Author talk: 'China and the Making of Modern India'
Author Amitav Ghosh will discuss the opium trade's consequences on Chinese history in the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as the impact that the trade had on arts, crafts, tastes and styles in India, the world's leading opium-producing country under the British Raj. The event will be tonight, Dec. 3, from 6-7:30 p.m. at the CEMEX Auditorium, Zambrano Hall, 641 Knight Way, Stanford. Go to events.Stanford.edu

Community: Mountain View Christmas Tree Lighting
There will be live holiday music, refreshments, lights and the arrival of Santa Claus at the Mountain View Community Tree Lighting Celebration, tonight Dec. 3, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m at the Civic Center Plaza, 500 Castro St. Children can visit and have their picture taken with Santa. Guests are encouraged to bring a can of food to help build a "giving tree" that benefits the Community Services Agency. Go to: mountainview.gov

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