well, i can't really think of another novel, um, and i love so many novels, and i teach so many novels, and i love them all. but i can't think of another one that had the impact of "uncle tom's cabin." you know, where does one begin? it's now translated into over 70 languages, and every year even now new editions and new languages keep coming out. t just an incredible -- it's just an incredible international phenomenon. again, where do you begin? in russia there were 57 editions published there. well, first it was banned in russia because it was considered a subversive novel. but then in 1867 it was published and then 57 -- and it was lenin's favorite novel. and it directly influenced the emancipation of the serfs in 1861, and it lay behind the russian revolution. it was one of the influences behind the russian revolution. um, anyway, as i say, the play went kind of everywhere. in america there are so many different versions of the play in america. the play was played in chicago in jewish, and instead of the bible, the tall mutt was being read on stage. so it became an instantly kind o

well, i can't really think of another novel and i love so many novels and teach so many novels and love them all, but i can't think of another that had the impact of uncle tom's cabin. you know, where does one begin? it's now translated into over 70 languages, and every year even now new additions and -- new editions and new languages keep coming out. it's an up credible international phenomena. again, where do you begin? in russia, there's 57 editions published there. first, it was banned in russia because it was considered a subversive novel, but then in 1857 it was lennon's favorite novel and it laid behind the russian revolution, it was one of the influences of the russian revolution. anyway, as i was saying, the play went everywhere. in america, there's so many different versions of the play. in america, the play was played in chicago in jewish, and instead of the bible, the -- it was an adaptable play. there was even a roman catholic version of the play even though harriet beecher stowe was a protestant. at first it was banned in italy because it's a protestant novel. [laughter] b

that i probably will never write, it will be a courtroom novel. and scott didn't invent the genre. neither did john grisham. earl stanley gardner was writing courtroom drama in the 1930's and 1940's. "anatty of a murder" came out in 1958. first we have "to kill a mockingbird," whic most lawyers and most lawyer authors will tell you is kind of the seminal work of why we got interested. and i started writing a novel as i was approaching my 40th birthday. i wrote most of it on a ferry going to and from work every day. it took me

. >> i think it is our national novel. if there was a national novel of week, this would be it for the united states. i think it's the favorite book of almost everybody you meet. >> the first time in my life that the book had sort of captured me. that was exciting. i didn't realize that literature could do that. >> i remember reading a copy of my aunt's in jamaica queens. it was the first book ever written by a white writer that discussed racism in ways that was complicate and sophisticated. -- complicated and sophisticated. >> a touchstone in american literary and social history. it's a story gently tugged at the issues of racism. >> she was a champion of people who helped us get liberated from racism in this country. >> harper lee's first and only novel. >> a masterpiece is masterpieces not because they're flawless but because they tap into something essential to us, at the heart of who we are and how -- >> a masterpiece and a mystery. >> of course, one kept hoping and waiting for the next novel. sadly, that never came.

i write novels about the types of cases that lawyers like tony handle. in the daytime i work for a big law firm of the type that tony probably would not hold in the highest of esteem, but i'm delighted to be here. you know, i think if you talked to most authors, they will tell you that there is something hot-wired into our system that says we need to try to tell a story. there is nothing at all in my background. i am an absolutely accidental writer. there is nothing in my background which suggests i should be writing novels. i grew up in chicago. iwr

that i probably will never write, it will be a courtroom novel. and scott didn't invent the genre. neither did john grisham. earl stanley gardner was writing courtroom drama in the 1930's and 1940's. "anatty of a murder" came out in 1958. first we have "to kill a mockingbird," which most lawyers and most lawyer authors will tell you is kind of the seminal work of why we got interested. and i started writing a novel as i was approaching my 40th birthday. i wrote most of it on a ferry going to and from work every day. it took me three years. and that book became "special circumstances," story of a murder in a big law firm. it came out in 2000 and spent seven weeks on "the new york times"' bestsellers' list. so for those of you who have bought my books, i thank you, because now i don't have to practice law full-time anymore. >> but all kidding aside, you know, i think crime novelists and readers of crime novels whether it's lawyer books or whether it's private detectives or cops, you know, in my world i'm like -- unlike tony's, i can control the outc

many of them are very, very good novels, great novels. but they emily about new england history, local color, and children's stories. most of them, however, shy away. some controversial issues. she tried in her own way to help black people by moving. when she moved to florida power parts of the winter she helped ted found a school that was semi integrated, close to being integrated, but could become and that table one for white children and one for blacks. she really remains a hero among african-americans. she takes a practical steps, but really shies away. she tries to focus on new england history and matters. she does a marvelous job. her first book. her first novel. she had written magazine pieces before that. so yes. >> thank you. , wanted thank you all for coming tonight. i want to recognize that we are joined by john hendrick, says biographer. thank you for being here tonight. other friends and colleagues and scholars and historians. thank you all for being here. be sure and spend a few minutes and get your copy of david reynolds wo

thank you for inviting me. >> hinojosa: so you write this amazing novel, push. ends up on the new york times bestseller list, published in 1996. >> exactly. >> hinojosa: and then in the year 2009, push becomes precious, the movie. and it's a movie essentially about a young girl in harlem. she's obese, and she's brutalized by her mother and her father. and a lot of people kind of focus on the horrible things that happen both in the book and in the movie. but you really see this story about what? >> i saw it as a story of transformation. i saw it as a story of rebirth. i saw it as a story of someone who had been near dead or unable to live fully. and i saw it as a coming to life. and that is what has attracted so many people to the novel and especially to the movie, is that it doesn't... while we see the brutality, while we see the evil, we mostly see and exalt in this girl's coming to life, and, you know, we're rooting for her. and gabourey, our star, we're seeing her literally open like a flower, you know, become beautiful, become alive. >> hinojosa: and yet...

, 19 novels.he most recent, "the devil's light." we also thank our audiences here and on the internet, television ask radio. tonight's telecast is part of the good lit series underwritten by the bernard osher foundation. i'm jonathan curiel, and this meeting of the commonwealth of california, the place where you're in the know, is adjourned. [applause] >> jonathan, thank you very much. great. thank you. >> thank you. >> for more information on richard north patterson and his work, visit richardnorthpattersonbooks.com. >> carl elliot, what is your book about? >> um, it's about the way that medicine has changed as it's been transformed from a profession to a business, essentially. um, traditionally medicine has been largely a self-policed, honor-based profession, and over the past 30 years or so it has been, um, taken over by a range of market-based forces; the pharmaceutical industry, clinical trials industry, the medical education industry. a whole range of profit-based businesses which recalled t

my first novel was 93. so the issues. and i went and looked at it and realize that i was at a different guy in '93 than i was in 79. i will give you one glassmaking example. i was dating a couple of girls that didn't want to see. that is a gross thing. it really struck me when i was sitting there in 93. my guide. that is lane. and so i went back and exercised a few things. but i think that having had a more or less fully formed conscience, some work after that i committed errors. bricks are there subjects? and other subjects that you would love to tackle but in essence your afraid to go there because it is not beyond your ability but somehow to charged to something you just want to stay clear? have done already? >> you know, by the time you have written about partial birth abortion, israel, and palestine have done about as bad as you could do. i don't know if i could do any worse than those even if i'd tried. a book i thought about doing, and i don't think i'm ever going to do. was thinking about doing something related t

so i had to make up the form of the novel. and i really love writing novels. i'm working on one now as well as doing my other research and i have a new book, "indios" coming out this october. which is from a new press that i haven't been with before, wings press, in texas. but they are doing a beautiful job. it's going to be a small hard cover book. it's a performance piece. which is right along your lines. and long poems, both. narrative poem in four parts. >> host: connie are you still with us? >> caller: i am. >> host: hang on. >> guest: i know, connie, i have questions for you. where have you been all of these years? >> caller: i'm teaching a amherst. i'm a career playwright. >> guest: i know. we both got gooken humans in the same here. -- guggenheims in the same year. >> host: okay. do you know if her books are used in creative language classes. >>>> caller: yes, i check to see what people are buying. they are. >> guest: thank you. let's do keep in touch. >> host: linda, do you have a web site for her to get ahold of me. maybe she could leave her informat

this novel is called bright's passage. makes some fourth of july celebrations so explosive.çç ♪ >> i'm tom stiner. and i work with pyro shows-- this great company in tennessee that for the ninth year in a row has been awarded the honor to come here and salute the nation with a terrific fireworks show. if it has a theme, you start with a theme and then you select the music if it's going to be a choreographed show.oç ♪ this show, the theme is undivided we stand in honor of the 10th anniversary of 9/11. in any patriotic show you'll have a lot of red, white, and blue. in this show you'll have just a lot of "we love america."ó[ we have ten-inch shells, eight- most of the fireworks come from china for all companies. we get some fireworks from italy and some fireworks from spain to achieve the best color. and we buy the fireworks that are traditionally proved and loved and then we'll take all of the new ones we can get to stay up with the technology as well. there is an awful lot of physics and a lot of chemistry and a lot of