university of pennsylvania in philadelphia this week and were joined by the president of the university, amy gutmann. she's the author of this book, "the spirit of compromise: why governing demands it and campaigning undermines it." president gutmann, are we a politically compromised? >> guest: we were created in compromise. a lot of people think of the revolutionary war, which separated us from our mother country. but if you recall -- i know you weren't there then, but if you recall historically speaking our founding fathers crafted a compromise that created the constitution. they were as polarized as any set of americans have been throughout our country and our history. they were pro-and anti-slavery and the compromise. so yes, we were founded in compromise, that today compromises become more difficult than ever before. >> host: what do you mean when you talk about the uncompromising mindset? >> guest: we live in an era characterized as a permanent campaign, where everyday is election day in campaigning and election may make for uncompromising minds. you stand in your principles, mobilize your bas

amy gutmann and dennis thompson are the co-authors. this is book tv on c-span2. >>> from book tv recent visit to providence rhode island author and to the surprise when a journalist michael stanton talks about his book the prince of providence the rise and fall of america's most nefarious -- notorious mayor. >> it's the story of the body anthony, the longest serving mayor in rhode island history. he was lovable and had transformed the city in providence through a city that was rated in the publications and he also presided over the breathtaking corruption over three different decades that ultimately landed in the present and he's a very colorful character. i called him america's longest act because he would be in the city in the limousine he would have a cup of hot cut in one hand and a cigarette in the other and the key to the city when i set out to write a book about him he was the embodiment of american politics and he reflected providence as one of the oldest cities to embody the political story. then he grew up in kind of a privil

amy and gutmann and dennis thompson are the authors of it. this is book tv on c-span2. >> cure is a look at some books being published this week. senior columnist for newsweek and the daily beast and political anchor of new york one. a colleague has written a second volume of the book deadline artists a collection of america's greatest ms. bigger column this one focusing on scandals of the tragedies and triumphs. >> we didn't even know about the scandal before it happened but this is the best book year because we didn't write it. >> that's indeed true. we went out and collected dozens and dozens and settled on several dozens that were put together for people like to like newspaper columns. you can't find them all in one place so we did the ticking for you. >> it's a great american art form and you read people and realize this is literature this is the american art form, its literature and its history in the present tense and gives a perspective on our own times and our own scandals, tragedies and triumphs. you can read about earthquakes, floo