Nourse Theater, August 15
City Arts & Lectures has been sponsoring talks on cultural issues, arts, science, and ideas since 1980, all of which are currently held at the Nourse Theater in San Francisco. The kickoff event in the fall/winter series presented Al Franken as interviewed by Judson True of CA&L. Franken, as always, entertained, both seriously and comedically. In presenting material from his latest book, Al Franken: Giant of the Senate, he made only limited reference to the 800-pound gorilla in the room, hinting obliquely that politics is about improving people’s lives. As you might expect, it was quite a
lively evening, topped off by the author signing books. Salman Rushdie, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Michael Chabon, Francis Ford Coppola, Tom Hanks, and Atul Gawande are just a few of several notable figures who will be appearing at CA&L over the next few months.
—ROY STRASSMAN