War Books

Ep 010 - Nonfiction. In September 1942, one of the fiercest battles of WW2 began: Stalingrad. The battle is one of the most written-about of WW2, and I was so glad to pick up Iain MacGregor's new book, "The Lighthouse of Stalingrad," which adds a new layer to the history & chronicles an event crucial to the defeat of the Nazis. In Iain's words, "I wanted to write a very human story." What a gr...

Ep 009 - Nonfiction. In 1861, the Confederacy sent a devious Southern agent abroad to build a Navy. The Union sent an agent to stop him. My interview with Alexander Rose on his thrilling new book, "The Lion And The Fox: Two Rival Spies and the Secret Plot to Build a Confederate Navy."    Support local bookstores & buy Alexander's book here: https://bookshop.org/a/92235/9780358393252...

Ep 008 - Nonfiction. My fascinating conversation about the Vietnam War with Prof. Carolyn Woods Eisenberg, author of the new book "Fire and Rain: Nixon, Kissinger, and the Wars in Southeast Asia." Prof. Eisenberg’s book is a re-examination of Nixon and Kissinger during the Vietnam War. Our conversation touched on the origins of the war, Nixon’s shrew political maneuvering, and how the U.S. made ma...

Ep 007 - Nonfiction. My interview with Karen Baum Gordon on her new book, “The Last Letter: A Father's Struggle, a Daughter's Quest, and the Long Shadow of the Holocaust.” Karen’s book is the first of memoir-style work featured on the show, and man was I glad to talk to her. Karen’s story is an incredible chronicle of her father’s life—from his time growing up in a German-Jewish family, to emigrat...

Ep 006 - Fiction. My first fiction author on the War Books Podcast! The incredibly talented author David Wright Faladé joined me to discuss his new book, “Black Cloud Rising.” Black Cloud Rising takes place in 1863, at a time when former slaves joined the newly formed African Brigade to hunt down rebel guerillas & fight against their former owners. I found the novel to be both exciting & c...

Ep 005 - Nonfiction. My discussion with Woody Holton about his book, "Liberty Is Sweet: The Hidden History of the American Revolution."    Wow, did you know there was an 'emancipation proclamation' issued long before Lincoln? I didn't, and I learned so much. Woody was fascinating to talk to, and his research of the ‘overlooked people’ of the revolution was incredible.    You ca...

Ep 004 - Nonfiction. I interview author Tom Dunkel on his new book, “White Knights in the Black Orchestra: The Extraordinary Story of the Germans Who Resisted Hitler.” Tom is a really great speaker & I loved our discussion about his book. His answers to my questions were profoundly insightful, and I probably could have talked to him for much longer. Topics ranged from assassination attempts ag...

Ep 003 - Nonfiction. I interview author and journalist Simon Parkin on his new book, “The Island of Extraordinary Captives: A Painter, a Poet, an Heiress, and a Spy in a World War II British Internment Camp.”   Simon is a terrific writer & storyteller, and I learned a ton from our conversation. British internment camps, like American internment camps, don’t get the kind of attention that...

Ep 002 - Nonfiction. I interview Steve Kemper on his terrific new book, “Our Man In Tokyo: An American Ambassador and the Countdown to Pearl Harbor.”   Steve and I had a great conversation about Ambassador Joseph Grew, the U.S. Ambassador to Japan in the years leading up to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. We talked Japanese society, diplomatic history, and those crucial days leading up to Pearl...

Ep 001 - Nonfiction. For the very first episode of War Books, I interview historian Dr. Philip W. Blood on his new book, "Birds of Prey: Hitler’s Luftwaffe, Ordinary Soldiers, and the Holocaust in Poland." You can buy Dr. Blood's book here: https://bit.ly/3kIzaQx Subscribe to War Books Podcast: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@warbookspodcast/   Apple/iTunes: http://bit.ly/3ZCL0du Spotify: h...