David McCullough
10.21.08

David McCullough, “master of the art of narrative history,” is a two-time Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winning author and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom – the nation’s highest civilian award. His latest book, 1776 – a New York Times bestseller – has been called a “classic,” and his acclaimed biography John Adams is now a seven-part mini-series running on HBO.

jane & michael stern
12.02.08

Jane and Michael Stern are the authors of more than thirty books about America. Their “Roadfood” column for Gourmet magazine has won the James Beard award three times. Their website, www.roadfood.com, was named a Top Site by PC Magazine and Best of the Web by Forbes.com.

Young Literary Icons
3.03.09

Colson Whitehead, recipient of the MacArthur Foundation “genius award,” and Anisfeld-Wolf Award for writing novels with inventive plots that weave American folklore and history into the stories. His titles include The Intuitionist and Apex Hides the Hurt: A Novel.

Essayist, writer and book reviewer Myla Goldberg’s bestselling novel Bee Season was adapted into a critically acclaimed film. Her second novel, Wickett's Remedy was published in 2006. .

Jonathan Lethem is the author of seven novels, including Motherless Brooklyn, a National Book Critics Award winner, and The Fortress of Solitude. He has also published a novella, two short story collections and a volume of essays.

These young authors will be interviewed by NPR commentator and national book reviewer Nancy Pearl.

Joan Didion
4.29.09

Novelist, essayist and screenwriter Joan Didion has been an incisive observer of American politics and culture for more than forty-five years. Her distinctive prose has earned her an honored place in the canon of American literature and the admiration of generations of writers and journalists. Her latest book, The Year of Magical Thinking, won the National Book Award and has been adapted into a successful Broadway play.