Ideas, Speakers & Lectures

Explore Booksellers

Explore Booksellers, a favorite destination for visitors and locals alike, has been an institution in the Aspen community for nearly 50 years. More than a bookstore, Explore is an intellectual gathering place that embodies the Aspen spirit - where books, ideas, and the free-flowing conversation they initiate are part of the environment. Explore Booksellers is owned by a non-profit organization in the Public Interest Network, which operates and supports organizations in 30 states committed to a shared vision of a better world and a strategic approach to social change. Part of their mission is to serve the Aspen community by hosting free literary events with local and visiting authors, educational events and workshops with a variety of speakers, round table discussions, and other programming with thought leaders of the day. Learn more at explorebooksellers.com.

Explore Booksellers: Growing Up Aspen: Adventures of the Unsupervised

Aspen Public Radio

Published June 19, 2023 at 7:59 PM MDT

This event was recorded on June 17, 2023 at Explore Booksellers, in partnership with Aspen Public Radio.

Listen in to hear what Aspen was like in the 70s and 80s as recounted by four friends who grew up there — Andy Collen, Chris Pomeroy, Dean Jackson, and Lo Semple. Andy's new book, Growing Up Aspen: Adventures of the Unsupervised is set before Prada, Gucci, and paparazzi — back when Aspen was like Mayberry in the mountains but with John Denver, Nick DeWolf, and Ted Bundy.

These intimate recollections of Andy, Chris, Dean, and Lo's personal experiences capture the essence of small town living and the importance of community.