let's give it up for ted rall, ladies and gentlemen,. [applause] >> we will be up your signing books. they do so much for coming. >> if you would please fold up the chairs. [inaudible conversations] >> booktv is on twitter and facebook. tweet us, twitter.com/booktv, or post a comment on our facebook page, facebook.com/booktv. >> published by national geographic, "mars up close" has been written by marc kaufman. what's your background to write about space exploration? >> my background is actually as a journalist long time, and not as a science journalist. i was a foreign correspondent for a long time for "the philadelphia inquirer" and the "washington post," but what i learned was that being in foreign countries is kind of a good way of learning how to speak to scientists. they are talking a different light which, different culture. you spend time with them and work it out and to come up with some really fascinating things. >> what was a curiosity? >> curiosity was the rover up on to mars, and it is searching for

." >> journalist ted rall talks about his two trips to afghanistan as an unembedded journalist first and 2001 and again in 2011. this is a little under one hour. >> thank u. all for coming. really appreciate it. it's good also to be in the cooler of the rooms here at kramerbooks. i was little scared when i first walked in. i thought i survived afghanistan only to die at kramerbooks. it's great to be here and great to see you guys here. it's nice to see people are interested in the subject because back in 2001 this seems to be, when invading afghanistan seemed to be the are missing to do in the approval rating was in the '9