Near-death experiences; Near-death experiences - Religious aspects
Phillip L. Berman discusses his book, “The Journey Home.” He begins by explaining that he traveled around the country interviewing people who have had near death experiences. He says that the majority of people, regardless of age or religious...
Moaveni, Azadeh, 1976-; Iranian American women - Biography; Iranian Americans -Biography; Iran - Social conditions - 1979-1997; Iran - Social conditions - 1997-
Azdaeh Moaveni discusses her book, “Lipstick Jihad.” She begins by sharing her experiences and memories of growing up as an Iranian in Palo Alto, California during the shadow of the Iranian hostage crisis. She then discusses her experiences...
Vietnam War, 1961-1975; Veterans; Lawyers; Public housing; Vietnam
Alfredo Véa discusses his novel, “Gods Go Begging.” He begins by explaining the plot of the novel, which follows the character Jesse Pasadoble. Jesse is a Vietnam veteran who now works in San Francisco as a defense attorney. Jesse is haunted...
Adult child abuse victims - United States - Biography; Cancer - Patients - United States - Biography; Poets, American - 20th century - Biography; Dine, Carol
Carol Dine discusses her book, “Places in the Bone.” She begins the interview by explaining that the book is a memoir of her life as a child of an abusive father. She shares her thoughts on her father’s physical, verbal, and emotional abuse....
Venice (Los Angeles, Calif.) - Fiction; Screenwriters - Fiction; Serial murders - Fiction; Private investigators - California - Los Angeles - Fiction
Ray Bradbury discusses his book, "Death Is A Lonely Business." He begins by explaining the plot of the book and how he drew on his experiences living in Venice during the early years of his career. He stresses the importance of a proper setting...
Korean American families - Fiction; Korean American women - Fiction; Mothers and daughters - Fiction; Single women - Fiction; Young women - Fiction; New York (N.Y.) - Fiction
Caroline Hwang discusses her novel, “Love in Bloom.” She begins by introducing her character: a Korean American fashion intern whose over-bearing mother decides to move in until she can find a husband. Hwang talks about writing for the...
Terrorism - United States - Fiction;
Conspiracy - Fiction
Jess Walter discusses her novel, “The Zero.” She begins by talking about her main character who is paid to clean up at Ground Zero after the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks. She discusses how America stopped remembering the violent parts of...
Leah Komaiko discusses her book, “Am I Old Yet?” She begins by talking about how she primarily writes children’s books and young adult novels, but wanted to write this book about her personal experiences with friendship. She describes how...
World War, 1939-1945 - Causes; World War, 1939-1945 - Atrocities; World War, 1939-1945- United States; World War, 1939-1945- Personal narratives, American;
Brigadier General Don Curtis talks about his career in the Marine Corps during World War I and World War II. He discusses being at Pearl Harbor in the 1920s and watching over the new submarine fleets. He talks about his tours in the United...
Young adults - Fiction;
North Carolina - Fiction;
Families - Fiction
Jill McCorkle discusses her novel, “Ferris Beach.” She begins by explaining that her book is about growing up in a small town. She talks about how young adults have to learn to discover their friends and family members. She describes her job...
Space race - History; Space flight to the moon - History; Project Apollo (U.S.) - History; Cernan, Eugene
Eugene Cernan discusses his book, “The Last Man on the Moon.” He begins by explaining that the book is an account of his career as an American astronaut. The book deals with the history of the space race and the rush to be the first in space....
United States - Politics and government - 1865-1900; United States - Politics and government - 20th century; United States - Civilization - 1865-1918; United States - Civilization - 20th century; Progressivism (United States politics)
Victor Navasky discusses the book, “The Nation, 1865-1990.” He begins by explaining that the book is composed of selections from the independent magazine “The Nation.” Although the book is compiled of separate pieces, Navasky points to...
Television personalities - United States - Biography; Downs, Hugh
Hugh Downs discusses his autobiography, “On Camera.” He begins by explaining how he got his start in radio and then later moved to television. Downs discusses his early exposure to “The University of Chicago Roundtable.” He goes on to share...
Uganda - Fiction; East Timor - Fiction; London (England) - Fiction; Women physicians - Fiction; British - Foreign countries - Fiction; War correspondents - Fiction
Mark Lee discusses his book, “The Canal House.” Lee begins by discussing the plot of novel, which follows the character Daniel McFarland. McFarland lives the dangerous and unpredictable life of a war correspondent in Uganda. McFarland later...
Ukraine - Fiction; Young men - Fiction; Novelists - Fiction; Grandfathers - Fiction; Jewish families - Fiction; World War, 1939-1945 - Ukraine - Fiction; Americans - Ukraine - Fiction
Jonathan Foer discusses his book, “Everything is Illuminated.” He explains that the book is about a young, American, Jew named Jonathan who travels to the Ukraine in search of a woman who saved his grandfather from the Nazis during World War...
China - History - Cultural Revolution, 1966-1976 - Biography; China - History - 1976 - 2002 - Biography; Foreign correspondents - China - Biography; American students - China - Nanjing (Jiangsu Sheng) - Biography; Nanjing da xue - Alumni and...
John Pomfret discusses his book, “Chinese Lessons.” He begins by sharing his memories of living and studying in China. He explains that he left Stanford University to study history in China and discusses the differences between higher education...
Linda Palmer discusses her book, “Love is Murder.” She begins by explaining how she came up with the idea for the plot, which is a murder mystery set in the world of daytime soap opera television. Palmer explains that prior to writing mystery...
United States - Politics and government - 1989; United States - Politics and government - 1945-1989; Presidents - United States - History - 20th century; United States. Congress - History - 20th century
Jim Wright discusses his book, “Balance of Power.” He begins by explaining how his experience in government has spanned nine presidents, from Dwight D. Eisenhower to Bill Clinton. He shares the impact of living through the depression and how it...
Garry Wills discusses his book, “Why I am a Catholic.” Wills shares the importance of Catholicism in his own life and his experiences with faith both as a child and as a Jesuit seminarian. He expounds on the history of the Catholic church...
Tehran (Iran) - Fiction; Americans - Iran - Fiction
Nahid Rachlin discusses her book, “The Heart’s Desire.” She begins by explaining the plot of the novel, which follows the main character Jennifer who marries an Iranian immigrant and the difficulties their opposing cultures present their...
