Winter Arts Books & Lectures Preview

When the weather’s cold and the days are short, sometimes it’s tempting to just stay home with a book. This winter, there are books galore outside the house, too, so grab a coat and check out what’s going on beyond the front door and the central heating!

Freedom from Food

Patricia Bisch, a Santa Barbara author, has written a new diet book describing her “quantum approach” to weight loss. She’ll be signing copies of Freedom from Food: A Quantum Weight Loss Approach and talking about how this mind/body system can replace all other diets.

Thu., Jan. 17, 7pm. Borders Books, 900 State St. Call 899-3668.

In Defense of Food

Michael Pollan, author of In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto, will discuss the problem with the modern diet and how a more traditional approach can enhance health and lifestyle.

Thu., Jan. 17, 8pm. UCSB’s Campbell Hall. Call 893-3535 or visit artsandlectures.ucsb.edu.

The Art of Conscious Creation

Not quite self-help and not quite philosophy, Jackie Lapin’s book The Art of Conscious Creation: How You Can Transform the World tries to teach a method for living happily while altering the world for the better. Wed., Jan. 23, 7pm. Borders Books, 900 State St.

Call 899-3668.

Swimming Beyond Borders

This year’s UCSB Distinguished Women in Sports lecturer, Lynne Cox, recently authored Swimming Beyond Borders: Crossing Channels and Making Waves. She was the first person to swim the Bering Strait, and she’ll discuss her extraordinary experiences and sign her book.

Mon., Feb. 4, 7pm. UCSB’s Corwin Pavilion. Call 893-3535 or visit artsandlectures.ucsb.edu.

Women’s Literary Festival

The Women’s Literary Festival has a mission: to promote literary diversity. This year’s festival features seven female writers, including Nancy Pearl, Paula L. Woods, and Monique Sonoquie. Judging from past events, it’s sure to be fun for writers and readers alike.

Sat., Feb. 9, 8:30am-3:30pm. Fess Parker’s DoubleTree Resort, 633 E. Cabrillo Blvd. Visit womensliteraryfestival.com.

So Help Me God

Playing into one of the most au courant topics, Forrest Church will be signing and discussing his book, So Help Me God: The Founding Fathers and the First Great Battle over Church and State. The book examines interactions between faith, the presidency, and American politics from our nation’s beginning.

Wed., Feb. 13, 4pm. Borders Books, 900 State St. Call 899-3668.

Santa Barbara Reads!

Hosted by UCSB professors and Mayor Marty Blum, this event will look at Pietra Rivoli’s book, The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy: An Economist Examines the Markets, Power, and Politics of World Trade. Everyone is invited to join in a discussion about globalization and its effects.

Thu., Feb. 28, 5:30-7pm. Faulkner Gallery, S.B. Central Library, 40 E. Anapamu St. Call 564-5633 or visit sbplibrary.org.

Marcus Bleasdale

Winner of the UNICEF Photographer of the Year award, Marcus Bleasdale has spent years documenting the horrifying conditions in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He will discuss and sign his book, Conflict in Congo: The Challenge of Visual Journalism.

Mon., Mar. 3, 8pm. UCSB’s Campbell Hall. Call 893-3535 or visit artsandlectures.ucsb.edu.

Pietra Rivoli

Pietra Rivoli will speak about her book, The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy: An Economist Examines the Markets, Power, and Politics of World Trade. The book follows a T-shirt from cotton planting to the retail market, and examines all the implications of the steps in between. She’ll sign books after the event.

Wed., Mar. 5, 8pm. UCSB’s Campbell Hall. Call 899-5732 or visit ucsbreads.library.ucsb.edu.

Antonio M. Taguba

A former Major General in the U.S. Army, Antonio M. Taguba blew the whistle on the abuses taking place at Abu Ghraib. He was asked to retire following the scandal; he’s here to talk about his perspective on the events.

Thu., Mar. 6, 4pm. UCSB’s Campbell Hall. Call 893-3535 or visit artsandlectures.ucsb.edu.

Iraq: Managing the Consequences of Failure

This year’s Harry Girvetz Memorial Lecture features Andrew J. Bacevich, whose new book of essays, The Long War: A New History of U.S. National Security Policy Since World War II, has been hailed as a definitive perspective on the topic.

Mon., Mar. 10, 8pm. UCSB’s Campbell Hall. Call 893-3535 or visit artsandlectures.ucsb.edu.

Samantha Power

Here to discuss her book Chasing the Flame, award-winning journalist Samantha Power is a professor at Harvard and a recognized expert on global human rights issues. She will be signing her books following the free event.

Tue., Mar. 18, 8pm. Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara, 1535 Santa Barbara St. Call 893-3535 or visit artsandlectures.ucsb.edu.