[inaudible conversations] good afternoon. My name is adam kushner and im the editor of the Washington Post sunday outlook section which is our weekly section for analysis and essays and commentary and arguments and narrative storytelling and investigative journalism, and most happily for the state Nonfiction Book coverage. The Washington Post is a charter sponsor of the National Book festival which is now in its 15th year. Its amazing and im extremely excited to introduce today eric larson. I cant believe i fumbled that. Excuse me, edward larson. Edward is the endowed chair of law at pepperdine and a full University Professor there which means he is a martyr. The professor has nine books and he won the Pulitzer Prize for his book summer of the gods which is about the scopes trial and our endless numbered ending still disputed debate in america about science and mutual and policy. I also noticed any seamlessly endless list of publications is written for the washington outpost section, t