Congressman always asked to this question before. Youve always had a large reading list, what is on your current reading list . Cnet well, i have just finished be splendid and the vile by eri eric. Wonderful account of churchill and his family. Really in the worst year of the war. Right after he becomes prime minister, may 10 of 1940. That was really the day of the german invasion of the low countries and france. And then basically what it was like to stand alone against not see germany until june of 41 the russians are in the war. And obviously by december of 41 the United States in the war. Its an extraordinary book. Its a wonderful read about a guy the supreme ordeal of his brilliant career and ive also been reading, i just picked up the greatest story by the name of jean edward smith. Great biographer. I read his biographies grants and eisenhower. Eisenhower biography is by far the best eisenhower biography ever written. And there been some good wins. But he died in 2019. So right now just got into what may have been his best book was on fdr. Something called the apartment prize which american historians chooses the best book of the year. Back in 2007. It has been around for a while. It is one is been sitting around on my bookshelf. And ive just not gotten to it. Its a six or 700 page read. We lost smith last year, about a year ago september. Almost precisely a year ago. I happen to think about that. He pulls out the book and ordered his last book which ive not read yet on the liberation of paris. Which was published in 2019. Ive kind of been doing that. Earlier this summer, i got on by accident a binge biographies of ambassadors. And eric larson also wrote a great biography by a guy named william thought he was the American Ambassador in germany. It was in the 1930s. It was an eclectic group. The idea of being not see germany as was consolidating power. The first evidence of what was going to truly be the dark. In World History was becoming evident. And then, i read at the same time of book by guy name lou paper called the cauldron. It was a tale of the american and bassett are in tokyo. Guy name joseph for about ten years but he was armed bassett for ten years. I think from 1931 to 41. So all of his ultimately fruitless efforts to head off war between the United States and japan. Then of course what it was like being in japan during the grip of a fascist and military regime is guiding that country really to ruin. And then one last thing, one of my favorite political scientist of all times i usually read historians, this guys a different kind of political scientists in my view. He just died this year. But was very famous for writing histories on congress or studies of congress from the district level up rather than the washington level. He would literally travel into the district of various congressmen and senators or state senators obviously. And i read a couple of his books. I just havent read his obit and said i havent read enough of this guy. I read a couple of his books, the challenge of congressional representation which i think was his last book published lichen 2013. There is another book called congressional trap, again it is a view of congress. I know a lot of members of congress he writes about in these things. It is just fascinating. Is a reminder of how often, what somebody does in washington is really a reflection of who they represent, what their interests are, with their understanding of the world is. We kind of lose that dimension sometimes when we study politicians. We forget that they have another part of them which is not in washington d. C. Which actually shapes what they do in washington d. C. So a lot of reading this summer. See what congressman seems to be a theme among the history book sure reading and that is world war ii. Guest well just happened to be there. No deliberate design for like everyone else always fascinated by it. There been other books too. Callaways book, the indian world of George Washington to save america, that really fascinated me as well. No question world war ii is the era you have to understand the ward leading into it, what came out of it to understand the time in which we live. And really, the rise of the United States as a great power before the second world war. But it became the superpower after that. So understanding what the country went through and how change who we are, how we think, how we act globally i think is really kind of an indispensable grounding that you have to have if you want to be effective in the current time. Is eric larson one of those writers or historians that its a book you read it . Guest yes. He is an absolutely superb writer. Almost like reading a novel. The descriptions was footnoted had a real talent. Seizing on something to look at it more closely. We have had a lot of really fine biographies robert and his most recent ones is probably the bes best. We think out a year is another book i cannot even remember the authors name now. It is a same thing it is on churchill in the 1920s. A single pivotal year when he was working as colonial secretary and help reshape the middle east in ways that echo write down the boundaries of countries. So, i like what he does, i like how he writes. He is always worth reading whatever the topic is. Steven then york times correspondent came out with a book about congress a year to back. When a book comes out about congress, do you almost automatically pick it up . Guest i do. I know karl very well. I think one of the smartest reporters out there. Confirmation bias which is sort of on the Supreme Court wars that we have seen in recent years. I does a brilliant look. He went to understand some of the struggles that shape capitol hill, not any better guy than karl holtz. Also finished Jonathan Carls book. Its not congress. Se, because he is a White House Correspondent and works for abc news. But front row and the trump show is an interesting read. I know karl, i have been interviewed by him on a podcast once or twice. If somebody writes a book i think it is really knowledgeable and professional. You want to hear they have to say. Because again there talking to a lot of people in many cases you cant talk to or dont have the occasion to talk to. They bring a lot of insights into the political field and into congress. Host how much sharing of book ideas do you do in congress . Guest quite a bit. I do sort of a Favorite Book of the month that we publish regularly on our website. And we have a lot of inquiries about that. I also throw a party for republicans every year at christmas that is a really nice affair. Usually dinner at the willard and then a Christmas Present almost always a book. And quite often have a particular Ellen Kinsinger from illinois for the brightest guys in congress. He is a young veteran and was elected in the class of 2010. Back then was very short. Almost like a crewcut. He is still in the reserves, still flies, and reminded me of a picture i have seen have don rumsfeld at about the same age. Square jaw, goodlooking guy. So i bought rumsfeld them in senate jim. Youre from illinois he is in illinois youve got a crewcut hes got a crewcut you guys to get to what know what another. So occasionally send a book to somebody because it struck me something that might interest them. Particularly, adam is one of our awful thinkers in congress on both sides of the aisle with National Security issues and military matters. He flew in a combat zone so he knows what hes talking about. I guy like rumsfeld who it also served and had been both the youngest and the oldest secretary of defense in american history. Split i love you saw this, mr. Rumsfeld wrote his most recent book on this years before the white house. After write it, i just finished chris whipples book, the gatekeeper on the chiefs of staff. Of the white house and of course he figures very prominently. Ill interested in having a more thorough view. I have a picture i keep in my office. I knew and campaigned and was a big admirer of his. I think its a auger fee of him time and chance on gerald ford. So it will be interesting to get rumsfeld sort of close up look at president ford. Tom cole, republican of oklahoma. As always thank you for joining us on book tv. I enjoyed it very much peter thanks for having me. You watch this and all of our what are you reading interviews booktv. Org. Using the search bar at the top of the page. During a Virtual Event hosted by st. Louis of left bank books, sellars recalls his childhood in denmark, South Carolina as the sons of civil rights activists. In his experience is South Carolinas youngest state representative. Heres a portion of his conversation. You know, when you knock on doors you have this resolved youre going to knock on every single door. None on. Because i really wanted to meet people where they are. I had a firm belief that no matter white, democrat, republican, the ones have a Grocery Store in your community, you did not want your grandparents having to choose between whether or not they were going to pay the utility bills or get the pharmaceutical drugs, you know we went through steps in my mind that i can literally change the lives of people. I was not jaded by reality and still the same jaded by that reality. I was the agitator said. I was walking into the statehouse where the same state that put my family through so much turmoil. I was there to help change that. Put a face on that, tear down the systems from within. I dont know how successful i was at that. But i tried my damnedest. So there is that. Theres a sense of being young and everybody looked at me. I was the youngest by like a decade plus. So everyone is staring at you. The first time you open your mouth they want to see what you are all about. Who is the young dude . The young black guy from denmark has a son of a civil rights her hero. I dont think people really remember, but when i was elected every day i went outside when i was having a rough day and took a deep breath. I did that in office with the Confederate Flag put it flew probably in the front basement visit our website booktv. Org and search for the box at the top of the page. now on book tv afterwards, author fbi assistant director of counterintelligence, peter strzok details his career in the fbi investigation into russias interference in the 2016 election. He is interviewed by the New York TimesJustice Department reporter, adam goldman. Afterwards is a weekly interview pr