Israel; Conflict of generations - Fiction; Parent and adult child - Fiction; Young men - Fiction
Amos Oz discusses his book, “The Same Sea.” He explains that the novel contains several characters whose lives are intertwined. The plot is set in Israel and follows the character Albert, an accountant whose wife Nadia has died. Albert’s son...
Arnaud De Borchgrave discusses his novel, “Monimbó.” He begins by explaining that his book is about Cuban political conspiracies and Fidel Castro. He talks about how this book is a sequel to “The Spike” and follows the same characters. ...
Mass Media; African Americans - Caricatures and cartoons - Social aspects; Racism - United States
Bill Overton discusses his book, “The Media.” He begins by explaining how people create an image in their heads because of what they read in newspapers or see in television. He says that he covered multiple races, religions, and nationalities...
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...
Charles Berlitz discusses his book, “The Lost Ship of Noah.” He begins by explaining that scientists have found remnants of an ancient ship at an elevation of 7,000 feet at Mount Ararat in Turkey. He describes how the ship has almost the same...
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919 - Childhood and youth; Presidents - United States - Biography
David McCullough discusses his book, “Mornings on Horseback: The Story of an Extraordinary Family, a Vanished Way of Life, and the Unique Child Who Became Theodore Roosevelt.” McCullough explains the significance of the book title and talks...
Dean Koontz discusses his book, “Strangers.” Koontz describes the characters and their exotic careers and the plot, which revolves around their stay at the same motel. He talks about his writing process and Charles Dickens’ newspaper...
Widows - Fiction; Inheritance and succession - Fiction; Ranch life - California - Fiction
Earlene Fowler discusses her book, “The Saddlemaker’s Wife.” She begins by discussing why she decided to write her first stand-alone book after writing twelve books in the same series. She shares how the benefits of writing a stand-alone book...
Public schools - United States - Case studies; Gretchen Whitney High School (Cerritos, Calif.)
Edward Humes discusses his book, “School of Dreams.” He begins by explaining that the book is an exploration of successful American schools. To write the book Edward Humes, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, spent a year at Gretchen Whitney...
Jews - Persecutions - Soviet Union - Fiction; Soviet Union - History - 1925-1953 - Fiction
Elie Wiesel discusses his book, “The Testament.” He begins by saying that both Fascism and Communism deny the value of man in the name of an abstract humanity that will never occur, that will never take shape. Because of this, cruelties were...
Nineteen thirty-six, A.D.; Depressions - 1929 - United States - Personal narratives; United States - Social conditions - 1933-1945; United States - History - 1933-1945
Frank Pierson discusses his book, “A Nation Lost and Found.” He begins by sharing that in 1936 he was ten years old and his co-author Stanley Sheinbaum was thirteen and how they may have seemed very different, but in fact experienced much of...
Heather King discusses her book, “Parched.” She begins by explaining that the book is the story of her life and how she struggled with alcoholism from an early age. She starts with her childhood and how she craved solitude and how she always...
Henry Denker discusses his book, “Judge Spencer Dissents,” which is about Judge Spencer, who is a senior judge of the Federal Judicial District in his 70s, and is known to dissent from his counterparts. He believed his judge counterparts were...
Kelly, Irene (Fictitious character) - Fiction; Women journalists - Fiction; California - Fiction
Jan Burke discusses her novel, “Remember Me, Irene.” She begins by explaining that this is the fourth book in the series that follows her character Irene Kelly, a detective and writer. Martinson asks Burke to read a passage from the beginning...
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...
African American families - Fiction;
African American women - Fiction;
Mothers and daughters - Fiction;
Cane River Region (La.) - Fiction;
Louisiana - Fiction
Lalita Tademy discusses her novel, “Cane River.” She begins by explaining that her book is based on the story of her ancestors who were enslaved in Louisiana. She talks about the different generations of women who were all raised in the same...
San Xia Dam (China) - Fiction; Antiquities - Collection and preservation - Fiction; Dams - Design and construction - Fiction; Americans - China - Fiction; Police - China - Fiction; Married people - Fiction; Policewomen - Fiction; Yangtze River...
Lisa See discusses her novel, “Dragon Bones.” She begins by explaining that it is the third book in a series that follows the same characters. She talks about her decision to place the story in China near the Three Gorges and the San Xia...
Sherr, Lynn; Television journalists - United States - Biography
Lynn Sherr discusses her autobiography, “Outside the Box.” She begins by talking about how this is not her first book, but it is the first book about her life. She describes her early life, and how her parents ran a summer camp that she...
United States - Social life and customs - 1971- - Anecdotes, facetiae, satire, etc.
Martin Mull and Allen Rucker discuss their book, “The History of White People in America.” They begin by explaining that the book is a satire on white culture in America, and how some Caucasian customs can differ from other racial groups’. ...
Musicals - New York (State) - New York - History and criticism
Michael Kantor and Laurence Maslon discuss their book, “Broadway.” They begin by explaining that the book is a result of a 6 week PBS special on Broadway musicals. They talk about the early history of musicals, including the first performer...
