Messiah - Judaism; Jewish messianic movements - History
Jerry Rabow discusses his book, “50 Jewish Messiahs.” He begins by explaining that few people know that there have been more than fifty Jewish Messiahs. These individuals inspired messianic fervor that sometimes permeated whole Jewish,...
Washington (D.C.) - Biography; United States - Race relations; African Americans - Washington (D.C.) - Biography; Racially mixed women - Washington (D.C.) - Biography; Passing (Identity) - United States - Case studies; Racially mixed women - United...
Shirlee Taylor Haizlip discusses her book, “Finding Grace.” She begins by explaining that the book continues her family’s story that she began to tell in her book “The Sweeter the Juice.” She tells the story of her biracial heritage and...
Dani Shapiro discusses her book, “Family History.” She begins by sharing the basic plot of the book that follows the narrator, Rachel Jenson who is a housewife and art restorer married to Ned, a former painter. The couple live in a small town...
Motion picture actors and actresses - United States - Biography; McDaniel, Hattie, 1895-1952
Jill Watts discusses her book, “Hattie McDaniel.” She begins by explaining that the book tells the story of Hattie McDaniel, the first African-American to win an Academy Award. Born the youngest daughter of freed slaves, Hattie McDaniel sang...
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...
Eisenstadt family; Eisenstadt, Benjamin - Family; Cohen family; Cohen, Rich - Family; Cumberland Packing Corporation; Sweet ’N Low (Trademark); Businessmen - United States - Biography; Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.) - Biography
Rich Cohen discusses his book, “Sweet and Low.” He begins by sharing that the book tells the story of his family and how they developed the product Sweet and Low. He explains that his grandfather first placed sugar in packets and later invented...
Press, Shalom, 1940-; Abortion - United States; Physicians - United States - Attitudes; Abortion services - New York (State) - Buffalo; Pro-life movement - United States; Pro-choice movement - United States; Political violence - New York (State) -...
Eyal Press discusses his book, “Absolute Convictions.” He begins by sharing that the book is the story of his father who was an obstetrician who performed abortions in Buffalo, New York and the constant danger that this placed both he and his...
Burstyn, Ellen, 1932-; Actors - United States - Biography
Ellen Burstyn discusses her book, “Lessons in Becoming Myself.” She begins by sharing stories from her childhood. She tells how she was sent away to boarding school at an early age and when she returned home she lived under the rule of a...
World War, 1914-1918 - Turkey - Fiction; Mothers and daughters - Fiction; Plantation life - Fiction; Women - Turkey - Fiction; Silk industry - Fiction; Dwellings - Fiction; Turkey - Fiction
Alev Lytle Croutier discusses her book, “Seven Houses.” She begins by discussing the plot of the novel, which is set against the backdrop of twentieth century Turkey. The book tells the story of the Ipekci silk-making family that begins during...
Socialites - Fiction; Rich People - Fiction; New York (N.Y.) - Fiction; Widows - Fiction; Revenge - Fiction; Upper class - New York (State) - New York - Fiction; Young women - New York (State) - New York - Fiction; New York (N.Y.) - Social life and...
Jane Stanton Hitchcock discusses her novel, “One Dangerous Lady.” She begins by talking about the plot of the book and how social climbing and murder go hand-in-hand. She then talks about her background growing up in high society and her...
Hell's Kitchen (New York, N.Y.) - Fiction; Italian Americans - Fiction; Jewish teenagers - Fiction; Male friendship - Fiction; Mafia - Fiction; Gangs - Fiction
E. Duke Vincent discusses his novel, “Mafia Summer.” He begins with his personal story of growing up in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York. He talks about how he was connected to prominent members of the Italian mafia, and how he...
Missing persons - Fiction; Arab-Israeli conflict - Fiction; Palestinian Arabs - Fiction; Jews - United States - Fiction; Los Angeles (Calif.) - Fiction
Gloria Miklowitz discusses her book, “The Enemy Has a Face.” She begins by talking about the conflict between the Israeli and Palestinian people in the Middle East. She discusses her characters in the book and how a young girl goes on a...
Clar, Reva Howitt; Dancers - United States - Biography; Vaudeville - United States - History
Mimi Melnick discusses her mother Reva Howitt Clar’s autobiography, “Lollipop.” She begins by explaining how her mother was a vaudevillian ballerina for the Fanchon and Marco vaudeville company and that her stage name was Lollipop. Melnick...
Women lawyers - Fiction; Honolulu (Hawaii) - Fiction
Deborah Turrell Atkinson discusses her book, “Primitive Secrets.” She explains the opening scene of the book where her heroine Storm Kayama works at a law firm and finds her uncle dead in his office. She then explains how she allows the...
American wit and humor; Dating (Social customs) - Anecdotes; Dating (Social customs) - Computer network resources
Margo Kaufman discusses her book, “1-800-Am-I-Nuts?” She begins by talking about how men and women act differently when they are sick, and tells a story of her husband’s outrageous behavior. She talks about going to the market and bargain...
Reyto, Susanne M. - Childhood and youth; Hungarian Americans - Biography; Political refugees - United States - Biography; Reyto, Susanne M. - Family; Communism - Hungary; Fascism - Hungary; Hungary - Social conditions - 1945-1989
Susanne Reyto discusses her biography, “Pursuit of Freedom.” She begins by explaining that this book was written as a way to tell her story to her grandson. She talks about growing up in Hungary when the Nazis were taking over and how her...
Dating (Social customs) - Fiction; Single women - Fiction
Eric Garcia discusses his book, “Cassandra French’s Finishing School for Boys.” He begins by saying how he wanted to write a novel from the point of view of a young woman although he initially had some challenges with getting into...
Broadcasting policy - United States; Mass media policy - United States
Eric Klinenberg discusses his book, “Fighting for Air.” He begins by talking about how a few large corporations own the majority of small local radio channels. He tells a story of how a toxic chemical spill in Texas endangered the lives of...
Temptations (Musical group); Soul musicians - United States - Biography
Otis Williams discusses his book, “Temptations.” He begins by explaining how he was one of the members of the Motown music group The Temptations, and gives information on their early history. He talks about the influences of African American...
Motion pictures - Production and direction; Motion picture acting
John Badham discusses the book he co-authored with Craig Modderno entitled, “I’ll Be in My Trailer.” He begins by talking about some of the movies he directed like “Saturday Night Fever” and “War Games.” He tells anecdotes of...
