everyday with new some policy issues that impact too. on wednesday morning sarah from fox.com and the washington examiner's of the future of u.s. healthcare the latest on the affordable a carrot. taxpayers recently passed a $1.3 trillion spending bill. watch "washington journal", live at 7:00 a.m. eastern on wednesday morning. >> you're watching book tv and c-span2 with top nonfiction books and authors every weekend. television for serious readers. >> in his book medicine park, eric describes his journey from a small town madison park alabama to the white house as special assistant to president george w. bush. he talked in jackson, mississippi. this is 40 minutes.

>> good evening and welcome to the bookstore. were delighted to be hosting eric this evening as he shares his story with us in medicine park. before we get started if you will silence yourself once. we are very glad that book tv is here to film the event. and to introduce eric this evening as donna instrumental in setting up this event in our advocate for get a story out there.

>> is so much for coming then our invitation tonight. we are thrilled to have eric visit and are calling it his first visit. i think she said he is both come is that better? >> were thrilled to have eric here visiting with us. i hope this is is just his first visit. were lucky enough to be board members of the aspen institute and that's how we got to know eric. would you call him the number two person? >> i've had the privilege of knowing eric for 20 years. the aspen institute has recently gone through the transition for leadership. walter isaacson the premier

biographer of our times to step down and eric shepard that process with wisdom and diplomacy that would make you shake your head. very desired position and no one could've handled it as well. were really proud to have him here with us today. a fellow southerner. >> his story so compelling we will let him tell it himself. [applause] >> what a pleasure being here.

this independent bookstore's one of the greatest bookstores in the country into a reminder of the importance of ideas and how ideas bring us together to shape community. i want to thank everyone for your hospitality. i've had an incredible day here. some of you are taking the long. it was the most incredible experience this morning with the most interesting of students should feel very proud of the investment you are making in education city. they were wonderful gems and bright lights. to celebrate this evening with you is incredible. in a mentor who once said to me in a nice note toward the end of his life that if you're very

fortunate in some combination of life it's rem. then you're probably thinking rapid eye movement for the group but it's relationships experiences and memories. i've had the most good fortune of having wonderful relationships on the experiences i've been afforded has been unforgettable. i have a book to sell the book for you to read. it is called medicine park. it's a memoir you think what you have to tell us about your life it's nearly 40 something years old. it's an intersection a place so i tell you to stories. the first about a place called medicine park and how it came into being.

a group of free slaves with nothing but the shirts on their back and money they had saved in hopes and aspirations of what it could be for them to create community and realize it deals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. there are led by eli and he invited seven other friends to join him. my grandfather's grandfather was one of those. he purchased a plantation in the first two structures they developed were a church in a school because he felt true liberation was realized with the opportunity that only an education could afford. in the and rules put all their hearts and minds and efforts

together to create a community. we are tied in a sealed government destiny. what impacts you impacts me. that's a story of the people y you. the second story involved in jewel he was he remembers two things about visiting his grandfather. that in the shotgun house on the plantation over the front door was across he developed with his own hands. a reminder that was created by something much larger cell. on the back door was abraham

lincoln to remind is going that god uses individuals to bring about change in society. my story intersects with an interesting place. in the 1960s a little girl was adopted to george and amy motley. one of 14 kids. the mother discovered she was dying of cancer and asked the neighbors if she would consider adopting one of her 14. how you choose dislikes one of 14 i have the slightest idea. but they chose her. they thought perhaps if nurtured and trained she might really thrown aspirations. so little barbara perry bega bee barbara. at age 19 she gave birth to a

bundle of on form possibility, that's me. and george and amy motley decided to embrace her all the more but to embrace this child in the hopes and aspirations of all these people became manifested in their dreams and hopes for this baby. the three great desires. one that this child could realize that he was no less than the trees and the stars he had a right to be here and he was created by god who with all things here on earth the second desires i would realize i was part of a community, something much larger than the motley household. but i was also part of this great country. the last great desire was i would have the opportunity that only an education could provide. everywhere they went they made a note to neighbors and friends that we have a little boy who we

want a good education and want to go to college. my mother could look at a guy in the grocery store and she go to him if he had us watch it on did you go to the college. just talk to him she would say there's inflection points in our lives that we look back and remember remember all the more when we look at the rear view mirror flight. i tell a few stories about individuals were there at every twist and turn on the way. the first graded teacher sent a note home to my grandparents informing them of my academic failure. the medicine park i was known as a precocious kid. they designee me as the university kid.

everywhere i went people call me little einstein. it sounded pretty good. then i go to first grade teacher writes a note home informing her that i've been demoted from the rapid to the turtles. my grandmother is not want to discriminate but she knows the difference between rabbits and turtles. she funds one individual who she thought could remedy the situation. she called the great-granddaughter of eli medicine a retired teacher already and 45 years all we could hear him say is we believe in resurrection they said we

believe in resurrection she said before the entire congregation she looked outside, brothers and sisters, little eric motley here one of our bright stars is growing just a bit dim. here is a rabbit is a turtle. but we believe in freezer reduction. amen sister and we will restore into rabbit status. i tell you because it's a story about community. two things changed my life. looking across the congregation she said i'm going to be at the motley's house this afternoon and i committed to building him a library to help with reading.

whatever reading you have i want you to bring it by this afternoon. for two hours my grandparents i set on the back porch and you would've thought the paper driver was taking place at her house. someone brought by 195 almanac predicting weather. life magazine a jet magazine, volume elevated cyclopedia britannica. anything that you want to know about l i'm your guy someone brought to by an english verse minus its table of content but richly sown with shakespeare in the first poem on the first was a poem i committed to memory. there is a time when meadow growing string in every, site

seemed apparel if the word is no more than this i know for the year ago there passed away glory from the. some came by the motley house everyday for two years to tutor a little turtle back into rabbit her. the recession began with four basic precepts, this is the house that your grandfather's grandfather built. he was a slave who believed in the american dream. you have to memorize the american constitution and the declaration of independence. >> the whole thing? we will start with the preamble. in everyday i had to stand and

recite the preamble to the declaration of independence. we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal. they are endowed with their creator by certain inalienable rights. among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. it's your preset. it's your country. it's yours, you own it. then i would recite the apostles creed because where methodists and -- as a reminder where is coming from. for two years these retired teachers have nothing except love in their hearts and viewed in their minds parted with stone social security, mathematics, history and the basic precepts. i tell you this story because it underscores the basic essence of this. that we are part of that network of mutuality.

the place inspired by those who dreamed and aspiration to make america work and believe that making individual sacrifices one soccer top five set a time was far better than individualism. i tell you because there's a lot of eric motley's in the world. desiring to grow into their own person and it's only through community that we can experience the fullness of who we are collectively. we live in a polarized and fragmented society. told daily what's wrong with america and what doesn't work. madison park reminds us that at best it's a beautiful

institution that binds us together and reminds us their principles, values and precepts that reminds us that each of us have apart been the bears of light and creating community where we go. one last story, my grandfather had a desire that i be exposed to books. it's a very fitting place for me to speak to you. after the books were delivered appetite for anything that at a page to be different. he organized her neighbors to weekly take me to the library 20 minutes outside of where we live so i could experience the joy surrounded by books. my grandfather was hit in the parking for two hours and just wait.

emotionally and psychologically unable to go into a place that he was unable to go to for so long. we had no air conditioning and so we just sit and i would go in and go into that great library and surround myself with books. but on one occasion. from the minute books i look up and saw an elderly white man in a wheelchair there's a black valet standing at the side turning pages for i would look up and he would like to and i would like down and he would the cut. we cut each other's case and then at the very end of the day the library and said okay it's time to go. as i gathered my books and got my satchel i looked up in the

elderly gentleman was staring at me. with a long policy nodded as if affirming something. as i raced out of the library eager to tell my grandfather who i met. i said daddy you will never guess who i just met in the library. he said who? just tell me. >> george wallace himself. history has a long arc. my grandfather wanted me to live in the realm of hope. an understanding of history. an understanding of the complexity of history but to live in the promise of things that could be. in that library experience in 1982 while sitting there i realized history does have a long large.

they said nothing that is worth doing could be accomplished in a lifetime. therefore we are saved by hope. nothing that is good or beautiful makes complete sense in its immediate context of history. therefore we are saved by faith. nothing, no matter how beautiful therefore we are saved by law. were said by community life is filled with incidents, accidents, and providence. all along the way to returning i been fortunate enough to meet teachers and preachers and local philanthropists and teachers who cared and all those who wanted to nurture the human material of

life. to see through to its execution. for the mine has been a tremendous odyssey of grace and gratitude. thank you for being here. i hope you enjoy the book. [applause] i dream idea i was supposed to read something but take any questions and then just reach your graph. any questions? >> i knew very little about george wallace. but he's very iconic. i knew he embodied everything that prevented me from going into that library. my grandfather upon telling me

that he encountered george wallace and my grandfather who i captured was a very board in type of individual. his sense my grandfather not wanting to inside anger but always wanted to create a frame around every photograph of hope began to explain to me the complexities of history about george wallace and tony who he was and how me to understand what occurred. he framed it in a way that i could appreciate that in 1880 the formation of who we are as a country. my grandfather wanted me to realize that much had changed,

progress had been made. oftentimes slow. also wanted to see myself in that moment the library. all that it helped me in the future. for that i will always be grateful. my grandmother was a housekeeper for all white family in montgomery. they happen to be f scott fitzgerald. she lived next-door and cleaned house and got to know them. one of the daughters of the family went to washington, d.c. on a trip. she brought my grandmother back again. the gift was a snow globe. the snow globe of a white house.

like every southern woman my grandmother trussed up on sundays before church. on saturdays between weddings and funerals. auto stand at her side as she put on her lipstick and told me stories. i does fumble the snow globe and she would say one day you can be in that snow globe. my first day of going into the white house every now and then fantasy and dreams meet reality. all i could think about was going into the white house and thinking of my grandmother standing at her side holding her snow globe. my grandmother was also fortunate to work for a woman who sent thinks home. you know the only kid in second grade reading the new york times on one occasion she sent home a crate of albums in this maybe 15

or 20 longplaying records and all that had wonderful pictures on the front. i'll never forget my grandfather pulling up and bringing the creative albums on the back porch my grandmother telling me about mrs. peabody saint take these records home and give your boy something to listen to. my grandfather said choose an album. and i chose an album because the woman in the florida was in this glorious costume of color and greater array we put on the album and the sound was like anything i had ever heard before. it was jesse norman singing the last four songs of strauss.

absolutely divine. the human voice performing some results in midair. it was my first introduction to opera. i turned up the volume so loud that the kids next-door never having experienced anything like this most hearing amazing grace at one or two high octaves. the kids ran over asking what are you listening to. too curious to ridicule, to open to ideas to poke fun. it was a wonderful defining moment when you look at the comprehension that changes your life forever. for me tell so many of these stories. had teachers along the way i went from stanford university because a high school teacher

who believes i had a great potential to study literature and she stayed after school to help me. i got a scholarship. the university president took me in his arms and assured me that he would take care of me during my time. i did a rotary scholarship to go anywhere to study and i to scotland. what i did i know there are no black people in scotland except tiger woods, when i was always mistaken for. i show up there and i have a lifetime of pleasure in learning. the president university pulls me aside and challenges me. we developed a beautiful relationship. so what he can do when you leave? i said i haven't decided and he looked at me amazed.

knowing my story and the sacrifice and commitment of these people in this little place who believed in me and he said, this is the first time i've encountered you not knowing what was next. think about it come back tomorrow. i left and returned the looked at me and said if you're serious about your future that i'll provide you a full scholarship to stay here for four years to do a phd. because i want you to go back and not accept a job or opportunity to fill in the blank because you feel like you're intellectually just as capable of everyone else applying for the opportunities before you. i stayed in st. andrews for three years until i completed my degree.

wonderful experiences there. on one occasion a classmate asked me if i would go home and spend the weekend and he thought his mom and i would hit it off he was a smoker would smoke three cigarettes every minute. i thought it would be a nightmare and a pick me up clean-shaven started to drive through the countryside. i knew very little about his parents. except they worked in london but had a house in scotland. every three weeks they will come back to the family home. that's all i knew. were writing to the countryside that's where they wrote peter pan. breathtaking hillside and we pass by this castle, the queen mother's first place and we go around a great been in another healing come to this great try. we start on the drive and i look

there and said ron from is against the law to trespass. he looked at me and said no this is my home. and i said this is your home? he said no that the current keepers cottage. we go down the winding path and sitting majestically is this great castle chic, a moat, everything that disney has informed you that a castle should look like. flakes are fine and i recognize one or two. he gets out of the car and runs in. valet comes out and helps me with my luggage. i turned to the valley trying to maintain a sense of composure and dignity. i turned to the attendant and i said i recognize the union

checked the what is the other flight. he is lord patrick's. you mean patty? that's lord patrick's father's leg. i said oh yeah and the other flight. will that is his office and his office being? don't you know he's the lord chamberlain to the majesty the queen. in his mother is a lady in waiting to the majesty the queen. >> oh yes, so three or four weeks later is when they're not at the past castle there at buckingham they invite me to be their guest at the queen's annual garden party. i'm there and it's a white tie affair and there's men with arrows and bows and swords and i'm standing in line this great

receiving line, british decorah met its best. the trumpet sounds and everybody starts see singing what i think is my country 'tis of the boots god save the queen. the queen comes out with her ladies in waiting. in patrick's mom and they draw near me. in patrick's mom comes over and says a couple of words. i'm told what the protocol is when an introduction is about to be made. with a sense of southern decorah my stand and take it in. this woman scimitar said was most curious as to who i was. after greetings were made and i was given an introduction the ladies in waiting followed the queen back to the castle stop and says to me why don't you

come in for a cup of tea before you go back to scotland. related to the side turns and says who is he. in my date having too much to drink says don't you know, the ambassador of nigeria when you see him? [laughter] all i remember them saying this good evening your bush. it was an incredible experience that i met incredible people committed to public service. on one occasion president bush turned and said i know your story. i know the place that you come from and that your grandparents gave up everything they had to rear you. it's an honor to have you here. i know you've heard it before

but to whom much is given, much is required. throughout my life the profits mantle has been a refrain. to whom much is given much is required. on one occasion i was transfixed looking at a painting and president bush it is only he could say, hey motley, with what you looking at? where you looking at abraham lincoln? all i could think of was to tell him the story that my grandfather had told me about his early visits to his great grandfather's house. that over the front door was across and over the back door was a picture of abraham lincoln. for a moment i realized how far i had come from madison park. the day i was leaving for

scotland is when i will always remember. knowing that perhaps this opportunity is great as it was would not allow the opportunity to see my grandparents live out their lives. one of them would probably die while i was way can i abandon this couple limit so much to me to meet such a sacrifice for my own development and growth? taking those thoughts my grandmother came in and said to me, you need to come out. there's a lot of noise outside. i went out to the back porch and i swear all of madison park was there. all the people who gave me little jobs on the side to help save money for college. the retired teachers who tutored me every day after school. the minister of the baptist church and my minister came up

gave me an envelope. it's very thick. i later learned it was about a hundred $50 that the congregation collected in a special offering to support me as i went away to school. he gave me the envelope. another lady gave me a cool whip container of collard greens just in case they didn't have them in scotland. someone started to saying, the minister said a prayer and after the prayer was said on took out a map and went over to the hood of the car and said show me scotland. probably i approach the car ready to show her scotland. i looked at the map of the map was of montgomery alabama.

on b had never been outside of montgomery alabama. let alone the united states. it dawned on me, that my going to scotland was like sending an astronaut to outer space. with me were not only going their prayers, but their hopes and aspirations. their dreams of imagining the unknown in the world that was before me. yet again i was reminded that to whom much is giving, much is required. washington d.c. friend recently found himself in a conference in the company of a successful white attorney from montgomery, alabama. he attempted to play the game to know eric motley? he's from madison park.

the attorney politely replied no i don't. where is madison park? my friend assumed after hearing me talk about madison park so much that everyone in alabama madison park. telling me the story he added that the guy looked at me as if madison park did not exist. as if it were invisible. i guess in many ways madison park does not exist on the radar of navigational systems or printed maps for those who know people were know the story of our community. madison park no doubt to them is invisible. but it's an incredible idea because those who help from the place it's as much an idea as it

is a living, breathing organism. to those who have never heard of it it may not exist. but to the founders who brought the land who laid the cornerstones into the defendants who still care for whether they live there know it is as large as america. they were nurtured in the hearts and minds of citizens over 135 years ago and the people have been trying to make america work for them. the vision of the self-reliant sustaining community where people could come and work to improve their state of play remains the vision of this inhabitant today. the last decade is a publicly share the story of madison park others have affirmed that they too once lived in a similar

place. in many ways, madison park has become a metaphor of places that can seem invisible or nonexistent. these places exist but are there days numbered? of that risk of becoming extinct? i can only hope not. despite the changing landscape the same strong trying and commitment to community remains among the people of madison park. it is deep within the earth carefully and powerfully cultivated by my great-grandfather of the freed slaves began the community and gave it its name. the history is tied to my sense of who i miss spiritual locus that continues to offer inner refuge, soulless, instruction and meaning in the ever-changing flux of daily existence. wherever i go, madison park goes

with me. when i reflect on the roadblock i faced i'm grateful for the community. they sent me in a different path my race, relative poverty, rule southern roots in the absence of biological parents. the people madison park i could never repay. life is like that. wrestling scum relentlessly. were forever in a deficit position. we never get all the think user goodbyes properly said which leaves us living with the burden of gratitude. as long as i can remember my intention is to others but awareness is served to keep my vanity at bay until my concern to others.

for my first day was cut told to come by blessings. their totals run so high can't name them one by one. the sense of having been blessed with my most cherished possession. the abundance i found in life thanks to everyday mentors circumstances far outweighs what i may have earned her what i deserved. thank you very much. [applause] [inaudible]

>> tomorrow night on book tv, books about the environment including charles man, author of the wizard and profit. luther talks about climate change activism. catherine miles book is about man-made earthquakes and jeff writes about the dangers of rising sea levels. >> for nearly 20 years in depth is featured the nation's best-known nonfiction writers for live conversations about their books. has a special project were featuring best-selling writers for in-depth fiction edition. join us live on sunday.