On Non-Fiction

Dr. and author Sherwin Nuland talks about a lecture he delivered at the American Philosophical Society in 2011 on the subject of "Books and Men": how great books dispelled ancient dogma and set back the frontiers of medical knowledge.

How can an industry as easily corruptible as finance be good for society? Shiller addresses the question in this interview, concluding that a reputation for "integrity" is to some extent a self-regulating principle of the trade.

In "Venceremos," Jafari S. Allen shows how black Cubans engage in acts of "erotic self-making," reinterpreting, transgressing and transforming radicalized and sexualized interpretations of their identities in their struggles for autonomy and dignity.

"A Home Elsewhere: Reading African American Classics in the Age of Obama" explores the ways in which Barack Obama's autobiographical "Dreams from My Father" is in "conversation" with the African American authors of other literary classics.

"The Performance of Politics" is an exploration of the democratic struggle for power in America in the context of the 2008 presidential campaign.

Yale lecturer Binnie Klein will read from her book "Blows to the Head: How Boxing Changed My Mind." In this book, Binnie Klein describes how she took up the sport in her mid-fifties and how her fascination with boxing led her back to her roots and to a chapter of the Jewish immigrant experience.

Susan Nolen-Hoeksema, professor of psychology, will read from her recent book "The Power of Women: Harness Your Unique Strengths at Home, at Work, and in Your Community." This book offers a self-improvement program that gives women the tools to hone their skills as in their careers, personal lives and communities by helping them identify and build their talents.

Marci Shore, assistant professor of history, reads from her award-winning book ""Caviar and Ashes: A Warsaw Generation's Life and Death in Marxism, 1918-1968". In "Caviar and Ashes," historian Marci Shore tells the story of a group of the young Polish intellectuals who became radical Marxists in the late 1920s, following their tragic journey through Stalinist terror, Nazi genocide and beyond.

Law professor Paul Kahn reads from his new book "Sacred Violence: Torture, Terror and Sovereignty". In "Sacred Violence," Paul Kahn examines the nature of political violence and Americans' commitment to torture and violence beyond law.

Frank Prochaska, lecturer and senior research scholar in history, reads from his new book "The Eagle & The Crown: Americans and the British Monarchy". Historian Frank Prochaska's new book examines the American public's fascination with the British monarchy.

John Palfrey, Professor of Law at the Harvard Law School, Co-Director of the Harvard Law School's Berkman Center for Internet and Society, and Vice Dean of the Harvard Law Library speaking about Digital readers and the future of the history of the book at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University.

Mark Oppenheimer of the Yale Journalism Initiative and freshman Ryan Nees interview Atlantic magazine senior editor Ross Douthat, author of "Grand New Party: How Republicans Can Win the Working Class and Save the American Dream."

Jason Riley, editorial writer at The Wall Street Journal and guest of the Yale Journalism Initiative, discusses his new book, "Let Them In." Jason Riley is one of the leading voices on the right using free-market and classical liberal principles to argue for a more open policy toward immigrants.

A symposium celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the dictionary of record of the English language.

Caryl Phillips, Professor of English at Yale University and the author of eight novels, two anthologies, and three works of non-fiction, describes his process of writing the introduction to the British edition of Richard Wright’s landmark text, Native Son.

In honor of the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the British slave trade, this exhibition gathers materials documenting the international slave trade. Nancy Kuhl, Associate Curator of the Yale collection of American Literature at the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, previews this powerful exhibition.

Douglas Stone, the Carl A. Morse Professor of Applied Physics and Physics at Yale discusses his upcoming book "The Quest of the Valiant Schwabian," on Einstein and his contribution to quantum mechanics.

David W. Blight, Class of 1954 Professor of American History and Director of the Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance and Abolition, discusses his new book "A Slave No More". Prof. Blight talks about the autobiographical narratives of two slaves who escaped to freedom during the Civil War.

Anthony T. Kronman, Sterling Professor of Law, discusses his latest book "Education's End: Why Our Colleges and Universities Have Given Up on the Meaning of Life". Prof. Kronman discusses the relinquished role of the humanities — specifically an exploration of the meaning of life — in higher education

Jody L. Sindelar, Ph.D., professor and health economist at Yale School of Medicine in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Professor and Head, Divison of Health Policy and Administration, discusses her new book, "The Health Economics of Cigarette, Alcohol and Drug Addiction".

Ian Shapiro, Sterling Professor of Political Science and Henry R. Luce Director of the MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies, discusses his book "Containment: Rebuilding a Strategy Against Global Terror," in which he argues that containment is an urgently needed national security policy and that the current policy of the Bush administration has been a failure.

Sherwin Nuland, M.D., professor emeritus surgery, Yale School of Medicine, speaks about his new book, "The Art of Aging: A Doctor's Prescription for Well-Being." The book ranges from brief, frank descriptions of the aging of the body, to hopeful stories about celebrities and non-celebrities who have weathered life's adversities. (April 20, 2007)

Mr. Chanda serves as Director of Publications for the Center for the Study of Globalization at Yale. In this netcast, he discusses his new book about traders, preachers, warriors and adventurers shaping globalization.

Jeffrey Sonnenfeld discusses his most recent book, “Firing Back: How Great Leaders Rebound After Career Disasters” (Harvard Business School Press, 2007). Co-author is Andrew Ward. In the book, Professor Sonnenfeld discusses how and why some CEOs are able to come back from major career reversals. He cites numerous examples, including Bernie Marcus (Home Depot), NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Michael Dell, Martha Stewart and others, who were fired, imprisoned or otherwise discredited, but who were able to overcome their setbacks and reinvent themselves. Sonnenfeld has a five-point set of recommendations for people who find themselves in this situation. (March 12, 2007)