Anne Lamott is loved for her ability to write eloquently, gracefully, and often hilariously about complicated subjects. Described by the New York Times as “a narrator who has relished and soaked up the details of her existence, equally of mirth and devastation, and spilled them onto her pages,” Lamott has written on subjects ranging from alcoholism and single parenting to religion and writer’s block. She is the author of seven novels including Hard Laughter, Rosie, Joe Jones, Blue Shoe, All New People, and Crooked Little Heart (the sequel to Rosie), as well as five bestselling books of non-fiction: Operating Instructions, an account of life as a single mother during her son’s first year; Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, a guide to writing and the challenges of a writer’s life; Traveling Mercies, a collection of autobiographical essays on faith; and Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith. Her forthcoming collection of essays, Small Victories, will be published in November.
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India and Burma. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and was one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. After graduating from Dartmouth College in Asian Studies in 1967, he joined the Peace Corps and worked on rural health and tropical medicine teams in northeast Thailand, which is home to several of the world’s oldest Buddhist forest monasteries. He met and studied under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw of Burma. After returning to the United States, Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Massachusetts. He is also a founding teacher of the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. Over the past 40 years, Kornfield has taught in centers and universities worldwide, led International Buddhist Teacher meetings with the Dalai Lama, and worked with many of the great teachers of our time. He holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is a father and activist. His many books include, The Wise Heart: A Guide to the Universal Teachings of Buddhist Psychology, A Path with Heart, and After the Ecstasy, the Laundry.