A graduate of Stanford University — class of ’57 — Los Angeles-born William Carter became a professional photographer, writer and editor while simultaneously exploring the artistic side of photography. Throughout most of the 1960s, he worked first in Beirut and then London and had his work published in LIFE, The New York Times and the London Sunday Times, among others. His first book of photographs and text, Ghost Towns of the West, was published in 1971. Since then, he has published three other such books and has contributed photographs regularly to The Sun magazine since 1998.

Carter will tie together many threads of past and present when he introduces his new book, Causes and Spirits, at Kepler’s Bookstore in Menlo Park, California, at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 14.  Frequently called a Renaissance Man because of the depth and variety of his talents, Carter will reveal the personal stories behind many of the 150 photographs and related autobiographical text sections in his new volume just released by Steidl.  You can read his blog here or see examples of his photographs on his website.

If you have never seen his work, I strongly encourage you to do so. Bill remains a firm believer in seemingly old fashioned yet enduring ideals such as truth and beauty, and has stayed away from Arts movements – fads – that have circled around anti-beauty and gimmicks in the name of realism. Through his life, a spiritual quest has run along. From privileged beginnings as the son of a famous California industrialist, Bill went far away in that quest, looking for meaning and essence. His travels took him Eastward, all the way to India and Tibet, until he eventually came back to California and settled in the Bay Area, right here, in the heart of Silicon Valley.

On Wednesday night, Bill will be reading from his new book, Causes and Spirits. I hope to see you there.