Pico Iyer, the bestselling author of "The Art of Stillness," presents his new book "Aflame: Learning from Silence" at Vroman's bookstore in Pasadena, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, in the wake of the devastating Eaton Fire that recently swept through parts of Pasadena and Altadena, forcing over 30,000 people to evacuate and burning thousands of structures. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — On a quiet summer evening in June 1990, Pico Iyer sat in his family home in Santa Barbara, California, when suddenly, he was surrounded by walls of flames five stories high.
