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Allis and Ronald Radosh discuss their book "A Safe Haven: Harry S. Truman and the Founding of Israel." The book is the story of President Truman and his decision to have the United States recognize the State of Israel, which officially happened on May 14, 1948. Much of the documentation for this book was based on never-before-used archival material.

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Erik Larson is the author of the historical narrative, "In the Garden of Beasts," which details the life of William E. Dodd. Dodd became America’s first ambassador to Adolf Hitler’s Germany in Berlin during 1933. The story follows Dodd and his family, including daughter Martha, as they interact with Joseph Goebbels, Hermann Goring and other top level members of the Third Reich during the years leading up to World War II. The book chronicles Martha’s relationships with various authors including Carl Sandburg and Thomas Wolfe, as well as high-ranking Germans. It also tells the story of Ambassador Dodd’s growing frustration with America’s lack of action against the Third Reich. Erik Larson has authored three New York Times bestsellers, including "The Devil in the White City," and "Isaac’s Storm." Larson was a staff writer for the Wall Street Journal, and a contributing writer for Time Magazine. He has written articles for The Atlantic, Harper’s, The New Yorker, and other publications.

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Mr. Brzezinski talks about his book, "Second Chance: Three Presidents and the Crisis of American Superpower." He discusses his time in politics, his opinion of George W. Bush, and his criticism of the war in Iraq. Topics include the end of the Cold War, the opportunity for U.S. influence in the world, the negative symbolism of Guantanamo Bay, national security, and his service to both Republican and Democratic presidents.

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Clarence Lusane talks about The Black History of the White House, a historical narrative detailing the contributions of African Americans in the White House. He recounts little-known stories from such individuals as Oney Judge, slave to George and Martha Washington; and Paul Jennings, owned by James and Dolly Madison. The book explores emancipation, reconstruction, the civil rights movement and its aftermath, and contemporary issues arising from the Obama presidency. Lusane speaks of his formative childhood years, including his vivid memories of when his mother and sister were shot during a city-wide riot in Detroit in July of 1967.

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Gary Walters talks about his career as White House usher. He became Chief White House Usher in 1986 and retired in January of 2007. He says the duties of the Chief Usher are similar to those of the general manager of a major hotel. He was in the uniformed division during the Nixon, Ford and Carter administrations, and was appointed Chief Usher by President Reagan. He told many stories about the presidents and about historic moments during his tenure.

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President Reagan called on Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down this wall" in this address at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin on June 12, 1987.

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Fifty years ago on June 26, 1963, President John F. Kennedy spoke in Berlin on the differences between free and Communist systems, famously stating that as a free man he took pride in the words “Ich bin ein Berliner.”

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This June marks the 50th Anniversary of two of President John F. Kennedy’s most memorable speeches. On June 10th 1963, JFK delivered the commencement address at American University known as his “Peace Speech.” He called for high-level negotiations with the Soviet Union, a nuclear test ban treaty and an end to the Cold War.  On June 26th 1963, President Kennedy took a harder line in West Berlin, famously stating that as a free man he took pride in the words “Ich bin ein Berliner.” This is a discussion from the Kennedy Presidential Library about the significance and lasting influence of these two addresses.

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