It’s snowing in Helsinki
and it’s dark most of the time
I’m writing from Helsinki, Finland, where it’s currently 25 degrees and snowing. I’m here for the We Jazz Festival where last night, my uncle Alan Braufman performed alongside Patricia Brennan and Tomas Nordmark, all of whom have released music on my record label Valley of Search. I also did my last book talk of 2022 (don’t worry, there’s plenty more coming in 2023). Here’s a photo of me and our gracious host, Matti agreeing that yes, it is very cold and dark in Helsinki.
To commemorate the end of the book tour (part 1), I’ve printed a limited run of tour T-shirts (no, this is not a joke—these really exist). I've talked a lot about how much publishing a book feels like being in a band. What better way to double down than with a limited edition "My Life in the Sunshine" tour shirt? They’re available in sizes S-2XL, and my printer assures me that they’re as I insisted: “NPR nice.”
Getting back to snow. I was born in January in New York City, and I grew up exclusively in places with real winters—NYC, Cambridge, Amherst, and Salt Lake City. I used to stay up late if it was supposed to snow late—and wake up early if that was the forecast. Now I get even more excited because it snows less often. That’s me when I’m about seven, about to build a snow fort—before diving into a plate of tofu and watching Happy Days.
2023 is shaping up nicely with events in Moscow (Idaho!), Newport Beach, and a week-long driving tour of the American south. Details and updates can always be found HERE.
My memoir My Life in the Sunshine is out now. I’d love it if you picked up a copy at your local independent bookstore. It’s also available at all the big places, and for your Kindle as well. There’s an audiobook that I spent 20 hours of my life reading (it’ll only take 7 hours to listen). You can listen to the 5-minute intro for free on Spotify.
Happy holidays!
Nabil Ayers / Brooklyn (via Helsinki)