About the event: Ed Begley Jr. will join The Walden Woods Project’s Executive Director, Kathi Anderson, in conversation about this new book “To the Temple of Tranquility…And Step On It!: A Memoir”. An audience Q&A will follow the conversation.
About the book: Ed Begley Jr. is known equally for his prolific film and television career and his environmental activism. From an appearance on “My Three Sons” to a notable role in “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman” to starring in “St. Elsewhere”—as well as films with Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep, and mockumentarian Christopher Guest—Begley has worked with just about everyone in Hollywood. His “green” bona fides date back to 1970, and have been the topic of two books, a reality show, countless media appearances, and even repeated spoofs on “The Simpsons”.
In “To the Temple of Tranquility…And Step On It!”, Begley shares a fountain of hilarious and poignant stories throughout his life. The memoir is candid and endearing; in one chapter, he is summoned to Marlon Brando’s house to discuss the practical uses of electric eels. In another, he tells the story of taking Annette Bening to the Oscars in “an oddball kit-car that had gull wing doors, and was nearly impossible to get in or out of, unless you were a yoga master, which fortunately she was.” Not to mention insightful and surprising tales about The Beatles, Monty Python, Richard Pryor, Cesar Chavez, Jeff Goldblum, Tom Waits, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carrie Fisher, and so many more luminaries.
Begley’s unmistakable voice is honest and revealing in a way that only a comic of his caliber can accomplish. Behind all the stories, Begley has wisdom to impart. This is a book about family, friends, addiction, failure, and redemption.
About Ed Begley Jr.: Begley is a beloved actor, environmental activist, and The Walden Woods Project board member, known for countless roles over the last five decades, most recently in “Better Call Saul” and “Young Sheldon”. Begley is the living definition of the word “environmentalist.” His lifelong commitment to protect the planet is legendary, from being one of the first to drive an electric car, to the design and construction of a net zero, solar-powered home he shares with his wife, Rachelle Carson-Begley. Well before the threat of climate change went mainstream, or recycling became a household word, Ed was a passionate advocate and spokesperson on behalf of the natural environment. He is the author of “Ed Begley, Jr.’s Guide to Sustainable Living: Learning to Conserve Resources and Manage an Eco-Conscious Life”, “Living Like Ed: A Guide to the Eco-Friendly Life”, and, most recently, “To the Temple of Tranquility…and Step on It!: A Memoir”.
