Join us on Thursday, October 15th at 7pm as we bring Neal Stephenson back to San Francisco for D: Heavy Water at The Internet Archive.

Tickets are required for this event and can be purchased here.

About the book

From Neal Stephenson, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Polostan and Cryptonomicon, comes the second installment in his monumental Bomb Light series—a gripping tale set on the eve of World War II, as nations race to find and control an elusive substance critical to building atomic weapons.

Europe, 1934. British journalist Owen Crisp-Upjohn is dispatched to Moscow, where his assignments quickly escalate from cultural reporting to international espionage. Before long, Owen finds himself pulled into the orbit of the enigmatic Earl of Suffolk, a maverick aristocrat, and Aurora, a curiously compelling woman with a shadowy past rooted in Soviet intelligence.

Their mission soon becomes clear: secure the earth’s only supply of deuterium—”heavy water”—before it falls into Nazi hands. The high-stakes pursuit takes them from London’s plush drawing rooms to Barcelona, ravaged by the Spanish Civil War; from far-flung Soviet aerodromes to the perilous, icy landscapes of occupied Norway. Over time, Owen evolves from a detached observer into a man forced to confront profound questions of honor, love, and moral responsibility as loyalties are tested and allegiances shift in an ever-tightening web of science, intrigue, and deceit.

Rich with historical insight, emotionally complex characters, and a relentless sense of urgency with a world on the edge of cataclysm, D: Heavy Water is a suspenseful and wildly entertaining tale of courage and consequence in which humankind’s future is shaped by decisions made in the shadows.

About the author

Neal Stephenson is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the novels Termination Shock, Fall; or, Dodge in Hell, The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. (with Nicole Galland), Seveneves, Reamde, Anathem, The System of the World, The Confusion, Quicksilver, Cryptonomicon, The Diamond Age, Snow Crash, Zodiac, and the groundbreaking nonfiction work In the Beginning . . .Was the Command Line. He lives in Seattle,

Washington.

About our host bookstore

The Booksmith is an independent bookstore located in the Haight Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco since 1976.

Please note:

• This event will be taking place at The Internet Archive @ 300 Funston, San Francisco, CA
• Check-in for the event will begin at 6:30pm.
• Seats will be held for ticketholders until 7:05. We cannot guarantee entry after 7:05, but if your purchase included a book, it can be held for you at our shop or shipped after the event.
• The venue has unassigned pew-style seating.
• Books will be pre-signed prior to the event, however there will be a signing line post-show for those who would like a chance to have Neal personalize their copy.
• Space at the door on the day of the event is usually available, but not guaranteed.
• Bathrooms are on-site, but there are no concessions. You may bring in bottled water and there are spots for refilling.
• Events typically end between 8:30 and 9pm.
• Questions? Accessibility requests? tickets@booksmith.com