Booksmith is thrilled to host Yrsa Daley-Ward again for her new book The How: Notes on the Great Work of Meeting Yourself. She'll be in conversation with Jill Louise Busby, author of Unfollow Me: Essays on Complicity. Join us!

This event is free and all ages, but RSVP is required. Event link will be sent to everyone who registers.

You can order copies of the authors' books below: 

• Order copies of The How by Yrsa Daley-Ward here; here for Yrsa's other books.
• Order Unfollow Me by Jill Louise Busby here.

We'll ship directly to you or hold for pickup at our San Francisco shop. We are happy to fulfill orders anywhere in the world – international postage will be invoiced separately. If you have any questions at all, don't hesitate to contact events@booksmith.com.

About the book

Yrsa Daley-Ward’s words have resonated with hundreds of thousands of readers–through her books of poetry and memoir, bone and The Terrible; through her writing for Beyoncé on Black Is King; and through her always illuminating Instagram posts. 

Now, in The How, Yrsa encourages readers to begin, as she puts it, the great work of meeting ourselves. This isn’t the self we’ve built up in response to our surroundings, or the self we manufacture to please the people around us, but instead, our most intimate self, the one we visit in dreams, the one that calls to us from a glimmering future. 

With a mix of short lyrical musings and her signature stunning poetry, Yrsa gently takes readers by the hand, encouraging them to join her as she explores how we can remove our filters, and see and feel more of who we really are behind the preconceived notions of propriety and manners we’ve accumulated with age. With a beautiful design and intriguing meditations, The How can be used to start conversations, to prompt writing, to delve deeper–whether you’re solo, or with friends, on your feet or writing from the solace of home.

About the authors

Yrsa Daley-Ward is a writer and poet of mixed West Indian and West African heritage. Born to a Jamaican mother and a Nigerian father, Yrsa was raised by her devout Seventh Day Adventist grandparents in the small town of Chorley in the North of England. She splits her time between London and New York. Author photo by Andres De Lara.

Jill Louise Busby had worked for years in the nonprofit sector with a focus on diversity and inclusion when she uploaded a short but scathing attack on liberal progressivism and the corporate nonprofit machine. The video went viral and made her a sought-after speaker of indulgently honest opinions. She continues to use social media, writing, and film to expose contradictions, challenge performative authenticity, and campaign for accountability. She lives in Olympia, WA. Author photo by Wesley Cummings.

This event is free and all ages, but RSVP is required.