of Sand and Fog gained critical and popular acclaim, becoming a New York Times bestseller and Oprah's Book Club selection. In The Garden of Last Days Dubus fashions another psychologically tense and revealing encounter between an American woman on the edge and an intense Muslim man.
 
Wednesday, June 11th @ 12:30
Carol Goman
The Nonverbal Advantage

Studies show we form opinions of one another within 7 seconds of meeting, and that 93% of the message people receive from us has nothing to do with what we actually say. Carol Kinsey Goman combines the latest research and her 25 years of practical experience as a consultant, coach and therapist to offer a fun and practical guide to better understand and use non-verbal communication.

Thursday, June 12th @ 12:30
EVOLUTION OF A WRITER
Dalia Sofer
The Septembers of Shiraz

Dalia Sofer’s debut novel, The Septembers of Shiraz, is set in Tehran during the aftermath of the Iranian revolution. After rare-gem dealer Isaac Amin is wrongly arrested, his family must reconcile a new world of cruelty and chaos with the collapse of everything they have known. Please join us for the paperback release of Ms. Sofer’s debut, and for a discussion of the writing process.

Thursday, June 19th @ 12:30
MYSTERY CIRCLE SERIES
Steven Saylor
The Triumph of Caesar

Steven Saylor returns to his bestselling “Roma Sub Rosa” series featuring Gordianus the Finder. In The Triumph of Caesar, the Roman civil war has come to its conclusion and Egypt is firmly under the control of Cleopatra. Gordianus has returned to Rome and is charged with examining the rumor of a conspiracy against the life of Caesar.
Friday, June 20th @ 12:30
COSPONSORED BY OSHER LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE AT SAN FRANCISCO STATE
Irvin Yalom
Staring at the Sun: Overcoming the Terror of Death

Written in Irvin Yalom's inimitable story-telling style, Staring at the Sun is a profoundly encouraging approach to the universal issue of mortality. Capping a lifetime of work and personal experience, Dr. Yalom urges us to confront our own mortality so that we may rearrange our priorities, communicate more deeply with those we love, appreciate more keenly the beauty of life, and increase our willingness to take the risks necessary for personal fulfillment.

Wednesday, June 25th @ 12:30
STACEY’S COMMUNITY FORUM
R.S.V.P. San Francisco

Join Stacey’s latest Community Forum highlighting R.S.V.P. San Francisco.  R.S.V.P. San Francisco is a local non-profit that recruits and connects people 55 years and older with volunteer opportunities in the community. Representatives from R.S.V.P. San Francisco will show you how to put your experience to work for your community.

Thursday, June 26th @ 12:30
Meg Waite Clayton
The Wednesday Sisters

Local author Med Waite Clayton’s The Wednesday Sisters is a humorous and poignant novel set in California. Clayton follows five women over the course of four decades, from the tumultuous 60s to the present, and honors the joyful, mysterious, and unbreakable bonds between friends.

Affiliate Events

Monday, June 2nd @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Alfred Regnery
Upstream: The Ascendance of American Conservatism

The publisher of William F. Buckley's first book has been at the heart of the modern conservative movement since its inception more than half a century ago. Come hear an insider's perspective as Alfred Regnery chronicles the rise of post-war conservatism. He'll share his unique behind-the-scenes stories of a movement that grew to challenge liberals, and even Republican presidents, when it saw it as necessary. Combining history, anecdotes and ideology, Regnery paints a rich picture of a modern political ideology that has completely reshaped American politics and culture. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is free for members,  $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Tuesday, June 3rd @ 6:30 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB/INFORUM
John Perkins
The Secret History of the American Empire

It once could be said that "the sun never sets on the British empire," but in these post-colonial times, John Perkins argues that a different type of global empire has replaced the British model. Perkins, a U.S. political insider and the author of the New York Times bestseller Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, examines the American empire in his new book The Secret History of the American Empire. From the economic "hit men" of governments to global corporations, Perkins tells the story of an empire built through economics rather than military force, but with effects no less brutal. He zeroes in on hot spots around the world and recalls the history of events that have contributed to the creation of American power and what he sees as the international corruption of today. Join John Perkins in conversation with INFORUM as he unearths this history and discusses his plan for making a sustainable, stable, and peaceful world. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $12 for members,  $20 for non-members. Check-in is at 6:00 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Wednesday, June 4th @ 6:30 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Errol Morris and Philip Gourevitch
Standard Operating Procedure

It has been four years since the first photographs of torture and abuse in Abu Ghraib splashed across newspapers nationwide, but the events remain fresh in our consciousness. Drawing on more than 200 hours of frank and intimate interviews with the people who took these pictures and participated in the acts, veteran New Yorker writer Gourevitch and Academy Award-winning director Errol Morris examine this defining moment in the Iraq war, retold through the eyes, and cameras, of the soldiers inside the prisons. Come hear them discuss their chilling tale of moral and political reckoning. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $12 for members,  $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 6:00 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Wednesday, June 4th @ 6:00 pm
MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE
Benjamin Wallace
The Billionaire’s Vinegar: The Mystery of the World’s Most Expensive Wine

When is a single bottle of wine worth $156,000? When it’s auctioned off as a 1787 Chateau Lafite Bordeaux and the bottle is engraved with Thomas Jefferson’s initials. Benjamin Wallace offers up a heady combination of history, mystery, and wine lore in his account of a spectacular con that shook the rarefied world of rare wine collecting. Please note: This event will take place at the Mechanics’ Institute, 57 Post Street. Admission is free for members and $10 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-393-0100 or email rsvp@milibrary.org.

Thursday, June 5th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
The 77th Annual California Book Awards

Since 1931, the California Book Awards have been honoring literary excellence among authors in the Golden State. This year’s winners are Michael Chabon (Gold Medal for Fiction), Khaled Hosseini (Silver Medal for Fiction), Porochista Khakpour (Silver Medal for First Fiction), Arnold Rampersad (Gold Medal for Nonfiction), Daniel Walker Howe (Silver Medal for Nonfiction), Robert Gottlieb (Silver Medal for Californiana), W.S. Di Piero (Gold Medal for Poetry), Jay Asher (Gold Medal for Young Adult), Ying Chang Compestine (Silver Medal for Young Adult), Paul Fleischman (Silver Medal for Juvenile), Deborah Rudolph (Silver Medal for Contribution to Publishing), and Robert Alter (Special Recognition).Don't miss an opportunity to hear from some literary giants and amazing writers. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $10 for members,  $10 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Monday, June 9th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Panel with Kathy Bloomgarden
Trust: The Secret Weapon of Effective Business

With the uncertainty surrounding today's financial markets, there's a great deal of share volatility and a cloudy outlook for many companies. Have executives and investors learned their lessons since the dot-com days? This panel of experts will discuss how to create trust both inside a company and with the public in this new age of skepticism and insecurity. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is free for members,  $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Tuesday, June 10th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Joey Altman
Without Reservations

James Beard-award-winning chef Joey Altman will share his personal approach to creating great flavors, in addition to the techniques and tricks of the trade he has learned from the culinary world's top chefs who have appeared on his Bay Cafe television program. Leave this demonstration and tasting with an inspired new game plan for transforming simple ingredients into luscious dining experiences. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $8 for members,  $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Wednesday, June 11th @ 6:00 pm
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL/MARINES’ MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION
Richard Engel
War Journal: My Five Years in Iraq

Richard Engel, Middle East Correspondent and Beirut Bureau Chief for NBC News, is the longest serving broadcaster in Iraq and the only American television reporter to cover the country continuously before, during, and after the 2003 U.S. invasion. Fluent in Arabic, he has had unrivaled access to U.S. military commanders, Sunni insurgents, Shiite militias, Iraqi families, and even President George W. Bush. Engel, who reported as a freelance journalist for ABC News during the initial U.S. invasion of Iraq, was NBC News’ lead Iraq correspondent from 2003 until his appointment to Beirut Bureau Chief in May 2006. Please note: This event will take place at the Marines’ Memorial Association, 609 Sutter Street. Check in is at 5:30 pm. Admission is free for members, $5 for students, and $15 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Thursday, June 12th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Ron Hansen
Exiles

Ron Hansen has published numerous short stories in literary magazines nationwide. His first book, Desperadoes, was a Western novel that re-imagines the story of the Dalton Gang. His later work, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, chronicled the life and death of the iconic outlaw; it was Hansen's most popular work and brought him wide critical acclaim, as well as making him a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award. He is a frequent writer of Western-style novels, which he deepens with a mix of history, morality and drama. Please join us as we welcome this truly American novelist, who will share his thoughts on the modes and methods of writing as well as the inspiration he derives from the Old West. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $12 for members,  $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Thursday, June 12th @ 6:00 pm
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
Ahmed Rashid
Descent into Chaos

Ahmed Rashid is a Pakistani journalist, based in Lahore, who has been covering Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia for more than twenty years. In Descent into Chaos, he examines the region, as well as the corridors of power in Washington and Europe, to see how the promised nation–building in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia has progressed. His conclusions are devastating: while Iraq continues to attract most of the American media and military might, Rashid argues that Pakistan and Afghanistan are where the conflict will finally be played out and that these failing states pose a graver threat to global security than the Middle East. Please note: This event will take place at the World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter Street, 2nd Floor. Check in is at 5:30 pm. Admission is free for members, $5 for students, and $15 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Friday, June 13th @ 6:30 pm
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL/MARINES’ MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION
Jeremy Scahill
Blackwater: The Rise of America’s Private Army

Based in the wilderness of North Carolina, Blackwater USA is the fastest growing private army in the world, with forces capable of carrying out regime change anywhere. Blackwater protects top U.S. officials in Iraq and yet we know almost nothing about the firm’s military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and inside the United States. Founded by the son of a wealthy conservative family known for funding far right-wing causes, the company is intimately connected to the Bush administration; and, as a privatized army accountable to no one. Jeremy Scahill’s Blackwater is the dark story of the rise of this mercenary army. Please note: This event will take place at the Marines’ Memorial Association, 609 Sutter Street. Check in is at 5:30 pm. Admission is $15 for members and $25 for non-members. The admission price includes a paperback copy of Blackwater. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Monday, June 16th @ 6:30 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Sam Gosling
Snoop: What Your Stuff Says about You New Science of Snooping

Does what's on your desk reveal what's on your mind? Do those pictures on your walls tell true tales about your character? Is your favorite outfit about to give you away? For the last 10 years psychologist Gosling has been studying how people project (and protect) their inner selves. By exploring our private worlds (desks, bedrooms … even our clothes and cars), he shows not only how we showcase our personalities in unexpected ways, but also how we create personality in the first place, communicate it others and interpret the world around us. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $12for members,  $20 for non-members. Check-in is at 6:00 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Monday, June 16th @ 6:30 pm
MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE
7th Annual Bloomsday Celebration

Actors Robert Aryes, Renee Gibbons, Oonagh Kavanagh, Esther Mulligan and Maurice Wren will present dramatic readings from Ulysses, Portrait of An Artist As a Young Man, Pomespennyeach, stories from Dubliners; and songs sung by James Joyce, to express the brilliant, bawdy, and tender sides of this literary genius. Dress in your Irish best! Our special Bloomsday menu will be available throughout the evening in the Mechanics’ Saloon. Please note: This event will take place at the Mechanics’ Institute, 57 Post Street. Admission is free for members and $10 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-393-0100 or email rsvp@milibrary.org.

Monday, June 16th @ 8:00 pm
JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER
Debra Winger
Undiscovered

Debra Winger is best known for her film roles:  Urban Cowboy, An Officer and a Gentleman, Terms of Endearment, and Shadowlands. But she's also famous for turning her back on acting in 1995. Such was the impact of Winger's absence from Hollywood that when Rosanna Arquette directed her documentary about the pressures faced by aging actresses, she entitled it Searching for Debra Winger. Winger, who served in the Israeli army, joins us to talk about her life on and off the silver screen. Please note: This event will take place at the Jewish Community Center, 3200 California Street at Presidio. For reservations and more information, please call 415-292-1233 or email arts@jccsf.org.

Tuesday, June 17th @ 5:45 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
James Martin
The Islands of San Francisco Bay

How many islands do you think there are in San Francisco Bay? Did you know there are 48?  James Martin is a long-time rock climber, hiker, and photographer, who has photographed all of these islands. Come see stunning photos and hear about the natural setting we all take for granted, but don't really know. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $8 for members,  $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:15 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Tuesday, June 17th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Lauren Weisberger
Chasing Harry Winston

The best-selling author of The Devil Wears Prada and Everyone Worth Knowing is back with a delicious new novel about a trio of friends in Manhattan who agree to change their lives in the most personal and dramatic way possible—within one calendar year. The Devil Wears Prada was a masterstroke, giving all of us a glimpse into the high-pressure world of fashion and life at the bottom of that milieu. This is a great opportunity to hear Lauren Weisberger's humorous, and at times poignant, insights into living life to its fullest. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $12 for members,  $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Wednesday, June 18th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Paul Roberts
The End of Food

More than 1.1 billion people worldwide are at risk of obesity-related illness, while roughly as many people are starving. Meanwhile, global food production faces dangers from toxic chemicals, destructive farming techniques and contamination. Paul Roberts takes a close look at food production, transport and consumption on a global scale, uncovering disturbing trends about the system we all entrust to handle our food. Will people take heed and work to improve the health of our food supply and distribution chain, before it is too late for millions of people around the world? Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $12 for members,  $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Friday, June 20th @ Noon
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
George Lakoff
The Political Mind: Why You Can't Understand 21st-Century American Politics with an 18th-Century Brain

Progressives may have been fighting a losing battle in the United States for the last thirty years, largely because a majority of citizens might be voting against their own interests. George Lakoff explains how our brains really work, why language is so important, and how Democrats can use this to their advantage to win the November elections. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is free for members,  $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 11:30 am. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Monday, June 23rd @ 6:00 pm
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
George Lakoff
The Political Mind: Why You Can't Understand 21st-Century American Politics with an 18th-Century Brain

Progressives may have been fighting a losing battle in the United States for the last thirty years, largely because a majority of citizens might be voting against their own interests. According to George Lakoff, this is because people do not think about politics with a logician’s rationality, but use a deeper, unconscious rationality of values, metaphors, frames, and emotions. In The Political Mind: Why You Can’t Understand 21st- Century American Politics with an 18th-Century Brain, Professor Lakoff argues that when one sees how our brains really work, one can see why voters’ deepest values matter most, and why authenticity, and trust—not just policies—are paramount in elections. Please note: This event will take place at the World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter Street, 2nd Floor. Check in is at 5:30 pm. Admission is free for members, $5 for students, and $15 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Tuesday, June 24th @ 6:00 pm
MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE
George Lakoff
The Political Mind: Why You Can't Understand 21st-Century American Politics with an 18th-Century Brain

Linguist George Lakoff discusses language, politics, the human brain and how all three connect in his fascinating study of modern politics. Effective storytelling, according to Lakoff, touches an emotional chord in humans that is far more effective than the dry and “logical” discussion of issues. Any political movement that hopes to succeed must approach voters using a language that engages listeners on that emotional level.  The impact will be seen in this upcoming election! Please note: This event will take place at the Mechanics’ Institute, 57 Post Street. Admission is free for members and $10 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-393-0100 or email rsvp@milibrary.org.

Tuesday, June 24th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Robert Scheer
The Pornography of Power

For the past year, we have heard presidential candidates split hairs over how to allocate the relatively small portion of our national budget that goes to education and health care, while billions of dollars in discretionary defense spending remains shrouded in mystery. Can critics change the terms of this debate? Veteran journalist Robert Scheer reveals his opinions about the expansion of our military presence throughout the world, our nuclear strategy, and what he sees as the immorality of corporations profiting in Iraq. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $12 for members,  $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Wednesday, June 25th @ 6:00 pm
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
Philip Pan
Out of Mao’s Shadow

While capitalism has brought prosperity to China, to what extent have the country’s citizens pushed for greater political freedom? How have ideology and values been tested by the booming economy and the rush to get rich? Award-winning journalist and author of Out of Mao’s Shadow, Philip Pan joins the Council to tell the story of Chinese people pressing for political change in a nation undergoing a remarkable transformation. Please note: This event will take place at the World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter Street, 2nd Floor. Check in is at 5:30 pm. Admission is free for members, $5 for students, and $15 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Thursday, June 26th @ 7:00 pm
SFAMA
Andy Sernovitz
Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking

With straightforward advice and humor, marketing expert Andy Sernovitz shows how the world's most respected and profitable companies get their best customers for free through the power of word of mouth. Understand the real purpose of blogs, communities, viral email, evangelists, and buzz—when to use them and how simple it is to make them work. Please note: This event will take place at the Hilton San Francisco Financial District, 750 Kearney Street. Registration and networking is at 6:00 pm, program at 7:00 pm. For reservations and information, please access www.sfama.org.

Monday, June 30th @ 6:00 pm
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
Chris Hedges
Collateral Damage

While the U.S. troop casualty count in Iraq has reached 4,000, this number is but a small fraction representing the loss of life that Iraqi civilians have endured over the last five years. Best-selling author and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Chris Hedges joins the Council to offer his insight into the war’s impact on innocent Iraqi civilians, and to discuss his new book Collateral Damage. With journalist Laila al-Arian, Hedges spent the past year interviewing over fifty returning Iraqi war veterans to provide this report on
America’s War in Iraq and the price that is being paid by many innocent individuals. Please note: This event will take place at the World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter Street, 2nd Floor. Check in is at 5:30 pm. Admission is free for members, $5 for students, and $15 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Monday, June 30th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Women Chefs Confidential Panel
Loretta Keller, Marsha McBride, Nancy Oakes, Gayle Pirie, Judy Rodgers, and Joyce Goldstein

Our panel of notable women restaurateurs and chefs will tell us their stories of surviving and thriving in the competitive world of the professional kitchen. They will share how they conquered the obstacles that defeated many other less-resilient colleagues, and how they balance their professional and personal lives and still have a passion for being in the game. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is free for members,  $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Tuesday, July 1st @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Michael Meyer
The Last Days of Old Beijing

As Beijing prepares to host the 2008 Summer Olympics, century-old houses and ways of life are being destroyed to make way for shopping malls, a Wal-Mart, high-rise buildings, and widened streets for cars replacing bicycles. Michael Meyer, who lived in a shared courtyard home in Dazhalan—Beijing's oldest neighborhood—will share his experience and photos of life in Beijing's vanishing lanes. He will tell us the life stories of the Widow, who shared his courtyard; co-teacher Miss Zhu and student Little Liu; and the migrants Recycler Wang and Soldier Liu; among many others who, despite great differences in age and profession, make up the fabric of this unique neighborhood, and how their bond is being torn by Beijing's quest for modernization. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $8 for members,  $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.


STACEY’S EVENTS –MAY 2008
581 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
www.staceys.com
415-421-4687

Thursday, May 1st @ 12:30
COSPONSORED BY SIERRA CLUB
Bob Schildgen
Hey Mr. Green

Green is a word being used to describe everything from car manufacturers to cleaning products to t-shirts. Bob Schildgen, who writes the “Hey Mr. Green” column for Sierra magazine, offers an indispensable, authoritative and opinionated guide to lightening your environmental footprint and finding your way in a sea of green.

Tuesday, May 6th @ 12:30
William Bernstein
A Splendid Exchange

William Bernstein, the author of The Four Pillars of Investing tells the extraordinary story of global commerce, from its prehistoric origins to the myriad controversies surrounding it today. Lively, authoritative, and astonishing in scope, the riveting narrative views trade and globalization as an evolutionary process as old as war and religion.

Wednesday, May 7th @ 12:30
Roger Lowenstein
While America Aged

Roger Lowenstein, hailed by the New York Times Book Review as “one of the best financial journalists there is,” believes America now faces a crisis of major proportions: the fabric of the nation’s pension system is collapsing at the very moment the population is rapidly aging. Lowenstein reveals how pensions really work in America, illuminates the scope of the problem, and warns that the worst is yet to come.

Thursday, May 8th @ 12:30
Alexandra Fuller
The Legend of Colton H. Bryant

The bestselling author of Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight and Scribbling the Cat turns her eye to telling the story of an interesting character from her adopted state of Wyoming. In The Legend of Colton H. Bryant, Alexandra Fuller is uses one man’s life—and death—to discuss the social and environmental changes wrought by the energy boom in Wyoming.

Monday, May 12th @ 12:30
COSPONSORED BY ASIA SOCIETY
Mark Leonard
What Does China Think?

We simultaneously seem to know everything and nothing about China, one of the most important and influential countries in the world. Mark Leonard looks at China from the inside out in what George Soros calls, “a masterful and highly readable report.”

Tuesday, May 13th @ 12:30
Raj Patel
Stuffed and Starved

It is difficult to pick up a newspaper without reading about increasing food crises in much of the world or the epidemic of obesity in America. Raj Patel argues that both are symptoms of the corporate food monopoly. From seed to store to plate, Stuffed and Starved explains the steps to regain control of the global food economy, stop the exploitation of farmers and consumers, and rebalance global sustenance.

Friday, May 16th @ 12:30
COSPONSORED BY MARINES’ MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION
Jim Sheeler
Final Salute

From the start of the war in Iraq, Marines like Major Steve Beck have found themselves thrown into a mission they never trained for: casualty notification. In Final Salute, Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Jim Sheeler weaves together the stories of Major Beck, the fallen, and the broken homes they have left behind.

Monday, May 19th @ 12:30
MYSTERY CIRCLE
Sheldon Siegel
Judgment Day

Stacey’s is delighted to welcome local writer Sheldon Siegel for Sheldonpalooza 2008! In his latest novel, Judgment Day, Mike Daley and Rosie Fernandez face their most compelling case yet when they’re called in at the last minute to try to stop the execution of a mob lawyer.

Tuesday, May 20th @ 12:30
Leonard Mlodinow
The Drunkard’s Walk

Leonard Mlodinow offers an irreverent look at how randomness influences our lives and how difficult it is to recognize. The Drunkard’s Walk reminds us that much in our lives is as predictable as the steps of a stumbling man, fresh from a night at the bar, and shows us what we should be paying attention to. Join us for what will surely be a provocative discussion.

Wednesday, May 21st @ 12:30
Michael Chabon
The Yiddish Policemen’s Union

Michael Chabon, bestselling author, Pulitzer-prize winner, and local treasure, joins us for the paperback release of The Yiddish Policeman’s Union. Described as the “wildly inventive blackest of black comedies,” The Yiddish Policeman’s Union wraps an alternative history of Jews within a virtuoso recreation of 1940s detective fiction.

Thursday, May 22nd @ 12:30
Susan Urquhart-Brown
The Accidental Entrepreneur

In The Accidental Entrepreneur: The 50 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me about Starting Business Susan Urquhart-Brown speaks powerfully to the interpersonal aspects of self-employment as well as the practical nuts and bolts. Urquhart-Brown provides an easy-to-read no-nonsense guidebook on what it takes to start, build and sustain a successful small business.

Thursday, May 29th @ 12:30
MYSTERY CIRCLE
Steve Martini
Shadow of Power

Steve Martini follows bestselling novel Double Tap with his ninth legal thriller featuring defense attorney Paul Madriani and his longtime partner Harry Hinds. In Shadow of Power, hey take on a case that reaches deep into the halls of the Supreme Court when they agree to represent a racist facing execution.

Affiliate Events

Thursday, May 1st @ 12:30
MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE
Willie Brown
Basic Brown: My Life and Times

Former Speaker of the California State Assembly and two-term San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown shares anecdotes from his life and career, behind the scenes insights, and rapid-fire advice for candidates running in our Presidential election. Known as "Da Mayor," he is one of the most influential politicians in America on both sides of the political divide, an articulate spokesman and adviser, and one of the most dapper gentlemen around town. Please note: This event will take place at the Mechanics’ Institute, 57 Post Street. Admission is free for members and $10 for non-members. Reservations are required. For reservations and information, please call 415-393-0100 or email rsvp@milibrary.org.

Friday, May 2nd @ Noon
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Philip Bobbitt
Terror and Consent

Philip Bobbitt brings together historical, legal, and strategic analyses to understand the idea of a "war on terror."  Does it make sense?  What are its historical antecedents?  How would such a war be "won"?  Come hear what the Columbia University Director of the Center for International Security thinks we should do to prepare for what may be a decades-long conflict in which the war against al Qaeda is only the first instance. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is free for members, $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 11:30 am. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Friday, May 2nd to Sunday, May 4th
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL/ASILOMAR CONFERENCE
From London to Moscow: New Faces, Old Alliances

For the last fifty years, the US has built institutions and alliances with nations on the other side of the Atlantic that have been central to our shared security and prosperity. Today, Europe is changing, with new leadership in several key nations. These transitions, in addition to the expansion of the European Union and the upcoming 2008 US presidential election, demand a reevaluation of the dynamics of the transatlantic relationships and their international implications. From London to Moscow: New Faces, Old Alliances brings together a group of distinguished experts and World Affairs Council members to explore the effects of changing leadership, EU expansion, and the future of the transatlantic relationship. Discussions will critically analyze the internal and external effects of shifts in Europe, Russia and the United States, and their impact on foreign policy options and the global agenda. Please note: This multi-day conference will take place at Asilomar, on Monterey Bay. For registration and more information, please call 415.293.4648.

Monday, May 5th @ 6:30
COMMONWEALTH CLUB/INFORUM
Let’s Talk about Sex Panel
Nina Hartley, Brian Alexander, Violet Blue, and Karen Queen
Nina Hartley’s Guide to Total Sex and America Unzipped

It's not uncommon to overhear intimate conversations on public transit in San Francisco, and being gay, bisexual, transgendered or lesbian is less taboo here than wearing white after Labor Day. How do urbanites handle sex in the city these days? Which sexual issues are still considered racy and taboo in the 21st century? Are we as free to do what we want in our private lives as we think we are? Join our panelists as they hold a frank talk about sex in these times. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is free for members,  $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 6:00 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Tuesday, May 6th @ 12:30
MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE
Clotilde Dusoulier
Clotilde’s Edible Adventures in Paris

If you adore Parisian cuisine-- whether in undiscovered bistros, four star restaurants, outdoor markets or department store food halls – this book is a an indispensable travel companion for visiting the City of Light. Even the best picnic spots are described, as well as the etiquette of eating street food (never eat while walking) and the best way to order coffee. Bon Appetit! Please note: This event will take place at the Mechanics’ Institute, 57 Post Street. Admission is free for members and $10 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-393-0100 or email rsvp@milibrary.org.

Tuesday, May 6th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Eleanor Coppola
Notes on a Life

Eleanor Coppola offers a fascinating glimpse of her life, from the intimate heart of her family to the swirling center of the film world. Even as she visits faraway movie sets and pursues her own artistic interests, Coppola focuses on keeping her family safe and sound. She shares her perspective on the vision that drives her husband, Francis Ford Coppola; examines her daughter Sofia’s rise to fame with the film Lost in Translation; and explores her deepest feelings as a woman and a mother in her struggle to cope with the loss of her son, Gio. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $12 for members,  $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Wednesday, May 7th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Larry Diamond
The Spirit of Democracy

In 1974, nearly three-quarters of all countries were dictatorships; today, more than half are democracies. Larry Diamond contends that recent efforts to promote democracy around the world have stumbled, and that many democratic governments are faltering. In a bold vision for the future, Diamond explains that the desire for democracy runs deep, even in very poor countries, and proposes that even entrenched regimes like Iran and China could become democracies within a generation. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $8 for members,  $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Wednesday, May 7th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Willie Brown
Basic Brown

Two-term mayor of San Francisco and former speaker of the California State Assembly, Willie Brown is widely regarded as one of the most influential African-American politicians of the late 20th century. From civil rights to education reform, tax policy, economic development, health care, international trade, domestic partnerships and affirmative action, he has left his mark on every aspect of politics and public policy in the Golden State. Come listen to this acknowledged master of the political game share his knowledge and skills with a new generation of California leaders. MEMBERS ONLY + 1 GUEST. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $12 for members,  $18 for guests. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Thursday, May 8th @ 5:30 pm
ANCHOR BREWERY SPECIAL EVENT
Charles Bamforth
Grape vs. Grain

Charles Bamforth, Professor of Brewing and Malting at UC Davis and author of Grape vs. Grain will talk about a question that has been bothering him for years: Where do people get the idea that wine is “high-brow” and suited to fancy occasions whereas beer is an informal, “simple” drink? His response romps through the history, culture, and production of both beer and wine. It turns out that for many of wine’s “special” qualities, beer beats wine hands-down. Few people understand either drink with as much depth as Bamforth and his ideas could surprise you… or validate those suspicions you’ve always had. Please note: This event will take place at Anchor Brewery, 1705 Mariposa Street. For reservations and more information, please contact: Jonathan Gaugler, jgaugler@cambridge.org.

Monday, May 12th @ Noon
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Sue Halpern
Can’t Remember What I Forgot

Memory problems may be as common as gray hair after a certain age. Many ageing Americans worry that lapse of memory portends their own falling victim to dementia. Just how close is science to a cure? Sue Halpren's work gives us an overview of many areas of brain health research, chemistry, the link of depression and forgetfulness, and software programs to improve memory.  Will there be a memory chip for the human brain or a link to chocolate and the growth of new neurons in the brain? Her work gives us insight into what research may bring us, what myths have been debunked, and what we should be doing to keep our memory intact. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is free for members,  $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 11:30 am. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Monday, May 12th @ 6:00 pm
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
Ashraf Ghani and Clare Lockhart
Fixing Failed States

Today between forty and sixty nations, totaling two billion people, have either collapsed or are on the brink of failure. The international community has devoted billions of dollars to attack the world's worst problems, yet these efforts have not succeeded. In their new book, Fixing Failed States, Ashraf Ghani and Clare Lockhart consider why past efforts have not worked and argue that only an integrated state-building approach, assigning responsibility equally among the international community, national leaders, and citizens, can heal these failing countries. Ghani and Lockhart have taken an active part in the effort to save failed states for many years, serving as World Bank officials, as advisers to the U.N., and as high-level participants in the new government of Afghanistan. Please note: This event will take place at the World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter Street, 2nd Floor. Check in is at 5:30 pm. Admission is free for members, $5 for students, and $15 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Monday, May 12th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Fred Kaplan
Daydream Believers

How did America reach its current state of affairs? Come explore Fred Kaplan's understanding of the evolution of what he sees as the misguided ideologies that currently dominate the political sphere. Kaplan shares his views of how George W. Bush and his aides got so far off track, and why so much of the nation followed. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is free for members,  $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Monday, May 12th @ 8:00 pm
JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER
Ben Katchor and Josh Kornbluth
Julius Knipl, Real Estate Photographer and Red Diaper Baby

The gently surreal culture in many of Ben Katchor’s strips includes hucksters, butter-and-egg men, latter-day Kabbalists, and merchants living in a wonderland of tin ceilings, illuminated storefronts, and unusual enterprises such as the Senseless Elaboration Parlor and the Mortal Coil Mattress Store. The first cartoonist to win a MacArthur "genius grant," Katchor is the author of The Jew of New York, Julius Knipl, Real Estate Photographer and The Cardboard Valise. Please note: This event will take place at the Jewish Community Center, 3200 California Street at Presidio. For reservations and more information, please call 415-292-1233 or email arts@jccsf.org.

Tuesday, May 13th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Eleanor Clift
Two Weeks of Life

Eleanor Clift's husband died of cancer one day apart from Terry Schaivo, the brain-damaged women whose family was thrust onto the public and political stage as they battled over whether or not to end her life. Clift believes this incident gave many Americans a glimpse into the fanaticism and political power of a small minority of the religious right. She shares what she has learned and outlines where she feels we may be headed. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $12 for members,  $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Wednesday, May 14th @ 6:00 pm
MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE
Susan Griffin
Wrestling with the Angel of Democracy

Political activist and award-winning writer and poet, Susan Griffin charts the triumphant moments of American history and the origins of our democratic ideals from the Declaration of Independence to the civil rights and environmental movements. Culling from personal experiences, the turbulence of our post 9/11 era, and our government's policy-making and breaking—she describes what each citizen MUST do to sustain and protect our inalienable rights. Please note: This event will take place at the Mechanics’ Institute, 57 Post Street. Admission is free for members and $10 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-393-0100 or email rsvp@milibrary.org.

Wednesday. May 14th @ 6:00 pm
SPECIAL EVENT/CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY
Keith McFarland
The Breakthrough Company

Learn what practices successful companies share from nationally-recognized Keith McFarland. Influenced by Peter Drucker and Jim Collins, McFarland conducted an exhaustive 5-year study of more than 7,000 companies. Keith will present what he discovered to help you break through to the next level. Please note: This event will take place at The Palace Hotel, 2 New Montgomery Street @ Market. Cost is $39 or $59 with the book. For reservations, please contact alumni.cmu.edu/sfbay.html. For more information, please contact Andrew Lee at 415-956-5900.

Thursday, May 15th @ 1:30 pm
OSHER LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE
Easing In & Out of Retirement Workshop
George Schofield
After 50 It’s Up to Us

George H. Schofield, Ph.D., speaker, workshop leader and author, addresses the remarkable employment and other opportunities available to us as we live and age in After 50 It’s Up to Us: Developing the Skills and Agility We’ll Need. Dr. Schofield is the keynote speaker at the employment conference Easing In & Out of Retirement: Working, Volunteering & Entrepreneurship.  Please note: This event will take place at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at San Francisco State, 835 Market Street, 6th floor. Admission is $25 for the conference. For more information check www.cel.sfsu.edu/olli/ or call 415-817-4243.

Friday, May 16th @ Noon
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Mildred Armstrong Kalish
Little Heathens

At the age of 85, Mildred Armstrong Kalish transformed treasured tales of her farm life during the Great Depression into a New York Times bestseller and one of the New York Times‚ "10 Best Books of 2007." She has received rave reviews from Elizabeth Gilbert, Jim Harrison, The Wall Street Journal and The Christian Science Monitor and has been featured on National Public Radio. How did she do it? Join us for this inspiring discussion, which proves it's never too late to pursue your dreams. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is free for members,  $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 11:30 am. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Monday, May 19th @ Noon
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Arianna Huffington
Right is Wrong: How the Lunatic Fringe Hijacked America, Shredded the Constitution and Made Us All Less Safe

For Arianna Huffington, the problem with the Republican Party is not that it is at odds with the views of progressives, but that its "lunatic fringe" has taken over the party and is at odds with the views of the American people. By significant majorities, Americans believe in the science of evolution, don't want Roe v Wade overturned, don't want to ignore global warming, want good health care for their kids and want to bring our troops home from Iraq. "Flashing back to the Reagan era is one thing," says Huffington, "but flashing back to the Dark Ages is quite another." Please note: This event will take place at the Fairmont Hotel, 950 Mason Street. Admission is $15 for members, $30 for non-members. Premium seating is $45 for members, $65 for non-members. Check-in is at 11:30 am. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Monday, May 19th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Mary Tillman
Boots on the Ground by Dusk

Pat Tillman, poised for a promising NFL career after graduating summa cum laude from Arizona State, decided to enlist in the U.S. Army after the 9/11 attacks. Sadly, Pat was killed in Afghanistan in 2004. Mary Tillman chronicles her family's harrowing journey through the maze of bureaucracy, red tape and cover-ups to learn the true circumstances of Pat's death. She also recounts memories of Pat as a loving son, brother, husband, friend and teammate. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is free for members,  $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Tuesday, May 20th @ 6:00 pm
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
Laura Donohue
The Cost of Counterterrorism

How has counterterrorist law in both the United Kingdom and the United States had an impact on the balance of power between the branches of government? In the aftermath of a terrorist attack political stakes are high: legislators fear being seen as lenient or indifferent and there is a heightened potential to grant the executive broader authorities without thorough debate. The judiciary's role, too, is restricted. To shed light on the impact of combating terrorism in liberal, democratic states, Laura Donohue joins the Council to discuss the cost of counterterrorist law in Britain and the U.S., arguing that the damage caused is significantly greater than first appears. Please note: This event will take place at the World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter Street, 2nd Floor. Check in is at 5:30 pm. Admission is free for members, $5 for students, and $15 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Tuesday, May 20th @ 6:30 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Lincoln Hall
Dead Lucky

Dead Lucky is the amazing story of Australian mountain climber Lincoln Hall’s rescue near the summit of Mount Everest, where he had been left for dead by the other members of his expedition. Hall likes to say that on the evening of May 25, 2006, he died on Everest. And Hall, in fact, was pronounced dead, after collapsing from altitude sickness. Early the next morning, however, an American guide, climbing with two clients and a Sherpa, was startled to find Hall, sitting cross-legged on the summit ridge just staring at them. As featured in the Emmy-nominated Dateline NBC documentary “Miracle on Mount Everest,” Dead Lucky is Lincoln Hall’s account of this miraculous night atop Everest and the days and nights that led up to and followed this fascinating expedition. Hall’s story is inspiring on many levels. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $12 for members,  $20 for non-members. Check-in is at 6:00 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Wednesday, May 21st @ Noon
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
Lawrence Freedman
A Choice of Enemies

In recent decades the Middle East has proved to be one of the most troubling, as well as important, parts of the world. The war in Iraq, the standoff with Iran, the regular failures of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, and the continuing danger posed by al Qaeda all testify to the complexity of the region's problems. In his new book, A Choice of
Enemies: America Confronts the Middle East, Lawrence Freedman argues that three pivotal events in 1979 helped establish the foundations for U.S. involvement in the Middle East that would last for thirty years, without any straightforward or bloodless exit options. Sir Lawrence joins the Council to make the case that these three strategic choices and subsequent crises led the United States into the predicament in which it finds itself today. Please note: This event will take place at the World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter Street, 2nd Floor. Check in is at 11:30 am. Admission is free for members, $5 for students, and $15 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Tuesday, May 27th @ 6:00 pm
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
Wilford Welch, Priya Haji, and David Hopkins
Tactics of Hope

A hundred years from now, people will look back at this time and realize that it marked the beginning of a dramatic shift in human consciousness regarding our social and environmental actions on earth. In Tactics of Hope, Wilford Welch and David Hopkins highlight the initiatives of twenty-seven social entrepreneurs who have identified solutions to alleviate the plight of the extreme poor and to restore the environment. Welch and Hopkins will be joined by one of the entrepreneurs featured in the book, Priya Haji, CEO & Co-Founder of World of Good, Inc., a company which buys and sells fair trade crafts. The program will be an interactive evening for participants to discuss strategies and tactics that can transform personal concerns into concrete actions. This event is limited to students and young professionals with no more than 5 years of working experience. Please note: This event will take place at the World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter Street, 2nd Floor. Check in is at 5:30 pm. Admission is free for members, $5 for students, and $15 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Tuesday, May 27th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Fareed Zakaria
The Post American World and the Future of Freedom

The rise of other nations need not mean a decline of the U.S., says Fareed Zakaria. He foresees a future where the U.S. no longer dominates the global economy, geopolitics and culture, and that this needn't be seen as a negative development. Zakaria believes that our nation needs to learn to understand other nations and find a way to thrive in this rapidly shifting dynamic. Join us as Newsweek International's editor shares his insights on how our nation can thrive in the coming millennium. Please note: This event will take place at the Fairmont Hotel, 950 Mason Street. Admission is $15 for members, $30 for non-members. Premium seating (includes a copy of the book) is $55 for members, $75 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Wednesday, May 28th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Benjamin Powell
Making Poor Nations Rich

Why do some nations seem stuck in poverty while others have transformed themselves and grown? Powell will discuss major success stories and failures from around the world. He argues that key ingredients for a nation to escape poverty include respect for private property rights, the rule of law, and of economic freedom that allows entrepreneurs to drive the process of economic development. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $8 for members,  $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Thursday, May 29th @ Noon
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Harry Reid
The Good Fight

Harry Reid is at the helm of his party during a time when Democratic and Republican ideologies are often at odds. In this climate, he often finds himself at the forefront of political battles over legislation and opinion. Where did he get the resolve and ideals that power his political career? Come hear Reid discuss his journey from a childhood of deep poverty in the tiny mining town of Searchlight, Nevada, to his current place in Washington, D.C. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $12 for members,  $18 for non-members. Premium Seating (first two rows) is $45 for members, $65 for non-members. Check-in is at 11:30 am. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

STACEY’S EVENTS –APRIL 2008
581 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
www.staceys.com
415-421-4687

Tuesday, April 1st @ 12:30
MODERN SPIRITUALITY
Dr. Allan Hamilton
The Scalpel and the Soul

Dr. Allan Hamilton, a Harvard-educated neurosurgeon, reveals his experiences—in and out of the operating room—with apparitions, angels, exorcism, and after-death survival. The Scalpel and the Soul explores how premonition, superstition, hope, and faith not only become factors in how patients feel, but can change outcomes; and also addresses the mysterious, attractive powers the “soul” exerts during life-threatening events.

Thursday, April 3rd @ 12:30
Jonathan Rosen
The Life of the Skies

In his illuminating and charming book, Jonathan Rosen, author of The Talmud and the Internet, shows us the poetry, philosophy, and history—natural and human—of the strange modern pastime of bird-watching. “Rosen's wide-ranging intellect flits gracefully from nature to history to poetry, and gentle meditations can be spiked with barbs. This beautifully written book is an elegy to the human condition at a time when wilderness is becoming a thing of the past,” Publisher’s Weekly.

Monday, April 7th @ 12:30
June Casagrande
Mortal Syntax

June Casagrande follows her acclaimed Grammar Snobs are Great, Big Meanies with a witty look at the most frequently attacked language choices. Mortal Syntax: 101 Language Choices That Will Get You Clobbered by the Grammar Snobs—Even If You’re Right brings readers linguistic confidence and offers ammunition against the grammar snobs.

Tuesday, April 8th @ 12:30
David Shields
The Thing About Life is that One Day You’ll Be Dead

Mesmerized—at times unnerved—by his ninety-seven-year-old father's nearly superhuman vitality and optimism, award-winning author David Shields undertakes an investigation of the human physical condition. The result is both a personal meditation on mortality and an exploration of flesh-and-blood existence from crib to oblivion. Shields juxtaposes biological details with bits of philosophical speculation, cultural history, and quotations from a wide range of writers and thinkers.

Wednesday, April 9th @ 12:30
Thomas McNamee
Alice Waters and Chez Panisse

If all Alice Waters had done was to found Chez Panisse, the people of the Bay Area would be richer for it. However, Waters and her motley coterie of dreamers have changed the way Americans eat, and inspired a new culinary standard incorporating ethics, politics, and the conviction that the best-grown food is also the tastiest. Based on unprecedented access to Waters and her inner circle, Thomas McNamee’s book is a truly delicious rags-to-riches saga.

Monday, April 21st @ 12:30
Steve Lopez
The Soloist

In 2005, journalist Steve Lopez noticed a bedraggled looking man playing Beethoven on a street corner. Thinking that it would be fodder for a great article, Lopez looked into it further and thereby embarked on a consuming mission to tell the story of a man whose musical genius was buried under years of untreated mental illness. Please join us for this fascinating and uplifting tale.

Tuesday, April 22nd @ 12:30
Gary Marcus
Kluge: The Haphazard Construction of the Human Mind

Gary Marcus, director of NYU's Infant Language Learning Center, uses evolutionary biology to explain why we are subject to irrational beliefs and inaccurate memories. Because evolution tends to favor genes that have immediate advantages rather than long-term value, our brain is a kluge—a term engineers use to refer to a clumsily designed solution to a problem. Marcus offers ways to overcome the limitations of our imperfect biology.

Wednesday, April 23rd @ 12:30
MYSTERY CIRCLE SERIES
Alexander McCall Smith
The Miracle at Speedy Motors

Alexander McCall Smith, the man behind the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and the Sunday Philosophy Club series, is every bit as delightful as one would expect. Please join us for a chance to hear him talk about The Miracle at Speedy Motors, the ninth book featuring Precious Ramotswe.

Friday, April 25th @ 12:30
Susan Jacoby
The Age of American Unreason

Combining historical analysis with contemporary observation, Susan Jacoby’s The Age of American Unreason, dissects a new cultural phenomenon, American anti-intellectualism, that is at odds with our heritage of enlightenment reason and with modern, secular, knowledge and science. Ms. Jacoby’s book has already garnered tremendous press. In giving the book a starred review, Booklist said, “Many writers have parsed the dumbing down of American culture, but none bring quite the deep historical perspective, razor-sharp analysis, well-calibrated moral compass, and stinging wit to the subject that Jacoby does.”

Monday, April 28th @ 12:30
MODERN SPIRITUALITY
Za Rinpoche and Ashley Nebelsieck
The Backdoor to Enlightenment

We all dream of a better life. Now revered teacher and Tibetan monk Za Rinpoche shows how six qualities—generosity, morality, patience, effort, concentration, and wisdom—can lead to lasting peace. Blending centuries-old texts with contemporary wisdom, readers of any faith can bypass the traps and limitations of modern life and achieve lasting peace every day. While there might not be a shortcut to your dreams, there just may be a backdoor

Tuesday, April 29th @ 12:30
Martha Beck
Steering by Starlight

In the tradition of her bestseller, Finding Your Own North Star, Oprah Magazine columnist Martha Beck reconnects readers with their best destinies. Beck describes the step-by-step process she uses with her private clients and identifies three stages along the path to recapturing a satisfying life and navigating the terrain ahead.

Wednesday, April 30th @ 12:30
LADIES OF MYSTERY PANEL
Cara Black, Libby Hellmann, and Rhys Bowen
Murder in the Rue de Paradis, Easy Innocence, and Tell Me, Pretty Maiden

It’s a triple treat as Cara Black, Libby Hellmann, and Rhys Bowen talk about their new mysteries featuring female sleuths. Cara Black’s Aimée Leduc is back running in heels from the bad guys, this time on Paris’s Rue de Paradis. Libby Hellmann’s Georgia Davis, former cop and newly-minted PI, investigates a murder on Chicago’s tony North Shore. Rhys Bowen’s Molly Murphy tracks down some of Broadway's brightest stars and Fifth Avenue's richest families in early twentieth century New York.

Affiliate Events

Wednesday, April 2nd @ Noon
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
James Gustave Speth
The Bridge at the Edge of the World

James Gustave Speth has been a leader in the environmental movement for more than thirty years. He will discuss the failures within the political system that have inhibited the solving of global environmental problems. Speth argues that no matter how hard environmentalists work, the current against which they are swimming is too swift. In order to preserve a livable planet for future generations, Speth suggests that the current itself must be altered, that is—American-style consumer capitalism. Please note: This event will take place at the World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter Street, 2nd Floor. Check in is at 11:30 am. Admission is free for members, $5 for students, and $15 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Wednesday, April 2nd @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Peggy Klaus
The Hard Truth About Soft Skills

Recession jitters are the signal it's time to sharpen your soft-skills repertoire. While the hard skills (your technical expertise) certainly matter, they aren't enough if you can't get along with people, sell your ideas, solve problems, or motivate others. In this high-energy presentation, Peggy Klaus outlines useful insights and strategies for making you a success in the workplace. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $8 for members,  $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Thursday, April 3rd @ 6:00 pm
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
Chris Hedges
I Don’t Believe in Atheists

In his new book, I Don’t Believe in Atheists, Chris Hedges explores the extreme edges of the religious spectrum. Hedges believes that religion, at its best, struggles with the transcendent forces in life and seeks to promote an ethic of compassion and justice. Yet, he argues, religion has been distorted, especially by fundamentalists, to promote intolerance, exclusion and violence. Please note: This event will take place at the World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter Street, 2nd Floor. Check in is at 5:30 pm. Admission is free for members, $5 for students, and $15 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Thursday, April 3rd @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB/INFORUM
Wendy Merrill, Rachel Sarah, Jerusha Stewart, Sasha Cagen, and Jane Ganahl
Falling into Manholes, Single Mom Seeking, The Last Single Girl in the World, Quirky Alone and Naked on the Page

There's not much that can top a group of talented female authors sharing their works and chatting about writing, men, parenthood, singlehood, the dating scene, work . . . and the balancing of it all. Join us to hear these amazing, funny and talented women as they let you in on the quirky, crazy, and sometimes poignant moments of their lives. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $12 for members,  $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Tuesday, April 8th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Roger Mudd
The Place to Be

Roger Mudd joined CBS in 1961, and as congressional correspondent he became a widely recognized journalist, covering the historic Senate debate over the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Since then, he has established a reputation as one of America's leading political reporters. Join us as Mudd shares his experiences as CBS reporter: the rivalries, the egos, the pride, the competition, the ambitions—the volatile mix from which the news thundered. He'll also critique broadcast news today, especially political coverage. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $12 for members,  $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Tuesday, April 8th @ 8:00 pm
JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER
Marjane Satrapi
Persepolis

When published in France, Marjane Satrapi’s graphic novel Persepolis, the story of growing up in Iran during the Islamic revolution and war with Iraq, garnered comparisons to Art Spiegelman’s Maus, and won several prestigious comic book awards. Ms. Satrapi has since turned the book into a movie. This event is presented in partnership with the California College of the Arts, the Cartoon Art Museum, and the San Francisco Art Institute. Please note: This event will take place at the Jewish Community Center, 3200 California Street at Presidio. For reservations and more information, please call 415-292-1233 or email arts@jccsf.org.

Thursday, April 10th @ 6:00 pm
MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE
Christine Pelosi
Campaign Boot Camp: Basic Training for Future Leaders

Attorney, author, and activist Christine Pelosi presents leadership lessons from the campaign trail for anyone who wants to run for office, advocate for a cause, or win a public policy issue. Pelosi provides practical advice on how to integrate these skills into public service on political campaigns, ballot initiatives, or non-profit ventures. Distilling best practices from across the political spectrum, Pelosi shows how aspiring leaders can master the fundamentals of campaigning—management, message, money, and mobilization. She also offers suggestions gleaned from our best -known politicians and pundits. Please note: This event will take place at the Mechanics’ Institute, 57 Post Street. Admission is free for members and $10 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-393-0100 or email rsvp@milibrary.org.

Monday, April 14th @ Noon
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
David Cay Johnston
Free Lunch

Since 1995 when David Cay Johnston turned his investigative reporting skills to explore the murky waters of tax law, Some tax policy officials now consider him, as one tax law professor put it, "the de facto chief tax enforcement officer of the United States."  Johnston will detail how a strong and growing economy lends itself to job uncertainty, debt, bankruptcy, and economic fear for a vast number of Americans. As tax season draws to a close, come find out who is getting a free lunch and who is picking up the bill. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is free for members,  $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 11:30 am. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Monday, April 14th @ 6:00 pm
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
Charles Ferguson
No End in Sight

Charles Ferguson discusses his Oscar-nominated documentary film and new book No End in Sight: Iraq’s Descent into Chaos. Culled from over two hundred hours of footage collected for the film—as well as additional interviews in response to it—his book provides an investigative record of the events following the fall of Baghdad in 2003. Please note: This event will take place at the World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter Street, 2nd Floor. Check in is at 5:30 pm. Admission is free for members, $5 for students, and $15 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Tuesday, April 15th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Steve Coll
The Bin Ladens

Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and author of the national bestseller Ghost Wars, Steve Coll presents the story of the Bin Laden family's rise to power and privilege. Cole shows how the family navigated around and through the economic and cultural hurdles, and he presents an authentic humanizing story of Saudi Arabia, America and those caught in the crossfire. Revealing new information, Coll shows how American influence changed a family's fortune and how one family member's rebellion changed the world. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $12 for members,  $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Tuesday, April 15th @ 6:00 pm
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
Michael Klare
Rising Powers, Shrinking Planet

While oil, natural gas, uranium, and coal are being depleted at an ever-accelerating rate, what are governments doing to ensure access to the resources vital for the functioning of modern industrial societies? How is the pursuit for these resources shaping the international balance of power? Michael Klare offers insight into the energy-driven dynamic that is reconfiguring the international landscape. Please note: This event will take place at the World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter Street, 2nd Floor. Check in is at 5:30 pm. Admission is free for members, $5 for students, and $15 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Tuesday, April 15th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Dr. Lee Jampolsky
Smile for No Good Reason

When you can be happy for no reason at all you have the key to overcoming virtually any obstacle. Dr. Jampolsky presents clear and concise ways that you can utilize right now to begin living a happier and more meaningful life. You will learn to be less affected by stress, and be more productive by replacing the automatic ways you react to fear with new perceptions of yourself and the world. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $8 for members,  $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Wednesday, April 16th @ 6:00 pm
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
Daoud Hari
The Translator

After being driven from his home in the Darfur region of Sudan, Daoud Hari used his high school English and offered himself as a guide and translator, assisting journalists and aid groups. Hari tells the story of his journeys, risking his life to ensure that the story of his people is told. He has served as a translator for the New York Times, NBC, and the BBC, as well as the United Nations. Please note: This event will take place at the World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter Street, 2nd Floor. Check in is at 5:30 pm. Admission is free for members, $5 for students, and $15 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Thursday, April 17th @ Noon
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Robyn Scott
Twenty Chickens for a Saddle

Robyn Scott's story of moving to Botswana at the age of seven with her adventure-seeking parents is described by Alexander McCall Smith as "beautifully written" and "acutely observed." It is that and more. Twenty Chickens for a Saddle is an exquisitely rendered portrait of Africa, and of childhood, written by an astonishing new talent. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $8 for members,  $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 11:30 am. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Thursday, April 17th @ 6:00 pm
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
David Rothkopf’
Superclass

Members of today’s “superclass” have achieved unprecedented levels of wealth and power. According to David Rothkopf, members of the superclass run our governments, our largest corporations, the powerhouses of international finance, the media, world religions, and, from the shadows, the world’s most dangerous criminal and terrorist organizations. Arguing that they control globalization more than anyone else, Rothkopf questions whether their influence feeds the growing economic and social inequity that divides the world. Please note: This event will take place at the World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter Street, 2nd Floor. Check in is at 5:30 pm. Admission is free for members, $5 for students, and $15 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Thursday, April 17th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Alexandra Harney
The China Price

Acclaimed Financial Times correspondent Alexandra Harney will discuss her landmark exposé of how China's factory economy competes for Western business by selling out its workers, its future, and the environment, creating a "gold rush" atmosphere, in which everyone is clamoring to get rich, and rampant corruption and underfunded regulatory mechanisms offer little accountability. She will tell the personal stories of its workers, including a look at how China's economy has sparked the largest mass migration in human history as rural citizens flock from the interior of the country to its coastline where the factories are located, and the resulting infrastructure failures and dangerous rise in pollution. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $8 for members,  $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Monday, April 21st @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Gene Healy
The Cult of the Presidency

In the upcoming presidential race, Gene Healy asserts it will be easy to miss conservatives and liberals agreeing on a boundless presidency. He argues that our nation's framers envisioned a constitutionally constrained chief magistrate charged with faithful execution of the laws. But now, Healy says, unconfined presidential responsibility and power create many of our political woes and some of the gravest threats to our liberties. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is free for members, $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Monday, April 21st @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Ishmael Reed, Belle Yang, Bill Hayes, and Peter Coyote
Mixing it Up, Hannah is My Name, The Anatomist, and New Buffalo

Maya Angelou, a member of the writer's portal Redroom.com, says, "There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." Thankfully for her and other writers, they can now share their stories, new works, trials and tribulations, and find a creative social network at Redroom.com. This new site bills itself as the official home of the world's greatest writers, and it allows people to connect with the authors they love. A few of the esteemed writers will take part in a special panel discussion about the need for a writers' network, as well as the importance of sharing the products of one’s creativity. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is free for members, $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.
 
Monday, April 21st @ 6:00 pm
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
Michael Scheuer
Marching Toward Hell

Michael Scheuer argues that the Iraq War has been a huge setback to the United States’ War on Terror, making the enemy stronger and altering the geopolitical landscape in ways that are profoundly harmful to U.S. interests and security concerns. In his new book, Marching Toward Hell: America and Islam After Iraq, Scheuer takes on the questions of “What went wrong?” and “How can we fix this?” and proposes a plan to salvage damage that has been done and get American strategy back on track. Please note: This event will take place at the World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter Street, 2nd Floor. Check in is at 5:30 pm. Admission is free for members, $5 for students, and $15 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Wednesday, April 23rd @ Noon
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Fred Krupp
Earth

The Environmental Defense Fund helped reduce acid rain in the 1990s by using market forces, and last year it played a role in the buyout of Texas utility TXU that reduced the number of planned coal-fired power plants. The advocacy group's president, Fred Krupp, believes business-friendly approaches such as carbon cap-and-trade systems are the best way to fight global warning. His new book, Earth: The Sequel, highlights the entrepreneurs, scientists, and even a former bus driver on the Trans-Alaska pipeline, who are betting on the free market to create new wealth and build a post-carbon economy. Join us for this Climate One program. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $8 for members, $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 11:30 am. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Wednesday, April 23rd @ 6:00 pm
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
Misha Glenny
McMafia

From human trafficking in Bulgaria to elaborate Internet frauds in Nigeria, how has globalization and new technology influenced organized crime? While the political upheaval following the demise of communism in Eastern Europe and easy flow of money and people to the West certainly provided the perfect opportunity for the underworld’s shadow economy to flourish, what are some of the less familiar aspects of global crime? To trace the recent growth of global criminal underworld, awardwinning author Misha Glenny joins the Council to discuss his book McMafia. Please note: This event will take place at the World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter Street, 2nd Floor. Check in is at 5:30 pm. Admission is free for members, $5 for students, and $15 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Wednesday, April 23rd @ 6:30 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB/INFORUM
Peter Scoblic
US vs. Them

Peter Scoblic believes that the past half-century has been marked by a conservatism that has undermined America's security. Scoblic's most recent book, US vs. Them, assesses the impact of the Bush administration's ideology on American foreign policy, which he believes poses a catastrophic threat to our future. He asks, how can we defend ourselves while restoring America's place in the world? How should our next president remedy the harm done? And which presidential candidate would do it best? Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $12 for members, $20 for non-members. Check-in is at 6:00 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Thursday, April 24th @ 6:00 pm
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
Kevin Phillips
Bad Money

Over the past several months, the U.S. dollar has continued its fall. In Bad Money: Reckless Finance, Failed Politics and the Global Crisis of American Capitalism, Kevin Phillips argues that the American economy, despite its global dominance, is built upon a house of cards. Phillips investigates the decline of the dollar over the last six years, proposing that this is the result of Washington’s financial irresponsibility, as well as its failure in Iraq. He also explores the political and commercial implications of its plummeting value and weighs in on what the new administration must do to reverse the tide of wayward mega-finance. Please note: This event will take place at the World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter Street, 2nd Floor. Check in is at 5:30 pm. Admission is free for members, $5 for students, and $15 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Thursday, April 24th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Jane Smiley
Ten Days in the Hills

The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of A Thousand Acres is back with a new novel about relationships and the many joys and complications they can bring. Jane Smiley has written for the world's top magazines, including Vogue, The New Yorker, Harper's, The Nation and The New York Times Magazine. Hear what she has to say about the presidential campaign and other topics. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $12 for members, $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Thursday, April 24th  @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Jared Bernstein
Crunch

Jared Bernstein, an economist versed in plain speak, highlights serious economic challenges facing America today, including the middle-class squeeze, globalization, inequality, unemployment, and environmental degradation. He reviews the roles played by politics and power, describes the impact of the various challenges, traces their sources, and offers pragmatic solutions, many of which are being actively debated in D.C. and on the campaign trails. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is $8 for members, $15 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Monday, April 28th @ 6:00 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Howard Fineman
The Thirteen American Arguments

Howard Fineman looks back into U.S. political history to discover debates that defined and inspired our forefathers to create and maintain this democracy. The Thirteen American Arguments addresses questions such as: What is a person? What is the role of faith? What are citizens allowed to know and say? Who has jurisdiction? Fineman says the day the U.S. ceases to argue about these questions is the day we cease to be. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor. Admission is free for members, $18 for non-members. Check-in is at 5:30 pm. For reservations and information, please call 415-597-6705.

Monday, April 28th @ 6:00 pm
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
Lieve Joris
The Rebels’ Hour

At a time when U.N. Peacekeepers are trying hard to maintain peace in the Congo, Lieve Joris will discuss her work in the region and share the history of the conflict as seen by a Tutsi rebel leader who eventually became a high-ranking general in the Congolese army. Lieve Joris is one of Europe’s leading travel writers with reporting that has spanned the globe—from Hungary to Africa. Please note: This event will take place at the World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter Street, 2nd Floor. Check in is at 5:30 pm. Admission is free for members, $5 for students, and $15 for non-members. For reservations and information, please call 415-293-4600.

Tuesday, April 29th @ 8:00 pm
JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER
Chris Ware and Art Spielgelman
The Acme Novelty Library and Maus

Join us for a feature event in our Graphic Novelists series: a conversation between a new sensation and a master of comic art. "Art Spiegelman... to the comics world is a Michelangelo and a Medici both, an influential artist who is also an impresario and an enabler of others," The New York Times Magazine.
The event is presented in partnership with the California College of the Arts, the Cartoon Art Museum, and the San Francisco Art Institute. Please note: This event will take place at the Jewish Community Center, 3200 California Street at Presidio. For reservations and more information, please call 415-292-1233 or email arts@jccsf.org.

Tuesday, April 29th @ 6:30 pm
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
Cathryn Jakobson Ramin
Carved in Sand

Anyone older than forty knows that forgetfulness can be unnerving, frustrating, and sometimes terrifying. Journalist Cathryn Jakobson Ramin returns to further explore these feelings with compassion and humor. She consults experts in the fields of sleep, stress, traumatic brain injury, hormones, genetics, and dementia, as well as specialists in nutrition, cognitive psychology, and the burgeoning field of drug-based cognitive enhancement. Please note: This event will take place at the Commonwealth Club, next door to Stacey’s at 595 Market Street, 2nd