National characteristics, American; Social values - United States; United States - Civilization; United States - Civilization - Philosophy
Roger Rosenblatt discusses his book, “Where We Stand: 30 Reasons for Loving Our Country.” Rosenblatt shares where he was during the September 11, 2001 (9/11) attack and his thoughts on Rudy Giuliani. He then goes on to discuss the United...
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...
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...
Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790;
United States - Foreign relations - France;
France - Foreign relations - United States;
United States - Foreign relations - 1775-1783
Stacy Schiff discusses her book, “A Great Improvisation.” She begins by explaining the reasons Benjamin Franklin went to France to get support for the new American colonies. She talks about Franklin’s troubled relationship with his son, and...
Hershey, Lenore; Ladies’ home journal; Journalists - United States - Biography
Lenore Hershey discusses her autobiography, “Between the Covers.” She begins by explaining that her book focuses around her time as the Editor for the Ladies’ Home Journal magazine. She talks about how she worked her way up to becoming...
Political corruption - Fiction; Success in business - Fiction
David R. Cudlip discusses his novel, “Comprador.” He begins by explaining that his book is about six private financers who control worldwide trade markets. He says that although his book is fiction, he patterned it after real people and...
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...
Murder - California - Pasadena - Case studies;
Teenagers - California - Social conditions - Case studies
Léon Bing discusses his book, “Smoked.” She begins by explaining that her book is about three teenage girls who were murdered in an affluent community in Pasadena, CA. She describes the girls’ relationships with drugs, money, and sex at a...
Dick Wimmer discusses his book, “The Schoolyard Game.” He begins by explaining that his book is a compilation of stories from basketball players. He talks about fathers who play against their sons and the competition between two players. He...
Nina Vida discusses her novel, “Scam.” She begins by explaining that her book is about people who are involved in an equity funding scam. She talks the importance of mother-daughter relationships to her novel. She describes rare book thieves...
Peter Wyden discusses his book, “Wall.” He begins by explaining that the Berlin Wall was constructed in 1961 and was taken down in 1989. He describes how the East Germans were able to keep the construction a secret from the American...
Persia Woolley discusses her novel, “Queen of the Summer Stars.” She begins by explaining that this book is the second installment of her trilogy about Queen Guenevere. She talks about how she tried to write the book as historical fiction,...
Blacklisting of entertainers - United States; Screenwriters
Ben and Norma Barzman discuss their book, “Rich Dreams.” The Barzmans talk about Ben's previous writings and explain the reasons for writing their book. They say they left Hollywood in 1949 to go to England to help individuals that had been...
Jews - Politics and government; Antisemitism - History; Christianity and antisemitism; Judaism - Apologetic works; Jews - Intellectual life
Arthur Hertzberg and Aron Hirt-Manheimer discuss their book, “Jews: The Essence and Character of a People.” They talk about the historical figures Abraham and Elijah, and believe that Judaism has always been preserved by a small minority. They...
Rick Wartzman discusses his book, “Obscene in the Extreme: The Burning and Banning of John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath.” Wartzman talks about the 400,000 people who migrated to California from the Dust Bowl searching for a better life...
William Ouchi discusses his book, “Making Schools Work: A Revolutionary Plan to Get Your Children the Education They Need." Ouchi talks about the schools he visited in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York. He says he went through school budgets...
Lawyers - United States - Biography; African American lawyers - Biography
Johnnie Cochran discusses his book, “A Lawyer’s Life,” coauthored with David Fisher. Martinson begins by sharing that she first met Cochran through the Coro Foundation. She goes on to say that Cochran worked in the district attorney’s...
Fox, Paula; Love, Courtney, 1965-; Psychotherapists - United States - Biography; Mothers and daughters - United States - Biography
Linda Carroll discusses her book, “Her Mother’s Daughter: A Memoir of the Mother I Never Knew and of My Daughter, Courtney Love.” Carroll says she was adopted when she was ten days old and that she had dysfunctional parents. She talks about...
Bil Wright discusses his book, "Sunday You Learn How to Box." Wright describes Jeanette, the main character Louis' mother. He describes her as a woman who has a very specific dream of what she wants her life to be. Wright then goes on to...
Feiler, Bruce S. - Travel - Middle East; Bible. O.T. - History of Biblical events; Arab -Israeli conflict; Palestine - Description and travel; Iraq - Description and travel; Iran -Description and travel
Bruce Feiler discusses his book, “Where God was Born.” He begins by discussing his first book “Walking the Bible” and the PBS documentary he made on it. He shares his reasons for writing his new book, which was a need to explore how...
