Barbara Ehrenreich

Author, Nickel & Dimed and Bright-sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America

Alyssa Byrkit, VP of Advancement, American Leadership Forum, Silicon Valley - Moderator

We’ve been told that optimism is the key to success and prosperity, but is that really the truth? Ehrenreich embarks on a myth-busting exposure of America’s history of forced positive thinking and its downside. She calls for a return to realism and discusses how irrational optimism has resulted in disaster, especially in the business community, where refusal to consider such negative outcomes contributed to the current economic crisis.

Location: Cubberley Theatre, 4000 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto
Time: 1:30 p.m. check-in, 2 p.m. program, 3 p.m. book signing
Cost: $12 members, $18 non-members
Also know: Photo by Sigrid Estrada