Kate Bowler, a bestselling author and podcast creator, will come to Johnson County for a live taping of her podcast “Everything Happens” at the Historic Artcraft Theatre on July 11. She’ll be having a discussion with journalist Nicholas Kristof about the power of storytelling in bringing about social change, the ethical responsibilities of bearing witness to suffering, and the personal impacts it has had on Kristof’s life.
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Why did this happen?
Kate Bowler found herself pondering this over and over. She had been diagnosed with incurable Stage IV cancer at age 35 and wasn’t expected to survive. As she went through treatment, she had a lot of time to wonder why she was the unlucky one to deal with this, as well as how she and the people around her approached the bad things that happen in life.
Bowler didn’t die from cancer; instead was declared cancer-free. The experience, both during treatment and ever since, has spawned a continued look at life — both its beauty and its difficulty for everyone.
Her journey has led to the creation of “Everything Happens,” a podcast where Bowler engages in insightful and humorous conversations with thinkers from all walks of life to see what they’ve learned about difficult times. In addition, she’s written seven books, including four New York Times bestsellers.
Bowler is bringing “Everything Happens” to Johnson County for a live taping. She’ll sit down at the Historic Artcraft Theatre stage with Nicholas Kristof, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, to talk about his experiences as a journalist. The event will be 7 to 9:30 p.m. July 11, with live music provided by Sara Groves and Wild Geese Bookshop on hand to sell copies of Bowler’s books. Tickets are $25.
While out on tour, Bowler took time to answer some questions by email to discuss her experience and the live-podcast event.
What is the idea behind “Everything Happens?”
The idea behind “Everything Happens” is to create a space where we can have honest conversations about life’s challenges, uncertainties, and complexities. The podcast was born out of my own experiences with a Stage IV cancer diagnosis and the realization that life doesn’t always follow a neat, predictable script, even in a #blessed world. That sometimes, despite our best efforts and positive thinking, things don’t turn out the way we hoped. It has been through a generous partnership with Lilly Endowment, that we have been able to produce the podcast and responsive content in a world that longs for honesty, hope, and community.
Why did you want to create this podcast? Why get others thinking about the cultural stories we tell ourselves?
I wanted to create this podcast because I saw a gap in how we talk about suffering and hardship in our culture. Our culture is inundated with self-help mythologies and quasi-religious “solutions” to the problem of suffering. These individualistic, often anti-institutional, narratives promise an escape from the basic problems of being human: our fragility, our grief, our fear that our lives cannot be fixed.
What has it been like tapping into experts to talk about their experience with the issue?
It’s been incredible. We have been able to feature hundreds of leading experts and have reached over 18 million listeners. We have been able to talk with theologians, healthcare professionals, those in academia and entertainment, and everyday people who remind us that we are not alone in our struggles and that there is a vast reservoir of shared human experience to draw from when life has come undone.
How did the live taping with Nicolas Kristof come about?
Nicholas is known for his deep commitment to shedding light on global injustices and human suffering. It seemed like a natural fit to have a conversation with him, given his extensive experience in bringing attention to the stories of those who are often overlooked.
What will you be discussing with him?
Nicholas has a beautiful new book out, “Chasing Hope: A Reporters Life,” so we will be discussing his insights and experiences from his career as a journalist. We will talk about the power of storytelling in bringing about social change, the ethical responsibilities of bearing witness to suffering, and the personal impacts it has had on his life.
What do you hope audiences take away from the event?
Ultimately, I want them to leave with a renewed sense of hope and the knowledge that, even in the midst of difficulty, there is beauty and meaning to be found. Nicholas has been able to live this out so beautifully in his own life.
IF YOU GO
“Everything Happens Live: A Conversation Between Kate Bowler and Nicholas Kristof”
What: A live taping of Bowler’s podcast “Everything Happens,” featuring a discussion with Kristof, a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. Music will also be provided by Sara Groves, and Wild Geese Bookshop will be on site selling copies of their books.
When: 7-9:30 p.m. July 11
Where: Historic Artcraft Theatre, 57 N. Main St., Franklin
Tickets: $25
Information: historicartcrafttheatre.org/movie-and-events-schedule
