In Person: Cheryl Strayed

Last night, I was lucky enough to attend an event in DC at which Emily Yoffe (fka Dear Prudence) was in conversation with Cheryl Strayed (aka Dear Sugar, in print and podcast). Cheryl became one of my absolute favorite authors when I read Wild, and then permanently secured her place in my heart and on my bookshelf with Tiny Beautiful Things. I have seen her speak once before at the AWP conference in 2013, when she was in conversation with Augusten Burroughs.

Cheryl Strayed is currently on tour to promote her newest book, Brave Enough (of which we all got a free copy, with our ticket). Brave Enough, as described on her website, is "a collection of quotes--drawn from the wide range of her writings--that capture her wisdom, courage, and outspoken humor." Cheryl has written and spoken about how important quotes are to her; she has carried them around with her - physically, emotionally, mentally - for her entire life. On her Pacific Crest Trail hike that was chronicled in Wild, she left a quote of personal importance in each of the visitors logs as she trekked. Her publishers decided that - after her amazing advice column and subsequent book, Dear Sugar and Tiny Beautiful Things, respectively - people would love a compliation of some of her best quotes. They were right.

Last night, the Sixth & I synagogue was sold out. People packed the venue to see, hear, and meet these two well-known advice columnists. Sixth & I encouraged the audience to live-tweet the event (I never miss a chance to live-tweet an exciting event). I have compiled a few of my (and others') tweets for you to peruse. I feel like Cheryl would appreciate my quoting her.

Quotes are powerful to the readers by "taking that kernel truth in...writing and making it their own." -@CherylStrayed #BraveEnoughDC

— Ann Marie (@annmariebrok) November 19, 2015

"The power, beauty and strength of finding your own way" - @CherylStrayed on what her name means to her @SixthandI

— Allison Punch (@ajpunch) November 19, 2015

"You are responsible for your life, even if terrible, unfair things happen to you." -@CherylStrayed #BraveEnoughDC

— Ann Marie (@annmariebrok) November 19, 2015

"You have to decide what to do with the ugliest thing in your life."-@CherylStrayed #BraveEnoughDC

— Sixth & I (@SixthandI) November 19, 2015

On motherhood, @EmilyYoffe: "Be gentle on yourself." @CherylStrayed: "And drink a lot." #BraveEnoughDC

— Ann Marie (@annmariebrok) November 19, 2015

I did get to meet Cheryl at the end of the event; she had a very structured book signing and I waited almost an hour to see her. Even after signing countless books and meeting countless earnest faces, she was still sweet and caring. With heartfelt warmth, she showed my friend and me a photo of her and her daughter as we talked. She seems like such a kind soul, and I hope I'll get the chance to meet her again. For now, I'll be burying my head in Brave Enough, and likely rereading her other books as well.

In Person: Zadie Smith

Growing up in suburban and rural areas, I never really got the chance to go see popular authors read their work. I didn't even know that was really a thing until I moved out of the Midwest. I've decided to start chronicling the amazing readings that I have attended in hopes that my readers (reader? I know there is at least one of you out there) can feel connected to the aliveness that is literature.


This week, Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore hosted Zadie Smith. Admission was open to the public and free. After reading - and loving - Zadie's first novel, White Teeth, and her collection of essays, Changing My Mind, I had to stop by. I brought two books with me for her to sign - White Teeth and On Beauty - and even bought a third (NW) while I was there.

Zadie Smith is a charming, kind, and witty person. She read two chapters from her new novel, Swing, Time, written from a first-person perspective of growing up mixed race and finding oneself through friendship, relationships, academia, family. Maybe it was the intriguing story, maybe it was her smooth accent, maybe it was the giddiness of seeing Zadie Smith read live, but I was completely enamored. The book is set to release next fall and I will be first in line to pick it up.


I met Zadie after the reading. There was a line of at least 50 people buying books from Ivy Bookshop, talking about Zadie's work, and nervously giggling. Of course, I ended up in the back of the line, only a handful of people behind me. With two friends in tow, I kept wondering how many books I could ask her to sign and what to say to this person who is just a person but also a literary giant. When I finally reached the front of the line, I didn't even get a chance to say all of the obligatory "I love your work" ramblings, because Zadie immediately asked me about my tattoo. To be more exact, she began to read the Latin off of my chest piece and made a quick joke about the placement. We talked about my tattoo, I asked her to sign all three (ALL THREE) of the books I brought with me, and then she took a photo with my friends and me. She was even more welcoming than I expected.

Meeting, speaking with, and listening to a renowned author like Zadie Smith has prompted me to be more appreciative of the humanity that goes into writing strong pieces of work. Her writing and its impact on the reader is possibly best described through her first novel, White Teeth: “Every moment happens twice: inside and outside, and they are two different histories.”






Next up: Cheryl Strayed, Nov 18