Michael Pollan — A World Appears
The author of How to Change Your Mind turns to consciousness itself — an inquiry into what makes us human, in conversation with Adrienne LaFrance.
Why we picked this
Pollan's previous book on psychedelics opened more minds than almost any popular science book in recent memory. This one takes on consciousness directly — with The Atlantic's editor Adrienne LaFrance as his sparring partner.
Michael Pollan made his name writing about food, then surprised everyone by writing one of the most important books about psychedelics and the mind. A World Appears is his most ambitious project yet — a “panoptic exploration of consciousness” that asks what we actually are, beneath the stories we tell ourselves.
The conversation will be moderated by Adrienne LaFrance, editor of The Atlantic, who has been writing seriously about technology, democracy, and human cognition for years. The combination of Pollan’s accessible prose instincts and LaFrance’s editorial rigor should make for an evening that earns its ticket price.
The event is held at Sidwell Friends School, an offsite partner venue — check Eventbrite for tickets, which are required.