Dan Richter discusses his book, “Moonwatcher’s Memoir.” He begins by explaining how he told Stanley Kubrick that he thought a mime could solve the problem that he was having with the opening of his film “2001, A Space Odyssey.” He then...
Catholic Church - Relations - Judaism;
Judaism - Relations - Catholic Church;
Christianity and anti-Semitism;
Papacy - History
David I. Kertzer discusses his book, “The Popes Against the Jews.” He begins by explaining that he is a professor at Brown University. He talks about how Catholics would baptize Jewish children and take them away from their parents. He...
Women detectives - New York (State) - Long Island - Fiction;
Organized crime - Fiction;
Missing persons - Fiction;
Widows - Fiction;
Nassau County (N.Y.) - Fiction;
Long Island (N.Y.) - Fiction
Susan Isaacs discusses her novel, “Long Time No See.” She begins by explaining that this book is a sequel to “Compromising Positions” which follows her main character detective Judith Singer. She talks about how she wanted Judith to grow...
African American families - Fiction;
African American women - Fiction;
Mothers and daughters - Fiction;
Cane River Region (La.) - Fiction;
Louisiana - Fiction
Lalita Tademy discusses her novel, “Cane River.” She begins by explaining that her book is based on the story of her ancestors who were enslaved in Louisiana. She talks about the different generations of women who were all raised in the same...
Loraine Despres discusses her novel, “The Scandalous Summer of Sissy LeBlanc.” She begins by explaining that her book is about a young southern belle whose family is falling apart. She talks how her main character Sissy meets a charming...
Spielberg, Steven, 1946- - Juvenile literature;
Spielberg, Steven, 1946-;
Motion picture producers and directors - United States - Biography - Juvenile literature;
Motion picture producers and directors
Susan Goldman Rubin discusses her book, “Steven Spielberg.” She begins by explaining that Spielberg made his first movie at age 11, and explored his creativity in filmmaking at an early age. She talks about how she was the first author who...
Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790;
Statesmen - United States - Biography
Paul M. Zall discusses his book, “Franklin on Franklin.” He begins by explaining that he is a research historian at the Huntington Library in southern California. He talks about the early life of Benjamin Franklin, and how he learned the...
Teenage girls - Growth - Juvenile literature;
Teenage girls - Physiology - Juvenile literature;
Puberty - Juvenile literature;
Sex instruction for girls - Juvenile literature;
Sex instruction for girls;
Puberty;
Teenage girls
Lynda Madaras discusses her series of books, “What’s Happening To My Body?” She begins by explaining that her series was designed for young boys and girls to teach about their transition through puberty. She discusses her experience...
Male friendship - Fiction;
Edinburgh (Scotland) - Fiction
Irvine Welsh discusses his novel, “Glue.” He begins by explaining that his book is told through a series of flashbacks in the life of his two main protagonists. He talks about how he incorporated Scottish traditions into his book, and his own...
Victims of terrorism - New Jersey - Middletown; Terrorism victims' families - New Jersey - Middletown; Middletown (N.J.) - Social conditions; September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001
Gail Sheehy discusses her book, “Middletown America.” She begins by describing how the town of Middletown, New Jersey coped after many members of their community were killed in the World Trade Center terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. ...
Van Nuys (Los Angeles, Calif.) - Social life and customs - Humor; Loh, Sandra Tsing - Homes and haunts - California - Los Angeles; Los Angeles (Calif.) - Social life and customs - Humor; Loh, Sandra Tsing; Van Nuys (Los Angeles, Calif.) -...
Sandra Tsing Loh discusses her book, “ A Year in Van Nuys.” She begins by explaining while this book may seem like an autobiography it is really a combination of fact and fiction. She talks about how people like the voice of an author to be...
Von Welanetz Wentworth, Diana, 1941-; Spiritualists - United States - Biography; Food writers - United States - Biography; Love - Miscellanea
Diana Von Welanetz Wentworth discusses her biography, “Send Me Someone.” She begins by explaining how the book is about how she overcame the loss of her husband Paul Von Welanetz. She had met him in the lobby of a hotel in Hong Kong when she...
Murder - California - Twentynine Palms - Case studies
Deanne Stillman discusses her book, “Twentynine Palms.” She begins by talking about the generational impact that poverty and violence has on individuals. Martinson asks Stillman to read a passage from the book about the Mojave Desert. ...
Sally Hemings, an American scandal (Television program)
Tina Andrews discusses her book, “Sally Hemings, an American Scandal.” She begins by explaining that Sally Hemings was one of Thomas Jefferson’s slaves and the two had a love affair and 5 illegitimate children together. Andrews talks about...
Datcher, Michael, 1967-; Datcher, Michael, 1967- - Childhood and youth; Poets, American - 20th century - Biography; African American families - California - Los Angeles; Fatherless families - California - Los Angeles; Journalists - United States -...
Michael Datcher discusses his book, “Raising Fences.” He begins by talking about his early life and his choice to live with his adopted family over the real family who gave him up. Martinson asks him to read a passage about his adoption and...
Davis, Sammy, 1925-1990; Entertainers - United States - Biography
Burt Boyar discusses the life of his friend Sammy Davis Jr. and talks about Davis’s autobiography, “Sammy.” Boyar describes how he and his late wife Jane decided to contribute new material to “Sammy” after the death of their long-time...
Dorothy Leeds discusses her book, “The 7 Powers of Questions.” She begins by breaking her book down into 3 parts: the psychology of how to phrase questions, the psychology of how people answer questions, and how questions can bring a family...
Haas, Jane Glenn, 1937-; Older people - United States; Aging - United States; Older women - United States - Biography
Jane Glenn Haas discusses her biography, “Time Of Your Life.” She begins by talking about feeling older and being diagnosed with breast cancer. She talks about the wonders of face-lifts and plastic surgery, and how it helped her feel better...
Annakin, Ken; Motion picture producers and directors - Great Britain - Biography
Ken Annakin discusses his book, “So You Wanna Be a Director.” He begins by explaining how he traveled all around Europe as a child, and got his first movie role as a member of a boy’s choir. He started his film career by doing propaganda...
Racially mixed people - Fiction; Young women - Fiction
Jenoyne Adams discusses her novel, “Resurrecting Mingus.” She begins by explaining that her book is about a young woman who feels alone as her family falls apart. She talks about divisions within a family and how children view their parents...
