BookExpoCast

In the final event of BookExpo America 2006, host Andy Borowitz, author of The Republican Playbook: Dirty Tricks, Distortions, and Other Keys to Victory leads a spirited discusion with Richard Ford, author of The Lay of the Land; Monica Ali, author of Alentejo Blue; and Anderson Cooper, author of Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters and Survival.

This year’s luncheon focused on politics and featured host Lynn Sherr, television journalist and author of Outside the Box: A Memoir; Pat Buchanan, the self-described “populist conservative” and author of his new book, State of Emergency: How Illegal Immigration is Destroying America; Ariana Huffington, author of On Becoming Fearless: Advice for Women; Frank Rich, New York Times columnist and author of The Greatest Story Ever Sold: Bush’s America from “Mission Accomplished” to “Heckuva Job, Brownie”; and Andrew Sullivan, blogger, journalist, pundit, self-named “South Park Republican” and author of The Conservative Soul: How We Lost it, How to Get it Back. Stick around for a gloves-off debate on politics, upcoming elections and President Bush’s legacy.

Marie Arana, author of Cellophane, hosts Barack Obama, author of The Audacity of Hope; Amy Sedaris, author of I Like You; and John Updike, author of Terrorist in this personal, funny, passionate and provocative discussion on everything from Latin American writing to the lost art of book selling.

Due to the keen interest in John Updike‘s speech at the Saturday Book & Author Breakfast, we are releasing it as a separate podcast. Mr. Updike abandoned a speech about his new book, Terrorist, in favor of a passionate discussion of books and booksellers — whom he called “the citadels of light.” We will podcast the Book & Author Breakfast in its entirety including Barack Obama, Amy Sedaris and Marie Arana later on.

Tim Russert, host of Meet the Press and author of Wisdom of our Fathers: Lessons and Letters from Daughters and Sons (Random House) welcomes BEA to Washington DC and shares his insights on family life as well as the latest in Washington. With introductions by BEA Director Lance Fensterman and Random House Senior Editor Susan Mercandetti.