and so, please help me to welcome adam gopnik, mr. gopnik and as adam comes on stage let me say that daniel unfortunately cannot be here with us today. a little bit about adam who has been writing for the new yorker since 1986, he's a 3-time winner of the national magazine award for essays and criticism and of the george award for magazine reporting. in march 2013 awarded med medaly the french republic. he is the author of at the stranger's gait, arrivals in new york, a memoir that you'll hear more about this afternoon. at the stranger's gate to new york, let's give adam another warm welcome, adam gopnik, thank you. [applause] >> thank you. and thank you all for coming. i know that there are countless groupies that texted i wanted mendleson, how do i get out of here? i'm daniel would not only have come here for some urgent reason which i gather it was, health reason but you have me -- [cheers and applause] >> and what i thought i would do this afternoon instead of read to go you from the book at the strangers' gate i will tell you som