Reading: Joanne Greene: By Accident: A Memoir of Letting Go

Annie Bloom's welcomes California author Joanne Greene for an in-store reading from her debut book, By Accident: A Memoir of Letting Go.

The reading is co-sponsored by the Mittleman Jewish Community Center.

About By Accident: A Memoir of Letting Go:

Joanne Greene grew up in Boston during the 1960s and '70s, a turning point for women in the United States. Doors were opening wider, and Joanne walked through as many as she could. As a young woman, she dove headfirst into San Francisco radio and television, and went on to host and produce award-winning feminist and other timely features and talk shows for decades. Throughout, she worked at having a great marriage and being an exemplary parent. But underlying her high-achieving life was a sometimes-destructive need for control. Vulnerability and dependency were okay . . . for other people. Joanne's value was tied to how in charge, how together, and how productive she was. Then she suffered a traumatic accident––and it set her on a journey of discovery that taught her true power came in the still moments, the moments when she not only loosened her grip but even allowed herself to crack. In fragility, Joanne found, there was beauty––and possibility, too. By Accident is a story about discovering that control is a seductive illusion and how letting go of the need for it can reveal great strength and lead us to even firmer ground.

Joanne Greene is a product of 1960s Coolidge Corner, just outside of Boston, where the butcher and tailor shared the block with a deli and two Chinese restaurants. Joanne was repeatedly told that little girls should be seen and not heard. Clearly, she didn't get the message. Her adventurous spirit led her to study media at Northwestern and Emerson, where she hosted a jazz radio show. California called and she dove headfirst into San Francisco radio and television, where she hosted and produced award-winning feminist and other timely features and talk shows for decades. Today she co-hosts the podcast "All the F Words" with Gabi Moskowitz––in which two writer friends, nearly thirty years apart, explore a range of issues that start with the letter F. Check out Joanne's 3 minute, solo podcast, "In This Story…" in which her memoir-style essays are set to customized music. Joanne lives in Marin County, CA, with Fred, her husband and creative partner of 41 years, and their damn near perfect Goldendoodle, Moxie. Both sons and two grandkids are thriving in Los Angeles.

The Mittleman Jewish Community Center (MJCC) has been a vital part of the greater Portland community for over 100 years. They provide a gathering place for the local Jewish community as well as warmly embracing people of all faiths within their membership. The MJCC offers a wide variety of recreational programming for all ages, wonderful fitness facilities, as well as flexible space for meetings and events.