Author Talks

"The Last Battle: When U.S. and German Soldiers Joined Forces in the Waning Hours of World War II in Europe" -- author Stephen Harding discusses his book. Interview at NPG by Ian Cooke, May 2013.

"John Quincy Adams" -- author Harlow Unger discusses his book. Recorded at NPG, September 30, 2012.

The John Carlos Story" -- olympian John Carlos discusses his memoir. Introduction by writer Dave Zirin. Dave Zirin and John Wesley Carlos discuss and sign copies of "The John Carlos Story: The Sports Moment That Changed the World." Seen around the world, John Carlos and Tommie Smith's Black Power salute on the 1968 Olympic podium sparked controversy and career fallout. Yet their show of defiance remains one of the most iconic images of Olympic history and the Black Power movement. Here is the remarkable story of one of the men behind the salute, lifelong activist John Carlos.

"Troubling American Women: Narratives of Gender and Nation in Hong Kong" -- author Stacilee Ford discusses her book. American women have lived in Hong Kong and neighboring Macao for nearly two centuries. Many were changed by their encounter with Chinese life and British colonialism. Their openness to new experiences set them apart, while their "pedagogical impulse" gave them a reputation for outspokenness that troubled others. Drawing on memoirs, diaries, newspapers, films, and other texts, Stacilee Ford tells the stories of several American women and explores how, through dramatically changing times, they communicated their notions of national identity and gender. "Troubling American Women: Narratives of Gender and Nation in Hong Kong" is a lively and provocative study of cross-cultural encounters between Hong Kong and the U.S. and of stereotypes of American womanhood in Hong Kong popular culture. Recorded at NPG, October 19, 2011.

"Fighting Their Own Battles: Mexican Americans, African Americans, and the Struggle for Civil Rights in Texas" -- author Brian Behnken discusses his book. By comparing the histories of these movements in one of the few states in the nation to witness two civil rights movements, Behnken bridges the fields of Mexican American and African American history, revealing the myriad causes that ultimately led these groups to "fight their own battles. Recorded at NPG, September 7, 2011.

"Woody Guthrie, American Radical (Music in American Life)" -- author Will Kaufman discusses his book and plays songs by woody Guthrie. Kaufman's book reclaims the politically radical profile of America's greatest balladeer. Using a wealth of previously unseen archival materials, it introduces a heretofore unknown Guthrie: the canny political strategist, fitful thinker, and cultural front activist practically buried in the general public's romantic celebration of the "Dust Bowl Troubadour." Recorded at NPG, August 17, 2011.

"Worlds of Sound: The Story of Smithsonian Folkways" -- author Richard Carlin discusses his book and the life of Moses Asch and his and larger-than-life dream -- to document and record all the sounds of his time. From 1940 until his death in 1986, Asch -- with the help of collaborators ranging from the eccentric visionary Harry Smith to academic musicologists -- created more than 2000 albums, a sound-scape of the contemporary world still unequaled in breadth and scope. Recorded at NPG, August 10, 2011.

"American to the Backbone: The Life of James Pennington, The Fugitive Slave Who Became One of the First Abolitionists" -- author Christopher Webber discusses his book. Recorded at NPG, July 13, 2011.

"Independence: The Struggle to Set America Free"-- author John Ferling discusses his book on America's political journey from protest to revolution. Recorded at NPG, July 6, 2011.

"Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony: A Friendship That Changed the World" -- author Penny Colman discusses her book. Recorded at NPG, June 15, 2011.