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...
Micheline Aharonian Marcom discusses her novel, “The Daydreaming Boy.” She begins by talking about why she decided to write the book from a man’s point of view during the Armenian genocide. She discusses life in Beirut in the early 1960s...
Kate Braverman discusses her novel, “The Incantation of Frida K.” She begins by talking about how she was able to adapt her poetry into a full-length novel. She talks about the life of artist Frida Kahlo, her marriage to fellow painter Diego...
Young women - Fiction;
Grandmothers - Fiction;
Despair - Fiction
Jan Goldstein discusses his novel, “All That Matters.” He begins by explaining that his book is about a young woman who is depressed and builds a relationship with her grandmother. He talks about the struggles his characters go through and...
Japanese Americans - Evacuation and relocation, 1942-1945 - Fiction;
World War, 1939-1945 - Concentration camps - West (U.S.) - Fiction
Rahna R. Rizzuto discusses her novel, “Why She Left Us.” She begins by explaining that her book is about a family living in a Japanese-American internment camp during World War II. She talks about how she is a fourth generation immigrant, and...
Neurology - Popular works;
Neurology - Case studies;
Brain - popular works
Dr. Bruce Dobkin discusses his book, “Brain Matters.” He begins by explaining that he is a neurologist, and the book chronicles the journeys of his patients. He describes the warning signals of a stroke, and that they should not be ignored. ...
Menopause - Popular works;
Menopause - Complications - Diet therapy - Recipes;
Middle-aged women - Health and hygiene - Popular works
Cristina Ferrare discusses her book, “Okay, So I Don’t Have a Headache.” She begins by explaining that her book is about the struggles women face with menopause, PMS, and growing older. She talks about her strained relationship she had with...
Karr, Mary - Childhood and youth; Poets, American - 20th century - Biography; Teenage girls - Texas - Biography; Teenagers - Drug use - Texas; Texas - Social life and customs
Mary Karr discusses her memoir, “Cherry.” She explains how the book is the story of a girl’s sexual coming of age and is a sequel to her first memoir, “The Liar’s Club.” Karr shares the difficulties of growing up during the 1960s in...
Families - Fiction; Mothers - Death - Fiction; Mothers and daughters - Fiction
Eliza Minot discusses her book, “The Tiny One.” She explains that the novel follows the story of eight-year-old Via Mahoney Revere. When Via’s mother dies unexpectedly in a violent car crash, Via struggles with her grief. She is confused by...
Israel - Kings and rulers - Fiction; Bible. O.T. - History of Biblical events - Fiction; David, King of Israel - Fiction
Joseph Heller discusses his book, “God Knows.” Heller begins by explaining that the novel is the story of King David told by David from his deathbed. Heller uses humor to relate the events of David’s life as the warrior king of Israel,...
Niall Williams discusses his book, “The Fall of Light.” He begins by explaining that the novel is set during the years of Ireland’s Potato Famine, which is what he considers the single greatest tragedy in Irish history. He explains that he...
Mark Lapin discusses his book, “Pledge of Allegiance.” He begins by discussing the plot of the book which follows the main character Josh, who is a nine-year-old living in New York in the 1950s and whose father is in a member of the Communist...
Means, Russell, 1939-; American Indian Movement; Oglala Indians - Biography; Indians of North America - Government relations - 1934-
Russell Means discusses his book, "Where White Men Fear to Tread: The Autobiography of Russell Means." The book is not only about his life, but the experience of the American Indian. His parents moved to San Francisco so he wouldn't have to...
Cuban Americans - Fiction; Cuban American women - Fiction; Women cleaning personnel - Fiction; Cuban American families - Fiction; New York (N.Y.) - Fiction
Oscar Hijuelos discusses his book, “Empress of the Splendid Season.” He says that when he writes, he starts out with an emotion. For this book, he wanted to look at the emotionality of classes. He describes the character, Lydia, a young...
Teenagers and adults; Parenting; Teenage girls - New York (State) - New York; Gay men - New York (State) - New York; Wintle, Edwin
Edwin Wintle discusses his book, “Breakfast with Tiffany.” He begins by explaining that the book is a personal memoir of the first year his niece Tiffany spent living with him. Wintle explains that prior to Tiffany he had been a successful...
Denmark - History - German occupation, 1940-1945 - Fiction; Denmark - History - German occupation, 1940-1945 - Juvenile fiction; Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) - Denmark - Fiction; World War, 1939-1945 - Underground movements - Denmark - Fiction;...
Sonia Levitin discusses her book, “Room in the Heart.” She begins by explaining that the book deals with the historic events of the Nazi invasion of Denmark during World War II. To tell the story, Levitin alternates between the narratives of...
Garr, Teri, 1952-; Motion picture actors and actresses - United States - Biography; Multiple sclerosis - Patients - United States - Biography
Teri Garr discusses her book, “Speedbumps.” She begins by explaining that she began her career as a young dancer whose parents moved a great deal because of their careers in Vaudeville. She then shares that she received her first break in the...
Warren Campbell discusses his book, “Sometimes the Sun Shines in the Rain.” He begins by discussing one of his poems that compares rain to the teardrops of angels. He explains that he originally wanted to have that poem on the cover of the...
African Americans - History - 1964-; African Americans - Social conditions - 1975-; African Americans - Intellectual life - 20th century; African Americans in popular culture; Popular culture - United States - History - 20th century; United States...
Nelson George discusses his book, “Post-Soul Nation: The Explosive, Contradictory, Triumphant, and Tragic 1980s as Experienced by African Americans (Previously Known as Blacks and Before That Negroes).” He begins with talking about how African...
Menopause - Humor; Middle-aged women - Health and hygiene - Humor
Jan King discusses her book, “When You’re Hot, You’re Hot.” She begins by talking about her own personal struggles with menopause and breast cancer. She gives tips for ways to cope with medical-related stress such as meditation,...
