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Andrea Grossman's independent literary series Writers Bloc has become part of the Town Hall Los Angeles organization. Grossman will continue to select the programs, but there will be more promotion and future tickets can be booked online (or bought at the door.) First on the schedule for Town Hall's Writers Bloc is Garrison Keillor discussing his new book Pontoon with Sandra Tsing Loh at the Wilshire Theatre on Sept. 23.
Announcement after the jump:
TOWN HALL LOS ANGELES is proud to welcome Writers Bloc. Writers Bloc began over a decade ago when bibliophile Andrea Grossman discovered there was no permanent public forum in Los Angeles where authors could come with their new works to defend, discuss, and gain the perspective of Angelenos. Grossman knew an entire community of literary fans eager to talk to their favorite writers. In1996, she began inviting authors and pairing them with equally prominent cultural figures. The first event was Joan Didion interviewed by Robin Abcarian of the Los Angeles Times. Writers Bloc programs make these authors and icons accessible to the public by keeping the conversations lively and engaging, interactive and informal.
The Writers Bloc fan base is over 10,000 and it produces 20 events a year ranging in size from a few dozen to a few thousand. For 70 years, TOWN HALL has been a nonpartisan and nonprofit organization comprised of business leaders and engaged citizens dedicated to examining important issues facing our society. Being a civic organization in the Creative Capital of the World, TOWN HALL members crave outlets for their cultural interests.
With the addition of Writers Bloc, TOWN HALL expands its reach within the cultural community of LA while gaining access to speakers who are not typical of TOWN HALL. By uniting with TOWN HALL, Writers Bloc solidifies its future in LA and gains entry into the LA Press Corps, access to TOWN HALL’s extensive archiving resources and media distribution outlets - including NPR and an ongoing feature in TOWN HALL’s Journal.
Some notable Writers Bloc Events:
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. with Bill Maher
John LeCarre
Elmore Leonard with Martin Amis
William Goldman with John Cleese
Al Gore with Harry Shearer
Maureen Dowd with Alessandra Stanley
Ted Koppel with Harry Shearer
Joan Didion with Patt Morrison
Bob Woodward with John Dean
Steve Martin, Wendy Wasserstein, Bruce McCall and Christopher Buckley
An evening dedicated to The Trial by Franz Kafka, featuring Wim Wenders, Agnieszka Holland, Jane Smiley, Elliott Gould and Harry Shearer
Calvin Trillin with Larry Gelbart
Stephen King with David Ulin
Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan with Arianna Huffington