good to meet you. >> edward nixon is the co-author of "the nixons: a family portrait."ed in advisor to companies in the field of earth science. for more information on the author, visit this website. ♪ >> book tv is asking, what are you reading? >> former house historian ray smock. what are you reading? >> right now i'm reading richard bernstein's book on the founding fathers, the founding fathers reconsidered, which is a new book that's just out and richard is a wonderful writer who characterizes the founding fathers of this country, looks at them with a fresh eye and it's just a wonderful book. and another one that's closely related is also by richard beeman who has a new book on the constitutional convention and the men of the constitutional convention. those are the two books i'mvñ reading simultaneously right now. >> rick pearlstine author of nixonland. what are you reading? >> the culture of narcissism which came out in 1979. it was a surprise bestseller even though it was a dense piece of argumentation. it's supposedly informed a speech carter gave in which he ar

it originally aired on "washington journal" and is a 50 minutes we went to welcome edward nixon and the nixon family portrait thank you for being with us. >> host: why this book and why now? >> guest: this question always comes up. it was in my mind for a long time. i have my brother who is two years older or two years younger was pretty close to the end of his life and he had not hodgkins lymphoma which got him one year later he said you have to write this book i cannot finish it. but we have to straighten out the story and get those innuendos in place and give us the right facts. it began but it took a long time to get it going. >> host: let me read a couple of exurbs but first of all use a dick was the most self disciplined person i have ever known >> guest: i think that is altogether right on target because he was so affected by his older brother harold when he passed away. i was three years old when harold died. and arthur was gone five years before i was born so here he has two brothers and tough times. and the depression years is just about where i began and he really sought to f