Young women - Fiction;
Grandmothers - Fiction;
Despair - Fiction
Jan Goldstein discusses his novel, “All That Matters.” He begins by explaining that his book is about a young woman who is depressed and builds a relationship with her grandmother. He talks about the struggles his characters go through and...
Leora Krygier discusses her book, “When She Sleeps.” She begins by explaining the plot of the book and introducing the American and Vietnamese characters. Martinson asks Krygier to read a passage from the beginning of the novel. Krygier then...
Hollywood (Los Angeles, Calif.) - Fiction; Halloween - Fiction; Cemeteries - Fiction; Screenwriters - Fiction; Motion picture industry - Fiction
Ray Bradbury discusses his book, “A Graveyard for Lunatics." He explains that the book is his second mystery novel in which he features a fictionalized version of himself as the unnamed narrator. The book is set in 1950s Hollywood where the...
Pierre Cossette discusses his book, “Another Day in Showbiz.” He begins by explaining that he grew up in Pasadena, went to UCLA, and worked as a musical booking agent in Las Vegas. He describes how he sold musical acts to hotels when new...
Justice, Charlotte (Fictitious character) - Fiction;
Police - California - Los Angeles - Fiction;
African American police - Fiction;
African American women - Fiction;
Policewomen - Fiction;
Los Angeles (Calif.) - Fiction
Paula L. Woods discusses her novel, “Dirty Laundry.” She begins by explaining this is another book in the series that follows her character Charlotte Justice. She talks about how the city of Los Angeles changes after every political...
Tse, Helen;
Tse, Helen - Family;
Sweet Mandarin (Restaurant);
Restaurateurs - England - Manchester - Biography;
Immigrants - Great Britain;
Chinese - Great Britain
Helen Tse discusses her family’s biography, “Sweet Mandarin.” She begins by talking about how she grew up in England, but her family moved back to Hong Kong. She talks about how her great-grandfather made a fortune in the soy sauce...
Unruh, Jesse, 1922-1987;
Unruh, Jesse, 1922-1987 - Influence;
California. Legislature. Assembly - Speakers - Biography;
Politicians - California - Biography;
Legislators - California - Biography;
Center parties - United States - Case...
Bill Boyarsky discusses his biography, “Big Daddy.” He begins by talking about the early life of politician Jesse Unruh. He talks about Jesse’s college education through the G.I. Bill and his time serving in the Navy. He discusses how...
Vardon, Harry, 1870-1937;
Ouimet, Francis;
Golf - History
Mark Frost discusses his book, “The Greatest Game Ever Played.” He begins by talking about one of the earliest golfers Harry Vardon and how he became the first British champion in golf. He discusses the life of another famous player, Francis...
Andrei Codrescu discusses his book, “The Blood Countess,” which is about the life of his ancestor, Elizabeth Bathory, known as the Blood Countess. Andrei weaves two stories together, one that takes place in the 1590s, and another that is more...
Roddy McDowall discusses his book, “Double Exposure, Take Four.” He begins by explaining that his book is a compilation of photographs he has taken of celebrities coupled with essays about them written by other famous people. He talks about...
Kelly, Irene (Fictitious character) - Fiction;
Women journalists - Fiction;
California - Fiction
Jan Burke discusses her novel, “Hocus.” She begins by explaining that this is another book in the series that follows Detective Irene Kelly. She talks about how there was an auction to name one of the characters in her book after a real...
Dr. David Spiegel discusses his book, “Living Beyond Limits.” He begins be explaining that his book helps people and their families deal with the news that they have cancer or another serious illness. He describes how he is a professor of...
World War, 1939-1945- United States;
World War, 1939-1945- Personal narratives, American;
United States - History - 1945- - Biography;
Japan - History - 1945- - Biography
Jerry Yellin discusses his autobiography, “Of War and Weddings.” He begins by explaining that he was a pilot during World War II who bombed Tokyo, and now his son is marrying a Japanese woman. He talks about how he got into the Air Force and...
Wolpe, Gerald I.;
Har Zion Temple (Philadelphia, Pa.) - Personnel management;
Jews - Pennsylvania - Philadelphia - Politics and government;
Rabbis - Employment - Pennsylvania - Philadelphia;
Rabbis - Pennsylvania -Philadelphia -...
Stephen Fried discusses his book, “The New Rabbi.” He begins by explaining that his book follows the story of the Har Zion synagogue, which has to choose a new leader. He talks about how the death of his father brought him closer to his...
Mexican Americans - Fiction;
Santeria - Fiction;
AIDS (Disease) - Patients - Fiction;
Los Angeles (Calif.) - Fiction
Alex Abella discusses his novel, “Dead of Night.” He begins by explaining that Santeria is the fastest growing religion in the United States. He talks about how his book is based on a real medical case of a man who murdered his victims in...
Japanese American children - Fiction;
Race relations - Fiction;
Wisconsin - Fiction
Nina Revoyr discusses her novel, “Wingshooters.” She begins by explaining that her book is about a Japanese American girl who grows up in a rural town in Wisconsin. She talks about the joys and restrictions of living in a small town. She...
Women soldiers - Fiction;
Lesbians - Fiction;
United States - History - Civil War, 1861-1865 - Fiction;
Southern States - Fiction
Rita Mae Brown discusses her novel, “High Hearts.” She begins by explaining that her book is about the Civil War told from a woman’s point of view. She talks about how she modeled the book's characters after people she knows in real life. ...
Macdonald, Ross, 1915-1983;
Novelists, American - 20th century - Biography;
Detective and mystery stories - Authorship
Tom Nolan discusses his book, “Ross MacDonald: A Biography.” He begins by explaining why he wrote on Ross Macdonald, the pen name of writer Ken Millar. He talks about Macdonald’s early life growing up with an abusive family. He describes...
Mortimer J. Adler discusses his book, “A Guidebook to Learning: For a Lifelong Pursuit of Wisdom.” Adler says that one must create a guide to learning after he or she leaves school. He believes that students should receive a general liberal...
Michael Tolkin discusses his book, “Under Radar.” He begins by explaining the plot, which follows the character Tom, who has taken his family on vacation to a resort in Jamaica. However, the vacation runs a foul when Tom pushes another guest...
