so professor markel, let me just call you howard now. if i may. for those who aren't familiar, tell us a little bit about these two addicts. what brought you to think about these two people and put them in one book? >> well, when i started, i wanted to write a cultural history of addiction. addiction is a rather new concept in medicine and medical history. the original meaning of the word comes from law, so what it meant in antiquity is a fight you a great deal of money, and i could not be back, you take me before a judge he would make me your addicts, or slave. i was enslaved to you until i get pay restitution. i love that. now, the concept of being enslaved is something extraneous to you is really remarkable, but it wasn't really until the 1820s or '30s that doctor started to think about addiction, the modern definition is using a substance, but using a substance not only with great and grave consequences but a loss of control. you know it's going to harm you, but you still do it anyway. that's difference than substance abuse. you have a loss of

and professor howard markel. i want to thank you for coming, and i want to thank c-span and the institute of humanities and the book fair and the library, thank you, howard markel. >> thank you. [applause] >> for more information, visit the author's web site, howardmarkel.com >> up next, journalist mike weiss talks about the killing of san francisco mayor george moscone and supervisor dan white in november of 1978. this is about an hour. >> good evening and welcome to tonight's meeting of the commonwealth club of california. i'm steven seiber. i will be your mott raider for tonight's program. we also welcome our listening audience and invite everybody to visit us as commonwealth club.org. our speaker is journalist and author mike weiss. in 1978 and 1979, mike did extensive reporting on the assassinations of mayor george moscone and supervisor harvey milk while working for rolling stone and time magazine. tonight mike is here to discuss this book "double play:." "double play" is about a time in the city's history

so professor markel, let me call you howard now if i may. for those aren't familiar, maybe especially with all said, tell us about the setup of these these two addicts. what brought you to think about these people and put them in one book? >> well, when i started i wanted to write a cultural history of addiction. you know, addiction is a rather new concept in medicine and medical history. the original meaning of the word came for a room at the peak of the it meant antiquities if i had you a great deal of money i could not pay you back it would take me before a judge and make them your at it or slave and i would say to you until he could pay restitution i love that. the concept of being enslaved to something extraneous to you is really remarkable. but it wasn't until the 1820s or 30s that dock or started thinking about addiction. moderate definition is using a substance that can be a behavior as well, but using a substance not only with great and grave consequences but a loss of control so you know it's going our new and still do it anyways d

howard markel just by introducing the of their first let me say it my a particular culture you always begin talking about yourself under any circumstances. [laughter] which is related to furry but in any case it is called narcissism i am about to fly off to bet this to this location going immediate the two the airport i find myself addicted to strawberries to come back with the raging case of tuberculosis which is not a related to the professors wonderful first to book the first of which was award-winning quarantine the eastern european immigrants and the epidemic of 8092 that johns hopkins press pomp -- published in 1997 and also when terms travel that have invaded america says the 1900. and deion is also the publisher of at "an anatomy of addiction" i am delighted to tell you the barnes & noble book stole at -- bookstore is still in existence that deserves a round of applause and to have the book back on the table to be purchased after words. professor howard markel at distinguished professor and a professor of pediatrics and communicable diseases as professor of history, health man

the institution of humanities and the ann arbor book fair and the hatcher library, thank you, howard markel. [applause] >> for more information visit the author's website, howardmarkel.com. >> we would like to hear from you. tweet us with the book, twitter.com/booktv. >> and now i booktv, joseph mccartin recounts the professional air traffic controllers organization called for an illegal strike in august of 1981 and the subsequent firing of the strikers by president ronald reagan. this lasts an hour and 10 minutes. it took place at the jimmy carter presidential library and museum in atlanta, georgia. >> hey, everybody, thank you for coming tonight. before i introduce joseph mccartin i would like to say a few words about what led to the collaboration between the two libraries on this event. some of them you may know that they are guys which is part of the special collection at georgia state university library houses the records of the professional air traffic controllers organization. doctor mccartney is the collection before it was ever even opened, process and open for research. when barba