this was not the dresden he recalled.but yet the trip was worth it in that he realized dresden was nowhere physically anymore. it was all going to have to come out of here. he didn't have to show a strict fidelity to the past. it could all take place up here. and so the trip was worth it in that regard. dresden has since undergone a wonderful rehabilitation, and i understand that today it's a beautiful city. but when kurt went there in the late '60s, it was in the throes of the, you know, the soviet plan. other questions? yes. >> i'm curious about the -- [inaudible] you're interested in. are you expressly interested in writers' biographies, or what is it about biography that attracts you? is there one book maybe that started you down that path? >> well, okay, a couple -- that's a couple of questions, all of them are good. when i was in college, i came up with the random goal of reading 15 books every summer. i was working in steel mills and railroad car factories, and the books were my brief vacation at lunchtime or at ni

he can to dresden when it was intact. he was hustled down into a basement room and he came back out and there was no dresden he had gotten off the ships at troy and saw the towers of troy and a volume and then he fell asleep and when he woke up the trojan horse was already inside and was time to the board the ships for home because he was liberated by the russian army not long after that. so he was missing the metal and it wasn't until he arrived at the workshop in a 65 that he finally broke through the structure of the novel that he suddenly realized because of his interaction with other fiction writers he could do something very different and exactly what he wanted to do. he was kind of random cape cod with his family as a free-lance writer and he had very little interaction with other writers and professionals, and a few other freelancers like himself, but nobody who was really on the cusp of anything new in american fiction and when he goes to the workshop he's with donald justice and vance and people making names for

several national champions come from dresden.ck has been an olympic sport for two decades. the skaters zoom several times around a 111 uighur rink at speeds of up to 60 kilometers an hour. unlike regular speed skating, time does not matter. all that counts is to crosses the finish line first. >> keep your left shoulder down, your left shoulder. >> the coach says short track needs $10,000 of training to compete with the best. every move has to become second nature. back muscles need constant work to endure the g-forces in the curves. that is six days a week in an elite sports school. >> i think germans can endure a lot. that is important to get to the top. i think we're doing so well, because athletes often know what they want to become. they have good role models, and that makes them train harder. >> she was once a rol for 10 years, she was a short track racer. now she is passing on her knowledge. >> i like becoming a coach. having my athletes on the podium is a huge success for me. it motivates me every time. >> and perhaps hear

this is dresden in 1945, following the intensive allied bombing campaign in world war ii, and this is moines following an equally intensive negative tv campaign. the campaign has been carried out by wealthy supporters of mitt romney. a month ago, newt was at 33%, this weekend he was down to 12%. the only justice here is personal, that gingrich himself has been a 1,000% behind the court decision, citizens united that made this kind of weapon legal. the question is, is romney's only real threat for the nomination now dead, or can he bounce back in the coming twin debates in new hampshire? can newt gingrich resurrect himself one more time, or is romney's only serious obstacle to the nomination that pair of ricks that remain in the race, santorum and perry. with bachmann in trouble here and huntsman hanging on in new hampshire, that's what this contest has come down to. so is gingrich able to carry on the fight, or has the bombing of des moines killed him for good. chuck todd's is msnbc's political director and chief white house correspondent, and john heilemann is national affairs editor

>> the renter is a man who w back in time when he was young was in love with a young woman in dresden in germany. and unfortunately this was during world war ii and when dresden was attacked by the allies allies and bombed to... well... >> rose: destroyed. >> it was totally destroyed. totally stroyed. and this character, my character's family was totally annihilated. including his girlfriend. and he was so shocked by this and also shocked by the fact that he suived and apparently filled with guilt so he decided t ever to speak, to pronounce one more word in his life. and he doesn't. >> rose: and then he meets is young oscar. >> then he meet this is young oscar, yes. >> rose: and you only communicate by writing. d your hands? >> well, yes. >> rose: that's the only difference. i communicate, just as anybody el. i just don't do it by speaking, i do it by writing. so that's the only difference. the renter is not particularly remaable in other ways. st the fact that he doesn't speak. >> rose: and what do you think of the young actor, thomas horne mo who plays oscar? >> i think he's a remar

thousands of neo nazis gather for a new all marches in dresden often clashing with police and fascist activists and in the bamberg german authorities called two suspects believed to be members of a terror cell that is keep them for years in killing at least ten foreigners but and it was no excuse it's money struggles which are igniting the trouble of course economic on the wrist causes families conflicts and families. solved we have a kind of rage but now the rage was you know escalated racist education germany's maybe on spending billions to pull the eurozone crisis but ignoring economic trouble at home could be at its spirit if we're unchecked it may not be too old before disenfranchised you drank the entire country toward some of the biggest mistakes of this past. forty germany. now we continue with our new series of reports on foreigners who have ventured to russia and the chief huge success here. today we catch up with a british farmer who moved to russia fifteen years ago to milk the country's potential jonker pisky and now owns one of the country's most profitable dairy farms.

problem isn't in germany exists on a much wider scale thousands of new gather for a new marches in dresden often clashing with police and activists and in november german authorities called two suspects believed to be members of a terrorist so that it is keep them for use in killing at least ten foreigners but . it's money struggles which are igniting the trouble of course economic. causes. conflict. solved we have a kind of rage but now. as you know escalated. education germany's spending billions to call the eurozone crisis but ignoring economic trouble at home could be. unchecked it may be too long before disenfranchised you drank the entire country toward some of the biggest mistakes of this past. or to germany. civil rights groups have slammed a controversial new to fans bill signed by president obama a law authorizes indefinite detention of terror suspects without charge or try. while president obama said he had serious reservations about the bill and will not put all of it into action by human rights groups called it a blight legacy as future presidents could use it to its fullest e

neo nazis in germany exists on a much wider scale thousands of new gather for a new all marches in dresden often clashing with police and fascist activists and in november german authorities caught two suspects believed to be members of a neo nazi terrorist so that it is keep them for years and were involved in killing at least ten foreigners but. it's money struggles which are igniting the trouble. it causes families conflict and families. solved we have a kind of rage but now. as you know escalated. education germany's spending billions to call the eurozone crisis but ignoring economic trouble at home could be. if left unchecked it may be too long before disenfranchised youth drags the entire country toward some of the biggest mistakes of its past. germany. our interview with a former german chancellor big time businessman that's coming your way in just a few minutes after the headlines with me rory sushant. news. from. one stream cascading from mom slopes the view is miss moment she moved this beauty brings death at a speed of more than two hundred kilometers. to stephanie but i'm along

getting any money exists on a much wider scale thousands of neo nazis gather for annual marches in dresden often clashing with police and empty fascist activists and in the bammer german authorities caught two suspects believed to be members of a neo nazi terror cell that is keep them stupid. but is. it trouble economic on the wrist causes in family conflict and for families and if they are not solved we have a kind of rage but now the rage was you know escalated racist germany's maybe on spending billions to pull the eurozone crisis but ignoring economic trouble at home could be at its period if we were unchecked it may not be able to disenfranchise you drank the entire country toward some of the biggest mistakes of this past. germany so all rights groups have slammed a controversial new defense bill signed by president obama as indefinite detention of terror suspects without charge or trial president obama said he had serious reservations about the bill and will not make use of all of its provisions but human rights groups called it a blight on obama's legacy as future private presidents

thousands of new gather for a new all marches in dresden often clashing with police and the fascist activists and in the german authorities caught two suspects believed to be members of a neo nazi terrorist so that it is keep them for years and were involved in killing at least ten foreigners but. it's money struggles with. the trouble. it causes. conflict and families. solved we have a kind of rage but now the rage was you know escalated racist education germany's spending billions to call the eurozone crisis but ignoring economic trouble at home could be. it may be too long before disenfranchised youth drags the country toward some of the biggest mistakes of its past. or to germany and artie's come here live from moscow the first talks between israeli and palestinian negotiators in over a year have ended with no breakthrough jordan's foreign minister who hosted the meeting said negotiations were held in a positive atmosphere at the latest marty is policy joining us now live from tel aviv paula good to see you so some it might seem no surprise that there's no breakthrough being made here in

neo nazis in germany exists on a much wider scale thousands of new gather for a needle marches in dresden often clashing with police and activists and in november german authorities caught two suspects believed to be members of a terrorist so that it is keep them for years in killing at least ten foreigners but it was see boredom is no excuse it's money struggles with. the trouble of course economic. causes. conflict and families. solved we have a kind of rage but now the rage was you know escalated racist education germany's maybe on spending billions to pull the eurozone crisis but ignoring economic trouble at home could be. checked it may be too long before disenfranchised youth drank the entire country towards some of the biggest mistakes of its past. or to germany. let's go to some other world news for you here on the top of the world update star tension first out of libya where fighting has broken out in the center of the capital between two armed militia groups leaving at least five dead the clashes a thought though started after former rebels based in tripoli arrested fighters who

neo nazis in germany exists on a much wider scale thousands of new gather for a needle marches in dresden often clashing with police and fascist activists and in november german authorities called two suspects believed to be members of a terror cell that is keep them for years in killing at least ten foreigners but. it's money struggles which are igniting the trouble of course economic. causes families conflict and families. solved we have a kind of rage but now. as you know escalated racist education germany's spending billions to call the eurozone crisis but ignoring economic trouble at home could be. if you have to check it may be too long before disenfranchised you drank the entire country toward some of the biggest mistakes of this past. or to germany. up next we'll talk to former german chancellor and current chairman of the stream gas pipeline guy how true to what he tells us here about the benefits of energy corp but. in russia and discuss ways for the eurozone to escape its debt crisis. gerhard schroeder was charles love germany from one thousand nine hundred to two thousand and

reporters would scamper through the ruins of ramadi and say this reminds me of images of hiroshima and dresden and stalingrad. it had collapsed completely. the provincial capital of anbar province and basically the headquarters of the caliphate they were attempting to launch in iraq. right away three things were obvious to travis patriquin and his colleagues; they had to attack al-qaeda forces with firepower, and they also had to rebuild the shattered local iraqi police force and reach out to the remaining tribal sheikhs, a lot of whom had fled the horror of. and there weren't many left. and although he was only a junior officer, patriquin became the keeley yea son between the sheikhs and the movement that helped transform the war. i think travis patriquin is a symbol not only of the americans who served in iraq, but the americans who have died there and the many americans who have helped the iraqis try to build a new nation out of the horror of this war. perhaps the best way of understanding who patriquin was was to hear what iraqis say about him, what they told me. in the words of a sheikh,

he later went on to firebombing dresden. they beat these guys into submission. the tribal regions. and they said okay, and now what we're going to do is to give you democracy, we're going to give you your own kingdom. they came up with a king, and this king, this was the king of iraq. he was from the saudi arabian peninsula. his name was faisal, and who made him taking? the british made in 18. and where was he crowned? he was crowned in london. and what were his duties? anything he wanted to do, as long as nothing conflicted with the will of the british king. and that was the king of iraq. and periodically, the people would rise up. they would blow up the oil installations, because by this time there was actually a gusher being cultivated in iraq. .. -- we have international treaties. we have the league of nations, we have all this kind of stuff. he said i've got my investment from 1903 which is part of the railway treaty, 1903, and i'm going to litigate you until your second generation pass from the earth, unless i get what i want. for years, they go back and forth. we've got a do

this area was once so amanda and that it was compared to dresden after world war ii.ay the south bronx is a poster child for the urban revitalization and one of the people who really deserves enormous credit for that is with us today. [applause] now, i will get a lot of grief afterwards if i don't once again urge you to take the bridge on your way home wherever you live. [laughter] he showed that investment in affordable housing is the key element of a successful economic development agenda and of the past decade we've created or preserved 40,000 in units of affordable housing here in the south bronx alone and more than 100,000 units across the city. this year we will take steps to bring a more affordable housing to a lower east side around to cite the largely vacant for half a century will begin building of affordable housing and retail space on lavonia avenue in east new york at salt and cleans up randolph houses and central harlem and across the entire nitrous system we will significantly reduce the backlog of repairs that has resulted from substantial, sustained f

this area was once so amanda and that it was compared to dresden after world war ii.nx is a poster child for the urban revitalization and one of the people who really deserves enormous credit for that is with us today. [applause] now, i will get a lot of grief afterwards if i don't once again urge you to take the bridge on your way home wherever you live. [laughter] he showed that investment in affordable housing is the key element of a successful economic development agenda and of the past decade we've created or preserved 40,000 in units of affordable housing here in the south bronx alone and more than 100,000 units across the city. this year we will take steps to bring a more affordable housing to a lower east side around to cite the largely vacant for half a century will begin building of affordable housing and retail space on lavonia avenue in east new york at salt and cleans up randolph houses and central harlem and across the entire nitrous system we will significantly reduce the backlog of repairs that has resulted from substantial, sustained federal budget cu