[inaudible conversations] we are going to get started now. Welcome to the texas book festival director for the New York Times magazine i nt night i am here with Mark Leibovich to talk about. To talk about his book this town. It was an openended question while he was reported the bow to the new video side of washington would be interested in the finished product after spending 11 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list is of full house today here in austin, texas o congratulations. Have the genesis of this book was 8100 word costume contest that he did for the character that most of you would not know or care about an unusual fellow named mike allen who pollute produces playbook apolitical tip sheet that he describes as a distillation inhouse law of the nations business in the form of a summer camp newsletter. [laughter] the premise was that this very socially precarious individual is the town crier for the Nations Capital tuesday it says much about washington as the fellow that we
The new book the operators the wild and terrifying inside story of americas war in afghanistan. Cspan michael, why did you call the book the operators the wild and terrifying inside story of americas war in afghanistan . Other than the operators the wild and terrifying inside story of americas war in afghanistan is what special forces call themselves. They call themselves special forces operators. It refers to special operators. I thought everyone involved in the conflict from diplomatics to journalists to Public Relations people, to aid workers had a bit of an operator in there to people in the white house to people in the embassy in afghanistan. Cspan you total all the time you spent in iraq and afghanistan and the number of trip you made, what are the numbers . Guest a lot of time in disr a lot more time in iraq an afghanistan. For the book i did four trips to afghanistan. A good chunk of i think i spent four of my last five christmases or four of the last six christmases in either