Harold J. Leavitt discusses his book, “Top Down.” He begins by explaining that he is a professor at the Stanford Business School. He says that this book was written for a middle manager who leads other people but who still answers to a higher...
Miramax Films - History; Sundance Film Festival - History; Independent filmmakers - United States
Peter Biskind discusses his book, “Down and Dirty Pictures.” He begins by telling the story of the Weinstein brothers and Miramax. He explains how Harvey and Bob Weinstein started out from a lower-middle class background in Queens, New York and...
Franks, Thomas Edward;
Franks, Lucinda;
World War, 1939-1945 - Military intelligence - United States;
Spies - United States - Biography;
Fathers and daughters - United States
Lucinda Franks discusses her book, “My Father’s Secret War.” She begins by talking about how she was the youngest winner of a Pulitzer Prize. She discusses how she went through her father’s things one day and started finding Nazi...
David Baldacci discusses his novel, “Absolute Power,” which takes place in Washington DC, where a character Luther is set out to rob a mansion, but accidentally witnesses the President of the United States having an affair with the lady of the...
Barzman, Norma;
Screenwriters - United States - Biography;
Journalists - United States - Biography;
Motion picture industry - United States;
Hollywood (Los Angeles, Calif.) - Biography
Norma Barzman discusses her autobiography, “The Red and the Blacklist.” She begins by explaining that her book is about communists, like herself, who were hunted down in Hollywood in the 1950s. She talks about her early life in Russia and...
Dorothy Winbush Riley discusses her book, “My Soul Looks Back, ‘Less I Forget.” She begins by explaining that her book is a compilation of quotes from African American people. She talks about how she initially self-published her book, but...
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...
Alzheimer’s disease - Patients - Care - Popular works;
Alzheimer’s disease - Patients - Rehabilitation - Popular works
Joanne Koenig Coste discusses her book, “Learning to Speak Alzheimer’s.” She begins by explaining that her husband got Alzheimer’s disease in his 40s. She talks about how the disease is usually hereditary. She describes the various...
Siberia (Russia) - Fiction; Indians of North America - Fiction
Louis L’Amour discusses his book, “Last of the Breed.” He begins by detailing the plot of the novel, which follows the story of U.S. Air Force Major Joe Mack whose aircraft is forced down in the middle of Siberia. Mack is then placed in a...
United States - Foreign relations - 1981-1989; United States - Politics and government - 981-1989 - Decision making; United States - Politics and government - 1981-1989; Presidents - United States - Biography; Reagan, Ronald
Richard Reeves discusses his book, “President Reagan: The Triumph of Imagination.” Reeves begins the interview by explaining that the book is a literary portrait of President Ronald Reagan. To research Reagan and his presidency, Reeves utilized...
Israel; Conflict of generations - Fiction; Parent and adult child - Fiction; Young men - Fiction
Amos Oz discusses his book, “The Same Sea.” He explains that the novel contains several characters whose lives are intertwined. The plot is set in Israel and follows the character Albert, an accountant whose wife Nadia has died. Albert’s son...
Aharon Appelfeld discusses his book, “The Iron Tracks.” He describes the character, Irwin, and his enchantment with trains and tracks following World War II. Appelfeld says Irwin spends his time trying to find Jewish objects and is fearful of...
Koch, Doro Bush, 1959-; Bush, George, 1924- - Family; Presidents - United States - Biography; Children of presidents - United States - Biography; Daughters - United States - Biography
Doro Bush Koch discusses her book, "My Father, My President: A Personal Account of the Life of George H.W. Bush." The book is a memoir of the life and presidency of her father, George H.W. Bush. She interviewed 135 people for the book. The...
Christopher Paolini discusses his book, “Eldest.” He begins by explaining that the book is the second book in his trilogy that began with the book “Eragon.” He shares that originally he based the main character of the trilogy, Eragon, on...
Los Angeles (Calif.) - Fiction; Missing persons - Fiction; African American men - Fiction; Private investigators - California - Los Angeles - Fiction; Rawlins, Easy (Fictitious character) - Fiction
Walter Mosley discusses his book, “Cinnamon Kiss.” He explains that in the novel the protagonist, Easy Rawlins, finds himself in desperate need of money, in order to pay for medical treatment for his daughter. In an attempt to acquire the funds...
Los Angeles (Calif.) - History - 20th century - Fiction; Murder - Fiction; Silent films - Fiction; Motion picture industry - History - Fiction; Motion picture actors and actresses - Fiction; Japanese Americans - Fiction
Nina Revoyr discusses her book, “The Age of Dreaming.” She begins by sharing the plot of her novel, which follows the character Jun Nakayama. Jun was a silent film star during the early days of Hollywood. Yet by 1964 he is living in total...
Motion pictures - Casting - United States; Television programs - Casting - United States
Rob Kendt discusses his book, “How They Cast It.” He begins by explaining what “break down services” are and how casting directors are trying to unionize. He explains that casting directors are the unsung heroes of film and television. He...
Leslie Fram discusses her book, “How to Marry a Divorced Man.” She begins by talking about how single women shouldn’t discriminate against a man who has already been divorced. She describes the benefits of marrying a divorced man such as...
Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827 - Relics; Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827 - Death and burial; Hiller, Ferdinand, 1811-1885
Russell Martin discusses his book, “Beethoven’s Hair.” He begins by explaining how his book is a non-fiction account that follows how a lock of 18th century composer Ludwig Van Beethoven’s hair ended up where it is today. Dr. Alfredo...
Beatles - Discography; Beatles - History - Chronology; Capitol Records, Inc. - History
Bruce Spizer discusses his book, “The Beatles’ Story on Capital Records.” He begins by explaining that this book is about how America received The Beatles, and his own personal fascination with the band. He describes how Capitol Records...
