. >> now we are alive with author david merrin s. talking about his many books. ou can participate by calling or texting in during the program or by sending in questions via e-mail, twitter or facebook. >> host: david maraniss, what inspired you to write about detroit in 1963. >> guest: it was the inspiration for any of my books. in 2011 is in new y

. >> now we are alive with author david merrin s. talking about his many books. you can participate by calling or texting in during the program or by sending in questions via e-mail, twitter or facebook. >> host: david maraniss, what inspired you to write about detroit in 1963. >> guest: it was the inspiration for any of my books. in 2011 is in new york city in a bar across the street from the circle in the square theatre wordplay lombardi was playing. i was there with the cast of lombardi, watching the packers in the super bowl, which was sort of surreal in the first place. i was standing next to who played lombardi in the play and i was looking at the screen at halftime. i was nervous because i am a packers fan. there he was on the screenplay and lombardi and the little skip the network had him do. and then, all of a sudden there was a commercial and i wasn't really focused, but i saw a freeway sign on the commercial that said detroit and not caught my attention. .. restored theater in downtown detroit, and walked down the aisle, and there's a black gospel choir