benjamin franklin big and life figure quintessential american, homespun, shrewd, smart, entrepreneurial, represents so much of the american character. this is a wonderful biography. and, finally i happen to love ancient roman history. this book is all about the roman poet who was sort of the artist in resident in the court of nero. and sort of the odd juxtapositions between this thoughtful man and this vibrant nero, and how he tried to survive in that time period while being on the other hand, a very senior advisor to nero. and it was a very tricky business. so it's a great piece of roman history about a very controversial and not easy relationship and a very very easy and great read if you like ancient roman history as i do. so that's my summer reading for now add up to be back after with an equal number of recommendations. >> booktv wants to know what you are reading this summer. tweet us your answer at booktv, or you can post it on our facebook page facebook.com/booktv. >> this summer booktv will cover both festivals from around the country and top nonfiction authors and books. that'

franklin square hosts a screening of disney's big hero 6 at 8:30. >>> wawa offers free hoagies on independence mall. the highlight of the week is the concert on the benjaminnklin parkway, the fourth of the july parade the fireworks and concert can be seen live on 6abc. the we're the broadcast partner of wawa welcome america bash. >> here at the big board take a look at this video hundreds of people were hurt after a fire at a water park in taiwan. the flames spread into a crowd of about one thousand spectators, more than five hundred people were hurt be medics were rushing people from the scene, 8 people are in critical condition this morning. police are questioning several people including the two park workers who launched the powder. meanwhile, the premiere announced a ban on the parties that cruise the colorful powder. >>> hundreds of tunisians are banning together against extremism. some held signs that said stopped terrorism while others lit candle for the victims of the friday attack. a gunman pulled an assault rifle out of his beach umbrella and killed 38 people before security forces shot and killed him. witnesses say he used grenades as he moved

and, ultimately we start to ask the real big questions, when is it worth going to war. abraham -- i'm sorry benjamin franklin, i quote in the beginning of the book, says there was never a good war or a bad peace. he said that in 1783 just as the revolution ends. and i'm not sure that i agree with that, but the trick is to figure out when is a good war. and that's certainly part of the question that this book tries to explore. >> so talk a little bit about the militia in the revolutionary war. i don't -- i cowrote a biography of benedict arnold's wife, peggy shipman, and in that book we dealt with a little bit about militia and how you couldn't order militia around the way you could regular soldiers. there's one case where benedict arnold's aide tells a militia member to fetch him a barber, and that causes a giant incident in philadelphia which arnold gets denounced in the newspapers and all that, because you're not supposed to give orders to militia. >> well, this is really part of the mythic narrative that we tend to learn if we learn anything at all about our school book history of the revolution, you know

big hero 6. wawa offers free hoagies on independence mall and free admission to the national constitution center. highlight of the of the could not certificate on the benjamin franklin parkway -- highlight is the concert on the benjamin franklin parkway we are the broadcast partner of wawa welcome america bash. we snap it. we stack it. we smoosh it. we love it. hershey's makes it a s'more... you make it special. hershey's is mine, yours our chocolate. ♪♪ ♪♪ to you they're more than just a pet. so protect them... ...with k9 advantix® ii. it's broad-spectrum protection kills fleas ticks and mosquitoes too. k9 advantix® ii. for the love of dog™. >> this fiery crash in spartanburg, south carolina killed three people. a tanker truck and two other people collided. all lanes were closed for hours. the firefighters battled the flames, there's no word on what caused the crash. >>> hundreds of people are hurt in taiwan at a water park. a powder was thrown from the stage and it exploded. medics rushed victims from the scene, 8 people are in critical condition. police are questioning several people including the two park workers who launched the powder. meanwhile, there's a ban

and, ultimately we start to ask the real big questions, when is it worth going to war. abraham -- i'm sorry benjamin franklin, i quote in the beginning of the book, says there was never a good war or a bad peace. he said that in 1783 just as the revolution ends. and i'm not sure that i agree with that, but the trick is to figure out when is a good war. and that's certainly part of the question that this book tries to explore. >> so talk a little bit about the militia in the revolutionary war. i don't -- i cowrote a biography of benedict arnold's wife, peggy shipman, and in that book we dealt with a little bit about militia and how you couldn't order militia around the way you could regular soldiers. there's one case where benedict arnold's aide tells a militia member to fetch him a barber, and that causes a giant incident in philadelphia which arnold gets denounced in the newspapers and all that, because you're not supposed to give orders to militia. >> well, this is really part of the mythic narrative that we tend to learn if we learn anything at all about our school book history of the revolution, you know