I had the opportunity to see and listen to a conversation with Isabel Allende last week. Presented by Elliot Bay Book Company, the conversation took place at Town Hall Seattle in the First Hill neighborhood.
Isabel Allende is the author of twenty-four best selling novels and has sold more than 74 million books. She was born in Peru and lived in Chile until 1973 when she was forced to flee the country after the government was overthrown in a coup. She lived in exile in Venezuela where she wrote her first book. She has received numerous honorary doctorates and awards including Chile’s National Literature Prize in 2010 and the 2014 Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded by President Obama.
I found Isabel Allende to be funny and engaging and just all around charming. She spoke at length about what it is like to not really have a place to call home and to be exiled. She talked about her life and her family and answered some audience questions. There was a small discussion about her new book, A Long Petal of the Sea, but Allende was hesitant to talk about it as she didn’t want to give too much away.
As part of the ticket, all of the audience members were given a signed copy of A Long Petal of the Sea.
If you have not been to Town Hall Seattle, what are you waiting for? The Great Hall has been recently renovated and it has beautiful stained glass windows and curved wooden benches. A variety of arts and cultures and science events are offered – the website advertises it has 450+ events per year.
There are plenty of authors, lecturers, and music events to choose from. Many events are only $5 (and some are free) so it’s super easy to just click and buy a bunch of tickets.
I always find interesting things to see at Town Hall and I enjoy visiting whenever I have the chance.
Q: What author talks have you been to?
Leave a Reply