good evening. i am the chair of the board of the foundation. welcome to another wonderful night at the free library of philadelphia and facing magnificent star lineup tonight

we had some awesome friends and authors. if you see the lights here we are on c-span. you don't have to run home to watch your self because it will be on the book talk show. that signals again these three stars were in this kind of attention so we are very proud. i am also proud and thankful for this library and what we do. i see some of the board members in the crowd tonight, and those of you that keep coming to these, thank you so much. we are so blessed, and i would encourage you at thanksgiving to remember the free library of philadelphia. and if you feel thankful for it as we do, would you consider making a contribution however much you can? the conversation tonight with

gina on the fabulous book is great and long -- moderated. i'm not even going to try to pronounce deceased professor of physics and astronomy at the university pennsylvania and the natural sciences but also what he thinks about in all of this stuff he's worked hard for middle schoolers and young people to get engaged in the sciences so here it is to introe the dynamic duo is the wonderful doctor larry gladney. [applause]

good evening. it's my privilege to be able to introduce the authors. gino from the university pennsylvania and was a visiting professor at mit and oxford university and i'm proud to say that he was my chair and the former director of theoretical physics at the national science foundation. the author of three books the scientific history and the first was in the "los angeles times" book fare and the winner of the american institute of physics science writing award. bettina is a probability of health commissioner who taught health care at the university pennsylvania for 16 years and has also been a visiting lecturer at oxford university.

she is the daughter of -- chronicle to her parents needing a departure from naz nazi germay and the fabulous book i recommend you read steps of courage the journey from nazi germany to america. she grew up in los alamos and she and gino are a husband and wife team with seven children and grandchildren. i'm proud to call them my friends. please welcome gino and bettina. [applause] >> i'm going to start off with something a little unusual but i want to thank the