Leonard Stern discusses his book, “A Martian Wouldn’t Say That.” He begins by explaining that his book is a compilation of strange memos that his friends have gotten while working in the entertainment industry. He talks about his career...
New York (N.Y.) - Fiction; Widows - Fiction; Mediums - Fiction; Psychics - Fiction; Explosions - Fiction; Women in politics - Fiction; Construction industry - Corrupt practices - Fiction
Mary Higgins Clark discusses her book, “Before I Say Good-Bye.” She begins by explaining the plot of her novel that follows the main character Nell, who was raised by her grandfather when her parents are killed in a plane crash. Clark goes on...
English teachers - Iran - Biography; English literature - Study and teaching - Iran; American literature - Study and teaching - Iran; Women - Books and reading - Iran; Books and reading - Iran; Group reading - Iran
Azar Nafisi discusses her book, “Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books.” Nafisi shares what happened in her life when she returned to Iran in 1979 to teach at the University of Tehran. She says she was expelled from the university...
Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) - Personal narratives
Paulina Bergman discusses her book, “And Not as a Broken Shard.” Bergman talks about the German invasion of Poland and her flee from home upon learning about the “final solution.” She shares her thoughts on the survival instinct and...
Kit Williams discusses his book, “The Bee on the Comb.” It consists of a series of artwork that was originally oil painted on linen. Williams explains that the story is from the bees’ point of view and describes the similarities between...
United States - Politics and government - 1981-1989 - Humor; United States - Civilization - 1970- - Humor
Art Buchwald discusses his book, “While Reagan Slept.” Buchwald talks about Nancy Reagan and James Watt, the United States Secretary of the Interior under Ronald Reagan. He goes on to say that he sleeps better when Reagan sleeps and that...
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...
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...
United States. Army - Officers - Biography; Vietnam War, 1961-1975 - Personal narratives, American; Vietnam War, 1961-1975 - Psychological aspects; Soldiers - United States - Biography
Shad Meshad discusses his book, “Captain for Dark Mornings: A True Story.” Meshad says he was a medical service officer during the Vietnam War. He talks about Linda VanderVeen, a Vietnam nurse’s book, and his war experiences. Meshad...
Farley Granger and Robert Calhoun discuss their book, “Include Me Out: My Life from Goldwyn to Broadway.” Granger says he was discovered at the age of 17, and that Samuel Goldwyn signed him. He talks about Howard Hughes and his takeover of...
Excavations (Archaeology) - Italy - Pompeii (Extinct city); Pompeii (Extinct city) - Pictorial works; Pompeii (Extinct city) - Social life and customs; Pompeii (Extinct city) - In art
Brian Curran Jr. discusses his book, “The Lost World of Pompeii,” co-authored with Colin Amery. Curran says Pompeii was a colony dedicated to Venus. He talks about the influence of Hellenistic culture on Roman culture and that death and...
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...
Golden Gate International Exposition (1939-1940 : San Francisco, Calif.) - Fiction; Women composers - Fiction; Jazz musicians - Fiction; San Francisco (Calif.) - Fiction
Rupert Holmes discusses his book, "Swing: A Mystery." The story takes place in San Francisco circa 1940. All of the locations mentioned in the book were (and are) real locations. The main character is a band leader named Ray. He is involved...
Reagan, Ronald; Reagan, Nancy, 1923-; Presidents - United States - Biography; Presidents' spouses - United States - Biography
Peter Hannaford discusses his book, “The Reagans, A Political Portrait.” He says that he set out to write a chronicle and journey of Ronald Reagan to the White House. Hannaford claims that Reagan did not want to close any options once he left...
Jim and Henny Backus discuss their book, “Forgive Us Our Digressions.” Jim and Henny say they do their best writing in bed together. Jim talks about his father and Henny says that Jim’s uncle was a big backer of Broadway plays. Henny and...
Women art dealers - Fiction; World War, 1939-1945 - Art and the war - Fiction; Female friendship - Fiction; New York (N.Y.) - Fiction; Paris (France) - Fiction
Barbara Taylor Bradford discusses her book, “A Sudden Change of Heart.” She begins by talking about the two main characters in the book, Laura and Claire. Bradford describes Laura as “true blue,” an always devoted friend to Claire. She...
Education - United States - History; Education - Philosophy
Mortimer J. Adler discusses his book, “Reforming Education: The Opening of the American Mind.” Adler states that most books considered “great” were first written by European men. He goes on to say that a great book touches great ideas and...
September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001 - Fiction; Fathers and daughters - Fiction; Loss (Psychology) - Fiction; Mothers - Death - Fiction; Teenage girls - Fiction; Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.) - Fiction; California - Fiction
Joyce Maynard discusses her book, “The Usual Rules.” She begins by explaining that she wanted to explore how the events of September 11th took normal lives and threw them into turmoil. She then discusses the characters and the plot, which...
Nuclear warfare - Fiction; Friendship - Fiction; Women - Fiction; Los Angeles (Calif.) - Fiction
Carolyn See discusses her book, “Golden Days.” She describes a San Francisco guru, Lion Boyce, and his teachings. See explains the organization of the book and the reason why she wrote it. She shares that she was tired of forty men in Russia...
Fugitives from justice - Fiction; Palm Springs (Calif.) - Fiction
Joseph Wambaugh discusses his book, “Fugitive Nights.” Wambaugh describes the characters and the storyline set in Palm Springs, California. He goes on to say that when writing a script, it is character driven, and that the characters are...
