T.D. Davis's Blog: Lights... Camera - Authors!

The Week of the Women

As the Winter Olympics open today, check out Angela Stent, expert on Russia and Eastern Europe, as she talks with Dimitri Simes, former foreign policy advisor to President Richard Nixon, about post Cold War history of the U.S. and Russia and what she believes is the best way forward for the two nations. http://www.c-span.org/video/?316654-1...

And after getting up to speed on foreign policy, come back to the U.S. and explore the history of women in the country and around the world - a story that's rarely taught in high school or college without seeking a Gender Studies curriculum. Bonnie Morris, proudly presents a beginner's exploratory discussion of women in history - and tosses in an interesting personal perspective as well.
After appearing on our program her book, "Women's History for Beginners" sold out on Amazon within forty-eight hours.
http://www.c-span.org/video/?317039-1...

Happy watching and happy reading!

Next week, the inside story of the CIA as presented by its former long-standing general counsel.

Ethnic History in the U.S.

Forgive the long delay! For those of you looking for great video to accompany your stellar readings lists, I offer the following.

Nick Johnson's "Negroes and the Gun" presents an intriguing history of gun rights advocacy among African Americans. He argues that in the Jim Crow South, blacks insisted upon keeping arms for self-protection. But the emphasis on non-violence during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s tucked that history of self-protection away. Watch Johnson's discussion with Zaheer Ali, chief researcher of Columbia University's Malcolm X Project: http://c-spanvideo.org/program/Nicholas.

This past weekend, Felipe Fernandez-Armesto discussed the history of Latin people in North America and the United States in particular. From conquest and death by disease, to the fight for legal immigration status today, Fernandez-Armesto makes the case that there has always been a struggle for domination on the continent and that struggle is entering a new era. He talks with New York Times reporter Tanzina Vega here:
http://c-spanvideo.org/program/Felip.

Next week Angela Stent and Dimitri Simes discuss the current relationship between the U.S. and Russia, as the Winter Olympics kick off in the midst of Edward Snowden's extended asylum. Stay tuned - and happy reading.

Faith and Guns

Ranya Idliby and Daisy Khan spotlight the bigoted, even threatening behavior of those harboring anti-Muslim prejudices. They discuss Idliby's new release "Burqas, Baseball and Apple Pie: Being Muslim in America." Click here to watch: http://c-spanvideo.org/program/Rany
Idliby became a bestselling author with the 2007 release, "The Faith Club: A Muslim, A Christian, A Jew - Three Women Search for Understanding," co-authored with Suzanne Oliver and Priscilla Warner.

This weekend explores the history of gun ownership in African-American communities. Author Nicholas Johnson argues that there's a long history of blacks being pro-Second Amendment in the interest of self-protection. Check back next week for link.

Happy reading!

Right, Left and Levin

I'm obviously way behind on the week, as the second weekend of the year is upon us, and I haven't caught you all up my first. January 4th and 5th was the weekend of the Levins. Yuval Levin (pronounced LEH-vihn) had a "Great Debate" with National Review's Jonah Goldberg about the origins of the political Left and Right: http://c-spanvideo.org/program/Yuva. Then, radio talk show host and bestselling author Mark Levin (pronounced Leh-VIHN) spent three hours on air facing critics and admirers alike, discussing his four works on constitutional law, as well as his poignant partial memoir "Rescuing Sprite":
http://c-spanvideo.org/program/MarkLev.

This weekend, Ranya Idliby and Daisy Khan present with startling and disturbing clarity what it's like to be a Muslim American in a post-9/11 world. I will do my best to get that link to you all by Tuesday next week.

Enjoy a warmer weekend to this Artic Vortez week. Happy reading!

God and Poltics

Happy New Year happy readers! Forgive the delay in posting the Christmas weekend's video, but at long last Peter Gottschalk's discussion of religious intolerance in the U.S. can be found here:
http://c-spanvideo.org/program/Gotts

Rounding out the prime time schedule of the holiday season is Charles Moore's discussion with veteran British journalist Toby Harnden on the life and times of Margaret Thatcher. The late British Prime Minister gave Moore multiple interviews and full access to her papers for the construction of a two-part, authorized biography. He published part one shortly after her death, and part two is expected next year. His discussion on part one, "Margaret Thatcher: From Grantham to the Falklands," can be found here:
http://c-spanvideo.org/program/CharlesM.

And don't forget to check out www.middleagedmartialartsmom.wordpres...

Until next week, happy reading!

Education Authors

A quick note to Diane Ravitch fans, author of "The Death and Life of the Great American School System." While trolling the web and blogging in my post-Christmas sugar crash, I discovered that the former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education has a blog that she seems to contribute to with remarkable frequency.
http://dianeravitch.net/

Last time she did a show of mine, it was a lively, contentious discussion with Steven Brill about the good and the bad of U.S. education. Watch here: http://c-spanvideo.org/program/StevenB
And for an earlier appearance, speaking on her own book: http://c-spanvideo.org/program/Ravi

Don't forget to check in on my alter ego (or perhaps my primary personality) at www.middleagedmartialartsmom.wordpres....

Christmas Day with Books & Blogs

Merry Christmas to all who are celebrating it! When you're tired of playing and eating and playing some more, but all that's on television are shows that don't float your boat, check out programs I've recently produced that are airing today on the network. Either check your local cable listings or click here, if someone else is controlling the remote today. Enjoy!
http://c-spanvideo.org/program/Kilme
http://c-spanvideo.org/program/Haq
http://c-spanvideo.org/program/Somm

Also entertaining:
www.middleagedmartialartsmom.wordpres...

Follow me on twitter @TDDavis_HB

Diplomat Unplugged

As promised, Asst. Sec. Gen. of the United Nations Heraldo Muňoz accused many of having an indirect hand in the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Click here to take a break from holiday planning and cooking and watch his rather undiplomatic discussion with the author of the "Taliban Shuffle," Kim Barker. http://c-spanvideo.org/program/Muno

This upcoming weekend, as the religious holidays come to a close in 2013, Peter Gottschalk discusses the history of religious tolerance in the U.S. (or lack thereof) with Washington Post religion reporter Michelle Boorstein. Link will be available early next week.

Happy holidays everyone!

Follow me on twitter @TDDavis_HB

Congressional Millionaires and Confrontational Diplomats

This past weekend, first-time author Nicholas Carnes explored whether it matters that there's a socio-economic disparity between most elected officials and the constituents they represent. His answer was yes. Carnes detailed why it is that working and middle class people rarely run for U.S. Congress and what could be done to change that. To watch him bounce his theories off of Politico's Kim Dixon, click here. http://c-spanvideo.org/program/Carnes

Coming up, Assistant U.N. Secretary General Heraldo Muňoz blames many political leaders and operatives for the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. The former Chilean Ambassador to the U.N. is anything but diplomatic in his discussion with Kim Barker, the author of "The Taliban Shuffle."

The link to the Muňoz interview will be posted early next week. Check back or follow me on twitter @TDDavis_HB.

"The End of [Angry White Men]" - Part 2

This weekend we aired the interview between Double X's Hanna Rosin, the author of "The End of Men," and sociologist Michael Kimmel, the author of "Angry White Men." As originally reported, the conversation between the two gender roles experts was lively, as Kimmel regularly referred to areas in which he believed their conclusions differed. In the end, the two settled on the easily agreeable fact that something needs to be done to quell the anger. Watch here: http://c-panvideo.org/program/Kimme.

Interviews posting throughout the holiday season: Nicholas Carnes' exploration of class in the Capitol in "White-Collar Government," Heraldo Munoz's examination of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in "Getting Away with Murder," and Peter Gottschalk's discussion of religious tolerance in the U.S. in "American Heretics."

Meanwhile, checkout additional blog www.middleagedmartialartsmom.wordpres.... No books, but bruising humor.