Cant be bothered to look through the ends of their noses. At this week, the best moment in american, on behalf of literary realism, we need a battalion to head out into the wild and unpredictable country of ours and reclaim it as very property. The trouble is turning yourself in it is that you immediately expose yourself to be from the top, or using characters to exaggerate of modern society but the truth is the opposite pales into insignificance compared with all caps on he tried to capture. Tom wolf was born and raised in richmond and educated Washington University and started his journalistic career with the Springfield Massachusetts union newspaper. Correspondent for the washington post, foreign news prize for his coverage of the cuban revolution. 1962, he moved to the new york tribune where he had to. Writers assigned the sunday supplement which later became newspapers in 1962, 63 afforded him the opportunity to travel to socal to write an article he sent his notes to his editor who published them verbatim, and as a long spontaneous letter dispensing traditional listing conventions and describing visit and personal voice. Thus was born the new journalism. The rest they say is history. This was collected in the book, streamline leaving an instant bestseller top journalists in america and numbered his days at the daily newspaper correspondent. Ask published on the same day 1968, the electric test solidified his reputation as the observer documenter of contemporary american experience. 1970s saw radical and captures, 1976 and madmen quitter where the generation was coined. Other tom wolf contributions include trophy wife and the right stuff. Turning attention to the American Space program, published in 1979 and sold on modern architecture to our house in 1981 required architectural and studies program around the world. Taking a page from the 19th century, portraying new york money culture of the 1980s, first made its appearance in volume during 1984 and five. Tom hundred into fiction. Performing in 1987 and remained bestseller list for over a year. Tom uses a Real Estate Developer hole in the 20 labor for american rights in the turn of the 21st century. During this period in toms life that his sears connection begun. Ellen graduated from the program ten years before his 1998 alexandra entered the freshman class at duke university. Tom participated the very first moms and dads read program during parents weekend in october 1998. As a stunning freshman class with daughters of robert tom wolf. Alexander introduced her father at the event and let the crowd know tom started it when she was seven years old and how pleased she was that was finally completed. [laughter] tom was a gracious and generous dad speaking at the front of the Library Dinner posing for a poster and serving as Commencement Speaker and all the while doing research for new book in an institution of Higher Education which he assured me on several occasions was not duke. [laughter] i took him with me to a faculty meeting and spent time learning and observing and doing basketball and like a train reporter, observing. He spent an semester at Stanford University to complete research on his novel, i am charlotte simmons. Its my pleasure to introduce tom wolf to talk about this today. [applause] thank you very much. It is great to be back at duke. My topic, as david mentioned, this is what in the south or great writing material in the south. First of all,. [inaudible] [laughter] first of all, i have not seen the new south recorded or described in print. For example, you have the same experience i had but its the way its done in mississippi. You get awakened by the sound what there desperate for the grips. [laughter] i didnt like that particular sound. Then the end of june, the end of may through the summer, go to the airport and rent a car and turn on the ignition and wash, your loan back about 4 feet because whoever dropped the car off, left the air conditioning on high. Its another sound. Another i particularly liked is to go to a beautiful place like Thomas Jeffersons at the university of virginia, which is so steep in the memories of this nation, it means so much to the educational course and its a priceless piece of architecture, designed like like angela and your whole soul is engaged, thats when you get thats the leaf blower. [laughter] ive never understood leaf blowers but they use them particularly when you want to see something. Those are all new sounds in the south and they should be recorded in the literature. I say im going to tell all writers in the audience, this is the framework. Im going to tell all would be writers in the audience who are selling those and interested in selling literature, good stuff. [laughter] time now, after all these years to knock it off. Something happens and you realize weve only just begun mining. It is in our audience this afternoon that the following took place in the 1940s in scott county, North Carolina. In North Carolina, the cattlemen were coming down from the hills and everywhere, congregating in General Stores and they were waiting for the representative to come around and they just started talking and then he got on the subject of world war ii, it was raging. One said it seems to me was gone about this whole thing the wrong way. Theres this one man, hitler causing all the trouble and it hitler, we have to send over the forces and think of all of them. Like i said, how are you going to do that . He says to me about and get me over there and ill take care of it. He says how do you want to do it . He says dont worry about that, im going to wait until nightfall and im going to go through the back wall and climbed over and hide behind the tree and im going to hide there all night until he comes out and then ill let him have it. [laughter] i just love that story for two reasons. One, the lack of knowledge of modern security but also we are dealing with, leave these things up to common sense. Cut out the bureaucracy and committee meetings, just let someone with common sense take care of the job. Last august, i attended the physical 500. Its a huge event. Its a nascar race around a halfmile paved track. Halfmile is very short distance for cars going over 200 miles an hour. The stands there are pitched at a very steep angle. When this event is held, 165,000 people, the biggest sporting event in america and im not sure how many were at this particular event. For me, he would have died and gone to heaven if he had seen this. [laughter] here are the 165,000, 165,000. They all arrived, this is like something from a mid evil tournament. Opposing armies have half as many. People would arrive, a lot of the conduct was extended. The physical 500, i saw them lined up in lengths for a mile, rvs and people were having the time of their lives. At the airport, vips, the vips went out to a huge land, as far as helicopters are, just imagine whos moving now, there are all these little girls in the stands but here comes the guys in the suits. They are all people who have never been to a nascar event before. It probably expected to see Something Like the indianapolis 500. They flesh [laughter] every male should cover as much of himself as he can. Theres nothing you can do about your skin. [laughter] my children make fun of me but i think i am the country but the neighborhood favorite, i wear a tank top to the beach. [laughter] id like to encourage all men who are here to do that. [laughter] people they dont to see. Anyway, im getting off subject or. [laughter] that doesnt against my time. [laughter] all the vips, they get into the helicopter and start taking off like gigantic sleek, they all look like praying mantis is. They are carried up into the air and they come down over the truck. Now the track is built like a megaphone. Sitting on the inside of the microphone so you can see the race. In the stands, you feel as if you stood up, if you go this far, he would fall to the track. The noise was 25 raising the crowd and there was a moment in the helicopter when he realized overpowering sound of the helicopter was nullified by the sound coming from the megaphone of the stands. The people coming in by helicopter, the two skywalkers, i note that phenomena it successfully removes an event there are no sounds or excitement, the people just want to see each other anyway. There was so elaborate but meantime, they are very in the stands and this incredible voice goes right to your rib cage. It moves the hair on your head. But i wanted to mention is the people who spoke and i think this was something about the south today, whats the south today . I tell you that from the head of the National Rifle association, whos no longer have to, he was not a celebrity, he was president of the National Rifle association. He spoke all of 30 seconds, nobody spoke for a long time. It was not an inflammatory remark or lousy remark, 165,000 people stood up at once to applaud. That was a show of support. [laughter] then in implication was given. I think it was this but dont hold me to it. Deceased the laws to look with favor upon these brave drivers who risk their lives. They make it possible brave drivers to do what they do what last finally he said in my only son christ jesus. It may seemed like nothing to them but if that implication has been given in San Francisco, los angeles or new york where i live, he would be arrested for a hate crime. [laughter] it sounded so strange. Now the term good old boys, it is not fair and its not completely accurate but it does touch upon something that i think is incredible material riders really live there or they dont. It has to do with the role of the irish and american life. I take my page from james webb, author of the book, james webb was secondary of the navy under ronald reagan. He was the most decorated marine in vietnam. He wrote four novels the first i think was about the vietnam, fuel the fire. James annapolis graduate, is going to the officer corps, he wanted to be a leader and a fighter. He explains. Irish had been the backbone of American Fighting forces, since the revolution. In the civil war, both sides will army the north and the Confederate Army where in the corner at length, people from scotland who then went to ireland, they left many came u. S. , many were for and they will land such as the appellations and they have remained five, anyone whos in the Armed Services. Full everywhere, that was the original source will will country music. Will usually people are talking bad when they talk about rednecks. Redneck is in which is pretty cool like barking up the tree. Tell you how many have no idea that comes from raccoon will barking up the wrong tree. Tom wolfe now that you know is there. I will put it up here. [laughter]. Discuss irish have had a crucial influence on forces but also in the 2004 president ial election. And i dont think this is ever been brought out before. It got down to the crucial state, from the 2000 election. Florida. In 2004, it was the state of ohio predict the early returns were coming from big cities. Cleveland and toledo. It was a runaway for john kerry. Those in cleveland and toledo in the industrial towns along the great lakes. A little bit later, inc. In the tally from southern ohio. This was an irresistible tornado had rush through the whole entire lower part of ohio. Including the city of cincinnati. In the city of cincinnati had been somehow removed from the tally, where george bush had 150,000 votes. Election wouldve gone to carry. That happens to be the sloth of ohio that was settled by the scotch irish. Not only that, one of the main reasons according to surveys after the election. One of the main reasons that the scotch irish voted against kerry was that he was for gun control. And you would think, gun control, that is one issue. But believe me when i say this because irish are alone in this pretty that one issue if youre scotch irish, was an attack on guns but on yourself. Your people, your way of life. Because you were born fighting the constitution guarantee you your rifles. And you will have them. And you wont take the process of governments lying down. Another example the new south or other knoll part of the new south, modern technology in the very leading edge of technology is summed up in a single year, k yeager. Chuck egger was from the hollows of west virginia. Up in the mountains. Only once, with a so far up there they had to piping daylight. [laughter]. He worked in the cast feels as a driller. His older brother worked in the gas fields as a driller and chuck was doing until the Second World War came along. That was a program called the flying fighters because they are forced to dont have enough trained pilots because the standard requirements for College Education and so forth. Will yeager became a pilot thanks to the following sergeants program. Honest first, he shot down two german fighter planes. And on his third, he was shot down. But smuggled out of Southern France and spain for the french underground. And he was told that having been gone through this experience, it was us flying combat again. He went to dwight eisenhower. A set of find combat. And he said if you got that much spirit about it, go fly. He shot down, 13 and have killed was a total tally including two german ship fighters. After the war, he was sent out to Edwards Air Force base as a test pilot. People there could not really understand him. He was a wild muscular, actually looks like sam shepard. Dark hair and he had strange things that a lot of people in the armed forces did not understand. In the past tense he would say ho lp d. It was a funny things. Instead of saying i would disagree with something he would say on hold with that. These were actually phrases from up in the mountains, but the hollows we had the pipe in the daylight. He also, anything he did or said, he had a way of looking at it that communicates, i get this for many people who were with him at the time. He communicated this message. Look at me that way one more time, you will have four more holes in your nose. It finally, because thes ability pilot was going to find the exelon experimental rocket plane. As for too much money. They asked yeager to take a crucial flight to try to break the sound barrier read the asked him how much he would require to do that and he said what you mean. I get 283 a month as a captain. And he went out and broke the sound are you in october 1947. The first person to do that. The speed of sound he broke it. For example, the windshields covered with ice which was a common problem. In one of those pilots bill bridgman, he said he was in a rocket flight and he came down and hit the windshield was covered in ice pretty cannot see a thing. When you flew rockets, theres no power. And he said that yeager came through on his wings and he started telling exactly how to maneuver the plane. And he said just like my old fishing buddy. Total kind of luer put up the trout. Any city was so calm that he couldnt believe there was anything really wrong. Yeager told him and he landed safely. And yeager would be happy signature maneuver. He would go about a hundred feet into a complete rollover and then left out into the desert. Will yeager became such a legend within the flying flute fraternity. Pretty soon you with your all of the pilots and air force base talking like chuck yeager. [laughter]. Because at that time, most Airline Pilots were trained in the military, he started hearing the Airline Pilots talking like chuck yeager. Finally, i knew none of this but at the air force base, i was doing Research Like a stuck. And so i went to the control tower, and i was hearing these ordinary messages. And suddenly there was a message that said, edwards tower, whistling, this is air force nine or nine or five. Altitude 290 feet. And the speed 295 knots. Saw little smoke in the cabinet. Request permission to put her down. Immediately you can see the control tower tense up because they knew outside the altitude, it was like 507,200 and some feet. But youre already above sea level so far that you only about 300 feet off of the deck. We slow down to 295 knots, that means in just a moment, your ex 15 rocket plane is going have the fine characteristics of a set of car keys read back so they were in the control tower saying things Like Air Force jet nine or 95. Are you declaring them or an emergency. And that other voice says, edwards tower, this is the air force 99 or five. Not requesting permission for an emergency. Im just asking permission to put her down. [laughter]. Who is that any said the sky. I said where is he from any said around boston. [laughter]. And i said with that accent. He said yes pretty all you have to do is let them up in the air at the air force base and theyre all going to Start Talking like chuck yeager. [laughter]. There was first time that i was aware of yeager. The realized is just one mans exploits had spread throughout the entire world of flying. And that became my introduction to a became the theme of the entire book. Which is the fraternity and the brotherhood of the right stuff, flyers, military flares particularly. His rank among the brotherhood depends on their own flying courage and coolness. It was sometimes talked about acceptable and unacceptable risks. Going through all of that, by way of stepping up the importance of going out side of your onl ordinary boundaries. Outside of the domestic arena which is concentrated on by so many writers today. Talented writers. And some how some way, seeing outside your own experience. My theory is everybody personal psychology is created by two things. Rather the intersection of two things. One is the setting and who which you are living pretty can be a city, a farm. It could be the air force, it could be a piece. But that something is going to a crucial effect on your life. And you have your own personality and your own psychology. But where they intersect with the setting is where your life and your real personality is created. This is somewhat similar to ferry from, unlike god, almost 200 years ago. His meeting the spirit of the age. And hegel said that every historical happening has its own moral tone. That was his word. His own moral tone. You can try all you want to escape it, the moral tone. And it is not going to do any good because it is going to impinge upon your life and there is no way on earth that you can escape it. To me, i believe that is substantially true. I think thats why it is so crucial for writers to do what writers do. In namely look for mattel real outside of your own life. Material. In creative writing, students tend to be, here the following the over number again. Right what you know. Thats absolutely great advice. But what do you know. Most of us know only our own lives. enough of this phenomenon of a brilliant young writer, cannibalize is all of the material first 25 years on this earth pretty comes up with a brilliant novel. And gets great reviews. In the second novel is about a young writers gotten great reviews of his first novel. [laughter]. Nevertheless, with little income he got from this phrase, it is fun. And hes sitting up but some fifth floor in the Hells Kitchen area of new york. And thinking about the fact that he is nothing. He has no beautiful lovers, no power. Really not a very interesting novel. [laughter]. This because all that is left is what happened in the preceding two years. Nothing like that happened. When tickets wanted to write about these notorious schools the west of england where the parents would park their children that they didnt really want around. He went out there is a parent or pretending to be a parent he wanted to enroll his son in such a place. And he spent the day there and some cabal of the atmosphere and provided an incredible beginning seen of nicholas nicoli. There was an important time for john steinbeck. He was hard for Nobel Prize Winner in literature. He essentially one from grapes of wrath. How did he happen to write that. Was his family trapped in one of these labor camps in california he went through help and they wrote about it pretty, no not at all. He was already a fairly welltodo because he had written a novel, Tortilla Flat read but he joined the staff of the San Francisco news so that he would have the value to go around to these labor camps during the Great Depression after so much farmland and southwest had been wiped out in the tremendous routes known as the dust bowl. Incredible truck, he said his old fire truck. He put in some close and some food and go from one camp to another where people, many of them were from oklahoma. They were all okies read they were trying to make a go of it. Some were working for as little as 12 and a half since the day. And he finally came upon a family of four who were living in red carpet. Hubcaps and grass and other things. Like a gigantic birds nest. And the wife and this family had two miscarriages. They turned miscarriages in the preceding 18 months. And as soon as he saw them, he got the idea for vaughn joad and her daughter and tom joad. I dont think the americans will ever forget the joad family the grapes of wrath predict doing the important thing although this can be important, not by looking at life is better than your own life, that you can get incredible detail. We realize things that you have never thought of. But also i can give you a sense of symbolism. A sense that this entire experience can be concentrated in the lives of one family. We never had a notion of what this experience met to these four people. Every person on earth has a great autobiography to write. If that person can only understand it what is unique about his experience. And find the imagination to know that is his experience. He can write a great autobiography will be remembered forever. But he didnt say, because right to. [laughter]. And that is the problem. If you just want to write one book, by all means, right but you know and write about your life. His perfectly valid material. All the details presumably, i do recommend keeping a journal. Memory decay is so rapid. Many of you probably know it. [laughter]. I make sure that i write down, if i cant take notes or record, tape record of the scene. Before i do that ever done everything that seems worth recording before you go to sleep. Because as i go to sleep, in my mind maybe is just mind but theres not much left in the morning. So whether it is going out to new stories about the new latin American Population in the south. The rich topic that is. When i went up to North Carolina the recommendation my sister helen. His birthplace, going up place for solid fundamentalism. To my amazement about working on the Christmas Tree farms in the mountains near, almost entirely mexican. Of the blue ridge mountains. On one farm, there were 500,000 Christmas Trees growing. 500,000. Once a year, every Christmas Tree and be shaped. Otherwise they would grow up like a stuffing coming out of the mattress. And they use a roast beef knife written a machete to prone that kind of work. Cc all of these people from mexico, theories other with these delicatessen beef knives. In their shipping hundreds of thousands of Christmas Trees. To me, something that opens up the imagination doesnt simply doesnt interest something for kids write about. So i will leave you with that. Do not underestimate your power to know something else. If you will saturate yourself in the experience of other people. It can be done. There is no technique to report. There is no technique whatsoever. Nothing that you can learn that can help you read all they need is an attitude. You have information and i need it. [laughter]. And i deserve it. You can find out anything in the world, and the expansion powers of literature. Thank you very much. [applause]. Thanks so much. Im not really lingering up here because of the applause. I was asked if i would answer some questions you have any. And i would be delighted to do that i can. Guest what is the origin of the word redneck. Tom wolfe i never got into that did i. As because farmworkers used to walk behind the house allows anf the manual tools that the used. So in the back of the neck, there would become bread. I so many times myself, many many summers, the value of virginia. Today, its the lobster red arm. You see these big meaty left arms that from here to the end of the fingertips are so red. This leading the arm out of the pickup truck. [laughter]. Thank you. Guest about 20 years ago, he spoke in miami at the Florida International in university. I was there. And i had a question for you for a while since then. [laughter]. Tom wolfe i dont know if i can remember then. Guest you mentioned that prior to the civil war, the wealthy plantation owners and a painting in their homes, done by a painter subaru i believe the name was. Nobody knows the name anymore. But if the mind said, and artist home in the name. She remembered pretty he also said at the time, that by the year 2000, nobody would know cost is name. Do you remember saying that. Tom wolfe i said by the year 2020. [laughter]. And his 2020 now. [laughter]. Tom wolfe it wasnt that he would be forgotten. Just give me a little time. Guest please come back in about 16 years and will have this discussion again. Tom wolfe is a promise. Guest okay thank you. [laughter]. Tom wolfe another forget forgotten friend artist, in 1998, was known as three living painters who would be best known 100 years later. All totally forgotten. I predicted spring classes feet in the year 2020. And if i see another face with two eyes on it on the same side, im cashing in. Guest would you tell us the origin of redneck. Tom wolfe it i just did. Guest im sorry, i missed it. Tom wolfe if i wouldve known this topic. Guest . Tom wolfe anybody miss when im just saying, you didnt miss much. [laughter]. Guest hi. Its been a few years since i read your last book. But i believe its one of the best pieces of the 20th century. I also was just wondering if you would repeat con ed on some of that compared to what is going on to the current scandal today. Another slot there. Tom wolfe i would tell you, i just missed a couple of words. Guest if you would comment on some of the commonality. Of what that piece met. [inaudible]. Tom wolfe yes, i would be happy to. I have written a novel in which, about a college in which there are a group of rough and crude in the way, aggressive people. Ive also written a novel in which there was a white district attorney, running for reelection in the district in which he badly needs black votes. And he is pleased, oh so pleased to find the very nearly difficult character in such a situation youre in for. Namely was known in courts as the great white defender. Ive also written a novel about a young woman lied before a grand jury. Let me tell you, none of those people are in real life. Live within 60 600 miles of the. [laughter]. [inaudible]. [laughter]. Guest i have two questions. One is given, doing research in the recent memoirs. Tom wolfe i assume youre talking about james frey. The scandal. Which it has become. Autobiography has been the only consistently strong arm, it never goes out of fashion. Into the 16th century. The autobiography remains powerful. The memoir is usually a shorter or big part of the whole autobiography. In the most outrageous form of fiction. [laughter]. And yet some of his most powerful work was his autobiography. Such as homage down in london and paris. Its like shooting an elephant. Nevertheless, is extremely powerful. We tend to assume that someone is writing about his own wife, then he knows the details and everything you read is true. The antecedent of the book Robinson Crusoe is people in england assume was a real story of a man who was on a tropical island. It is called the first novel in english. It is believed to be the actual letters. That young Woman Working in the ploy of a title of an englishman was described to stay out of the clutches of her employer. And on the date the letter arrived, this was an amazing. It was cheap finally asked her to marry him in order to achieve his aims. And its now a part of london, people came out into the the town square and rang the church bells in celebration of her victory. This was over the span. The victory over this man. Seems pretty apparent that is kind of kept himself massaging the facts shall we say. Quite a bit. Does anybody know this. Did he end up on oprahs show. Should praise him, praise him. After the facts came out, she issued a statement praising him for it and then inviting him and the editor onto her show. And then had a real and position in which freud was reduced to traveling stock of numbness. The facif you ever are in such a situation where you are being attacked and the odds are completely against you read and particularly with oprah winfrey. Heres what you have to do. Immediately, attack. [laughter]. Say oprah, i do not believe what i am hearing. After your support for me, twice. In the same Program Throughout the media. This was to the Public Opinion and turn yourself into this stormy thing. I dont believe what is happening. [laughter]. He wouldve been safe. They gotcha, attack them. [laughter]. Guest may ask a second question pretty. Tom wolfe yes pretty. Guest im not read any of your work. [laughter]. Tom wolfe you have hours and hours of questions ahead of you. Guest i do know much about your work but have heard people speaking about it and border issues and you mentioned latin American Population in the south. She was ready very much on an advocate of the board of issues and whatnot. Knobs wondering if you see yourself as an advocate have the south or more of a kind of a cherish her of what you observed. Tom wolfe im just a social secretary. I simply record what is happened that day. To me the greatest enjoyment of discovery and introducing what i have discovered to readers. I do believe there is such a thing as objectivity. Despite of what you hear. If it is not objective but the of the ego. If you believe as a writer, that what you are doing is a writer is more important than any cause, any issue him a any political party. More important than anything other than the wealth being at your door. You can be objective because you dont care about the Democratic Party or the republican party. You care about your craft. And you care about your ability to discover. And to share with other people. I would think every writer would have at least that much egotism. And the idea of the writer. We do this all of the time. In effect, becoming a relations person to advance the cause of some party. A cause. To me, how can you degrade yourself like that. But maybe that is just me. [applause]. Guest i wanted to ask what you thought about the film adaptation of the book. And were you involved in all in the production. Tom wolfe i was not involved in any part of the film. The first one probably very few people would even remember. It is based on a nonfiction piece of wrote about to be johnson from ingle fowler. It was made into a really pretty good movie starring jeff bridges. He did terribly the box office. But jeff bridges is the greatest actor in hollywood. There is no such thing as a van jeff bridges movie related mediocre to terrible script but jeff bridges the senate you are going to be having about experience in that theater. And then came right stuff. Is really superior job of sticking to the book. I didnt say anything at the time because i had my check. I cashed it. [laughter]. And i didnt think i would care his nobody ever blames the author anyway read but i came away humbled ever saying that piece. The butchery. It was pretty bad stuff. They told me they had to make that movie in two hours or less. And it so happens that there are movie but dances with that is three hours 20 minutes. I dont think youd run movies. Guest what you know if you are working any books and if you are, if you would share with us what the topic is. Tom wolfe im working on the book on immigration. Now last year, if somebody asked me what i was doing and i would say i was working on a book of immigration. This was the reaction. This is so interesting. [laughter]. They would say it standing up like a horse. And this year it seems to have a little more interest. This one doing. I was actually given that suggestion somebody is made. A told you about the work that is going on. Guest pretty groundbreaking stylist. What led you to lead such an experimental thing. [inaudible]. Tom wolfe the techniques i used in that book were derived in no small part from a group of earlier soviet writers, 1920 or 2021. When it was still possible to believe that the soviet revolution was also the revolution of the arts. These was a group, probably the only writer the most people would know of would be eugene or the book, week. And god bless them, nevertheless, he sold the plot of 1984. They were much influenced by french symbolism. Which presented mainly the poor. In which people digested the words. So much of it would be the communication of the workings of the mental processes. I believe that people think and exclamations. In the break off thoughts. So thats what i began to use some of the exclamation points. So many of these dashes then begin using multiple codes read a few lineup about 18 thoreau, its a very striking topography on it. [laughter]. It was rather in the mood of experimentation. In about 1930, a bunch of them were there. So much of the soviet literature. Guest you talked about how the server part of the way defining character says in a certain time and introspect, their environment and that helps. Helps define them. How would you define yourself in terms of where are your introspect and informed of who you are. Tom wolfe i try to stay the subject is much as i can. I assumed my life is very boring. And i certainly am fascinated by the peoples lives. I can see right now, that i am much influenced by the whole general holism and literature in new york. Even if i wanted to ignore that. I would not be able to. At the same time, there are the things in my life and also just below the surface and what i am about to describe i called champion newsom. I still understand i am from the south and grew up in virginia. Effect is to go to bed at night with a parent which i think the lord for having been born and not only the greatest country in the world but also the greatest state in the greatest country because virginia had eight president s there. And in the greatest city in the greatest country. The capital of virginia. And not only that but in the best neighborhood. In the best city coming to the state, in the best country in the world. Because for my bedroom window, you could see the fireworks state fair. [laughter]. Will is better than that. State fair was a half a mile away. I still because of champions them, i feel very close to the south. Even though i have not lived there for a long time. I give this example. Many people are affected by what he called champions them. In this way. After 911, immediately after, to clergyman, both announced that this was gods punishment of america because of indulgence and homosexuality. Will now come to me is nonsense. But when people started attacking them, as these rightwing lunatics, and falling on the appropriateness, something within me said wait a minute. [inaudible]. Oh yeah, he went to virginia and i grew up with people i can. Even though, they were spouting gibberish, but that part of me was summoned up. So much of life is like that. Just give you one quick example in the immigration area, at first it was assumed that those immigrants who come to this country are jiggling from less in the, legally had gone through all the steps we resent the fact that illegal aliens could pour in. And not at all. Because of champions, those here illegally were all for those who are now finding themselves under attack moralists as illegal aliens. And it is because they consider entire controversy as being a test upon the latin americans. Boylston americans argue so repeatedly over this subject. But after Carrie Truman defeated Thomas Julian run up to the 1948 election odds and productions, a minimum sand meal, he went there to find out what happened in that election and came to town in minnesota that had been founded by germans. In fact the whole town is still in germans. Internet they all voted republican. It was their duty. Because 1917, a democrat Woodrow Wilson had declared war on germany read and made them look like bad people. That is the way the world works. This champion is a brandnew vote in 1948 with the basis of something that is irrelevant from 1917. Just think about how much of our lives is determined thats way read well i want to thank you all. Oh, i have a latent trait. [laughter]. Guest thank you for coming and what are you reading right now. What is something that you just have to read. Tom wolfe i know reading a book by the human beast. I ended to read over the last ten or 11 years, ever since my wife introduced me to the novel. A lot of these books and authors, 19th century realists has my hectoring about to getting out and getting material writing realistically. In terms generally, there are american writers that anybody is interested in writing, novels, should read. Theyre all from the same. 1893 to 1939 which was the great time. Of novels. After that somehow they became colonials. The french holy right psychological novels. They dont get their hands dirty all this monkey. So grapes of wrath. Certainly the red badge of courage by stephen lane. It was newspaperman to the day he died tragically young at the age of 28. And he died a blade from having slept in slaughter houses in order to get material. Over and over again. To find out with the lives were really like. The First American novel to try to capture the big city. As an american phenomenon. Both in chicago and in new york. I dont think anything he did later was up to the credible standards that particular work. Sinclair lewis. His attempt to portray, a very strong american life. And he was so thorough as a reporter that even gave sermons during the summer from the pulpit of ministers who were away on vacation because he was wellknown many. He hung around. Younger and seminaries. Great pieces of reporting. He was our prize winner. In literature. Either. [inaudible]. Thank you. Ohara. My brain is so full. [laughter]. Magnificent book in terms of technique. And he has learned from some of the writers in the american writers. Some are interesting and readable. He was a great experiment. Just to finally, just to see how good it literature can be, we live in a cynical age now the moral tone certainly in journalistic world is cynical. But thomas wolfe, my name, North Carolina. Road lyrically and so will that i would certainly include angels. On that particular one list. You have been a wonderful audience i cant thank you enough. [applause]. [applause]. [background sounds]. We are featuring book tv programs is a preview of what is available every weekend on cspan2. Tonight, starting at 8 00 p. M. Eastern, former defense secretarys robert gates and james take a look at the use of u. S. Power around the world since the end of world war ii. Then christian, former staff director of the Armed ServiceCommittee Talks about future of hightech warfare. I later former defense secretary william very, and director of policy, tom talks about the Nuclear Arms Race since the end of world war ii. In the fight of nuclear war today. Joy put to be on cspan2. I look at some programs of the late author tom w