In Between The Pages with James Lott Jr.

In case you didnt know! take a listen! We honor and remember all the fallen who served.

In this episode I spoke with Larry D Graggy about his book "Bugsy's Shadow: Moe Sedway, Bugsy Siegel and the Birth of Organized Crime in Las Vegas." The story of Moe Sedway, the eponymous "shadow" to Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, from his days as Bugsy's right hand associate to his suspected role in Bugsy's unsolved disappearance, and the role Sedway played in the creation of modern Las Vegas.

Midnight Train from Georgia chronicles the incredible rise of Gladys Knight and the Pips from their origins singing in a small Atlanta church to their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. When two families' destinies intertwine at Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, they discover the extraordinary musical talents of their children. Young cousins William Guest, Eleanor Guest, Gladys Knight, Brenda Knight, and Bubba Knight unite their heavenly vocals to form The Pips gospel choir. We follow William Guest from his formative years in Atlanta, where his love of music is kindled by evenings listening to his family perform rhythmic gospel songs on their porch. The Pips' journey takes them from these humble back-porch jam sessions to struggle and sacrifice on the road to stardom. With faith, fortitude and William's grandmother's lessons to guide them, the group overcomes adversity through the transcendent power of their music. Midnight Train from Georgia is an inspiring tale about the bonds of family, church and music. It's a story of poverty to fortune, innocence to experience, and childhood friendship growing into Hall of Fame synergy. Their sweet harmonies touched millions over decades, but it all started with kids finding their voices in a small Georgia choir.
Lady Dhyana Ziegler, DCJ, Ph.D., is currently President and CEO of Z/Creators, LLC and Professor Emerita of Florida A&M University, U.S.A. . She has worked in the field of higher education and technology for more than 35 years as a professor and administrator. Dr. Ziegler is the author of four books, more than 60 scholarly publications - including book chapters - and has produced more than 100 videos and other multimedia works. She has presented at numerous national and international conferences. Besides her academic career, Dr. Ziegler is a multimedia writer, digital content producer, and songwriter (to name a few). She serves on several boards and other professional organisations.

In this episode I spoke with Justin Baer about his book "House of Fidelity: The Rise of the Johnson Dynasty and the Company That Changed American Investing". When Edward C. Johnson 2d founded Fidelity in 1946, investing was a pursuit reserved for the elite. Today, more than $15 trillion flows through Fidelity’s customer accounts and investment funds touching the lives of one in five American adults.

His new book is out now! Before Leaving the Island, available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Bookshop.org. It ships globally.

WHEN YOUR KID IS LITTLE, the paradoxes of parenting are simple: you can love your child to death, and also be willing to do anything to get them to go the fuck to sleep. But by the time your precious little baby bird is getting ready to spread its wings and leave the nest? That’s a whole different level of complexity. You’re happy and sad. Thrilled and devastated. You want to give them all the advice you can, but you know they’ve got to make their own mistakes. You want them to know they can always come home, but also you’re turning their bedroom into a gym. With Adam Mansbach’s trademark honesty, humor, and profanity, Go the Fuck to College perfectly captures the complicated emotional reality of this poignant, fraught, exciting time. A perfect gift for any graduating senior―or their parents or grandparents―this book somehow encapsulates everything you’d ever want to tell your kid . . . along with a few things you’d never dream of saying out loud. Full color illustrations throughout! out now on Amazon, Barnes and Noble.

JLJ talks to John about his  debut collection of poems, Before Leaving the Island, available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Bookshop.org. It ships globally. His  heartfelt thanks to Trail to Table, an imprint of Wandering Aengus Press, and to the many others whose help along the way made this book possible. This year he also founded Fifth Stanza Press with the mission of publishing first and second collections of poetry by writers in midlife or later. Inaugural submissions window started on May 1.

In Jazz Age New York, a shocking murder shatters the privileged life of the city’s most elite family in a propulsive mystery-thriller debut from author K.M. Colley that spans from Harlem to Long Island’s Gold Coast and high society’s glittering world of deadly secrets.In the glittering world of 1920s New York, the seven Ridley heirs seem to have it all: wealth, status, and protection as the city’s most powerful family. But when notorious gossip columnist Dale Caimen is found dead during their family’s renowned summer soiree, their carefully constructed world begins to crack.Behind the champagne and jazz, each adopted Ridley sibling harbors secrets that could destroy them. There’s Amelia, the responsible eldest trying to hold it all together; Adesua, whose artistic ambitions in the Harlem Renaissance threaten her family’s expectations; and wild child Kavita, whose dangerous nights in speakeasies may have finally caught up with her.As the murder investigation intensifies, long-buried tensions surface and family loyalties unravel. Someone knows the truth about the Ridleys—and they’re willing to kill to expose it. In a world where appearance is everything and power comes at a deadly price, the siblings must decide what matters more: protecting the family name or each other.
goto Amazon or where ever books are sold!

Dickens in Brooklyn is a virtuoso collection of unusual, compelling essays in which critically acclaimed and award-winning author Jay Neugeboren explores experiences that have been central to his life: caring long-term for a brother with mental illness; finding and connecting with long-lost family members; a posthumous lunch with Oliver Sacks; his years as single parent to his three children; his decision as a General Motors executive trainee to violate company policy and hang out with "hourlies;" a thwarted kiss at a teenage summer camp where he was a young Jewish man in exile among Jews.Neugeboren is the author most recently of Whatever Happened to Frankie King and twenty-three other prize-winning works of fiction and nonfiction. His essays have been recently published in The New York Review of Books, The New York Times, The American Scholar, Los Angeles Review of Books, Tablet, and Commonweal, and are here collected for the first time.

In this episode, I spoke with one of the producers of the film and the author of the book " On the Set of Forest Gump." Forrest Gump is a beloved and frequently quoted modern classic that has captivated audiences and changed the American cultural landscape since its release. The winner of six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay, its portrayal of American history has often sparked debate.