It really started with a collection you see against the back wall. This is one of the finest collections of documents related to history. The collector who put it together was trying to focus on finding objects, documents, printed matter that bring u. S. Close to we can to the contemporary events that are described and i encourage you all to have a look after the event to look at these incredible documents spanning from ambassadors from the congo in 1608 who died two days after arriving in rome to the first printing of the u. S. Constitution and so forth. It is an opportunity to get close to history through interaction with documents, and i think what is exciting about this evening is we not only have this documentation but we also have living witnesses to history as well to deepen our understanding of these events. From the archives, we decided to expand the event from just an exhibition following might introduction to a woman who i met on the antiques roadshow in spokane and was a me
And it is a tone that will depend largely on the administrations willingness to respect the message sent. That is one of the things that we are discussing on friday. It was a productive meeting and there were a lot that both parties can accomplish over the next couple of years. I hope that happens and i hope im optimistic currid working together requires trust. I think president obama has the duty to help build the trust that we all need to move forward together. And to double down on old ways of doing business. That is why i think moving forward with unilateral action would be a big mistake. As it was last nights announcement to give china a free pass on a mission while herding middleclass families and struggling miners here in our country. Last friday the president said that the American People would like to see more cooperation in washington. He says he thinks all of us have the responsibility and himself in particular to try to make that happen. And that is the kind of tone that th
What is your insight into president barack obama because of four dinners with them . He is a highly intelligent man. He is keenly interested in history and the way in which the president ial institution has evolved. What he could take away from past president ial performances to make his a more compelling and more successful administration. I wish we had some extraordinary answers to provide him, but of course the nature of history is that it is an imperfect humanistic enterprise. He understood this. We talked a Great Variety of things in those interviews, in those dinners. Roughly 12 historians. I wasnt the only one there. ,ome of his principal aides including one of his principal speechwriters. For me it was a fascinating experience to be able to sit right next to the president at dinner and have this kind of exchange with him. Anmany ways, it felt like academic seminar. He is someone who has been a. Rofessor of law it was like being in a seminar with a bunch of colleagues. Did you l
Because after all, he is someone who has been a professor of law. It was like being in a seminar with a bunch of colleagues. That is how i would characterize it. Did you leave there writing things down after you were there to remind yourself . Can you give us an example . You know, when done with this i think we will have more dinners with him. One of my colleagues and i talked a little bit about writing a piece called dinners with obama. I think it will be a very positive piece because he listens. He wasnt intent on giving us instruction or lobbying us for anything in particular. Except that at the first dinner he wanted to know how president s achieved the transformative presidency. How did Franklin Roosevelt do it . Theodore roosevelt, woodrow wilson, Ronald Reagan with his reagan revolution. At the second dinner, because this was in 2010, he was slipping somewhat in the polls and did not have the continuing hold of the publics imagination. That is not unusual. Once president s are
The kennedy assassination for young adults. Hi am here to welcome you to this session of the southern festival of books where this evening session, as you know our writer for this session is james swanson, the Edgar Award Winning author of the New York Times bestseller manhunt, the 1284 lincolns killer as well as chasing lincolns killers, the bestselling adaptation of manhood for young adults. He had a number of government and big tech posts in washington d. C. Including the u. S. Department of justice. Is two recent books called end of days, the assassination of john f. Kennedy and the presentation this afternoon which is the president has been shot, the assassination of john f. Kennedy. Mr. Swanson . [applause] thank you very much. To give you fair warning the book that has been published in case you want to leave, this is a Childrens Book. And at the festival. My adult book, an end of days is coming out in a couple weeks. I dont see many kids here so i thought i would give you a adv