In 1938, the administration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt created a small agency called Fannie Mae. Intended to make home loans more accessible, the agency was born of the Great Depression and a government desperate to revive housing construction. It was a minor detail of the New Deal, barely recorded by the newspapers of the day. Over the next seventy years, Fannie Mae evolved into one of the largest financial companies in the world, owned by private shareholders but with its nearly $1 trillion of debt effectively guaranteed by the government. Almost from the beginning, critics repeatedly warned that Fannie was an accident waiting to happen. Then, in 2008, the housing market collapsed. Amid a wave of foreclosures, the company's capital began to run out, and the U.S. Treasury seized control. From the New Deal to the administration of President Obama, author James R. Hagerty explains this fascinating but little-understood saga. Based on his reporting for the Wall Street Journal, personal research and interviews with executives, regulators and congressional leaders, Hagerty charts the course of Fannie Mae. With The Fateful History of Fannie Mae, he explains the politics, economics and human frailties behind seven decades of missed opportunities to prevent a financial disaster.

James R. (Bob) Hagerty is a reporter for The Wall Street Journal. He also has worked as a reporter, editor and bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal and the International Herald Tribune in cities all over the globe. Hagerty worked on a WSJ team that won the Distinguished Business Reporting award for articles about the subprime mortgage crisis.

Purchase his book HERE

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“Cold Case” Clay Bryant unravels a 20-year old cold-case murder. After a daring escape from certain death in a North Vietnamese prison, followed by years in a refugee camp in Thailand, Savang Phovixay and his family sought safety and a better life in the United States. That dream was shattered when their daughter Vieng disappeared in October 1987. In spite of substantial leads, she remained missing until 1989 when her skeletonized remains were found bound to a tree in rural West Georgia. The crime remained an unsolved tragedy for nearly two decades until Bryant took on the case in search of justice for Vieng and her family. 

Lewis Clayton (Clay) Bryant was born and raised in Troup County, Georgia. In 1976, at the age of twenty-one, he became the youngest trooper on the Georgia State Patrol. In 1980, he became police chief of Hogansville and stayed in that position for twelve years until he resigned in 1992 and went into the private sector. He has been recognized as the most prolific cold case investigator in the United States for single-event homicides. His cases have been chronicled on 48 Hours Investigates, Bill Curtis’s Cold Case Files and Discovery ID Murder Book and featured in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, as well as articles in many local and regional newspapers. Bryant resides in LaGrange. This is his second book.

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“Cold Case” Clay Bryant unravels a 20-year old cold-case murder. After a daring escape from certain death in a North Vietnamese prison, followed by years in a refugee camp in Thailand, Savang Phovixay and his family sought safety and a better life in the United States. That dream was shattered when their daughter Vieng disappeared in October 1987. In spite of substantial leads, she remained missing until 1989 when her skeletonized remains were found bound to a tree in rural West Georgia. The crime remained an unsolved tragedy for nearly two decades until Bryant took on the case in search of justice for Vieng and her family. 

Lewis Clayton (Clay) Bryant was born and raised in Troup County, Georgia. In 1976, at the age of twenty-one, he became the youngest trooper on the Georgia State Patrol. In 1980, he became police chief of Hogansville and stayed in that position for twelve years until he resigned in 1992 and went into the private sector. He has been recognized as the most prolific cold case investigator in the United States for single-event homicides. His cases have been chronicled on 48 Hours Investigates, Bill Curtis’s Cold Case Files and Discovery ID Murder Book and featured in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, as well as articles in many local and regional newspapers. Bryant resides in LaGrange. This is his second book.

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In this episode of Crime Capsule, host Benjamin Morris welcomes a special guest to discuss his newly published book, which is a follow-up to his first work on Fort Jessup. The conversation delves into the author's journey in historical research, sparked by his childhood experiences with reenactments and local storytelling in Sabine Parish. 

He shares how these early influences shaped his passion for history and guided him to become a tour guide at Fort Jessup during high school. The episode highlights the fascinating stories from "No Man's Land" and the author's dedication to uncovering the region's rich history. Join us for an engaging exploration of history and storytelling!

Scott DeBose has spent most of his life living in no man’s land. He became interested in the history of the region at an early age, listening to stories of outlaws and treasures. Mr. DeBose spent several years working at Fort Jesup State Historic Site in college and now serves as the president of the Friends of Fort Jesup Inc. and was involved in the No Man’s Land Bicentennial Celebration at Fort Jesup in 2019. This is Mr. DeBose’s second book published by The History Press; his first came out in 2022 and is titled Fort Jesup: A History. Mr. DeBose holds a Bachelor of Arts in history and anthropology and a Master of Music.

Purchase the book from History Press

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In this episode of Crime Capsule, host Benjamin Morris welcomes a special guest to discuss his newly published book, which is a follow-up to his first work on Fort Jessup. The conversation delves into the author's journey in historical research, sparked by his childhood experiences with reenactments and local storytelling in Sabine Parish. 

He shares how these early influences shaped his passion for history and guided him to become a tour guide at Fort Jessup during high school. The episode highlights the fascinating stories from "No Man's Land" and the author's dedication to uncovering the region's rich history. Join us for an engaging exploration of history and storytelling!

Scott DeBose has spent most of his life living in no man’s land. He became interested in the history of the region at an early age, listening to stories of outlaws and treasures. Mr. DeBose spent several years working at Fort Jesup State Historic Site in college and now serves as the president of the Friends of Fort Jesup Inc. and was involved in the No Man’s Land Bicentennial Celebration at Fort Jesup in 2019. This is Mr. DeBose’s second book published by The History Press; his first came out in 2022 and is titled Fort Jesup: A History. Mr. DeBose holds a Bachelor of Arts in history and anthropology and a Master of Music.

Purchase the book from History Press

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Crime Capsule is happy to introduce you to a new Evergreen Podcasts show, Something About the Beatles, from David Whelan. He was a successful documentary writer and producer in the UK when, as COVID hit, he began looking into the murder of John Lennon, prompted by a podcast interview he heard. What he discovered quickly led him into a four-year investigation, as he talked with witnesses who had never before spoken publicly. 

All episodes of SATB feature conversations. Sometimes they are with Beatles authorities: writers or academics who’ve done the research and come up with a thesis. Others are with folks in the business: musicians who were inspired by The Beatles and who’ve walked the walk – written songs, recorded records, gone on tour. They know the ins and outs of Beatles music.

Then there are the Beatle witnesses: folks who knew the individual Beatles well, either by direct family relations (Mike McCartney, Jenny Boyd), working directly for The Beatles (Kevin Harrington, Chris O’Dell, Ken Mansfield, Chris Thomas, Alan Parsons, John Leckie, Tony King, and so forth) or else spending considerable time in their world (journalist Ray Connolly, photographer Ethan Russell, journalist Ivor Davis, photographer Tom Murray, filmmaker Paul Saltzman, Nancy Lee Andrews, May Pang, and so forth). These people come to SATB to share their insights and observations, bringing us that much closer to the world The Beatles created.

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In this episode of Crime Capsule, host Benjamin Morris reflects on the highlights and milestones of 2024, sharing insights from a year filled with remarkable cases and engaging guests. Joined by producer Bill Huffman, they delve into the diverse topics covered on the show, celebrating the unexpected turns and familiar themes that defined the season. Tune in for a thoughtful recap as they remind listeners of the journey they've taken together and the stories that shaped Crime Capsule this year.

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In this special crossover episode of Who Killed?, host Bill Huffman welcomes Benjamin Morris from Crime Capsule for a deep dive into the art and craft of research and historical writing. With over 20 years of journalism experience, Bill shares insights from his journey as he works on a book about a local cold case from his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. This episode is perfect for anyone interested in nonfiction or true crime writing, as Benjamin and Bill discuss techniques, challenges, and the importance of thorough research in storytelling. You can tune in for valuable tips and an engaging conversation that celebrates the craft of writing in the true crime genre. Happy holidays!

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Western Pennsylvania’s New Kensington was in the grips of Mafia control throughout the 1950s, with a bevy of bookie joints, gambling casinos and brothels. An outgrowth of the Pittsburgh mob, New Kensington’s Costa Nostra ordered a group of Mafiosi to break into a National Guard station in Ohio and steal a shipment of weapons. The guns were destined for Fidel Castro, who was waging guerrilla war in Cuba. The Pittsburgh Mafia was hoping to get on Castro’s good side if he won the war to secure the reopening of gambling casinos. From a daring heist in Canada to Swiss bank accounts and CIA informants, this infamous gunrunning scheme was a high-speed saga of international intrigue. Join author Richard Gazarik as he presents a harrowing historical narrative of the criminal underworld of Western Pennsylvania.

Richard Gazarik lives in Western Pennsylvania. A former journalist, he has written about organized crime, outlaw motorcycle gangs, drug gangs and corporate corruption.

Buy the book HERE

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Author Orice Jenkins tells the full story of Ulysses Goolsby and the Early County massacre more than 100 years later. The Early County Massacre has been known as the Grandison Goolsby War for over a century, focusing on the events of December 30th, 1915, when 46-year-old Grandison used gunfire to defend himself from a lynching mob. Lesser known is that the incident started two days earlier when Grandison’s son was attacked on his way to a wedding, and that it all led to the Supreme Court of Georgia sending that same son to death row five years later.

The career highlights of Orice Jenkins have covered more ground than he ever could’ve imagined as a singer-songwriter, genealogy researcher and executive director of a nonprofit organization. His journey as an author started with unearthing the stories of formerly enslaved Americans on his blog, Chesta’s Children. Since then, Orice’s work has been featured in the Washington Post, UsefulCharts.com, Finding Your Roots and on the National Park Service website. He is a member of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society; the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers; and a charter member of the Sons and Daughters of the United States Middle Passage.

Buy Orice's book HERE

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