Going to Chris Guillebeau's World-Class Book Launch: The Art of Nonconformity
Chris Guillebeau
This is just a note to let you know that I plan to attend a New York City book launch for Chris Guillebeau’s new book
I found Chris’s website over a year ago because of one of his fans Sonia Marsh. I liked the title: The Art of Nonconformity.
As some of you know, nonconformity and nonresistance were the two key doctrines of the Mennonite Church when I was growing up in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in the 1950’s and 1960’s. All my life I have been trying to find new ways to live these two ideas even though they mean different things now than they did when I first learned them.
There’s a whole memoir embedded in the paragraph above. Keep coming back as I keep learning and sharing.
But I have the chance to watch Chris in action tonight, and I plan to take it. What shall I ask him in the Q & A time?
Nonconformity, at least the way I’ve experienced it, is usually a community testimony. 🙂
It’s interesting and fascinating to read about this individual nonconformity–and how Chris offers his idea to others, thereby creating a community around it.
In reading a little about his travels and love of freedom, I wonder, what does Home mean for Chris? Does he find Home in his work, or does he find it in a particular geographical place?
I love that question, Eileen.
And maybe I’ll have a chance to ask him about community, also. You’ve already guessed that his community is formed around the concept of individual nonconformity. I wonder how strong the glue is. I hope to observe tonight. Will report back. Thanks for the comment.
WOW! I met Chris twice. The first time I was at BookSoup Indie bookstore in Los Angeles, and he knows me as the “Gutsy Writer.” I attended his first conference last year in Portland, called the “World Domination Summit.” I met some fantastic people, most were 20-40, but there were also many “non-conformists” like me, who were in their 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.
This was a wonderful bonding moment.It’s probably too late to ask him as you’re there now, but I would really like to find out why his wife doesn’t seem to travel around the world with him. If I were his wife, (too old) I would. He would probably tell you she takes care of their cat, and cannot leave. Seriously, I’d like to know how many “volunteers” he has working for him now, as he had so many last year, all part of his “tribe” of non-conformists. He is one shy, “dropped out of college” clever man. Well done Chris. You deserve it.
Sonia (and Eileen), I got to the party late tonight after a wonderful dinner with our son and daughter-in-law. The books were sold out. There were about 150 people milling about. I got to meet Chris but had no time to talk. He did tell me that he calls Portland, OR, his home and that he is there half the year. I also got to meet two other great bloggers, Jonathan Fields and Derek Halpern. Pretty exciting for a grandma. 🙂
Jonathan Fields spoke at Chris’ WDS last year in Portland. He has such a great group of speakers at his conference. Glad you met him.