Legislative and judicial and executive. But there is a fourth factor. And when we stand up to say no more, when we say there is a person right there doing the right thing we will get behind them then make sure that attitude becomes potent and decisive. When someone reads about Margaret Chase smith and says thats what i willwh do somebody in the government right now it will happen out of the necessity to survive we will expect that. I believe and you write we are centrist nation basically a country where 30 or 40 or 50 percent of the people are in the middle and want government to get something done. We aint doing it. That doesnt mean we wont. We have come through very hard times and baffling times and pessimistic times. And inappropriate behavior with the part of leadership but we have come to thembu all and very often when we do come through these difficult times the dark clouded sky times, we were better off for having done it. People talk about it was a simpler time. No itt wasnt. I
Basically a country where 30 or 40 or 5060 percent of people are in the middle. And what government to get something done. And we aint doing it. David and doesnt mean that we wont. We have come from very hard and baffling times. Very pessimistic to times. David inappropriate behavior times as far as leadership. Bullying come through the mall. Im very we do come through them. These difficult times. These dark dark sky times. When you come through, were better for having done it read people talk about that was a simpler time back then. No it wasnt. There was a simpler time. Things have never been so bad are so dark. So for voting. Yes they have. And if you dont understand that, he dont understand the reality of our story. Like to point out the influenza epidemic with my parents and your parents probably went through pretty 1918 and 1919. 500,000 americans died of the disease. A disease that they they didnt know where it came from, didnt know if it would ever go away at all how to cure it
I was about to say how special this night is that you all beat me to it which is great. Welcome. I am the executive director of the Jfk Library Foundation and on behalf of our colleagues in the library we are thrilled you could be here all forms are great but tonight it is a treat because its also the beginning of the centennial weekend and we planned this months ago we literally thought would be the best pair a speaker and moderator we could get for this historic time . This is we have and we are thrilled they are both here. [applause] first a few brief announcements first the underwriters and sponsors including our media is spent on sponsors and for the centennial. We are kicking off the centennial about what were doing over the next few days but over the next few days there are opportunities from seeing a new exhibit with 100 items with those that have never been seen publicly before opening tomorrow. Doing a peace corps day we have an astronaut here as part of the attribute to nasa
So we can get your questions recorded as well as our authors answers. Lastly, at the end, if you could take a moment, fold up your chairs, lean them against something solid, that will give you more space for the book signing and help us get back to bookselling, all of that good stuff. Welcome to politics and prose. My name is abby fennewald. I run all of our events in the story. If you are not familiar with p p, i would definitely invite you to take a moment and sign up for our weekly email or pick up our may calendar of events, see Everything Else we have going on. We are now operating inside three busboys and poets locations around town, and we are going to be doing events in all those spaces as well, so we are doing more than ever. I would hate for you to miss out on any of it. With that, onto why you are all here. We are so happy to have eric burns back with us i think we said you have been here four times before to talk about his new book, 1920 the year that made the decade roar.
Historian David Mccullough. You are watching booktv on cspan2 live from the 17th annual National Book festival. [applause]. He will be followed they struck a chord in the National Conversation about poverty in america. Thomas freedom barely needs an introduction he is an internationally recognized writer on the Foreign Affairs and the environment. In Michael Lewis is famous for his books about finance such as liars poker but he is equally famous for his books about topics as diverse as adoption and baseball. The screen adaptations of the blindside in moneyball among others had been enormously popular. In condoleezzas rice was the secretary of state for the united states. And she is now on the faculty of Stanford University traveling from california to be here with us today. And finally mr. David baldacci. In fact, for a record setting eight time at the National Book festivals thrillers and books for young people have been read by millions. Im very pleased to be able to turn this over t