Join Book Passage for an author event in celebration of Krystle Hickman’s new book, The ABCs of California’s Native Bees! Krystle will be joined in conversation with Obi Kaufmann, the author of the #1 San Francisco Chronicle Bestseller, The California Field Atlas.

Krystle Hickman is a National Geographic Explorer and community scientist based in Los Angeles and the author of The ABCs of California’s Native Bees. With a passion for nature and an eye for artful photography, Hickman strives to elevate awareness of the decline of native bee species and shed light on their intricate and biodiverse ecosystems. Hickman’s commitment to conservation takes her across the globe, documenting rare native bees without resorting to any form of lethal collecting. Hickman’s influence extends beyond the lens: She has graced multiple television and online broadcasts, been interviewed on podcasts such as Ologies, presented at the 2024 United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP16) in Colombia, and lectured at colleges such as Harvard, UC Irvine, UCLA, and more. Learn more about her work at beesip.com.

Obi Kaufmann is the author of the #1 San Francisco Chronicle Bestseller The California Field Atlas as well as the California Field Atlas trilogy, which includes The Forests of California, The Coasts of California, and The Deserts of California. He has also explored water and fire in California in two other volumes: The State of Water: Understanding California’s Most Precious Natural Resource and The State of Fire: Why California Burns. When he is not backpacking, you can find the painter-poet at home in the East Bay, posting trail paintings at his handle @coyotethunder on Instagram. His speaking tour dates are available at californiafieldatlas.com, and his essays are posted at coyoteandthunder.com.