could be nor conversation in reare seption following this please join me in thanking feater for sharing it this wonderful story. and thank you all for coming. really great. every weekend booktv offers programming focused on nonfiction authorses and books. keep watching for more, here on c-span2, and watch any of our past programs online at booktv.org. hi i'm marissa innovation lab at the commonwealth club and thank you to the conversation request adam. he's author of the brand new book wild ride inside über's quest for world domination, and executive editor of fortune. now if you haven't noticed it hasn't exactly been quiet on iewb per news front. so we're especially excited that

he'll be speaking tonight with kara executive editor of recode host of the recode decode podcast hot on the trail of the story since the very beginning. now before we get started adam and know each other so take 40 seconds to introduce yourself to one of your neighbors. okay -- that's had the perfect amount of friendship always dangerous and back to me -- wonderful. now if you enjoyed meeting your new friend sometimes ourst rasic informed members which if you come out of the build just to your left so feel free to join us there afterwards if you would like. now, anybody who is not been here before?

awesome if you don't know we do fantastic rams like this and dozens of times year so if it is your first time let's not have it be your last. few great programs at inform if you read fantastic mod person love "new york times" column about 36 questions to fall in love -- we'll have author mandy on july 11th. a panel on criminal justice system, and the private prison problem on july 18th. featuring mother joan investigative journalist bauer august 3rd a conversation about voting rights in united states. and let's just say we've got lots of fun announcements coming up for the fall. now, we're a nonprofit here at the commonwealth clon and we depend on donor, member, attendee and incredibly exciting news a generous family with a matching gift 2-1 to help us finish off our new building which will be done at 1-0 it has been a while and coming and

we're very exciting that it is opening this fall so right five dollars actually 15 gives to 300 or 500 so take advantage of the generosity and boxes by door and a downstairs as well. now tonight because you might have a few questions about what's going on with über we'll be taking live questions in last 15 minutes there's a microphone in the back. here's how questions work. they're about ten or 15 words long they don't include personal stories and let adam or kara apes question pretty quickly. carr are i'm sure we'll help can the you down if you go on too long so listen when you can line up in the back. on sale or o pickup down the hall and signing books right after the program. we'll also be live tweeting and live streaming program so someone couldn't get a ticket feel free to let them know to catch us inform or on youtube at commonwealth club we like tweeting so handle for us and our speakers on screen to your right and left. who knows there could be breaking news on stage during the program. so mow, and very, very pleased

to welcome adam and kara to the inforum stage. [applause] awe -- did you like meeting everybody? it just dod that to me at soul cycle and i was real pissed. [laughter] i'm not there to meet people. anyway. i'm glad you made some friends. anyway, we ready? [laughter] kara just posed a photo of me on -- twitter and i think she should have called it before. >> you so healthy all right we have a lot to talk about so i'm going to start with this which i was to say and move on to a company that has been in the news of late. some things have been happening there especially yesterday. hi everybody welcome to tonight's program with inform at the a commonwealth club i'm kara executive editor of recode and

host of the code podcast pleasure to be talking with friend that's accurate executive editor of fortune, best selling author of insight apple here to talk about his latest book diving deep into crazy world of text. and appalling world of tech really. wild ride über's quest for world domination. hello. >> hello kara. >> hello, so i texted -- excuse me we have a title -- executive editor i didn't know that. >> that's night. excuse me for interrupting interesting when we're talking about über. so let's start with -- are the news of yesterday. and then i want to get into the book itself, obviously, has been an interesting story but i think news is included all of the history of über, and people really do care about what is happening there now. so let me get your assessment yesterday was a superbusy day, and a down to the wire travis finally decided to leave after a lot of pressure. he's the ceo in the course of

the day, they relesioned recommendations that in any other company could have gotten ceo fired and then by the end of the day a board member had to resign because he told a joke that wasn't funny in any way on the stage about -- it was essentially form about problem of sexual harassment and über told a guck joke to another director and it was a woman exactly. so -- talk to me since we're just a day late essentially. >> the couple of interesting things to me. one is as you pointed out they released eric holder's recommendation they did not release his findings. findings would be far more interesting. >> i'll be releasing those soon. >> good i'm looking forward to that. sure everybody else is -- >> me too. >> you know the details of what he found so -- in other words you have to infer everything from the

recommendations and you might infer a fair amount but not a lot l you don't know scale, details and dirt which again is where you -- where you will come in other thing that i think is interest -- >> i prefer to expose ridiculous behavior on part of overprivileged white men in silicon valley anyway but go ahead. move along. >> like i said -- >> okay. >> so i think if you want to, you know, you made point that any other company would have these recommendations qowf included firing of the ceo. i thought the precise wording of travis's e-mail to employees was interesting. first of all he's taking a leave of absence of undetermined length. so that could be monday -- or it could be 2019 and that he will continue to be involved i believe the way he put it was with the most strategic decision. i read that as him not leaving at all. >> right. not stepping down you know

stepping down as ceo is sort of beside the point. so i think -- i think where you're going with this is that it is not over clearly not over. >> why do you think that, tell me because it is interesting situation because let me get become to the idea that -- it wasn't just that there were issues with company that report. i've had parts read to me quite devastating a culture out of control never builds. run badly -- break next -- u sexual harassment. sexism all kinds of things like it was like as if the silicon valley problems concentrate themselves in one company. and -- so you think that he's still in power that he's pulling the -- pulling the -- >> i don't know how much. but i just think even what we saw yesterday there's clear evidence that he is. again, i can't quantify or qualify it baa he said i will be involved under most strategic decision. so -- the question is why. how or how is --

was he able to hang on. i think e we've known for quite a while that he has the ability to control the board through the form of his share and ac wee -- and that's where he was six weeks or a month ago. >> was until 9:30 that morning. so things change. and -- he he was in this. but he didn't in leaving. flrve >> so what -- explain where that is through the board structure. he and his friend and a close colleague garrett camp true founder of über essentially -- control everything. why is camp sticking so closely to him? >> you know, people have asked me as i've been be out talking about the book why wasn't camp

the ceo why did camp turn over the reign of über so willingly to travis so early. and my -- my answer has been among the many controversial things that have gone with the company that wasn't one of them nobody said garrett should have run iewb or i think and i've heard many say to me that garrett camp was grateful from beginning that traves took this thing that garrett had had created and he created, you know, many -- little things like what this little über cab thing was in 2009. and made it into über so i think garrett example was comfortable with that and been grateful. first to take serious money out of the company and grateful to traftion for that. and so i just -- i don't think it is anymore complicated than that. >> he doesn't want more serious money because at this point, you imagine this company go public with that -- with that ceo?

because public going public is the goal presumably of the company. you know, i don't even before this week. even before last month i didn't think they were going to go public any time soon so a lot can change but 2019 a long time from now. >> i understand. dog years. silicon valley time. >> intdz that but nots dog years in -- in terms of being a financial leader and public company, correct? >> yeah. i understand, and what you know what we can discuss the morality of it. but we know that silicon valley venture capitalist will tolerate almost anything if they can make -- it make their all mighty buck and i think there's ample evidence that the same is true for public shareholders again almost no evidence -- of well i shouldn't say there's certainly been instances that ceos of being drummed out for one transgression or another i'm not saying people don't care or saying that, you know, it's a slam dunk that kalanick will be

ceo when they go public but it doesn't. it wont shock me. >> so more out of sight not morals i agree with you. i think there's a lot of issue around how criminal indictments surround several different things. i suspect if anthony who über ultimately fires -- faces any kind of criminal any kind of criminal problems i don't imagine he would not roll over. and point upward presumably that's how it seems to work. those are the kind of things i'm more interested in. >> yeah. so huge, and exposheen threat and forgive me for he thinking the book but to your question which is -- you know, the final chapter includes anecdote where travis kalanick back for hour it is from headquarters down to ferry building almost to golden gate bridge. such a thing with internet

executives taking a long walk. >> i think -- steve yobs is like a walker, talk talker too. believe me i would rather have been sitting at a table taking notes with my reporter sitting -- on your lawn. instead walking down the street holding my recorder in my hand praying -- right that i'm getting. so i did. you're on walk of -- >> on a bro mantic walk me and my buddy, and i do remember where i was going with this. he told me at some point during it that conversation that, you know, there's one other person i take this walk with frequently but i can't tell you who it is yet. anthony and this was before the autopurchase which was why he couldn't why he couldn't tell me about it. and you know i had published that other people have published that they walked together. the -- the judge has specifically said that he's allowing wamo to

interview anybody who has had had any intersection with leive do that means that content, content and context of their conversations while they were having this bromantic walk will be germane and serious because wamo is alleging theft of -- >> explain that. >> wamo is i don't think it is a terrible name. >> i would agree. >> wamo is renamed goolings google self-driving car unit not part of google now but part of alphabet a better bet. but wamo has sued über because it says that anthony who worked as engineer for the goolings self-driving unit when that's what it was called left. sold for $640 million quickly to über, and they are --

they alleged this was über's way of stealing their technology and e in this is that this hangt happened yet but if next step qowb that fraudulent behavior not merely -- stealing of trade secret. >> and didn't sue anthony but über and more assets and to knock them out of the box. >> yeah. well and because maybe they did something wrong. they know crazy dngts matter. >> all sorts of ways to do something wrong. >> also it is an über has tried to settle to go to mediation, judge disallowed that. über actually would rather write a check and my only point is that -- google alphabet doesn't seem to be interested in receiving check. >> google need money does he. right. they're kind of rich. we just reengtsly had ruth on stage our conference and talked that and i said google never, in fact, google usually pays people they don't like even to leave. even if they're like i said well

you don't usually sue poem and she said we don't usually sue people but you're suing über shes yes that's dirchghts. i think they're very intense on taking this town -- down to the wire and getting to the book because all this does matter in terms of what is going to what to this this company. i think much more serious trouble than -- most do and starting to change the world and this mug gnashes in your face ceo who is just such a character kind of thing. tell me sort of what you were thinking about when you wanted -- >> true, when i started which was when i started thinking about it in 2014 or so and what had -- what i was witnessing was this company that being at that point barely four years old had had already expanded around the

world very quickly of course they done it in their second year of operation. and that fascinates me in particular because -- i had just -- i was only at that point 18 months out of publishing book about apple. and über wouldn't have been able to go around the world without the iphone without the app store. app store receiver where. iphone receiver where and über everywhere quickly in a way that startups couldn't have done in another era that other era five or ten years earlier. ..

>> >> and others that have come out of the next era of silicon valley. >> when i think was compelling was that both with the internet and digital software company and a hard asset people that were involved like regulators and transportation networks the way they stood -- facebook and google and even with apple was justin internet

company. >> what does that represent from your perspective?. >> the next stage of these kinds of companies if you put them in buckets or phases of evolution from the companies that existed around microsoft or intel than those that existed around facebook and twitter. >> could you think made them stand out? that had a lot to do with the early years to preside over to relatively failed start-ups with a difficult relationship everything ended in tears for this guy

and he created a lot of trouble so they needed to be motivated by that. >> i don't think necessarily >> what motivated him?. >> but with success with uber there was of a period of time the cabana were controversial statement. but clearly he is stubborn man persisted and relentless that became important with uber but the part that i think is interesting as part of the founding team.

>> essentially not napster so it started and failed more quickly they and napster but that it intended to be legitimate and that was and then it was down to one person that was him at one point and to see if silicon valley would consider a lot of money. so the point that i was striving to that happened in 2008. i know the people that were modest and successful i met him after uber was starting to go up in 2010. but he was a player in the world so there is a lot of

luck involved and by the way although steve case did not found aol. >> and from that take away but that is the important point so he was the founder. >> spending time with his parents and his bader was a civil engineer i think? and brother is a firefighter

that is modest but lovely. [laughter] so where is the mean mom? and it is interesting because it is an unusual place. >> above to tell you about travis kalanick what was his rosebud? he told me the story of the book of the indian guide. they don't call them that any more but the program run by the ymca. and that was ted years before travis and he tells me the story of a fund-raising drive for a camping trip and the indian

guide but to that he bent and he was bound and determined to sell those pancakes. so he would stay there until the wee hours of the night so he was being beaten in the basement or his hard-working father i don't know. >> and then to have dead animal heads with his waffles' but but then to talk about bullying and being bullied. >> he was an athlete also a

mathlete of sorts so he played both of those positions he would tell stories to be bullied for being catered. but i did not get the sense that they were emotional a lot of kids get teased. >>. >> so talking about his personality that is the explanation for a lot of people in silicon valley. what did you come to the conclusion?.

>> the cliche they love to talk about they had that in the sense for a new bird came along you might get picked up you might not. and they figured out abundantly. that is a cliche but i remember feeling that. >> it is a big market and they hit that hard. but they built that up doing it with the limousine. and to ride around town. >> it does recall them saying that years ago.

>> so the story that i loved to tell the first time i had met him i don't know if i had written uber yet or not but i can watch for progress to make sure she got home and pay for it. i have a great idea and could not have spent less interested. [laughter] your business. not mine. >> now we're getting to the sexual harassment. >> but it was a product. >> but lyft was trying to

organize rides on in corporate or university campuses to make this into a way to power but once they realized they were beaten they could move quickly but they were already established dollar around the country. >> so how are the differences? i don't know how to even describe them but to come over one time to

say the reason i'm doing is because 80 percent of the cars are not in use and that is wrong for the planets. >> fake about that. s just wrong and i feel that i can save the world. >> and they said travis will kill him. [laughter] >> and uber talks about that and use inventory. >> even the offices you get a foot massage when you go to uber because then it will open up.

>>. >> so though war room is a perfect example. >> so what was the difference between the two?. >> the way you introduce that to be the ceo and founder but we all go with what we got. but that is today are a and uber is today are. not to push around those

regulators to pop off with a statement at its any 1.. >> p.s. this is due travis kalanick is it is and i a corporate strategy. >> no question in my mind although it is hard to separate the bravado from the actions because lyft was the first to do that and they said we don't think these rules apply to us budget uber and they said this is illegal and we have concerns that we better do it quickly where we will be

beat so yes day lead with their chin. and with that regulatory issues to be completely transparent. we don't care we will go wintus start operating in then to get those drivers and riders at our side. and then to say how much they love those uber rides but even to go back through history just one sneaky move but they do all kinds of things. >> they gave people burner

phones. and those anonymous phone to call for rides. but i interviewed this guy that tells me travis kalanick, 20 years ago would ever the version of the white board was he said i go by there he just wrote a large number for people walking by. >> is that at the heart of the company? that is just one thing after the next. >> once persons shifty. >> that is not shifting the bad is criminal.

>> that is that bad a certain point but not fully. >> if you need not profitable, yes. and that brings a storm downed on you with those ramifications. >> why do that or why continue? if you are found out then you have a target on your back and to assume you will be aggressive. is that a good strategy? when you redoing your research that was the theme of the company?. >> it is since the only theme.

i did not have the daily feeling like it was criminal. i did not have that feeling but some of the things i simply did not know about. but a long way i saw plenty of good. but to think that was a criminal enterprise. so when they have a choice to do something that is of a shift. >> so i see my role as a journalist and to tell the

story and we can have a conversation but the style is to present it and analyze it to tell that. >> so you don't have to jump to conclusions? is that what made it what it is?. >> he would never think facebook be paid to like this but i'm taking all the companies they covered field when i can think of is microsoft. >> i promise i will answer that i had this conversation with mark zuckerberg that was the startup of the

feature story we're just writing this feature story and we are concerned about some of these oligarchs killing people and without batting an eye he answered. and those to do good corporate work the with the things that you are talking about it is possible to do what they're doing that lyft was doing that and we had a separate conversation but i don't think the answer is yes. >> but this week it just

rained down on those people with that incredible behavior. so to get to those for initial parts that but nowhere was there anything that was alleged. that is not all that matters but a brave and is alleging sexual harassment and it is more how the managers were not treated no h.r. system in place and uber the whole time that we had no ability

to do this are you kidding me? why did you miss this? there was a party problem and a careless behavior with the drivers and literally is pervasive. >> i have a whole section with that initial manuscript it was strengthened by my editors who are women and then it came out after i turned in the manuscript.

>> and i addressed that. you can judge me but i understand. so to use the extent this is an important element of the story, shame on me i did not get that you also mentioned compared to this scathing expos say but nowhere was it mentioned the allegations there were driven into allegations but later we learned those settlements of sexual harassments that people did not talk about that.

but you could not cover fox news about knowing the situation or is that an issue of covering silicon valley??. >> and then to get that pay off?. >> i interviewed women off the record in the subject did not come up but if you will it to say why were you not looking harder for that? find. i spoke to women who complain to me how they were treated by their managers and they were jerks and talk to women who described how

they would send teams places to a bunch of cities than they would go out partying. one of the things that they loved the most about uber all i can do is tell you about my reporting. >> were you aware of the memo that we published?. >> no. in the back of my brain, you published a memo that travis kalanick felt compelled for some reason to write a memo to his employees from the offsite in miami telling them how to behave like don't have sex with someone. >> don't vomit that will cost $2.

-- $200. >> don't have sex but if there are three of you make sure everybody is consensual. he sounds like a the frat guys not the ceo. >> i cannot have sex with anyone and then he is lamenting that he cannot have sex and then he'd says fml which stands for fuck my life. that memo was famous. >>. >> but it was after miami. i don't remember. >> so what happens when this

gets overlooked? but it does so to talk about a bigger issue even when you interviewed. >> know but if anybody will bring that up tell me what i need to know. so i cannot do any better if you read my book with a grownup running that is richer company after return to the manuscript that was my role and said he needs to grow up. so by the way so where the

driver recognize they really started to give them the business and then said we will follow-up and then later i said did you do that because of me?. >> of course, not. >> there is sexual harassment with everything that we cover because just last week we wrote about india. if you don't know they got the medical records and were questioning her story. >> and then would carry

those around for one year. but that was literally last week then they lied to the "new york times" about it when they did not. >> this is a situation earned almost on a daily basis the is happening you cannot make up if you try to so can imagine for those board members to explain what they will do next and then to make a sexist comment at that meeting. so spending all the time with this company will these recommendations be taken seriously?. >> but given the scrutiny it

is hard for them not to take them seriously. when you read through though hall recommendations operating manuals they will institute those changes and avifauna reason to believe that everybody was rotten. >> but do you believe with this culture? with those immediate creators don't change?. >> so i think apple was 35 years old so to discount the notion and then to decide

that was completely wrong. it was a three decade company in that the culture is not ingrained. and then to be optimistic. >> and then to show the face for the first time and then to have every single company bet that those financials. and amazon lost a lot of money they built a lot of votes and warehouses but

they had no real rivals. they didn't. there was never a list competitor every reggae went they build a boat and now they are benefiting from that. and then i feel that is not the case. we don't have a super clear view of the finances that are opaque but they were losing a lot of money in china route trying to build the india business. and then there very own version of autonomous vehicles.

and that is bringing zero revenue. so they have a shot to bring in money there is evidence of the possibility to bring in a lot of money in to take united states that uber and lyft are in this arms race but not by collusion because they spend themselves into exhaustion but the flip side is that we already see the lyft and uber decal. >> ended is easy to explain.

and then to be severely punished. they have said everything is fine. and anecdotally place is just a takeover. >> but that is more appealing. i will not do that. >> is interesting. [laughter] so in any case when you have that idea isn't just wamo but uber trying to screw

people go to the protest to say forgot i insulted somebody that was disabled for about was months ago. >> brands cannot rejuvenate the you need the right money and strategy. >> who does the ceo have to be? we had just gotten so many people fired. >> if there is ever a conversation to be a fly on the wall but explain one thing to meet food report to? travis kalanick. when is he coming back? i don't know.

one of my responsibility is? that will not change when he comes back. >> and we are a very weak board please come. >> so the person that they want. >> and then to add that to his portfolio. >> one name that has been floated is the heir apparent.

and run say complicated mission and the kind of person he would do that. >> no? no thank you. >> but there are different types of people to be in this situation would be like the former ceo of ford he has complex organizations better know how old he is he does not need that recognition. >>.

>> so you have had this amazing opportunity there you are inside uber so with these unique ceos?. >> there is a lot of similarities jobs prided himself to break the rules bar jams small. and so i wrote a thing this morning and that is a very telling response. but i reflected in the book and again that i don't think he has grasped that but in

fairness from storytelling perspective that was one of his lines he made it werke was steve jobs in you hear the stories of people being screened negative that is not against the law. >> attwood don't compare them in any way. >> so with that aspirational tone. >> jobs was a great ceo. >> but with love to know from the both of you given

the of shortcomings of tonight?. >> i think i have picked up that you have a the company one will give you the cup half full and she will give you the cup half-empty but with the global operations reaching for that business cliche so a huge problem with those legal problems even with a reputation to be tarnished if they can get past that to bring in the bright leadership that is the cup half full. >> said the i will say to get over that but i think

the lawsuits are problematic with a very thin management staff he cannot get cheryl stand -- standard to show up this is so logistically complex to have the lion's share to do this is very hard i think they will be sold to google. they cannot compete. they are not the most brilliant and managed to create industries maenads

but travesties to get to him but then to be someone to create most of the damage that there isn't a real story here. and then to attack drug use having discussions with was a bad joke that exactly the wrong time. and then was going to be a distraction for the company and then with one stupid joke including the indian stuff please read about that

>> they said get off the board i said really? and then i look like a the asshole. >> i was expecting you would talk about uber that is the job market or the economy i am not asking you now but why don't you find those important or interesting enough? [applause] i do. i cannot tell you exactly which direction and you hope

i will go or the people that are clapping will go. so i wanted to experience what it was like in that i enjoy my job a lot more but it is all of these economies is very complicated but that's airbnb and it was piecemeal work with the smart phone and with that

piece work i will just tell you because we don't have a ton of time but my observation but in one breath uber will tell you why they hate driving but then they will tell you why they love it. that they are hard up for cash in their preferred the ability to get it quickly and when they want to do it. and that is no trivial thing but in that same conversation. >> what about the impact of the city?. >> that is the of clutter of the cars on the road. >> i think there are different subjects and that

is how they do that quickly it is a when, not and if in that may take quite a bit of time and to make an observation, uber is cluttering the streets but lyft is taking cars off the road. but those that said you envision a future that they don't drive cars? he said no. and then to envision a day where people take their cars out for a ride on a

beautiful afternoon. >> but then there was the flip side of that where he said he wanted to get rid of all drivers. it was an interesting observation that to be brutally honest but they're hoping to get rid of all humans drivers. >> but the logical conclusion of billions of dollars all these companies are spending on innovation is the same conclusion of everything else that is happening but says that in the most embarrassing foot in his mouth way. >> i have the of question

that follows the conversation is there any connection there is the culture of sexes them and discrimination there was a story if new york so that is connected to the fact that as you were just talking about eventually with that transportation is sector worldwide. i could imagine working in that would be with those large humanistic moral questions is that part of the culture or those connections. >> to understand the impact

but those that all bubbles was think about. >> but as i am sure you have heard absolutely to give a window into the mindset of the of a company for travis kalanick is up badge of honor of those zero orders to be corrupt we are doing something about that correct -- corruption. and then to keep prices high to have as many as possible that his hand was the founding mentality and you were not shy about back.

>> and then the ada to get rid of humans but i don't think that is particularly surprising with those that have anti-humanistic values. >> i am a humanist so i think that what we do and what you do with the last industry to be disrupted by robots. >> you know, that will not happen. no. >> i will be dead. i don't care. [laughter] >> go ahead to larry page. that is a great question. >> so what is your advice

other than not riding the memos?. >> we didn't even get to a the brothel but to reassure those the you brought on that there are good people at uber but then presumably talk about that the jury of the founder he changed after he became a philanthropist but that is different but also steve jobs grew tremendously but that is a great question but i structured my a apple book

for those entrepreneurs and those corporate executives. >> so what do you think? what are those assets?. >> i will give you the one what uber did well from the outset and apple did well to the laser focused as possible. as uber was growing was to make it a huge. they would say no to more than they would say yes to be on a conference room table but then they

investigate flying cars and helicopters so great on entreprenuers and business executives that was my learning from writing about apple and i hate to do that but that would be the obvious. >> so what would you do if you were ceo?. >> but if you run a company or sell a company would you be interested in doing this? there isn't anything else i

want to be doing a pilot to be the ceo of uber are you kidding me?. >> so what have you learned? to make huge as predicted google will buy them which i think is very clever. >> you can have your own opinion. >> darr frequently wrong. >> candy b a pioneer?. >> and i am optimistic because i have a joy and a warmth in my heart. >> do me a huge favor could

you sign?. >> another time. i will. i am very old. and we were young. so before the program is up what is your 62nd idea to make the world a better place?. >> i will get there i wish i could be smirky but i try really hard and if everybody would shoot for that goal. >> that is a great deal answer. >> a big round of applause

to adam lashinsky forest is fascinating history. [applause] and they give for sharing your thoughts. and signing this excellent book as those copies are for sale so please take your time one of my favorite journalists. [applause] [inaudible conversations]

good evening everyone. and welcome to the strand bookstore. my name is nancy basswiden i'm owner of the strand along with my dad, fred bass who usually can be found in the buying desk in the