Towers of Gold touring

I will be talking tonight at the California Studies Association, a group of professors, independent academics, journalists, and writers who are interested in the state's history, economy, ecology, culture and more. When I attended a recent meeting to hear Charles Wollenberg talk about his new book on Berkeley, I was stuck by how similar my interests are to those in this group. So I am really excited to to discuss Isaias Hellman's role in the development of California. The dinner starts at 7 p.m. at the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment.

Then I leave Friday night for San Jose, where I am delighted to participate in the third Book Group Expo, an amazing festival that brings together authors and readers. I will be moderating a panel that explores friendship Saturday at 11:15 a.m. The writers include the best selling authors of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, The Friday Knitting Club, Five Skies, and Shutterbabe. (That's Annie Barrows, Kate Jacobs, Ron Carlson, and Deborah Copagen Kogan.

The J, the local Jewish magazine, ran a profile of me in this week's edition. I will be speaking Oct. 30 at 11:30 a.m. at the Walnut Creek Jewish Community Center and on Nov. 2 at 5:15 p.m. at the San Francisco Jewish Community Center's Book Fest as part of Jewish Book Month.

San Francisco Magazine just reviewed Towers of Gold. (Not on-line yet) In addition to complimenting its "elegantly restrained prose," the reviewer (Bruce Kelley, the editor) characterizes Isaias Hellman as the "Warren Buffet and Alan Greenspan of early California rolled into one."

The book officially comes out November 11.