C-SPAN Bookshelf

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After Words: Managing Chronic Pain with Dr. Sanjay Gupta Jul 26, 2026

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Neurosurgeon and medical journalist Sanjay Gupta discussed strategies for preventing and managing pain and promoting wellness. This event took place at the 2026 New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University.

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BN+: Ted Widmer, "The Living Declaration" Jul 21, 2026

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The commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence has now gone beyond the Fourth of July. Many books have been published about the Declaration in the first half of 2026. The question for Americans is: "Have you read the Declaration in full?" A recent study says that only 3 in 10 U.S. citizens have read the Declaration in its entirety. Author Ted Widmer has published, through the Library of America, a detailed history of how the Declaration came about. The book is called "The Living Declaration: A Biography of America's Founding Text." This is Ted Widmer's twelfth book, which includes an introduction by the well-known historian Gordon S. Wood. Professor Wood died at age 92, just days before the publication of this book.

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Q&A: Mike Leinbach, Former Space Shuttle Launch Director & Co-Author, "Bringing Columbia Home" Jul 20, 2026

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On February 1, 2003, Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas and Louisiana while re-entering Earth's atmosphere, killing all seven astronauts on board. Former Space Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach, who led debris recovery and reconstruction efforts following the accident, talks about the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster and the investigation into its causes. Mr. Leinbach is the co-author of "Bringing Columbia Home: The Untold Story of a Lost Space Shuttle and Her Crew."

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ABC: Michael Beschloss Explores the Revolutionary War, Civil War & 20th Century America Jul 19, 2026

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Bestselling presidential historian Michael Beschloss joins David M. Rubenstein for a wide-ranging conversation on American history. They discuss the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and the pivotal events and presidents that shaped the United States in the twentieth century.

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AW: Political Realignment and the "New Right" Jul 19, 2026

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The John Locke Institute's Stephen Davies argued that the world is witnessing the emergence a permanent new form of "right-wing" politics. He spoke at the Competitive Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC.

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BN+: Valerie Fridland, "Why We Talk Funny" Jul 14, 2026

Show notes

After 47 years of C-SPAN televising the Congress of United States, we feel there is no better place to hear accents and dialects of the American people 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In her book "Why We Talk Funny: The Real Story Behind Our Accents," Valerie Fridland promises to unlock "the secrets of what linguistic science, psychology and history tell us about the evolution of human speech." Valerie Fridland teaches in the Great Courses series at the University of Nevada, Reno. She did her undergraduate work at Georgetown in 1990 and received her PhD from Michigan State in 1998.

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ABC: Geraldine Brooks on Memoir, Fiction & War Reporting Jul 12, 2026

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Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks joins David M. Rubenstein to discuss her memoir, acclaimed novels, and early career as a war correspondent. She reflects on the experiences that shaped her writing, the intersection of history and fiction, and the personal stories behind her work.

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AW: The Politicization of the Justice Department Jul 12, 2026

Show notes

Reporter Aaron Davis argued the Trump administration has politicized the Justice Department. This was part of Maryland's 2026 Gaithersburg Book Festival.

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Claudia Rowe, "Wards of the State" Jul 07, 2026

Show notes

Claudia Rowe is the author of "Wards of the State: The Long Shadow of American Foster Care." Rowe has been writing about the hallways and courtrooms, where kids and government clash, for 30 years. "Every person in this book," according to Claudia Rowe, "agreed to talk to me for one of two reasons, or both: They wanted to be seen, to be understood. And they wanted to change foster care." Rowe points out that about 400,000 kids in the United States today are growing up with the state government as their legal guardian. Every year, on turning 18, about 20,000 age out, many moving straight into homelessness.

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Q&A: David McKean and M. Todd Bennett, "The Flag Was Still There" Jul 06, 2026

Show notes

As the nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, former U.S. ambassador David McKean and former State Department historian M. Todd Bennett, co-authors of "The Flag Was Still There," look back at the 1776 founding and the four previous semi-centennial celebrations of America in 1826, 1876, 1926, and 1976.

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