cow the buddhist way of meditation. so i am -- i do meditate and i have done yoga for 30 years. and i am always catching up on that part of my reading. meg's book is very much the next thing that i will read. this is called the interesting by meg wallaceer and it starts with a group of teens in a arts camp it takes them forward to their 40s and others.

>> thank you everyone for being here. i see friends and family, colleagues. library of congress and staff, influential to put book together. i am nervous. so i will just say thank you so much again for being here. so yeah, frederick douglas in d.c. fred lick douglas moved to emancipation hall. we will not get much past the talking points. we do not scratch the surface of who douglas was as a grand father and a newspaper. so i try tried to get into that. and to get into the element. and of his life in the book. and as he talked about kind of a revelation to help me to put the book together. i will share -- this is assign for the douglas

historic site. 16th and w street. southeast. and it is a rough-and-tumble corner. so i worked in the united planting organization 1649 good hope road. and basically was a poverty worker and i worked in social services. would i take the metro there and i would walk from the metro station and mlk. w street and make a left. and earlier in the morning. not too much was going on. the morning of june 7 2010. there was a crime tape all over the place. and there was crime lab. van. so something obviously happened and i kept it moving so i get to the office and i bring up the press release and 17-year-old young man was shot and killed on the corner. and i believe that as of right now, his homicide is still unsolved came out a couple of days later and reported he had from the rehabilitated services and

so it hit me, you know, he gets shot and killed in the foot of the frederick douglas house and the run away slave the most famous in american history. and a lot of slave narratives. 6 this is the type of person that was remembered so the coworker of mine said. i said to my coworker anthony, isn't that i mean. what is going on out here? >> and anthony said hey will. we have reign karn ated with the old man getting on we are trying make money out here. et cetera et cetera. and that is what it is. and a lot of young people in the neighborhood. all they know is they think his house is haunted so with that said. with that said. we want went to the douglas home a couple of days later and anthony my friend anthony moore a good friend of mine. he had never been there. and never read about it he

knew about it. it permiates the awareness and consciousness here, as washington. and almost interrogating the park rangers. and he said if you ran out there in the story. he would give you advice or tell you hey is he busy and get out of his face. what was he like? who are his friends. what did he do? what may him so successful. that he was able to command enough wealth and influence to have this to have this estate. right now showing photos later. there folks that have been to the home and you can see the capital and the washington monument. an inch credable panarama of the city. >> the park ranger says that basically admitted that we don't have very much term about the life in washington. and wrote a couple of different versions of autobiography. and most of what we want comes from that material. so anthony really was like me, very talkative. a conversationalist. and when we went to the office. i could see that he was really i guess in deep

thought. so he broke the silence and he said john you know. i know you know about history. and you do journalism. so you have to put your money where your mouth is. >> i said. i would not say anything and he said. i will say it for you. so that was june 2010. now we are here in june 2013. so it has been a long road. and i do thank the people that have helped me with this book. i take this stuff very deeply, i'm sorry. so that's it. not everybody is here. we start on the story. frederick douglas. sorry. i am going to get it together and frederick douglas is a man for all seasons. is he really sorry. we know frederick douglas, is he arose a parks dr. king and put on the pedestal. who was he as a man or as a

father, a friend? this is from mount vernon as you can see, is he standing to the side. and frederick doing las was a newspaper man and advocate for women's suffering and he was so much more than that. and i touched into his character. who he was. and this image i did not use in the book but it did strike me. george washington is the founding father of the country. and everybody knows him and frederick douglas is as important to the country. as george washington. this the is photo of the crowd going to the president lincoln inaugural address. with two interviews with abraham lincoln. summer 1863 he read president lincoln riot act to fully enlist the black troops if we win this war. and lewis douglas who s frederick's eldest son was on the beaches of fort wagner with the massachusetts volunteer

infantry. and lewis douglas is with the folks that charged fort wagner. so douglas said hey. get with the program. if we win the war we will need to unleash this force. then he comes back and meets with him. and they were buddies. and had a mutual respect for eachother. recent books that have come out there. was a play it forward theatre and i try i'd to move pack beyond that. but douglases in the crowd. the second inaugural. it is very, very well-known story. that i will tell that again. and it crash the executive manning that everybody some people know this story. that douglas is trying to get. and the police say. who you are. we cannot admit. and you says that is nonsense. so basicly, douglas physically removed out.

and sew comes and he said so that is my friend let him go. he said what did you think of the speech? >> douglas said. i do not think you want my humble opinion. and he said. that was a sacred effort. in rochester. lincoln was assassinated. he tried exchange. and to change course. and johnson really was an adversary to the radical republicans in congress. so he made it quite difficult. so skip that. that is where the story begins. so this is what he looked like when he came to washington. and in between civil wars

being civil war over. and to the left. charles douglas. and lewis doug la. frederick douglas. four grew to adulthood and they moved to washington after the civil war. and they were heroes in own right and it is an interesting free black community. prior to the civil war. and black middle class of washington. and washington always has been a special place for history of african-american culture. and calvin chase who started the washington bee born 1855. born free in washington and there was a established

black middle class and the douglases wanted to be apart of that. the children. by 1868 charles douglas is in washington working for the freedman bureau. and this is the 18 68 city directory and you can charles doug. back then they denoted folks ethnicity that you cannot see that. and we use that had. so there would be no ethnicity. mark so we see douglas. and there was a clerk for the bureau of refugee freeman and abandoned lands. and the bureau. the pot city. and the frederick douglas do you know where the city is now it is the name for it right now. this map this. is the 1894 map. i will move here. hopefully pick up the audio. so this is st. elizabeth.

the hospital for the insane. dorothia dikz. sees it. and the patient 18 a 5. dr. otis howard. $52,000 acquired the property. from the hers of james berry. a earlier land holder in the city. for those familiar with washington, d.c.. this is kind of today. we will start the berry farms. the dwellings a unit of the public housing authority that is not accurate in terms of this. this is the whole swath of berry farms. today the pomeroy. benjamin franklin radical republicans and they still had the same street names of the day. so this is where charles douglas settled. >> well, and this is the copy that would be for later. but this is the 1871 city directory. fred lick doug editor. is he living in anacostia. and the word that you would use is stay.

he was staying annacostia. and he lived his entire life on nicoles avenue. and mlk. in a special place. the established middle class prior. prior to the civil war. and runaway. contraband is coming to washington. maryland. virginia. and out to the south the plaque community helped to form. and shows this in washington, d.c.. there is a newspaper boy and possibly. a police officer and a official. carriage driver kpuk see here women here with products will have this folks come from charles county.

and prince george. and st. mary's county. washington dog market selling their goods. this is almost a century. and this image that portrays them. you can see the capitol dome is in the back. >> all right. martin is a fascinating fell oechlt and mentioned earlier. to mr. cole. so freted douglas. he said. i will take matters into the own hands. changing. 17 to 18 years. and public cages in the civil war. also looked on as the most prom nant newspaper man of his era. black newspaper man of the

era and he have achieve justice and supreme court that preyed frederick douglass knew for so many years. underwood and chase wanted to come to virginia. to be reluctant. he knew financial burdens that the newspaper entailed. john is one of the folks, the same thing with the douglass that's have come down to washington, the fellow was born as a slave. and he ran away. and he made his name. he came down to washington and he was very influential. and basically, persuading douglass to start. the newspaper out here. i don't know if i mentioned the name. john martin. as you can see. is he a modern photo. you can see folks with beards. and it is an interesting fellow. he actually committed suicide 1876 in new orleans. >> this is the city director from 1871. the new national error.

published every tuesday morning. washington city. 418 douglass street. and a couple of quick notes on this. since we have c span here. >> 1991. the new national error was in across the river. dismissive. there was no footnote. i find that a an egregious mistake. and the reason that the location is so importantly. giving this shout out to the washington correspondents. this is the epicenter of the information exchange of washington. this is where all of the news not only in just washington but cincinnati. new york. philadelphia. all of the washington news this. is the location. the location is extremely important and the new national area here, right there. in the ground zero, so this is was the only black paper in washington at the time this. is before the washington bee

or the people's advocate. i just find that it is an egregious mistake, and it was forgotten. if you go into the congressional record. red on the floor of the senate. and congress is a leading authorities of the day. newspaper row. this is another print from january 18744. and harpers will show, the very out of town newspapers offices. and all sorts of activity is going on here. douglass's office was on on the next street over. in 1872 frederick douglass buys a home on capitol hill northeast. this is not very far from here. and the new national era of change names a couple of times. and all sorts of issues with the finances of that. and actually it took the name from the national era.

the newspaper push lished of washington prior to the civil war. and well-known. they published harry beacher's skoef. so that is the name of the newspaper in reference to the previous paper. he is he. i could not a little bit my time in washington. so he picks washington. so the top right. a senator from mississippi. richard allen is on here.

that was the first generation of civil rights leaders and the biggest man on campus or the most distinguished gentleman. general howard named after the general howard and known as a christian soldier. douglass when he comes to washington. there is a lot of stuff that is going on. the howard university star found 1867. today very well known. and if we have in harvard graduates in the audience. so general howard was not the first president of the university of but he was influential to make a lot of moves to secure the university's existence so he lost with fair oaks and main.

to the right. so landmark used for at alumni events. how am i doing on time? >> pretty good. frederick douglass this. is so deep. sorry. i cued it up early. this is the life story that touches you so deeply. and so he is born a slave. and eastern 140er 1818. and he basically distinguished himself earlier on. having a certain intelligence. and he was singled out to be the playmate for masters

child or baltimore mayor land or playmate. so with this information it is done in secret. and his master find out. and you can if it is inappropriate. and what you are doing. my gosh. you have this slave. no good anymore. and he was right. frederick douglass would read and he would read in secret. he would tell very, very, very vividly. in his 1845 autobiography. he was enslave in the city. and different from a country slave. and when he came to baltimore. he called him. d.c. vern accurate/. a bam a country guy. and he adapted to the urban life. and he told the story of taking bread from his home. and going into the street

with the spelling book. and going up to i guess the poor white children and saying what is this word? i will give you the piece of bread. i think that is deep. 12, 13-years-old. this guy is smart. that is how the inreceipt in douglass started and i show this photo. frederick douglass was a self taught man autobiography. here. and and the reason he wrote it is that people doubt that had he was ever a slave. and introduction here. abc limp. the retreat of nan tuck wet the massachusetts anti-slavery society. allianced preacher there. may be attendees here. and douglass had it was a first public oration in the

church and he attended the meeting. all of the various abolitionists why were there. and we speak. you are a run a slave. you need to tell us your story. and now notch to the occasion. and people in the back say we have heard you preach. and up and talk. and when douglass speaks, he really had a legitimacy and authenticity that was unique because you have plaque folks that were born in the north. and they were abolitionists at the time. and not the only ones this. were other folks that escaped from mayor land but douglass had eloquent. and so articulate he was able to tell the story. a powerful way. and people doubted. you know. what do you know. you are making this stuff up. and he said. you know. here. i will put my cards on the table. 1845. he writs. autobiography narrative. and he was made.

the narrative so different. people. places times. and locations. and if you want to go check on this. this is the address. in the morning. this is what he does. in the afternoon. this is what he does. call my bluff. so actually. there is was folks in the south. they put out the warrant for his arrest. and it was inflammatory that he did this. he had been living a secret life. essentially he was free in the north. and he was still a run away free to slave act. and 173. and still in place. so frederick douglass would have to get out of town. goes to england. and gets involved with the network. i don't know how i got there. basically frederick is a self taught guy. and offered a presidency a couple of times. 1875. received a vote to become president. and there was division on whether the university should a theological

institution or a secular institution. douglass thought it should be secular and all orts of topics and classics. surveying mathmatics and science. not just the theological school. in 18 will 3. there was a strong call for frederick douglass to become president of howard this. is when william patten was the president. he said you know. i am flattered by your confidence in me. i am more comfortable to be the outside advocate and somebody that does oversight of the university. and sometimes i talk with different crowds and i say has anybody seen the scandal. are people here familiar with the show scandal? >> yes, good. all right. frederick douglass was the olivia pope. [laughter] so when there was interior squabbles and the people out out sigh questioning the university. he need to go to congress and say. you know. is what is going on. figure it out. this is like the olivia

pope. and there was scandal 1873. for me to talk about in the book. otis howard's pay. and douglass said hey. i got this. he took care tv or he was on the board. 18711. 1895 and given a honorary law degree in 1872 from the university. doing good on time. okay. so this is just a striking image. you can see, so many books in the front of douglass, lost in whatever is he reading and the library here at the frederick douglass site. he would read. i mean classics. greek literature. and contemporary books and bog feet. poetry. he has reports of the oregon territory, fish and while life reports. just always would consume a lot of information. there was one that he. no one style that he read. i guess or no genre but he

re. and he did read a little bit of fiction. >> all right this. is frederick douglass memorial hall and take friend 1942 the library of congress's collection. frederick douglass memorial hall today university the houses the air force rotc program and political science department. okay. now we have to change courses a little bit. frederick douglass as i mentioned earlier. writes 1845 ought bog feet. he puts his life on the line. and he tells the story for the world to hear when he is in england. his freedom nepg yaited and purchased and formed. so he returns to america skps he was a free man. douglass was friends with john browne and so many as you know. he said. john die for the slaves. i live for him. and doing counseled and advised. i do not think that your plan will work my friend. he want douglass to come along. so when the brown harper's

ferry failed. another one that he asked to get out of town. he went to the home in rochester and he was a big fleet for them. and frederick douglass also his home. in rochester. outlaw. he was familiar with that side of the law. march 1877. rutherford b hays and a points frederick douglass for the district of columbia and the president lincoln was marshalled and i am not a lincoln scholar but there are folks from the d.c. group. and rings a bell.

it was a prominent information at the time. and the dc bar association, and douglass there, the stance was that we don't doubt. mr. douglass's abilities or his intelligence we are not sure if he will be able to administer law properly. that is maybe because he had been a fugitive. and none the less. is he confirmed by the executive session. and he so. it is really a first big government appointment in the grant administration for a short period of time on the city council of dc on the territory. and served a short period of time. it was interesting to make washington, d.c. unique. and he tendered his resignation. in may of 1871. he was at that time. run ago newspaper. and he joined the board of howard university. a lot of calls for him to lecture all over the country. he did whatever co-. and he did not have time for the sti council so when tethers and submidst to the

president. he receives a confirmation from the jet street secretary of state. so if you are in the united states. city council. will you not get a letter from the secretary of state. so when the douglass's marshall. he works out of the building this is the old city hall. and this is on indiana avenue. and appellate court building. and actually a statue of lincoln outside of building with the first recollected into the city. 1868 and there is a area of finding douglass in and out of the building when he was mar willed. and he was marld and he would walk from his home in annacostia x the streets of washington and an interesting item in the tribune that said that frederick douglass walks around as a school boy. martial and the evening

star. a item circulate and this could be i believe it to be true. circulated all over the country. the item is very short. and says something to the effect that an ex-skon stand was in court the other day. and said. sir you are looking for marvel douglass when he was a fugitive. i tried hard to find him. [laughter] this is another print of douglass. the first couple of weeks on the be job. you can see black wash toneians wishing him well. so by his own admission. he was marld and come tent in the position and he really was around like the criminal element. and he kind of was you know. by his own admission he was difficult. and he was in court all of the time. and responsible for transferring folks into the jail. really. it will try your soul. but douglass knew the importance of or the high profile nature of the position.

and by all accounts. did he a great job. and what was initial rest something back then they would publish the budgets of each of the offices essentially into the paper. and when he leaves the martialship. it says that he was good stewart of public funds. this is an interesting document. from the district of columbia. and counterfeiting and pre rick douglass u.s. marshall d.c. another thing to talk about washington, d.c. history. never a documented lynching in washington, d.c.. there was nobody killed before set to trial. and we talk about the book. what it is in the book. this is if there ever was to be a lynching in washington, d.c. is when frederick

douglass was marld. this is a really interesting story. that i go into the details of the book. i will not tell that you right now. but basically, fred douglass when martialed was intergal to keep lynching from possibly happening. and douglass was a fit man. if you go to his house. he had dumbbells. it is believed that he did pull ups on the front porch and walked all over the place. today he would not take the bus or metro but he would calk. and i say that because he had used canes but not to walk. just to gives douglass a cane. okay. this is where. he buys the home. september 189ch because of had his government position

he had a steady stream of income. and before he was an entrepreneur with his oration and all of the things that he d this is a letter i believe from september 24, 1817. the head of the district commissioner d.c. government and the letter is write support of gentleman francis allen saying that we need police protection here and met poll continue police department when it was formed 1861 with the suggestion of the lincoln and martial. washington, d.c. have you the thought plan and the suburbs that is like the washington county. so when they incorporated the police department. they did all of the city. and the metropolitan police department. so douglass was on the outskirts and the suburbs of city. so he took an active role in the neighborhood. and business interest.

and wanted to make sure that property rights were okay. children were okay. grand children were okay. he took an active role to help to get add mis. and that side of town. this is 1833. painting and looking here. this is the washington navy yard and the u.s. capital. so this is kind of the area here. it is a very. very rural area. founded 1854. was found 1854 and the first suburb of washington and urban myths and lengends anna cost yeah. it was founded by three why he and a restricted covenant. no pig. no milatos or folks of

african decent. and it was strict it did not work the property was perspective and never got going until after the civil war. so during the civil war though it was crawling spies. john wilkes booth. i will go back to that story. gep from the john green from the navy and developed the modern ordinance bureau. coming up. they would shoot. washington is a big top graph cal bowl. and set up the targets. eastern branch of potomac. and shooting at the targets into the river. so this probably has hundreds and hundreds of cannon balls into the river. and the growth of the washington navy yard helped

to spirit the development of anna cost yeah. so yeah. he was one of the guys. and he was a racist fellow. and in no way about that in all sorts of things. he had a spot in the center market to sell alcohol and other cigars and stuff. and he is buried in this is his grave in the congressional cemetery. nothing about his real estate ventures. this is matthew brady. after john wicks booth. he comes across the bridge. making an escape to southern maryland. for lincoln's scholars in the conspiracy trials. union town will show up. they were in and around town. and still not even to this day. not sure what they were

doing here. and they were up to no good. and this is the historic you can see. monroe street this. is mlk. these are the original street names. 1854. union town. various neighborhoods like a branding type of thing. it is a great union town. the president. this is 14 hadth street. jefferson street. w street. you can see washington, fillmore. [laughter] so. up. you can see frederick douglass ' property is the

biggest property of the town. this is still today the national park site. they are now the half acres. this is the home. cedar hill. this is a great place to go. and it is really a flagship side of the national park service, this is the wash tower freedom this. is a great. great. j earlier there is was a great panarama. i will show the photo a little bit later. i will speed it up a little bit. okay so. union town. and didn't have street names but it did on maps but there were not street signs in the neighbor mood. there was not addresses on the homes. late 188 will 0s and the washington board of trade. will order products in union town. and an interesting story. is grover cleveland.

annastacia. daniel lamont. and the secretary of state. says to the little boy. whose home is that. frederick douglass's house. everybody knows that and it is interest that can douglass served uncleveland as ard roer of deeds. and you can see it says that i a am frederick douglass annacostia. it would get to him. so this is where the story potentially gets salacious and scandalous. so this is frederick douglass's first wife. folks have said to me before. i knew he had an a irfat. i read it on the internet. i will not get into that stuff. i was not looking for smoke but just trying to tell the story what really happened. this anna marie douglass, pivotal and important to the story. she was born free in maryland 1813 she moved to baltimore and was a domestic.

she was part of a free black community douglass because of just audacity a slave. looked down upon. but he was able to make headway into the free black community and they had improve societies. debate societies so. this is where it is believed douglass met anna maria. but an a marie sold her possessions to actually frederick douglass's escape. and she actually was able. this st. government town. she was able to procure. frederick douglass's, sail or suit. plaque jack. so frederick douglass was able to make an escape. as a blackjack there was free blacks. that he would procure papers from somebody else and was able to make his escape up north and then he arrived in new york city. and then called for anna.

they wr married 1838 and frederick and anna johnson and then, changed names to douglass. and the thing that i mentioned earlier. frederick douglass. a very aristocratic name. so she was pivotal and kept the home together when douglass was on very long lecturing and away for along period of time. she kept the family together. douglass had four children. and they were extremely close to anna died august 1882. and crestfallen did he not know what to do with himself and he writes a letter to a friend. he wrote unthe pen name grace and said if not for my family obligations would i go to europe and wander the earth for the rest of my days. douglass did not know what to do with himself.

he went to maine. summer. and that is when the story gets salacious. i do not get into all of this stuff or scandal. this is helen pits douglass. frederick douglass married helen. helen pitts uncle hiram lived next door to him in union town. he showed up 1870 and pits place is named after hiram pitts and interesting story. frederick douglass was in new york. he met helen as a young girl. and his father was a abolitionist and he met helen at 8 to 9-years-old. when they married. douglass was in his of 0s and helen 46. a college educated they did not bear children. and by all accounts they lived a very happy together.

and anna marie was very loyal. and helen pitts was also loyal. he is buried wife on either side. and this is just from the library of congress. the collection monday night literary club will hold a closing meeting in the residents of arnold frederick union town. saturday june 6. and douglass did entertain at the home. and he had from how did university coming all of the time to mentor them. all sorts of recitals it was a bushes have their am i over on time? >> you are okay. we need to end at 1:00, you can take wind it up and take questions or go all the way. and we will have that. >> do you want questions or all the way? >> all the way. hands all the way. catch me afterwards. i am not hard to fine. okay.

>> okay mr. cole. so okay. yes. like i said. they have the completion. and this is the frederick koug douglass county compound. >> joseph douglass an interesting young man and the son of charles douglass, frederick douglass learned the violence on violin. a vacation. he was another thing that he self taught himself to play the violin. and a interesting story. that i tell in the book. he was essentially in dublin and he sees a store front. and he goes inside and he said. hey i am interest today buying one. >> he said, who you are? >> said i will show you and he pulls down the violin and he plays irish washer woman and rocky road to dublin. and he said have you to see this. sew continued to play irish folk songs so now the irish

independence. so. douglass took the interest in joseph douglass and he financed his education. he was classically trained one time head of howard university. and he performed for president mckinley. and for president taft. unfortunately he died before duets at the white house and he spent a lot of time together and there is a couple of images of them together. it is rare. 19th century to have the two folks together but douglass really took an interest in his grandson. this is frederick douglass in the library. this frederick douglass. we will have time to squeeze in one more question. this is the lecture platform. okay good. frederick doug lax why call the line of anna cost yeah.

that struck me. i will give a shout out to the modern day line. and he roams the street to make sure everybody is right. douglass said. i will keep my hair that way. he married helen pitts white. against the law in some states frederick douglass never a brandoned black folks or like a sell out or all of the other various uncle tom he knew the real life uncle tom. but douglass always identified as black man. a black person and champ beyonded the cause of black folks. women. young folks. so it was purpose full that he kept the hair the way that he did. in the autobiography.

one introduction. wendell phillips and he sently. when traveled the lecture circuit. took douglass under his wing and life. and advice, he said well young frederick if you want to tell history. is it will be told the right way. it is believed to be a african proverb and was it taken to heart. when he walked in and around the streets of washington, d.c.. kept that lion image that flowing maine. you can see i don't know how light it is. but it is was a good image of him with the maine. good. frederick douglass statue yesterday was unveiled in the emancipation hall. statehood was championed. frederick douglass was a washingtonian to the heart. to his core.

meeting addressed. mr. douglass took only. like now. the term was district suffering. 18 will 1. he says that the people of washington are not people. they are subjects. and aliens they can't vote. interesting language. to call them that. but douglass another cause that he championed. this is the metropolitan methodist church. anyone know this church. >>. good. okay a 18 right around street from the white house. cornerstone laid 1881. and it is opened up. 1886. and bishop daniel. alexander payne. he met with president lincoln and douglass attends ceremonies and tends robert

small who was a hero it is like kobe co-, playing in robert malls. is he just he didn't know what to say. of when he was slave. entrusted in south carolina. heed read the ought bog feet. and he could be disciplined here we are live in the flesh. i will shake your hand. and they friends. they both donated ornaments to the metropolitan. ame and there is two candle that they have douglass. and this is the church that douglass would frequently attend bethlehem back baptist church. fran grim key. and he married. i three minutes. so douglass was.

knew how important it was. so we met with so many. organized religion and a frequent attendee in sun school. and exhibitions and society met here. he was involved with the organization. one of the most famous speeches less onlz of the hour to deliver 1894. a speech where douglass was starting to lose faith a little bit. pew marker charles dunbar. i am going to get myself in trouble. i don't know if he was a member. in terms of tax returns and

a member. this was not like that relationship with the met poll continue of he was a supporter of. the church. and met poll continue part heritage and the legacy. 1326 valley place. th is really bad. 1885. invested in the streetcar line. douglass died he owns stock. in the streetcar line. this is right around the corn frere douglass's house he would take the earlier morning and late evening walks he would walk past homes and shout out to the d.c. government office of plajing and historic preservation office. he was able to pfingst the facade. th house that is incredible how well it was restored. and this is bad.

[laughter] so if we are on span. we need help with the valley place southeast. washington monument has scaffolding on it. completed 18 will 5. dozens to see them finishing it. we have the capital dome. that is national cathedral and over to the far. we have the redskins that won super bowl. back when they were really good. [laughter] this is my friend william. i am so glad to get william on c span. lower mlk. burnt out building. i will not get into what is going on with annacostia. it needs help. william is a friend of mine and he the douglass spirit alive. i include him in the book. this is the house at night. lit up. really is kind of a to kind

of go past that in the evening. this is why he's ceremony, this is a nice fell oechlt and down to earth. it was nice to meet him. thank you. thank you very much. [applause] thank you for coming. you're watching 48 hours of nonfiction authors and books on cspan 2's book tv. this is a memoir. a memoir of my travels in russia and memoir of the number of the people that are in the book. we have gone through 20 years together so it is a memoir since the soviet union fell apart this. is the history. this is the history of the oil industry. and in parallel to history. of russia and a collapse in the 1990s and the gradual

recovery. and the decade after so we end up with the russia we see toll today after along russian cycle and into the same cycle. >> this is a biography. a multiple biography of the number of the people. in particular. of the clan emerged in the 1990s from the city of st. petersburg and came to moscow with future enin the year 2000 you can sum up the last 20 years of russian history saying that this is the revenge of st. petersburg over moscow as the largely without exaggerate in command this is very much a pete's crowd. this is the late chapter in the rivalry of the two capitals and the tale of two

cities. this is the murder mystery. i can't give out names of the guilty ones in every case. but you can draw your own conclusions. there are marvelous uninvolved mysteries that maybe unraveled some day and most never will. it used to be said in russia in the 1990s if the business was profitable in the trail of bodies that led to the front door of the business involved if no bodies it was not worth paying attention to. it could not be profitable. i will leave it to your imagination why for example the international red cross was highly profitable by the measure in the 1990s in russia. one clue is the subsidies to get. for the tax free tobacco and alcohol to benefit good causes. such as the red cross this. is profitable. and therefore of interest. this is the sijs fiction

story. >> what we are dealing with here, really whether you come down to it is the meeting of civilians after 70 years of the soviet period. the oil industry of particular grew up. in almost completely isolation. from the west. and this is virtually the unique case. we have the other places where oil initial stories have grown up and oil industries are run by national oil companies and in almost every case. in every case, the instories were first founded by foreigners and then were taken over. and not so in the case of russia. where from the 19 20s on and in any rate. all practical purposes the oil industry was home ground and developed occult you are and civilization as they dealt with their own language and its own culture. i sometimes like to tell my

class that's the story of russia and the 20th century is very much that of a people that decide that had capitalism did not work. it was like they started a different civilization of which the market was thrown out. prices and profits and private ownership and built that civilization and made it run for six or seven decades, not well but it ran and they decide that had it was not working particularly well so they all piled back into their space capsules and came back to earth. which is something remarkable. this is something russians do every so often. they will conduct these massive social science experiment on themselves. this is not the first time that they have done it. here they are back to earth again. and the oil industry. face the world. oil industry.

so the book is very much how two civilizations have come to terms with one another. which is not easy the past 20 years have been a time of revolution. in the global oil imstory. so until sudden notly he you land on earth and you find yourself at least in the oil initial story. face with the a race. the question is how have the russians down in the race. talented. oil people that they are talent engineering cult that you remember they are. that is apart of the tree. the book has tragic heroes. one is in jail. and i wanted to avoid making this the story of mchale and yet in the end. this man that was briefly the richest man in russia and ran the most successful private oil company in russia at the time of his arrest. and 2003, this man had been

in jail october 201 he would have been in jail for jail ten years. this is a match with his nemesis. vladimir putin. of course one of the big questions is when will he get out? no one knows. but the other question is what did he do? there has been a great deal of coverage him. and i znot want to add to that whole literature. what i have tried to do is go into his company. have i had interviews with a number of the players in that company to try to find out what is was unique about that company. that he built. what was unique about his enable of double oil production within four short years. you who is that done.

you time the chapter on the side of the story the. then lastly. i would have to say that this is a tree of story of guilty love. i will come back to if you ask me.