Adam Haslett discusses his book, “You Are Not a Stranger Here.” He begins by explaining that the book is a collection of nine short stories. He goes into detail discussing several of the stories individually, beginning with “Notes to My...
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...
Oz, Amos - Childhood and youth; Authors, Israeli - Biography; Israel - Fiction
Amos Oz discusses his book, “Panther in the Basement.” Oz describes the protagonist, twelve-year-old, Proffy, during the British occupation of Palestine. He talks about treason and Proffy’s relationship with his father. Oz goes on to...
Castaneda, Carlos, 1931-1998; Anthropologists - United States - Biography; Cults - United States
Amy Wallace discusses her book, “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice: My Life with Carlos Castaneda.” Wallace talks about her relationship with her father, Irving Wallace, and his relationship with Carlos Castaneda. She talks about Castaneda’s...
Saroyan, William, 1908-1981 - Death and burial; Authors, American - 20th century - Biography
Aram Saroyan discusses his book, “Last Rites.” He begins by explaining that he is the son of famous Depression Era writer William Saroyan. He talks about the strained relationship between his father and the family. He describes that he...
African Americans - Biography; Racially mixed people - United States - Biography; Racism - United States; United States - Race relations
Barack Obama discusses his book, “Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance.” Obama shares his family’s background and its influence in his life. He tells of his mother’s emphasis of instilling a strong African and African...
Reagan, Ronald; Reagan, Nancy, 1923-; Presidents - United States - Biography; Actors - United States - Biography; Governors - California - Biography; Presidents’ spouses - United States - Biography
Bob Colacello discusses his book, “Ronnie and Nancy.” He begins by explaining that Nancy Reagan’s real name was actually Ann Francis and she was originally named after her aunt, but from a young age she was called Nancy. Colacello then...
Dating (Social customs) - Anecdotes; Gay men - United States - Biography; Fathers and sons - United States - Biography; Morris, Joe; Morris, Bob, 1958-
Bob Morris discusses his book, “Assisted Loving.” He begins by explaining that the book is a chronicle of the year following his mother’s death in which his father started dating. Morris discusses the difference between the ways elderly men...
Motion picture industry - Fiction; Hollywood (Los Angeles, Calif.) - Fiction; United States - Social life and customs - 20th century - Fiction
Budd Schulberg discusses his book, “What Makes Sammy Run?” He describes the character, Sammy Glick, and his life starting as a copy boy and then becoming a Hollywood screenwriter. Schulberg then talks about feminists’ views of the...
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....
Christian biography - United States; Amputees - United States - Biography; Skiers - United States - Biography
Carol Schuller discusses her book, “In the Shadow of His Wings.” Schuller talks about the amputation of her leg as a result of a motorcycle accident and her skiing endeavors.
Footage of Schuller skiing and an interview by her father,...
Carolyn Mary Kleefeld discusses her book, “The Alchemy of Possibility: Reinventing Your Personal Mythology.” She begins by explaining how she borrowed elements from many different cultures to create her own system for personal betterment. She...
Henson, Jim; Puppeteers - United States - Biography
Cheryl Henson discusses the book, “Jim Henson: The Works: The Art, the Magic, the Imagination," authored by Christopher Finch. Cheryl Henson, daughter of Jim Henson, starts by saying that her father began working on commercials and that the...
East Indian American women - Fiction; Mothers and daughters - Fiction; Divorced mothers - Fiction; Dreams - Fiction; California - Fiction; India - Fiction
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni discusses her novel, “Queen of Dreams.” She begins by explaining that the book is about a woman who finds out that her dead mother was a dream interpreter. She discusses the girl's close relationship with her...
Fuller, Samuel, 1912-1997; Motion picture producers and directors - United States -Biography; Motion picture actors and actresses - United States - Biography; Screenwriters - United States - Biography
Christa Fuller discusses the book, “A Third Face.” She begins by explaining why she decided to complete and publish her husband, Samuel Fuller’s autobiography after he passed away. She gives details of her own career as an actress and...
Damian McNicholl discusses his novel, “A Son Called Gabriel.” He begins by talking about how the story opens on a young Irish boy named Gabriel, who gets bullied at school for playing with girls. He describes the relationships among...
Dan Barden discusses his novel, “John Wayne.” He begins by explaining that his father was a contractor who was hired to renovate John Wayne’s home, and the two men became drinking buddies. He says that he decided to write this novel because...
David Wallechinsky discusses his book, “The Knowledge Book.” He begins by discussing his own family and how neither of his parents went to college and instead were both autodidacts. He shares his memories growing up the child of parents who...
Almanacs, American; Handbooks, vade-mecums, etc.; Twentieth century - Miscellanea
David Wallechinsky discusses his book, “The People’s Almanac Presents the Twentieth Century: The Definitive Compendium of Astonishing Events, Amazing People, and Strange-But-True Facts.” He begins by describing how this book was intended to...
David Wallechinsky discusses the book he co-wrote with members of his family, “The Book of Predictions.” He beings by explaining that he began The People’s Almanac series with his father Irving Wallace, and that this book is a continuation...
