Q&A

By C-SPAN

What's Q&A about?

Intriguing hour-long conversations with people who are making things happen. Hosted by Peter Slen. New episodes every Sunday evening. From the network that brings you "Washington Today" and "Lectures in History" podcasts.

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Q&A episodes:

04.22.2024
Zachary Treitz & Christian Hansen, "American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders"
Filmmakers Zachary Treitz and Christian Hansen discuss their 4-part Netflix docuseries "American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders," about the events surrounding the death of freelance journalist Danny Casolaro (cas-uh-LARE-oh) in 1991. At the time of his death, officially ruled a suicide,...
04.15.2024
Steven Conn, "The Lies of the Land"
In "The Lies of the Land," Miami University (Oxford, Ohio) history professor Steven Conn argues that the reality of rural America today is vastly different from the way it is often portrayed by politicians and the media. He says rural...
04.08.2024
David Charter, "Royal Audience"
The Times of London U.S. editor David Charter, author of "Royal Audience," discusses the special relationship that Queen Elizabeth II had with the United States and U.S. presidents over her 70-year reign as Britain's Head of State. Queen Elizabeth, who...
04.01.2024
Dr. Uché Blackstock, "Legacy"
Our guest this week is Dr. Uché Blackstock. She and her twin sister, Oni, are graduates of Harvard Medical School, as was their mother, Dr. Dale Gloria Blackstock. In fact, they were the first Black mother-daughter graduates of Harvard Medical...
03.25.2024
Carlos Lozada, "The Washington Book"
Pulitzer Prize-winning book critic and New York Times columnist Carlos Lozada, author of "The Washington Book," talks about the insights he gleaned from reading the memoirs, political biographies, and official reports written by politicians and government officials in Washington, DC....
03.18.2024
Rob Henderson, "Troubled"
Columnist Rob Henderson talks about growing up as a troubled child in the U.S. foster care system, the hurdles he overcame to become successful, and what he learned about class divisions in America as a result. By age 8, after...
03.11.2024
Scott Eyman, "Charlie Chaplin vs. America"
Hollywood biographer Scott Eyman discusses his book "Charlie Chaplin vs. America," about the silent film star's fallout with the U.S. government during the Red Scare. Once a beloved actor and filmmaker, Charlie Chaplin became a target of right-wing politicians and...
03.04.2024
Katie Rogers, "American Woman"
New York Times White House correspondent Katie Rogers discusses her book "American Woman," about the modern evolution of First Ladies of the United States. She talks about the impact and contributions of First Ladies of both parties going back to...
02.26.2024
Patti Davis, "Dear Mom and Dad"
Patti Davis discusses her book "Dear Mom and Dad," a memoir written as a letter to her late parents, Ronald and Nancy Reagan. She talks about being in the spotlight after her father entered politics in the 1960s, her complicated...
02.19.2024
Speaker Don Scott (D), Virginia House of Delegates
"For every young kid that makes a mistake, they can look at Don Scott and say, 'I'll never give up. I can still be what I want to be in America.'" That was former Republican governor Bob McDonnell of Virginia...
02.12.2024
Charles Scribner III, "Scribners: Five Generations in Publishing"
Charles Scribner III, author of "Scribners: Five Generations in Publishing," talks about his family's history at the famous publishing house that was founded by his great-great-grandfather in 1846. He also shares stories about some of the authors published by Scribner...
02.05.2024
Sebastian Thrun, AI Pioneer & Tech Entrepreneur
Tech entrepreneur Sebastian Thrun talks about his work in Silicon Valley and the future of artificial intelligence. Thrun, formerly a vice president at Google, is the founder or co-founder of Google X (R&D), Waymo (self-driving cars), Google Brain (AI), Kitty...
01.29.2024
Betty Koed, "Scenes"
ALL NEW EPISODE!!! Retired U.S. Senate Historian Betty Koed shares stories from her book "Scenes: People, Places and Events That Shaped the United States Senate." It's a collection of brief chronicles of Senate history that she presented to Senators during their...
01.15.2024
FEED DROP: Martin Baron, "Collision of Power"
We are unveiling a brand new Q&A podcast in two weeks, with a new host and all new guests but with the same goal of allowing you to hear from intriguing people who are shaping today's events. But this week,...
01.08.2024
Cassandra Good, "First Family"
Historian Cassandra Good talks about the lives and complicated legacies of George Washington's heirs. George and Martha Washington never had children together, but they raised Martha's children, and later grandchildren, as their own. Together they made up America's first "first...
01.01.2024
Craig Fehrman, "Author in Chief"
Journalist and historian Craig Fehrman analyzes American presidents through the lens of the books they've written. This program originally aired in February of 2020. Make your donation at: c-span.org/donate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
12.27.2023
BONUS EPISODE: Conversation w/ Q&A host Peter Slen
This week a conversation with the new host of Q&A, Peter Slen. We discuss the mission of the program, what to expect, and the best parts of hosting a one-hour conversation with interesting individuals. All new episodes of Q&A...
12.25.2023
Kate Bowler, "Everything Happens for a Reason"
Prosperity gospel scholar, Kate Bowler, discusses her memoir, "Everything Happens for a Reason," in which she reflects on being diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer and the age of 35. This program originally aired in February of 2018. Make your donation...
12.18.2023
Susannah Cahalan, "The Great Pretender"
Journalist Susannah Cahalan discusses her book "The Great Pretender," about a 1973 experiment, led by Stanford psychologist David Rosenhan, that was conducted to test the legitimacy of psychiatric hospitals in America. For the experiment, Prof. Rosenhan and seven other healthy...
12.11.2023
Daryl Davis, Musician & Author
Musician and author, Daryl Davis, who, for over 30 years, has befriended members of the Ku Klux Klan to try to understand their hatred and to convince them that they are wrong. He is the author of "Klan-destine Relationships" and...
12.04.2023
Erik Larson, "In the Garden of Beasts"
Erik Larson talked about the life of William E. Dodd, who became America's first ambassador to Adolf Hitler's Germany in Berlin during 1933. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
11.27.2023
Jesse Holland, "The Invisibles: The Untold Story of African American Slaves in the White House"
Jesse Holland talked about his book, The Invisibles: The Untold Story of African American Slaves in the White House. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
11.20.2023
Gerald Blaine and Clint Hill, "The Kennedy Detail: JFK’s Secret Service Agents Break Their Silence.”
Gerald Blaine and Clint Hill, two former Secret Service agents, spoke about the day that President Kennedy was assassinated. They also talked about the assassination’s conspiracy theories and their lives after retirement from the Secret Service.. Gerald Blaine is author...
11.13.2023
Rosemary Stevens, "A Time of Scandal: Charles R. Forbes, Warren G. Harding, and the Making of the Veterans Bureau"
Rosemary Stevens talked about her book, A Time of Scandal: Charles R. Forbes, Warren G. Harding, and the Making of the Veterans Bureau. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
11.06.2023
Randy Barnett and Evan Bernick, "The Original Meaning of the 14th Amendment"
Professors Randy Barnett and Evan Bernick talked about their book, The Original Meaning of the 14th Amendment. They argued that the 14th Amendment, which gave the federal judiciary and Congress new powers over the states, has been misinterpreted by conservative...
10.30.2023
Tom Cronin, "Imagining a Great Republic"
Professor Tom Cronin talked about his book, Imagining a Great Republic, a survey of American novels that have helped tell the story of the American political experiment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10.23.2023
Elizabeth Papez on Chief Justices of the Supreme Court
Elizabeth Papez talked about the influence of Chief Justice John Roberts and other high-profile chief justices on the direction of the Supreme Court as well as American life. Ms. Papez is a litigator and partner in the firm of Gibson...
10.16.2023
Amy Zegart, "Spies, Lies, and Algorithms"
Author Amy Zegart tracked the history of American espionage from George Washington’s Revolutionary War spies to today’s digital world. Drawing on hundreds of interviews with intelligence officials, she gave an inside look into the world of spies and spy-craft. The...
10.09.2023
Michael Green, "The Speaker of the House: A Study of Leadership"
Kevin McCarthy earned a place in the history books this week as the first Speaker of the House to be voted out of office. Just 9 months into his term, Speaker McCarthy was challenged by a "motion to vacate" offered by...
10.02.2023
Randall Eliason, On Senator Bob Menendez's First Political Corruption Trial
In a dip into the Q&A archives, an interview from 2017 with former federal prosecutor and George Washington University Law School professor Randall Eliason. He talked about the 2017 trial of Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and other prominent political corruption...
09.25.2023
FEED DROP: James Madison, Alexander Hamilton & John Jay "The Federalist Papers"
Colleen Sheehan, Arizona State University Professor, discusses the early life and times of the Federalist's three authors. She explains how their lives challenged their writing and thinking. Plus, their lasting legacy today. In September 1787, the newly drafted Constitution of the...
09.17.2023
Cliff Sloan, "The Court at War"
Georgetown University law professor Cliff Sloan, author of "The Court at War," talks about the civil rights and civil liberties cases taken up by the U.S. Supreme Court during World War Two and the influence that FDR had on the...
09.11.2023
Richard Striner, "Ike in Love and War"
Historian Richard Striner talks about his book "Ike in Love and War," about the personal life and career of Dwight D. Eisenhower, covering everything from his upbringing and military service to his two-terms as president of the United States. Mr....
09.04.2023
Richard Norton Smith, "An Ordinary Man"
Presidential historian and author Richard Norton Smith discusses his biography of President Gerald Ford titled "An Ordinary Man." He talks about Ford's personal life, anti-establishment politics, and post-presidential years. He also talks about the efforts made by President Ford to...
08.28.2023
Jean Twenge, "Generations"
San Diego State University psychology professor Jean Twenge discusses her book "Generations," about the differences between the six generations – The Silents, Baby Boomers, Gen. X, Millennials, Gen. Y and "The Polars" – currently living in the United States. She...
08.21.2023
Shahan Mufti on the 1977 Siege of Washington, D.C.
Our guest is Shahan Mufti's, who's new book, American Caliph, recounts an event that's been lost to history-- the March 9th, 1977 Hanafi Muslim siege in Washington, D.C. That day, three buildings in Washington, D.C. were seized by 12 Hanafi...
08.14.2023
James Rosen, "Scalia"
By advancing his judicial philosophies of "originalism" and "textualism," Antonin Scalia became one of the 20th century's most influential justices. This week, James Rosen talks about Book One of his two-part biography of Antonin Scalia, titled "Scalia: Rise to Greatness,...
08.07.2023
Ilyon Woo on the Self-Emancipation of William and Ellen Craft in 1848
In this episode, you'll meet Ilyon Woo, author of a new bestseller-- "Master Slave, Husband Wife." She recounts the harrowing journey of self-emancipation made by two enslaved Georgians--William and Ellen Craft -- in 1848. Disguised as a wealthy disabled white...
07.31.2023
Rachel Louise Martin, "A Most Tolerant Little Town"
A year before Arkansas' Little Rock Central High School was desegregated, 12 Black students in Clinton, Tennessee, enrolled, by court mandate, in Clinton High School's 1956 Fall semester. Historian Rachel Louise Martin, author of "A Most Tolerant Little Town," talks...
07.24.2023
Felix Salmon, "The Phoenix Economy"
Axios chief financial correspondent Felix Salmon, author of "The Phoenix Economy," talks about the long-term social and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. He argues that while the pandemic was devastating, many of the outcomes that have resulted from it...
07.17.2023
Joshua Zeitz, "Lincoln's God"
Historian and Politico contributing writer Joshua Zeitz, author of "Lincoln's God," talks about the impact of faith on America's 16th president. Zeitz contends that as a young man, Abraham Lincoln was skeptical of organized religion but later, as president, came...
07.10.2023
Tania Branigan, "Red Memory"
Guardian newspaper editorial writer and former China correspondent Tania Branigan, author of "Red Memory," talks about China's Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), during which millions of Chinese were killed and tens of millions were persecuted by the Chinese government for being enemies...
07.03.2023
Mark Clague, "O Say Can You Hear?"
This July 4th weekend, University of Michigan musicology and American culture professor Mark Clague discusses his book, "O Say Can You Hear?," about the history and cultural impact of the Star-Spangled Banner. He talks about how the 1814 poem written...
06.26.2023
Cassandra Good, "First Family"
Historian Cassandra Good talks about the lives and complicated legacies of George Washington's heirs. George and Martha Washington never had children together, but they raised Martha's children, and later grandchildren, as their own. Together they made up America's first "first...
06.19.2023
Rev. Wheeler Parker Jr. on the Murder of Emmett Till and the Search for Justice
Emmett Till's cousin Rev. Wheeler Parker Jr., who accompanied Till on his trip to Mississippi in 1955, talked about the fateful events leading up to Till's murder by two white men and his efforts to get justice for his late...
06.12.2023
Henry Grabar, "Paved Paradise"
Slate magazine staff writer Henry Grabar, author of "Paved Paradise," talks about the evolution of parking in the United States and the consequences of that development today. He argues that the decades-long importance given to parking has negatively impacted housing...
06.05.2023
Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), "Lost and Broken"
Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA), author of "Lost and Broken," talks about his decades-long struggle living with chronic pain and anxiety and discusses his efforts to find the right treatment. He also talks about the U.S. healthcare system and its ability...
05.29.2023
Daniel Weiss, "In That Time"
This Memorial Day weekend on Q&A, Daniel Weiss, president & CEO of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and author of "In That Time," talks about the life of poet and musician Michael O'Donnell, who went missing in action during the...
05.22.2023
Ashlee Vance, "When the Heavens Went on Sale"
Bloomberg Businessweek feature writer Ashlee Vance discusses his book "When the Heavens Went on Sale," about the private companies launching small satellites into Earth's lower orbit for commercial and noncommercial use. In the last three years alone, the number of...
05.15.2023
Cal Thomas, "A Watchman in the Night"
Longtime syndicated columnist and author Cal Thomas discusses his book "A Watchman in the Night," a look back at his over 50 year career in journalism and the political and cultural events he covered over that time. He also talks...

What's Q&A about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Q&A episodes:

Zachary Treitz & Christian Hansen, "American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders"

Steven Conn, "The Lies of the Land"

David Charter, "Royal Audience"

Dr. Uché Blackstock, "Legacy"

Carlos Lozada, "The Washington Book"

Rob Henderson, "Troubled"

Scott Eyman, "Charlie Chaplin vs. America"

Katie Rogers, "American Woman"

Patti Davis, "Dear Mom and Dad"

Speaker Don Scott (D), Virginia House of Delegates

Charles Scribner III, "Scribners: Five Generations in Publishing"

Sebastian Thrun, AI Pioneer & Tech Entrepreneur

Betty Koed, "Scenes"

FEED DROP: Martin Baron, "Collision of Power"

Cassandra Good, "First Family"

Craig Fehrman, "Author in Chief"

BONUS EPISODE: Conversation w/ Q&A host Peter Slen

Kate Bowler, "Everything Happens for a Reason"

Susannah Cahalan, "The Great Pretender"

Daryl Davis, Musician & Author

Erik Larson, "In the Garden of Beasts"

Jesse Holland, "The Invisibles: The Untold Story of African American Slaves in the White House"

Gerald Blaine and Clint Hill, "The Kennedy Detail: JFK’s Secret Service Agents Break Their Silence.”

Rosemary Stevens, "A Time of Scandal: Charles R. Forbes, Warren G. Harding, and the Making of the Veterans Bureau"

Randy Barnett and Evan Bernick, "The Original Meaning of the 14th Amendment"

Tom Cronin, "Imagining a Great Republic"

Elizabeth Papez on Chief Justices of the Supreme Court

Amy Zegart, "Spies, Lies, and Algorithms"

Michael Green, "The Speaker of the House: A Study of Leadership"

Randall Eliason, On Senator Bob Menendez's First Political Corruption Trial

FEED DROP: James Madison, Alexander Hamilton & John Jay "The Federalist Papers"

Cliff Sloan, "The Court at War"

Richard Striner, "Ike in Love and War"

Richard Norton Smith, "An Ordinary Man"

Jean Twenge, "Generations"

Shahan Mufti on the 1977 Siege of Washington, D.C.

James Rosen, "Scalia"

Ilyon Woo on the Self-Emancipation of William and Ellen Craft in 1848

Rachel Louise Martin, "A Most Tolerant Little Town"

Felix Salmon, "The Phoenix Economy"

Joshua Zeitz, "Lincoln's God"

Tania Branigan, "Red Memory"

Mark Clague, "O Say Can You Hear?"

Cassandra Good, "First Family"

Rev. Wheeler Parker Jr. on the Murder of Emmett Till and the Search for Justice

Henry Grabar, "Paved Paradise"

Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), "Lost and Broken"

Daniel Weiss, "In That Time"

Ashlee Vance, "When the Heavens Went on Sale"

Cal Thomas, "A Watchman in the Night"