Lawrence H. Schiffman discusses his book, “Reclaiming the Dead Sea Scrolls.“ He begins by explaining that two boys who found the first scrolls in 1947, and since then eleven caves have been found in Qumran. He talks about how the caves were...
Amy Wallace discusses the book she co-wrote with her family, “The Intimate Sex Lives of Famous People.” She begins by explaining how she collected information on the quirks and peculiarities of famous people, and decided to make a book out of...
Stanwyck, Barbara, 1907-1990;
Motion picture actors and actresses - United States - Biography
Axel Madsen discusses his biography, “Stanwyck.” He begins by explaining the early life of actress Barbara Stanwyck, including her sudden rise to fame. He talks about meeting her and how her personality differed from her on-screen persona. ...
Communism;
Anti-communist movements;
Anti-communist movements - United States - History
John Stockwell discusses his book, “Red Sunset.” He begins by explaining that his book is about a couple who has a troubled marriage while living in Africa. He talks about how he worked for the Central Intelligence Agency and his connections...
Simon Tolkien discusses his novel, “The King of Diamonds.” He begins by explaining that his book is about a murder case and a prison break. He talks about the relationships between his characters in the book, and how a marriage can break...
Gay men - United States - Psychology;
Gay men - Mental health - United States;
Gay men - Sexual behavior - United States;
Psychoanalysis and homosexuality - United States;
Psychosexual development - United States
Dr. Richard Isay discusses his book, “Being Homosexual.” He begins by explaining that his book provides a psychoanalytical approach to discussing homosexuality. He describes several studies that question whether homosexuality is a genetic...
Loss (Psychology); Self-actualization (Psychology)
Judith Viorst discusses her book, “Necessary Losses: The Loves, Illusions, Dependencies and Impossible Expectations that All of Us Have to Give Up in Order to Grow.” She says she studied at a psychoanalytic institute and talks about great...
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...
Paris (France) - Fiction; London (England) - Fiction; Great Britain - History - 18th century - Fiction; Nobility - Fiction; Arranged marriage - Fiction
Karleen Koen discusses her book, “Through a Glass Darkly.” She begins by explaining her background in English literature and how it led her to write historical fiction set in the eighteenth century. She goes on to discuss her career before she...
Villaseñor, Victor - Family; Authors, American - 20th century - Family relationships; Mexican Americans - California, Southern - Biography; Mexican American families - California, Southern; Mexican American authors - Family relationships; Family -...
Victor Villaseñor discusses his book, “Thirteen Senses.” He says the book follows the first years of his parents, Salvador and Lupe’s marriage. Villaseñor talks about his father’s interactions with an avocado farmer and how they helped...
Mothers and daughters - Fiction; Women novelists - Fiction; Ireland - Fiction
Edna O’Brien discusses her book, “The Light of Evening.” She talks about Ireland’s fertility and her relationship with her mother and the influence of writing and literature in her life. O’Brien also discusses the impact of success on a...
Linn Ullman discusses her book, “Before you Sleep." She begins by explaining that the book is told mainly in flashbacks and traces the history of a family filled with fractured personalities. The Blom family consists of Karin the narrator, her...
Dan Fesperman discusses his book, “The Warlord’s Son.” He begins by sharing that what fascinated him the most about the tribal wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan, of which he writes, is the timelessness of it. He explains the role and life of a...
Legislators’ spouses - United States - Biography; African American legislators - Biography; Legislators - United States - Biography; United States. Congress. Senate - Biography; Bruce family; Bruce, Blanche Kelso, 1841-1898 - Family; Bruce,...
Lawrence Graham discusses his book, “The Senator and the Socialite.” He begins by explaining that the book is a biography of the first African American to serve a full term in the U.S. Senate, Blanche Kelso Bruce. Graham tells the story of...
Assimilation (Sociology) - Fiction; Interracial marriage - Fiction; Genetic engineering - Fiction; Fate and fatalism - Fiction; Ethnic relations - Fiction; Male friendship - Fiction; Race relations - Fiction; Immigrants - Fiction; London (England)...
Zadie Smith discusses her book, “White Teeth.” Martinson begins by describing the scene at the beginning of the novel and asks Smith about the title of the book. Smith responds by saying that teeth reoccur in the book and that teeth are...
Plath, Sylvia - Fiction; Hughes, Ted, 1930-1998 - Fiction; Americans - England - Fiction; Mother and child - Fiction; Authors’ spouses - Fiction; Separated people - Fiction; Women poets - Fiction; Storms - Fiction; Poets - Fiction; London...
Kate Moses discusses her book, “Wintering.” She begins by explaining that the book is a novel about Sylvia Plath and her life. Moses explores the difficulty of being both an artist and a mother and how Plath struggled to balance these two roles...
Rabbi Manis Friedman discusses his book, “Doesn’t Anyone Blush Anymore?” He begins by discussing the need for borders and the problem with trespassing on other's borders and coveting what is on the outside of your borders. He then explains...
Blair, Betsy, 1923-2009; Motion picture actors and actresses - United States - Biography
Betsy Blair discusses her book, “The Memory of All That.” She begins by describing the beginning of her career in New Jersey dancing in a chorus line. It was during this time in her life that she met, then choreographer, Gene Kelly whom she...
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...
Women - India - Calcutta - Fiction; Sisters - Fiction; Calcutta (India) - Fiction
Bharati Mukherjee discusses her book, “Desirable Daughters.” She begins by describing the plot of the book, which focuses on the lives of three Indian sisters, two of whom live in the United States and one in Bombay, India. Mukherjee explains...
