Bay Area Book Festival Podcast
231 episodes - English - Latest episode: 20 days ago - ★★★★★ - 12 ratingsBetween audio books? Curious about the writers themselves? Listen to full-length sessions from the Bay Area Book Festival, where readers and writers meet each year in Berkeley, CA, to engage with their favorite authors, including Pulitzer Prize winners, chefs, and activists, to discuss writing, race, love, mystery, and more.
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Episodes
Fiction: Encounters with Myths and Spirits
April 04, 2024 13:00 - 57 minutes - 78.6 MBK-Ming Chang, Kali Fajardo-Anstine, and Brandon Hobson, moderated by Rita Chang-Eppig At times in these accomplished writers' fiction, the boundaries between the spirit world and the "real world" grow porous or indiscernible, in ways that expand realities and excite readers' imaginations. Woven throughout all of these masterful works of fiction is a reverence for the resonant power of ancient and mysterious tales and spirits. Buy the books here
Echoes of Exclusion
March 28, 2024 13:00 - 58 minutes - 80.8 MBAva Chin, Fae Myenne Ng, and Paisley Rekdal, moderated by Kathryn Ma The Chinese exclusion era started in 1882 and ended (at least on paper) some sixty years later, but, as the authors in this session profoundly reveal, its echoes still reverberate from coast to coast. Buy the books here
Indigenous Perspectives in Genre Fiction
March 21, 2024 16:27 - 1 hour - 86.4 MBJessica Johns, Nick Medina, Marcie R. Rendon, and Margaret Verble, moderated by Melissa Stoner These Native American and First Nations authors have published exciting new works in the genres of mysteries, thrillers, psychological horror, and historical suspense. How do these writers incorporate historical and current crises—such as the disappearances of Native women or the atrocities of child separation—into their work? How do their novels re-appropriate racist stereotypes? And how does th...
Historical Fiction: The American West
March 14, 2024 16:20 - 1 hour - 83.7 MBRina Ayuyang, Kali Fajardo-Anstine, and Jane Smiley, moderated by Blaise Zerega The sweeping landscapes of the American West offer writers a broad canvas on which to set epic stories. Three masterful storytellers will transport us through the rich and complex history of California and Colorado as only the best fiction can. Buy the books here
Craft Chats: Writing Literary Humor
March 07, 2024 16:14 - 1 hour - 82.8 MBKathryn Ma, Cecilia Rabess, and Erik Tarloff, moderated by Michael Shapiro They say it's easier to make people cry than to make them laugh—in this session, we'll put that theory to the test with three authors who effectively deploy humor in their recent and forthcoming novels. In this craft-focused session, we'll engage deeply with each author's writing, first doing a close reading of specific passages that exemplify their brand of humor and then learning more about how that comedic sensib...
Reforming Cop Culture: In Oakland and Nationwide
February 29, 2024 16:09 - 1 hour - 89 MBDarwin BondGraham, Neil Gross, and Ali Winston, moderated by Laura Wenus From the Panthers to the Riders, Oakland is ground zero for legitimately questioning the very fabric of cop culture. In this session, investigative duo Darwin BondGraham and Ali Winston, San Francisco Poet Laureate Tongo Eisen-Martin, and Colby College sociology professor Neil Gross will present perspectives from individuals who have thoroughly reported on, studied, and worked with populations affected by cop culture,...
Memoir: In Search of Our Fathers
February 22, 2024 15:59 - 1 hour - 86 MBLeslie Absher, Eric Newton, and Leta Seletzky, moderated by Sylvia Brownrigg We often find ourselves looking back on our parents’ lives to understand our own place in the world. Join the acclaimed Sylvia Brownrigg as she guides authors Leslie Absher, Leta Seletzky, and Eric Newton through this excavation into how the lives of our fathers may offer insight into our own; it’s really only once the digging starts that the real questions come to the surface. Buy the books here
Crossing the Finish Line: New Books from SJSU MFA Faculty, Steinbeck Fellows, and Students
February 15, 2024 15:53 - 1 hour - 87.2 MBRita Cameron, Carmen Kennedy, Amanda Mei Kim, J. Michael Martinez, and Keenan Norris, moderated by Alan Soldofsky What does it take to get beyond outlines and sh*tty first drafts to a finished manuscript? And, from there, how do you make it across the finish line to publication? Five San José State University faculty members, students, and Steinbeck Fellows with new or forthcoming books will retrace their own publication journeys and inspire you to chase your second (or third) wind in a se...
Flash Fiction America
February 08, 2024 12:00 - 1 hour - 85.1 MBPatricia Quintana Bidar, K-Ming Chang, Grant Faulkner, Molly Giles, Nicole Simonsen, Kara Vernor, hosted by Kirstin Chen and Jane Ciabattari There's an art to writing a (very) short story, one that includes a captivating opening, a dynamic middle, and a surprising ending—often using fewer words than we're including in this session description. We've brought several authors of flash fiction together for a big celebration of small stories. Buy the books here
What Makes a Critic?
February 01, 2024 12:00 - 58 minutes - 80.7 MBYohanca Delgado, Jonathan Leal, Antonio López, Ricardo Jaramillo, Maisie Wiltshire-Gordon, moderated by Heather Partington These days, when Goodreads reviews and social media takedowns outnumber dwindling book review publications and shrinking newspaper book pages, what role does professional criticism still play, and how can aspiring critics best prepare to engage in the literary discourse? In this session, recent members of The National Book Critics Circle's Emerging Critics Fellowship w...
Places Worth Fighting For: Preserving Public Lands
January 25, 2024 12:00 - 1 hour - 83.8 MBJerry Emory, Dean King, and McKenzie Long, moderated by Toby McLeod Place is political, especially when it comes to defining and defending public lands. Come hear three fascinating stories of places worth fighting for—and the people committed to preserving them. Buy the books here
Hidden Histories
January 18, 2024 12:00 - 58 minutes - 80.6 MBDorothee Elmiger and Jori Lewis, moderated by Ariana Proehl Jori Lewis traces both natural and human history as she reveals the long and tortured story of the peanut's entanglement with human bondage. Swiss author Dorothee Elmiger's protagonist (also named Dorothee Elmiger) is an archivist, an obsessive collector of objects related to the violent history of the global sugar trade, which unfolds through a kaleidoscopic narrative that's as intellectually engaged as it is self-reflexive. Wi...
The Art of Life: Writing Autobiography Across the Genres
January 11, 2024 12:00 - 1 hour - 84.8 MBIngrid Rojas Contreras, K.M. Soehnlein, and Preeti Vangani, moderated by Dave Madden Jori Lewis traces both natural and human history as she reveals the long and tortured story of the peanut's entanglement with human bondage. Swiss author Dorothee Elmiger's protagonist (also named Dorothee Elmiger) is an archivist, an obsessive collector of objects related to the violent history of the global sugar trade, which unfolds through a kaleidoscopic narrative that's as intellectually engaged as i...
Romantic Roadblocks
January 04, 2024 12:00 - 1 hour - 86.1 MBLily Chu, Claire Kann, Amy Spalding, and Taleen Voskuni, moderated by Jasmine Guillory The course of true love never did run smooth," and nowhere is that truer than in contemporary romantic comedies, where creative roadblocks make the journey to Happily Ever After endlessly entertaining, and the destination that much sweeter. Buy the books here
How to Create Real Change: David Fenton with The Activist's Media Handbook
December 28, 2023 12:00 - 55 minutes - 76.2 MBDavid Fenton, interviewed by Monika Bauerlein How can activists create social change today? For starters, they need to be really good storytellers. David Fenton, one of the most effective progressive communicators of the past fifty years, has penned a remarkable book—part rollercoaster memoir, part guidebook—that distills lessons from his experience shaping some of history’s most impactful social movements. Buy the books here
True Stories: Northern California
December 21, 2023 12:00 - 58 minutes - 79.8 MBAndrew Alden and Clare Frank, hosted by John King Northern California is home to countless compelling stories—in this session, authors of nonfiction books—on geology and wildfires—each get twelve minutes to share one with you. Buy the books here
Chokepoint Capitalism
December 14, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 83.1 MBCory Doctorow interviewed by Wendy Liu Renowned sci-fi author and activist Cory Doctorow has come to the festival to tell a story that we sure wish was science fiction or fantasy. Do you know what the royalties are for the authors with books at this festival, or how much do musicians get paid every time you play their songs on Spotify? How exactly does the opaque film and TV industry work? Prepare to be fascinated, informed, shocked, and activated by this discussion around one of the most ...
The Beauty and Urgency of Nature Writing
December 07, 2023 12:00 - 58 minutes - 79.9 MBErica Berry, Tom Comitta, and Talia Lakshmi Kolluri, moderated by Carlos Cabrera-Lomelí Readers of fiction (too) often gloss over description of nature, but this session invites readers to really pay attention to nature writing, in all its marvelous variety. Set aside your human concerns for an hour and immerse yourself in the beautiful urgency of nature writing. Buy the books here With the support of SACHI
Mysteries and Thrillers: Dangerous Destinations
November 30, 2023 12:00 - 58 minutes - 80.7 MBMargot Douaihy, Catriona McPherson, T. Jefferson Parker, and Kwei Quartey, moderated by Laurie R. King Get ready to pack your bags—but keep an eye on your passport, your valuables, and your own neck because the global destinations depicted in these mysteries and thrillers are positively perilous! Whether you're headed out on your own global adventures this summer or just plan to do some armchair traveling, these talented novelists are here to wish you bon voyage . . . and to advise you to ...
An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom: Master Slave Husband Wife
November 23, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 87.7 MBIlyon Woo, interviewed by Dorothy Lazard Scholars of American history have uncovered and recounted countless remarkable stories of the courage and resourcefulness of enslaved and formerly enslaved people. But it's no exaggeration to say that the one Ilyon Woo relates in her new book is, as Imani Perry writes, "one of the most important stories of American slavery and freedom." Join accomplished researcher and brilliant storyteller Ilyon Woo for an unforgettable journey through, as Marlon J...
You're a Fraud
November 16, 2023 12:00 - 58 minutes - 80.9 MBKirstin Chen, Brendan Slocumb, and Kyla Zhao, moderated by Cheryl Popp This one's an ode to the grifters, the con artists, the scammers: the characters who would gleefully pull one over on you—and probably get away with it, too. Even if the characters they depict are complicated (to put it mildly), there's one thing we know for sure—these authors are the real deal. Buy the books here
A(lexandra) P(etri's) US History
November 09, 2023 11:49 - 58 minutes - 80.5 MBAlexandra Petri, interviewed by Joe Garofoli Alexandra Petri is no stranger to making history—she became the youngest-ever columnist for the Washington Post. Now she casts her withering glance backward, compiling "historical fan fiction" that includes essential chronicles such as John and Abigail Adams's experiments in sexting. If you're a student of history, you emphatically won't want to use Petri's book as a primary source—but this conversation with Alexandra Petri will give you a brand...
Love on the Run
November 02, 2023 11:45 - 1 hour - 82.8 MBMarie Lu in conversation with Alisha Rai Falling in love is always a rush—even more so when if you and your sexy sidekick are being chased by mobsters . . . or chasing them down yourselves. Talented authors Marie Lu and Alisha Rai really ramp up the adrenaline and the attraction—one way or another, this session will have your heart racing!. Buy the books here With the support of SACHI
Adam Hochschild on American Midnight and Democracy’s Crises
October 26, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 84.7 MBAdam Hochschild, introduced by Monika Bauerlein In American Midnight: The Great War, A Violent Peace, and Democracy’s Forgotten Crisis, award-winning historian and journalist Adam Hochschild brings alive the horrifying yet inspiring four years following the U.S. entry into the First World War, spotlighting forgotten repression while celebrating an unforgettable set of Americans who strove to fix their fractured country—and showing how their struggles still guide us today. Buy the books h...
We Were Once a Family: Journalists Investigating Child Welfare
October 19, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 82.8 MBRoxanna Asgarian and Garrett Therolf, moderated by David Barstow Roxanna Asgarian is joined by Garrett Therolf of the Investigative Reporting Program at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism to discuss, among other factors, the racial biases and corruption that placed children in positions of profound peril. Their conversation will be moderated by David Barstow, the Reva and David Logan Distinguished Chair in Investigative Journalism at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism...
We Measure the Earth with Our Bodies: In Exile from Tibet
October 12, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 87.5 MBTsering Yangzom Lama, interviewed by Cherilyn Parsons Very few novels by Tibetans have been translated into English and published in the United States. So we’re fortunate that award-winning writer Tsering Yangzom Lama, who lives in Canada, is joining us to discuss her gorgeous, fascinating debut novel, We Measure the Earth with our Bodies. Buy the books here With the support of the Consulate General of Canada San Francisco/Silicon Valley
Bridging the Distance: Nicole Chung and A Living Remedy
October 05, 2023 12:00 - 59 minutes - 81 MBNicole Chung, interviewed by Brooke Warner Nicole Chung follows up her exquisite debut with a wrenching new memoir, written in the wake of her mother's death from cancer in the midst of the COVID pandemic. Readers will find both sorrow and solace in her open-hearted new book. Buy the books here Sponsored by She Writes Press
Even If Everything Ends: A Searing, Beautiful Novel on Life, Loss, and Today’s Climate Moment
September 28, 2023 12:00 - 57 minutes - 79.2 MBJens Liljestrand, interviewed by John Freeman Be one of the first readers in the U.S. to meet the author of a novel that’s sweeping the globe: Jens Liljestrand with his debut Even If Everything Ends, one the fiercest and most profoundly human of the climate novels we’ve ever read. Buy the books here Sponsored by the Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation
Horror: History That Goes Bump in the Night
September 21, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 84.7 MBJessica Johns, Nick Medina, and Francesca Maria, moderated by Ben Monroe History—both personal and otherwise—comes back to haunt the living in these chilling tales of psychological and mythological horror. With support from the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and the Consulate General of Canada San Francisco/Silicon Valley Buy the books here
Bay Curious
September 14, 2023 12:00 - 57 minutes - 79.2 MBOlivia Allen-Price, interviewed by Peter Hartlaub and Heather Knight, introduced by Emilio Garcia-Ruiz From Grace Cathedral to the Marin Headlands, why are there so many labyrinths in the Bay Area? Why did the state capitol almost move to Berkeley? These are just a few of the endlessly fascinating questions Olivia Allen-Price and the team at KQED's Bay Curious podcast set out to answer each week. Allen-Price will chat with two fellow journalists whose curiosity about and love for the Bay A...
A Life in Books
September 07, 2023 12:00 - 54 minutes - 75.2 MBJoan Frank, Dorothy Lazard, and Jane Smiley, moderated by John Freeman Each of us has a different relationship with the books we read…and write. That is no less true if you’ve just published your first, as legendary librarian Dorothy Lazard has, than it is for Joan Frank, with a dozen publications under her belt. It’s also true, of course, for Pulitzer Prize winners like Jane Smiley. Each of these authors has had a decades-long love affair with books; in this session, they’ll tell you not ...
Tasting History: A Delicious Journey Through the Past
August 31, 2023 12:00 - 57 minutes - 78.7 MBMax Miller, interviewed by Brian Watt If you've ever read Dickens and asked yourself, "What is gruel, anyway?" or wondered what would have been served at Macbeth's infamous feast, this session is for you. Perhaps, if you're among Max Miller's 1.65 million YouTube followers on his channel Tasting History, you already know the answers to these questions—now Miller has compiled his ceaseless culinary curiosity into a beautifully illustrated new volume for the rest of us. Satiate your appetite...
Science Fiction: Space Exploration
August 24, 2023 12:00 - 58 minutes - 80.6 MBMary Robinette Kowal, Annalee Newitz, and Megan O'Keefe, moderated by Evette Davis Get ready to take off for the far reaches of the galaxy via three very different, but equally fascinating, stories of space exploration written by superb storytellers. Buy the books here
Parable of the Sower Turns 30
August 17, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 88.4 MBAshia Ajani, Aya de Leon, and Camille Dungy, moderated by Devin T. Murphy 2023 marks the thirtieth anniversary of Octavia Butler's novel, which has only grown more relevant over the past three decades. Two poets and a novelist will discuss the power of Octavia Butler’s prophetic parables, placing their own writing in her lineage connecting climate justice and racial justice. Buy the books here
At Play on the Page
August 10, 2023 12:00 - 57 minutes - 78.9 MBMark Ciabattari, Katie Hafner, and Peter Hoey, moderated by Heather Scott Partington All the creators in this session depict a world that is just slightly off-kilter from reality. Join three inventive creators for an intellectually playful conversation about approaching the craft of fiction seriously—but with whimsy to spare. Buy the books here
Memoir: The Meaning of Home
August 03, 2023 12:00 - 57 minutes - 79.2 MBVanessa A. Bee, Camille Dungy, and Kathryn Savage, moderated by Kristin Keane In this memoir session, thoughtful considerations of home blend the authors' intimate perspectives with broader questions of racial and economic injustice, ecological harm, housing insecurity, and other systemic crises. Buy the books here
Reckoning: Falling, Femicide, and Dreaming the New World: A Conversation with Award-Winning Playwright and Activist V (formerly Eve Ensler)
July 27, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 85.1 MBV, interviewed by Deirdre English Perhaps you're most familiar with V as the Tony Award-winning playwright (often under her former name Eve Ensler) of groundbreaking works. Or maybe you've been inspired by V's global activist movement, launched with the very first "V Day" on February 14, 1998, that creates safe, powerful spaces for survivors and others to talk openly about violence against women and girls. These intersections of art and activism are the places V explores most movingly in h...
Awe: The Science of Everyday Wonder
July 20, 2023 12:00 - 57 minutes - 78.7 MBDacher Keltner, interviewed by Shawn Taylor How do we begin to quantify the goose bumps we feel when we see the Grand Canyon, or the utter amazement when we watch a child walk for the first time? How do we give words the wonder we feel while gazing at centuries-old works of art? Dacher Keltner, one of the world’s foremost scientists of emotion and faculty director of UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, presents his groundbreaking new book, Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and...
Craft Chats: A Child's Perspective
July 13, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 92.1 MBKeenan Norris, Pilar Quintana, and Margaret Verble, moderated by Ethel Rohan It's undeniable that we were all once children, but that doesn’t mean it's child's play for writers to center the voice and perspective of a child or teen without veering into oversimplification or preciousness. In this craft-focused session, we'll engage with the works of three writers who excel at the task, first doing a close reading of specific passages and then learning more about how that youthful perspectiv...
Fiction and Technology: What Hath AI Wrought?
July 06, 2023 12:00 - 56 minutes - 78.1 MBAkil Kumarasamy, Josh Riedel, Allie Rowbottom, Nina Schuyler, and Colin Winnette, moderated by Noah Stern The authors in this session aren't afraid to use their fiction to contend with the looming future of tech, but their new novels, like so much timeless fiction, are really about the pricelessness of human connection. This provocative discussion will equip attendees for a bold new future—or at least be prepared with a good book at the ready. With the support of SACHI Buy the books he...
Tricia Hersey: Rest Is Resistance
June 29, 2023 12:00 - 58 minutes - 80.3 MBTricia Hersey, interviewed by Ashara Ekundayo In the instant New York Times bestseller “Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto,” Tricia Hersey, aka The Nap Bishop, shows us how to connect to the liberating power of rest, daydreaming, and naps as a foundation for healing and justice. Buy the books here
Finding Nature, Saving Time
June 22, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 88.8 MBMaddalena Bearzi and Jenny Odell, moderated by Alexis Madrigal Time stretches out in front of us, but there is never enough of it and you simply cannot borrow, buy, or make more. Join Jenny Odell and Maddalena Bearzi in conversation with Alexis Madrigal on the nature of time and how we measure it. This session will elicit both deep noticing and profound reflection.. If you’re ready for a more humane, responsive way of living, find the time to join us for this session. Buy the books here
Writer to Writer: Written on the Body
November 10, 2022 12:00 - 22 minutes - 20.4 MBAlyssa Songsiridej, Shruti Swamy, Anita Felicelli How do writers represent the physicality of the human body, in all its frailty and its grace? Explore this question with electrifying debut novelists Shruti Swamy (“The Archer”) and Alyssa Sonsiridej (“Little Rabbit”), whose coming-of-age novels share a thoughtful consideration of the intersections of the body with creativity and self-expression.
The Ruptures of Leaving: Women Writers on Migration
November 03, 2022 12:00 - 1 hour - 58.2 MBGabriela Garcia, Masha Rumer, Shugri Said Salh, Susie Meserve How do immigrant mothers navigate the world, and what do they leave their daughters when they go? Join Susie Meserve in conversation with three writers focusing on matrilineal lineages: Gabriela Garcia (“Of Women and Salt”); journalist Masha Rumer (“Parenting with an Accent”); and Shugri Said Salh (“The Last Nomad: Coming of Age in the Somali Desert”). We’ll discuss the power of storytelling to connect grandmothers to mothers to...
YA: Growing Up Queer Then and Now
October 27, 2022 12:00 - 59 minutes - 54.1 MBJen Ferguson, Laura Gao, Cinnamongirl Kailynn These gifted authors offer historical and contemporary narratives of growing up queer. Jen Ferguson’s “The Summer of Bitter and Sweet” features a Métis teen facing racism, sexual identity, and first love. Laura Gao’s graphic memoir “Messy Roots” grapples with queerness and the author’s identity as a Chinese immigrant to America. With support from the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria.
Collective Book Studio Presents: Mother's Day
October 20, 2022 12:00 - 57 minutes - 52.6 MBRaquel Kelley, Meredith Rose Essalat, Kaitlin Soulé, Josephine Wai Lin, Cindy DiTiberio A heartfelt and funny session about the joys and absurdities of modern motherhood. Raquel Kelley’s “Where’d I Go?” is a lift-the-flap book—not for babies, but for their tired moms. Josephine Wai Lin offers a modern take on the baby book, focusing on an open-minded approach to gender. In “A Little Less of a Hot Mess,” family therapist Kaitlin Soulé urges moms to embrace their imperfections. And educator/sc...
How to Write a Mystery
October 13, 2022 12:00 - 1 hour - 57.5 MBDale Berry, Steve Hockensmith, Catriona McPherson, Gary Phillips, Laurie R. King Four experts in suspense unravel the secrets to making pages turn. Your mentors in mystery are Dale Berry (“Tales of the Moonlight Cutter,” set in medieval China); Catriona McPherson, with the historical crime novel “In Place of Fear;” Steve Hockensmith, author of mysteries for adults and children; and Gary Phillips (“One Shot Harry”), critically acclaimed author of mystery, noir, and graphic novels. Moderated...
Cataclysm or Cure-All?: Fiction Writers Engage with the Promises and Perils of Our Tech Future
October 06, 2022 12:00 - 59 minutes - 54.3 MBKate Folk, James Kennedy, Claire Stanford, Vauhini Vara, Lucile Culver Four fiction writers, each with an exquisite ear for the tender absurdities of humanity, bring their craft to bear on tech. Kate Folk (“Out There”) looks at intimacy through a futurist lens. Vauhini Vara (“The Immortal King Rao”) examines technological capitalism and climate change. Claire Stanford’s “Happy for You” is set in a tech company developing a “happiness app,” and James Kennedy’s “Dare to Know” in one that has...
Writer to Writer: Karen Joy Fowler and Lee Kravetz on Art and Life
September 29, 2022 12:00 - 59 minutes - 54.1 MBKaren Joy Fowler, Lee Kravetz Two novelists channel the worlds and minds of two mythologized historic figures. With “Booth,” Karen Joy Fowler (“The Jane Austen Book Club,” “We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves”), conjures the origins of a villain who changed America’s trajectory: John Wilkes Booth. Lee Kravetz’s “The Last Confessions of Sylvia P” reimagines a chapter in the life of poet Sylvia Plath, through three perspectives.
Fear and Loathing in San Francisco: Hunter S. Thompson's Savage Journey to Gonzo
September 22, 2022 12:00 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBPeter Richardson, Sam Quinones Why is the wild, woolly writing of Hunter S. Thompson (“Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”) still so relevant today? By inventing a whole new genre—”Gonzo journalism”—he forever changed the fourth estate. With “Savage Journey,” Peter Richardson, in an interview with Sam Quinones (“The Least of Us”) takes us for a ride through Thompson’s weird journey to Gonzo: one that took its first steps in San Francisco.