Q&A

San Diego State University psychology professor Jean Twenge discusses her book "Generations," about the differences between the six generations – The Silents, Baby Boomers, Gen. X, Millennials, Gen. Y and "The Polars" – currently living in the United States. She argues that technological advances shape generations more than anything else and talks about the impact this will have on the country in...

Our guest is Shahan Mufti's, who's new book, American Caliph, recounts an event that's been lost to history-- the March 9th, 1977 Hanafi Muslim siege in Washington, D.C. That day, three buildings in Washington, D.C. were seized by 12 Hanafi Movement gunmen and were held for two days. The group took 149 hostages, killed a young radio reporter named Maurice Williams, and shot then-councilman and fut...

By advancing his judicial philosophies of "originalism" and "textualism," Antonin Scalia became one of the 20th century's most influential justices. This week, James Rosen talks about Book One of his two-part biography of Antonin Scalia, titled "Scalia: Rise to Greatness, 1936-1986," Rosen who is Newsmax's Chief White House Correspondent examines Justice Scalia's life prior to the Supreme Court. W...

In this episode, you'll meet Ilyon Woo, author of a new bestseller-- "Master Slave, Husband Wife." She recounts the harrowing journey of self-emancipation made by two enslaved Georgians--William and Ellen Craft -- in 1848. Disguised as a wealthy disabled white man traveling with his enslaved servant, the Crafts left Georgia via public conveyances, avoiding slave traders, law enforcement, and curio...

A year before Arkansas' Little Rock Central High School was desegregated, 12 Black students in Clinton, Tennessee, enrolled, by court mandate, in Clinton High School's 1956 Fall semester. Historian Rachel Louise Martin, author of "A Most Tolerant Little Town," talks about the experiences of the students who desegregated the first school in the south following Brown v. Board of Education and the vi...

Axios chief financial correspondent Felix Salmon, author of "The Phoenix Economy," talks about the long-term social and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. He argues that while the pandemic was devastating, many of the outcomes that have resulted from it have been surprisingly positive.       Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Historian and Politico contributing writer Joshua Zeitz, author of "Lincoln's God," talks about the impact of faith on America's 16th president. Zeitz contends that as a young man, Abraham Lincoln was skeptical of organized religion but later, as president, came to embrace the power of evangelical Protestantism, both personally and politically.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.f...

Guardian newspaper editorial writer and former China correspondent Tania Branigan, author of "Red Memory," talks about China's Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), during which millions of Chinese were killed and tens of millions were persecuted by the Chinese government for being enemies of the state. In the book, Ms. Branigan profiles several people who were targeted during this period and discusses...

This July 4th weekend, University of Michigan musicology and American culture professor Mark Clague discusses his book, "O Say Can You Hear?," about the history and cultural impact of the Star-Spangled Banner. He talks about how the 1814 poem written by Francis Scott Key became the U.S. national anthem, its widespread use today at sporting events, and renditions of the song performed by Jimi Hendr...

Historian Cassandra Good talks about the lives and complicated legacies of George Washington's heirs. George and Martha Washington never had children together, but they raised Martha's children, and later grandchildren, as their own. Together they made up America's first "first family."    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emmett Till's cousin Rev. Wheeler Parker Jr., who accompanied Till on his trip to Mississippi in 1955, talked about the fateful events leading up to Till's murder by two white men and his efforts to get justice for his late cousin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Slate magazine staff writer Henry Grabar, author of "Paved Paradise," talks about the evolution of parking in the United States and the consequences of that development today. He argues that the decades-long importance given to parking has negatively impacted housing costs and development, city traffic, the environment, and more.      Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA), author of "Lost and Broken," talks about his decades-long struggle living with chronic pain and anxiety and discusses his efforts to find the right treatment. He also talks about the U.S. healthcare system and its ability to meet the needs of Americans with physical and mental health issues.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Memorial Day weekend on Q&A, Daniel Weiss, president & CEO of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and author of "In That Time," talks about the life of poet and musician Michael O'Donnell, who went missing in action during the Vietnam War after the helicopter he was piloting was shot down over Cambodia.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bloomberg Businessweek feature writer Ashlee Vance discusses his book "When the Heavens Went on Sale," about the private companies launching small satellites into Earth's lower orbit for commercial and noncommercial use. In the last three years alone, the number of satellites orbiting Earth has gone from 2,500 to 8,000. Mr. Vance estimates that these companies will put up tens of thousands more ov...

Longtime syndicated columnist and author Cal Thomas discusses his book "A Watchman in the Night," a look back at his over 50 year career in journalism and the political and cultural events he covered over that time. He also talks about his assessments of Presidents Reagan through Biden. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Diego State University psychology professor Jean Twenge discusses her book "Generations," about the differences between the six generations – The Silents, Baby Boomers, Gen. X, Millennials, Gen. Y and "The Polars" – currently living in the United States. She argues that technological advances shape generations more than anything else and talks about the impact this will have on the country in...

Presidential historian and author Richard Norton Smith discusses his biography of President Gerald Ford titled "An Ordinary Man." He talks about Ford's personal life, anti-establishment politics, and post-presidential years. He also talks about the efforts made by President Ford to heal the country following the Watergate scandal and his controversial decision to pardon Richard Nixon.    Learn mor...

The one thing most anyone knows about First Lady Edith Wilson is that she conspired to cover for Woodrow Wilson after he suffered a debilitating stroke in 1919. There's much more to this complex woman's story, says this week's guest, Rebecca Boggs Roberts. She's the author of a new Edith Wilson biography titled "Untold Power." She describes Edith Bolling's rise from rural Virginia with only two ye...

For two weeks in March 2023, former U.S. representatives David Bonior (D-MI) and Jim McDermott (D-WA), along with retired Catholic priest Peter Daly, went to Poland and Ukraine to meet with Ukrainians who have fled their homes since Russia's invasion in February 2022. Rep. Bonior and Father Daly joined us to talk about their trip and share stories about the people and refugee organizations they vi...

Supreme Court reporter Joan Biskupic, author of "Nine Black Robes," talks about the Supreme Court during and after the Trump administration. She argues that President Trump's three appointments to the Court accelerated its rightward shift, leading to the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. She also provides a look at the behind-the-scenes dealmaking that the justices engage in when deciding cases....

In April of 2021, former Wall Street Journal reporter and Washington, DC, resident Neil King joined us to recount tales of his nearly 300 mile trek from the nation's capital to New York City, a journey he chronicled on Twitter. Now, two years later, he has published a book about his walk titled "American Ramble: A Walk of Memory and Renewal." This week, as his book is published, we're re-airing ou...

Bestselling author and journalist Jeff Hobbs discusses his book "Children of the State," which looks at the workings of the juvenile justice system in the United States. Mr. Hobbs focuses on three juvenile programs – in San Francisco; Wilmington, Delaware; and New York City – that handle minors at different stages of the juvenile justice process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.f...

Texas A&M American history professor Elizabeth Cobbs, author of "Fearless Women," talks about the history of feminism and feminists in the United States from the American Revolution to today. She profiles well-known and not-so-well-known women who have made an impact on American history and culture.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By advancing his judicial philosophies of "originalism" and "textualism," Antonin Scalia became one of the 20th century's most influential justices. This week, James Rosen talks about Book One of his two-part biography of Antonin Scalia, titled "Scalia: Rise to Greatness, 1936-1986," Rosen who is Newsmax's Chief White House Correspondent examines Justice Scalia's life prior to the Supreme Court. W...