I am coming into a season of heavy talks this spring but one last night was especially pleasant. In a great independent bookstore in tiny Basalt, outside of Aspen (another tonight in Aspen at Explore Bookstore and then the American College of Trial Lawyers at La Quinta in Palm Desert on Saturday).
The group last night was small (about 30) but passionate and kind. Most people out this way run pretty healthy but they were still very interested. I mentioned, afterwards, that it may have been too long and this sweet woman says, “I could have listened alll night.” Well! that makes all this a little more worthwhile…saving a few souls and getting your ears stroked at the same time. Wonderful.

By the way, let me give a plug to independent bookstores. They are wonderful centers of independent thought about books and they can be important community centers. Some of the bigs too, but it’s harder for them. My thought: if you are luck y enough to have an independent, support it as much as you can. And don’t worry too much about their prices…it’s worth a couple of extra bucks to keep an independent going