African American women - Fiction;
Los Angeles (Calif.) - Fiction
Yolanda Barnes discusses her novel, “When It Burned to the Ground.” She begins by explaining her book is about a street preacher who lives in a bad neighborhood. She discusses the overall themes in the book of downfall and decay. She talks...
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...
Leonard Guarente discusses his book, “Ageless Quest.” He begins by explaining that his book is about his personal search for eternal youth and to stop the aging process. He talks about his career as a biologist and professor at the...
American wit and humor; Euphemism - Humor; Language and culture - Humor; Dating (Social customs) - Humor
Chris Cerf discusses his book, “The Official Sexually Correct Dictionary and Dating Guide," co-authored by Henry Beard. Cerf talks about male professor eye contact, the political construct of masculinity, and feminism. Other topics discussed...
Assassination - Fiction; Political corruption - Fiction; Love stories - Fiction
Edmundo Paz Soldán discusses his book, “The Matter of Desire.” He begins by explaining that he is a professor at Cornell University and talks about how he got his book translated into English from Spanish. The book is about a young man who...
Bradley, Ernestine, 1935-; Bradley, Bill, 1943- - Family; Legislators’ spouses - United States - Biography; United States - Biography; Germany - History - 1933-1945; Germany - History - 1945-1955
Ernestine Bradley discusses her book, “The Way Home.” She begins by explaining that the book is the story of her life growing up in post World War II Germany and how she later went on to become a professor of comparative literature and the wife...
Bronx (New York, N.Y.) - Fiction; Orphans - Fiction; Nannies - Fiction; Rich people - Fiction; Benefactors - Fiction; Jewish families - Fiction; Refugees, Jewish - Fiction; Children of authors - Fiction; Inheritance and succession - Fiction
Cynthia Ozick discusses her book, “Heir to the Glimmering World.” She explains that the story is set in the Bronx during the 1930s, where it follows a family of German refuges, the Mitwisser family, who are provided for by their benefactor...
Dr. Robin Cook discusses his book, “Seizure.” He begins by detailing the plot of the novel, which deals with the topic of stem cell research. The main character of the book, Lowell, is a professor at Harvard who decides to develop his own...
Catholic Church - Relations - Judaism;
Judaism - Relations - Catholic Church;
Christianity and anti-Semitism;
Papacy - History
David I. Kertzer discusses his book, “The Popes Against the Jews.” He begins by explaining that he is a professor at Brown University. He talks about how Catholics would baptize Jewish children and take them away from their parents. He...
College teachers - Fiction; Loss (Psychology) - Fiction; Class reunions - Fiction; First loves - Fiction
Alan Lightman discusses his book, “Reunion.” He begins by explaining the plot, which follows the protagonist Charles who is a middle-aged professor at a second tier liberal arts college who magically witnesses a replay of his senior year of...
Dr. David Spiegel discusses his book, “Living Beyond Limits.” He begins be explaining that his book helps people and their families deal with the news that they have cancer or another serious illness. He describes how he is a professor of...
Freedman, Eleanor, 1924-1974; Hatkin family; Jews - New York (State) - New York - Biography; Cancer - Patients - New Jersey - Highland Park - Biography; Bronx (New York, N.Y.) - Biography; New York (N.Y.) - Biography; Highland Park (N.J.) -...
Samuel Freedman discusses his book, “Who She Was.” He begins by discussing his reasons for writing the book. He shares that his mother died when he was a teenager and he later decided to research her life because he did not know that she had...
Galicia (Poland and Ukraine) - Fiction; Aristocracy (Social class) - Fiction; Intelligence officers - Fiction; Jewish preaching - Fiction; Revolutionaries - Fiction; Conspiracies - Fiction; Rabbis - Fiction; Europe - History - 1871-1918 - Fiction
Michael André Bernstein discusses his novel, “Conspirators.” He begins by explaining how he is a professor in Berkeley, CA and teaches English and comparative literature. He describes the plot of his book: a play writer who must go back over...
Robert Greer discusses his book, “Limited Time.” He begins by saying that his book is about Olympic athletes who use an illegal drug to enhance their performance. He explains that he is a medical professor at the University of Colorado, and...
Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) - Public opinion;
Public opinion - United States;
Jews - United States - Attitudes;
Judaism - 20th century
Michael Berenbaum discusses his book, “After Tragedy and Triumph.” He begins by explaining that he is the Project Director of the Holocaust Museum as well as a professor of theology at Georgetown University. He talks about the construction of...
Identity (Psychology) - Fiction; City and town life - Fiction; Fate and fatalism - Fiction; Middle West - Fiction
Dan Chaon discusses his novel, “You Remind Me of Me.” He begins by explaining that his book is about the struggles and problems of family life. Martinson asks Chaon to read the first paragraph of the book about a young boy who has a near...
John Allen Paulos discusses his book, “A Mathematician Plays the Stock Market.” He begins by discussing how people advertise stocks on the Internet. He talks about his decision to write the book after being involved in the WorldCom scandal,...
Karp, Butch (Fictitious character) - Fiction; Ciampi, Marlene (Fictitious character) - Fiction; Brighton Beach (N.J.) - Fiction; Public prosecutors - Fiction; Trials (Rape) - Fiction; New York (N.Y.) - Fiction
Robert Tanenbaum discusses his novel, “Fury.” He begins by explaining how he wanted to write a book based on how people’s lives can change in one moment. He describes plot details and gives an overview of a rape case, trial, and legal...
Labor unions and communism - United States - History; Labor unions - Political activity - United States; United States - Politics and government
Maurice Zeitlin discusses his book, “Left Out.” He begins by talking about his career as a sociology professor at University of California at Los Angeles. He discusses the CIO, Congress of Industrial Organizations, which was a group of unions...
Longevity - Nutritional aspects;
Rejuvenation - Nutritional aspects;
Health;
Diet - popular works
Dr. Roy L. Walford discusses his book, “The 120-Year Diet.” He begins by explaining that his book gives people advice on how to change their lifestyles to life longer. He talks about how he is a professor of pathology at the University of...
