thomas mallon, wonderful to get to sit with you and talk about this. congratulations on the book. >> thomas: thank you so much. >> evan: wish you much success. thomas mallon. thank you very much. [applause]. >> evan: we'd love to have you join us in the studio. visit our website at klru.org/overheard to find invitations to interviews, q&as with our audience and guests, and an archive of past episodes. >> thomas: in reagan's diary, on the trip he said, "got some --" when he goes to the first banquet. "got some great advice from dick nixon on the china trip, and we took it. when the platters of food came by, he told us, don't ask what it is, just take it and swallow it". [laughter]. >> funding for "overheard" with evan smith is provided in part by mfi foundation, improving the quality of life within our community. also by hillco partners, a texas government affairs consultancy. and by the alice kleberg reynolds foundation. ñ?ñosñç

he's thomas mallon, this is "overheard". [applause]. >> evan: let's be honest. is this about the ability to learn or is this about the experience of not having been taught properly? and how have you avoided what has befallen other nations in africa? you could say that he made his own bed, but you caused him to sleep in it. no, you saw a problem and, over time, took it on. let's start with the sizzle before we get to the steak. are you going to run for president? i think i just got an f from

. >> thomas mallon is the author of nine novels including the latest "finale: a novel of the reagan years." why a book on reagan in fiction form? >> well, it's debatable what historical fiction can accomplish. i think mostly it's supposed to do what other novels do, which is entertain and make people think of it. but i think there's a little bit that historical fiction can do that actual history and actual

thomas mallon was on drugs when he injured a man on a sidewalk. police in walpole are looking for this pair after investigators found skimming devices on a gas station atm. those devices capture bank information. here at 95. a gray and damp day. but outside of 495, could be freezing temperatures. by this evening, we are around 50 degrees. overnight, this line of downpours crossing the area. there could be some thunder with that. 50' s tomorrow. we will cool it down for the weekend. >> how are the roads? >> delays north of town if you are traveling 93 southbound. 128 is slow as well. 128 northbound because of an accident on the shoulder. pike eastbound and the expressway, 30-35. >>> everywhere you look everywhere you go there's a face of somebody >> you know that song. you love that song and you know these beautiful faces, not here, over there. "fuller house" stars. we're looking over at you ladies and it's just taking us back in time. wow. >> look out. you can see each one of the younger girls in these ladies. you can see them. >> yeah. >> you kno

. >> thomas mallon is the author of nine novels including the latest "finale: a novel of the reagan years." why a book on reagan in fiction form? >> well, it's debatable what historical fiction can accomplish. i think mostly it's supposed to do what other novels do, which is entertain and make people think of it. but i think there's a little bit that historical fiction can do that actual history and actual biography can't. as long as the reader knows it's pic, the writer ask -- fiction, the write can gain a certain intimacy that is not always available to the nonfiction writer. you know, if you're writing a biography of ronald reagan and you're, say, dealing with him at the reykjavik summit which is a big part of the book, the biographer will responsibly have to say, well, at this moment it is not unreasonable to pose that reagan may have thought, dot, dot, dot. if you're a novelist, you just go ahead and have him think it. so there's a certain intimacy and drama to it that allows readers to speculate about history in a somewhat different way. >> when does your story take place during the