BOLD Talks: Big Conversations in a Small Room

By Ryan Stambaugh, BOLD Cigar Bar & Lounge

I love discussing books and the ideas they contain. I run two book clubs to foster exactly that kind of exchange, and over time I found myself wanting to expand on the idea. Out of that desire, I created BOLD Talks.

Hosted at BOLD Cigar Bar & Lounge in downtown Grand Rapids, BOLD Talks is a small, salon-style gathering built around thoughtful conversation. Rather than a formal lecture, each evening begins with a guest speaker and then opens into discussion. What I’ve found is that the lounge creates a setting that suits this especially well. I often host book clubs at restaurants around town, and I enjoy that atmosphere too, but restaurants are built around turning tables, and the pace is naturally louder and faster. For these talks, I wanted something more intimate; a slower pace, a room better suited to reflection and exchange.

What has encouraged me most is the mix of people these gatherings bring together. Academics, business professionals, artists and curious readers all contribute something different, and the best conversations often continue long after the formal talk has ended. One idea that has grown naturally out of BOLD Talks is the possibility of occasionally hosting Author in Conversation evenings as well.

That idea will take shape on Wednesday, May 20 at 7:00 PM, when John Pinheiro joins us at BOLD for a conversation on his new book, The Christian Roots of American Liberty. The evening will explore where American liberty came from, Christianity and the Founding, and the long development of the ideas behind the American experiment. In keeping with the spirit of BOLD Talks, it will be more conversation than lecture — a thoughtful evening of ideas and dialogue.