The quintessential people’s poet, award-winner Pinsky believes poetry belongs in everyday life. The author of five books, his 1994 verse translation of Dante’s Inferno earned a place on the best-seller list. He’ll read from and discuss his work.

Author of the Los Angeles Times “On the Left” opinion column and former editor of Ramparts magazine speaks about free speech and corporate ownership of media outlets.

A performance poet and winner of the American Book Award for both poetry (1980’s Snake-Back Solos) and non-fiction (Miles: The Autobiography, co-written with Miles Davis in 1990), Troupe will read from his work.

Journalist and commentator for our times, Martínez authored the poetry and essay collection The Other Side: Notes from the New L.A., Mexico City and Beyond.

Contributing editor at TIME and The New Republic and essayist for The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Rosenblatt wrote the book Children of War.

The presentations by Martínez and Rosenblatt are part of The Legacy of the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions, a 40th anniversary celebration. Call 893-3907 for information about related events.

Two talks by the charismatic Scottish poet, Latin American fiction expert and contributor to The New Yorker.

A prolific and internationally acclaimed novelist, India-born Desai teaches at MIT. Her books In Custody  and Clear Light of Day were short-listed for the Booker Prize. Her most recent book is Journey to Ithaca.

Stanford scientist and author of The Population Bomb, Ehrlich will discuss the ties between ecology and economics and illuminate research in the burgeoning field of "ecological economics" that may point the way to genuine sustainability.

Two-time Nobel Peace Prize-nominee, founder of Earth Island Institute and former head of the Sierra Club, Brower will discuss the current state of the environmental movement and propose a vision of a sustainable future.

These two events are part of the week-long conference California's Environment and the Economics of Sustainability, April 19-25. Call 893-3907 for conference details.

A MacArthur "genius" grant recipient and UCSD professor of history and ethnic studies, Gutiérrez is an award-winning writer about New Mexican history.