The National Writers Series is proud to present a conversation with the creator of The Good Place and the co-creator of Parks and Recreation (and also a native Michigander): Michael Schur.

Schur’s first book, How to Be Perfect, is a hilarious, thought-provoking guide to living an ethical life, drawing on 2,500 years of deep thinking from around the world.

Most people think of themselves as “good,” but it’s not always easy to determine what’s “good” or “bad”—especially in a world filled with complicated choices and pitfalls and booby traps and bad advice. With bright wit and deep insight, How to Be Perfect explains concepts like deontology, utilitarianism, existentialism, ubuntu, and more so we can sound cool at parties and become better people.

Schur starts off with easy ethical questions like “Should I punch my friend in the face for no reason?” (No.) and works his way up to the most complex moral issues we all face. By the time the book is done, we’ll know exactly how to act in every conceivable situation, so as to produce a verifiably maximal amount of moral good.

We will be perfect, and all our friends will be jealous. OK, not quite. Instead, we’ll gain fresh, funny, inspiring wisdom on the toughest issues we face every day.

Our guest host for this event will be actor, writer, producer, and comedian Ed Helms, who is currently working on season 2 of Rutherford Falls, a comedy series he co-created with Sierra Teller Ornelas and Mike Schur.