The Wednesday, October 28, 2009 Charlie Rose Conversation with Sam Tanenhaus

CHARLIE ROSE: Sam Tanenhaus is here. He is editor of both the "New
York Times Book Review" and the "Weekend Review" section of the newspaper.
When he is not appraising books, he writes some of his own. His biography
of Whitaker Chambers was a finalist for the National Nook Award and the
Pulitzer Prize.

His latest book is called "The Death of Conservatism." In it he argues
that today’s Republicans have lost their way and need to return to their
intellectual roots. I am pleased to have him back at this table. Welcome.

SAM TANENHAUS, AUTHOR: Great to be here, Charlie.

CHARLIE ROSE: And did this grow out of that "New Republic" piece that
you wrote?

SAM TANENHAUS: It did. I wrote a story, an essay during the first
month of the Obama administration, and the Republicans and the conservative
intellectuals, because the book is really about both, seemed totally lost.

And also it builds on a lot of thinking and writing I’ve done ever
since I started writing about conservatism some 20 years ago.

Read the rest of that transcript here.

Charlie Rose's Tuesday, October 20, 2009 conversation with Madeleine Albright - Former secretary of state Madeline Albright discusses her book "Read My Pins" - Current Affairs, Books

CHARLIE ROSE: Madeleine Albright is here. She became the first woman
to serve as secretary of state. She served in that position during the
Clinton administration. During the 2008 presidential campaign she was an
advisor to Hillary Clinton, who is now secretary of state.

Her latest book is called "Read my Pin, Stories from a Diplomat’s
Jewel Box." I am pleased to have her back at this table, and she will
understand that that we will spend not much time talking about jewelry.

But here’s the cover of the book. And just give me the idea behind
this.

MADELEINE ALBRIGHT: The idea was that I was at the U.N. as secretary
of state. I like pins, and they give signals. And it all began because
Saddam Hussein called me an "unparalleled serpent" and I had a snake pin.
And I thought, this is fun.

So -- but mostly, Charlie, it gives me an opportunity to talk about
foreign policy.

SEE: http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/10680. SEE ALSO: Memo to the President Elect: How We Can Restore America's Reputation and Leadership, The Mighty and the Almighty: Reflections on America, God, and World Affairs, Madam Secretary: A Memoir

Comparing Education in China to the U.S. (The Brian Lehrer Show: Monday, 12 October 2009) from WNYC's Brian Lehrer Show by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

Creativity versus Test-taking? Yong Zhao, professor at the College of Education at Michigan State University compares the Chinese and American education systems with his new book Catching Up or Leading the Way: American Education in the Age of Globalization.

Listen to the podcast show here, download the podcast show here.

"Farmers: What Do You Think Of Pollan's Ideas?" - from NPR's Talk of the Nation

Writer Michael Pollan famously advises eat food, not too much, mostly plants. And don't buy food you've seen advertised on TV. And that's just the kernel of his ideas about the American food industry and American agriculture in his enormously popular books, including his latest, "In Defense of Food." Last month the University of Wisconsin-Madison gave that book to all incoming freshman and urged professors to discuss it in class, which as you might suspect set off a Donnybrook in a heavily agricultural state.

The full transcript from the show, including the podcast can be found here. See also: The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World, Second Nature: A Gardener's EducationA Place of My Own: The Architecture of Daydreams, The Omnivore's Dilemma for Kids: The Secrets Behind What You Eat, A Place of My Own: The Education of an Amateur Builder, Hope Beneath Our Feet: Restoring Our Place in the Natural World (Io Series)

The Wednesday, October 7, 2009 Charlie Rose Conversation with Max Cleland

Vietnam Veteran, Former U.S. Senator and former head of the Veterans Administration, Max Cleland, shares his views on Afghanistan

CHARLIE ROSE: Max Cleland is here. He is, as you know, a decorated
Vietnam War veteran and a former Democratic senator from the great state of
Georgia.

He was head of the Veterans Administration under President Jimmy
Carter. In June, President Obama appointed him secretary of the American
Battle Monuments Commission. It manages all overseas memorials to American
soldiers.

He has a new book out, and it’s called "Heart of a Patriot: How I
found courage to survive Vietnam, Walter Reed, and Karl Rove."

(LAUGHTER)

I am pleased to have Max Cleland at this table. Welcome.

MAX CLELAND: I’m glad to be here.

CHARLIE ROSE: Tell me why you decided to write this.

MAX CLELAND: I did it for me to come to terms with my life.

See the show here, in its entirety.

NPR Books: September 17, 2009 from NPR: Books

Stories in this episode: 1) Writer John Geiger chronicles phantom presences that lead to safety in his new book, 'The Third Man Factor: Surviving the Impossible. 2) Jon Krakauer's latest book sheds new light on the death of NFL player turned soldier Pat Tillman. 3) In Dan Brown's new novel 'The Lost Symbol,' hero Robert Langdon uncovers esoteric mysteries even as he dismisses them.

Download the podcast here. See also: The Lost Symbol, Deception Point, Digital Fortress: A Thriller, The Lost Symbol: Special Illustrated Edition: A Novel

Delectation (Dictionary.com's Word of the Day)

Great pleasure; delight, enjoyment. Quote: At other times she'll get so worked up by some pet poeticism that she forgets she's not writing just for her own delectation. (David Klinghoffer, "Black madonna", National Review , February 9, 1998) Read the full Dictionary.com entry here. See also: Why the Jews Rejected Jesus: The Turning Point in Western History, The Lord Will Gather Me In: My Journey to Jewish Orthodoxy, The John Adams Earbox: A 10-CD Retrospective, The Discovery of God: Abraham and the Birth of Monotheism

Elizabeth Edwards gets grilled from Showbiz Tonight (Video) by CNN

'Showbiz Tonight's' AJ Hammer looks into Elizabeth Edwards getting grilled on 'The View' for her tell-all book! Was it fair?

Download the video here. See also: Saving Graces: Finding Solace and Strength from Friends and Strangers, The Politician: An Insider's Account of John Edwards's Pursuit of the Presidency and the Scandal That Brought Him Down

The Thursday, July 16, 2009 Charlie Rose Conversation with Bob Woodward of The Washington Post

CHARLIE ROSE: And so you said once in a recent interview that you
were searching for the center of gravity about him.

BOB WOODWARD: Yes.

CHARLIE ROSE: What does that mean?

BOB WOODWARD: That means what’s going to define him.

First of all, he’s had no real crisis. He’s inherited all the crises
of the Bush administration, as he says repeatedly, "Not of my making, this
is not of my making." But he doesn’t have or has not yet had his own
crisis. And he’s then going to be defined by that crisis.

Read that full transcript here. See also: The War Within: A Secret White House History 2006-2008, Bush At War, Charlie Rose - Bob Woodward / Bradley Graham (July 16, 2009)

Charlie Rose's Tuesday, July 7, 2009 conversation with author Alistair Horne

CHARLIE ROSE: Sir Alistair Horne is here. He is the acclaimed British historian who
has dedicated himself largely to the history of modern France. He was
knighted for his body of work and was also awarded the French Legion
d’Honneur. His 1977 account of the French defeat in the Algerian war, "A
Savage War of Peace," is definitive work on the subject. As a result of
the Iraq war, that book came to the attention of the U.S. military and was
read by the president.

His latest book is an authorized biography of former Secretary of
State Henry Kissinger in the pivotal year of 1973. It’s called "Kissinger:
1973, A Crucial Year." I’m pleased to have Sir Alistair Horne back at this
table. Welcome.

ALISTAIR HORNE: Thank you, Charlie. Thank you so much.

CHARLIE ROSE: And it’s appropriately dedicated to our great friend,
William Buckley Jr. As you say in the dedication, "to the memory of WFB
Jr., oldest and dearest of friends and a constant encouragement in writing
this book." So, how did Bill Buckley encourage this book?

See: http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/10457. See also: Kissinger: 1973, the Crucial Year, Charlie Rose with Henry Kissinger, Alistair Horne, Thomas Ricks & Andrew Bacevich; Donny George (January 19, 2007), A Savage War of Peace: Algeria 1954-1962 (New York Review Books Classics), The Fall of Paris: The Siege and the Commune 1870-71