World War, 1939-1945 - Music and the war; Berlin, Irving, 1888-1989. This is the Army
Alan Anderson discusses his book, “The Songwriter Goes to War.” He begins by explaining that after he was inducted into the army he was assigned the duties of a production stage manager and first sergeant of the detachment “This is the...
Nineteen thirty-six, A.D.; Depressions - 1929 - United States - Personal narratives; United States - Social conditions - 1933-1945; United States - History - 1933-1945
Frank Pierson discusses his book, “A Nation Lost and Found.” He begins by sharing that in 1936 he was ten years old and his co-author Stanley Sheinbaum was thirteen and how they may have seemed very different, but in fact experienced much of...
Jacqueline Bassan discusses her book, “From Shul to Cool.” She begins by explaining the inspiration behind the book, which came from her own love of music and how she grew up listening to music in Shul, learning Yiddish folk songs, show tunes,...
Americans - Germany - Fiction; Runaway teenagers - Fiction; Fathers and sons - Fiction; Male friendship - Fiction; Teenage boys - Fiction; Cold War - Fiction; Widowers - Fiction; Berlin (Germany) - Fiction
James Carroll discusses his book, “Secret Father.” He describes the characters, Paul, and his son, Michael, and Michael’s friends Ulrich and Katharine. Carroll says the book is framed around the
Cold War and the erection and dismantling of...
John Weitz discusses his novel, “Friends in High Places.” He begins by explaining that his book is about a young German man who finds himself immersed in the politics of the Nazi party. He talks about how the man cannot immigrate to the...
World War, 1939-1945 - Germany - Berlin; World War, 1939-1945 - Children - Germany - Berlin - Biography; World War, 1939-1945 - Personal narratives, German; Berlin (Germany) - History - Blockade, 1948-1949 - Personal narratives
Karen Finell discusses her book, “Good-bye to the Mermaids: A Childhood Lost in Hitler’s Berlin.” She talks about the women in her family and their ties to the United States. Finell says the Nazis killed anyone with a chronic illness,...
Peter Wyden discusses his book, “Wall.” He begins by explaining that the Berlin Wall was constructed in 1961 and was taken down in 1989. He describes how the East Germans were able to keep the construction a secret from the American...
Berga (Concentration camp); World War, 1939-1945 - Prisoners and prisons, German; World War, 1939-1945 - Concentration camps - Germany - Berga; World War, 1939-1945 - Conscript labor - Germany - Berga; Death marches - Germany; Prisoners of war...
Roger Cohen discusses his book, “Soldiers and Slaves.” He begins by discussing his time spent working in Berlin for the “New York Times” and how difficult it was for him as a Jewish man. He explains that the idea for the book came when he...