[inaudible conversations] ladies and gentlemen, we are here to welcome the 11th time number one New York Times bestseller across many genres including fiction, nonfiction, childrens, how to use, graphic novels. Erie. So you know all of you have cameras out, cspan is here and you know what that means. All of us book nerds are being watched by all our Favorite Book nerds. We arefinally altogether in oneplace. We have as many viewers as svn right now. That joke does not work in sports places. I love coming to virginia, obviously the washington dc area was our home and a beautiful place for us where we had our children here. We had our lives here. I started writing here and its especially important today. Today is the day my dad died and we marked the day and i know it seems like something sad but i love my father and i especially love being in this barnes and noble because my father used to go into barnes and noble and say yes, im here for brad meltzer book, hes my favorite author and the
Show lost history. And he is also the host of decoded. We although why you are here, with out further do lets welcome mr. Brad meltzer. [cheering] [applause] stomach or having fun now just you all know, cspan is here but you know what that means questioning that means all of us book nerds are being watched by her fellow book nerds. That that were altogether one place. [applause] we have as many viewers as espn right now. [laughter] that joke does not work in sports places. I love coming to virginia, obviously the washington d. C. Area was our home in a beautiful place for us where we had our children here, we had our lives here. We started writing here. Its especially important today, todays the day my dad died. And we mark today. And i know it seems like something sad part by loved my father specially loved biggins barnes noble because my father used to go into our local barnes noble, and he would always go yes im here for brad meltzers to but he is my favorite author. And they would
Interpretations at monticello. In previous live streams, i am they got behind the camera reading questions from our audience as they come in, so we can engage with you while we are talking to our first person, interpreter actor bill barker, who portrays Thomas Jefferson. We wanted to do Something Different this week. Given the National Conversation and given that it is all around been aknow 2020 has challenging year. Monticello has been closed. We reopened this weekend. And in recent weeks in the united states, millions of arele all over the country actively fighting for equity against different forms of racial injustice, whether it is raciallymotivated Police Violence or raciallymotivated monuments, memories. It is a conversation that we must engage in. Weking here at monticello, are a site for memories. Monticello is a plantation where over 400 people were enslaved. We decided that to have a conversation, we would do something that we havent done. And i am sure everyone knows that wh
Wellthumbed on my shelf. I have assigned it to hundreds, maybe thousands of undergraduates over the years, one of the best books of historywriting ive ever read. His most recent book and the one on which he will be speaking tonight is the kremlin letters stalins wartime correspondence with churchill and roosevelt. From 2018. He collaborated on this book with professor vladimir and im sure will have some more information on that. The book includes the principle messages between the big three, and its not so much of a commentary that provides an analytical narrative as a triangular relationship throughout the war. A book of correspondence with letters from one to the other is very valuable, but it is the commentary, i think, that really sets it apart. It is based on a wide array of material from russian, british, and american sources. I might also add a few things, professor reynolds won a prize for history in 2004, was elected a fellow of the British Academy in 2005. We have been fortun
One of the united kingdoms most distinguished scholars and writers. He is a man of global stature. , he studied at cambridge and Harvard University and has been a regular visitor since coming here as a graduate student. David is the author of 12 books. Those books include in command of history. A book he wrote in 2004 that is well on my shelf. Hundreds, maybe thousands of padua its over the years. Book, the one in which he will be speaking tonight is the kremlin letters. Wartime correspondence with churchill and roosevelt. He collaborated on this book. I am sure we will have more information on them tonight. The book includes the principal messages between the big three. The commentary provides an analytical narrative throughout the war. It is always very valuable, but it is the commentary in the book that really sets it apart. Material fromf american sources as well. He was elected a fellow in 2005 and we have been fortunate to have him speak in 2018. Without further ado, i give you d