Los Angeles Region (Calif.) - Biography; Los Angeles Region (Calif.) - Politics and government; Los Angeles Region (Calif.) - History; Los Angeles Region (Calif.) - Social life and customs
D.J. Waldie discusses his book, “Where We Are Now: Notes From Los Angeles.” He begins by explaining how the book is a compilation of essays on the meaning of place in Los Angeles. He stresses the importance of building community within Los...
Trey Ellis discusses his book, “Right Here, Right Now.” He begins by introducing the characters in the book and talking about the main character’s background as a motivational speaker turned cult leader. He talks about keeping the readers...
Mewshaw, Michael, 1943- - Family; Mewshaw, Michael, 1943- - Relations with women; Novelists, American - 20th century - Biography; Birthparents - Identification
Michael Mewshaw discusses his autobiography, “If You Could See Me Now.” He begins by explaining that he had a girlfriend in college who put her daughter up for adoption, and the girl found him later in life looking for her mother. The...
Young women - Fiction; Victims of crimes - Fiction; Mothers and daughters - Fiction; Nurses - Fiction; New York (N.Y.) - Fiction; Philippines - Fiction
Vendela Vida discusses her novel, “And Now You Can Go.” Martinson asks Vida to read a passage from the book about a man who holds a woman at gunpoint in a park. She discusses how she had initially written a much different book, but edited out...
Women college students - United States - Attitudes;
Women - United States - Identity;
Women - Education (Higher) - United States;
Women college students - United States - History - 20th century;
Education, Higher - United States - History - 20th...
Lynn Peril discusses her book, “College Girls.” She talks about how she wanted to show the history of women at college and how they’ve changed over the years. She talks about how women explore new situations while being away from home for...
Joseph Heller discusses his book, “Now and Then: From Coney Island to Here.” Heller talks about his half-siblings and losing his father at the age of five. He then talks about participating in psychoanalysis because of dreams and repressed...
Maya Angelou discusses her book, “Now Sheba Sings the Song,” with illustrations by Tom Feelings. Angelou recites poems from the book and says Feelings gave her the paintings because he believed they could be turned into a book. Angelou talks...
Fantasy fiction, American; Science fiction, American; Science fiction
Ray Bradbury discusses his book, “Now and Forever.” He begins by explaining that this book is a compilation of two of his older novellas, “Somewhere a Band is Playing” and “Leviathan ’99.” He talks about how Katherine Hepburn and...
African Americans - Reparations;
Atonement;
Government liability - United States
Roy L. Brooks discusses his book, “Atonement and Forgiveness.” He begins by explaining that 21 million Africans were taken from their homes and put into slavery. He discusses his career as a professor at the San Diego Law School, and how he...
Harriette Cole discusses her book, “Choosing Truth.” She begins by explaining that she spent many years as a fashion writer and now works to make women more confident with their body image. She advises that people should pay attention to...
Radicalism - United States; College students - United States; Young women - United States - Biography; United States - Social conditions - 1960-1980
Sara Davidson discusses her books, “Friends of the Opposite Sex” and “Loose Change.” She begins by explaining that “Loose Change” is a novel about three women who reach adulthood during the socially turbulent times of the 1960s. She...
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...
Elizabeth Kendall discusses her book, “American Daughter.” She begins by explaining that she was driving her car as a teenager, and got in an accident that killed her mother. She talks about growing up in an affluent part of St. Louis,...
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...
Union City (N.J.) - Fiction; Soap operas - Fiction; Factories - Fiction; Women immigrants - New Jersey - Fiction; Cubans - New Jersey - Fiction
Eduardo Santiago discusses his book, “Tomorrow They Will Kiss.” He begins by explaining the plot of the novel that charts the lives of three proud and resourceful women who have immigrated to the United States from Cuba. Graciela, Caridad, and...
Gangs - California - Los Angeles - Biography; Mexican American youth - California - Los Angeles - Biography
Luis Rodriguez discusses his book, “Always Running: La Vida Loca, Gang Days in L.A.” He talks about growing up in El Paso, Texas, and the numerous jobs his parents held. Rodriquez shares that his eldest son joined a gang and is now in...
Indians in popular culture; Indians - Pictorial works - History; Indians - Public opinion - History
Patricia Trenton discusses her book, “Native Americans: Five Centuries of Changing Images.” She begins by discussing several different paintings in the book including a composite drawing of the Algonquians called “Indians Fishing” by John...
Philosophers - United States - Biography; Novelists, America - 20th century - Biography; Rand, Ayn
Jeff Britting discusses his book, “Ayn Rand.” He begins by explaining that the book is a biography of Ayn Rand, the vocal proponent of individualism and capitalism. Britting then shares some of the details of Rand’s life. He explains that at...
Los Angeles (Calif.) - Fiction; Ex-convicts - Fiction; Paparazzi - Fiction; Women photographers - Fiction; Zero, Nina (Fictitious character) - Fiction
Robert Eversz discusses his book, “Digging James Dean.” He begins by explaining that this is the fourth book in his Nina Zero series. He details how his heroine, ex-convict Mary Alice Baker, who now goes by the name Nina Zero, is working as a...
Medicine - United States; Medical care - United States; Pharmaceutical industry - United States
John Abramson discusses his book, “Overdo$ed America.” He begins by explaining that doctors have been taught to trust in medical journals, but now the industry has been taken over by commercial interests and doctors do not know where to turn....
