Every year booktv asks members of congress about the books they are reading. Joining us now on booktv is representative tom cole, a republican from oklahoma. Congressman cole, weve asked you this question before. Youve always had a large reading list. Whats on your current reading list . Well, i have just finished the splendid and the vile by erik larson, wonderful account of churchill and his family, really in the worst year of the war, the year right after he becomes prime minister, may 10, 1940, literally the day of the german invasion of low countries in france. And then basically what it was like to stood alone against nazi germany until june the 41 the russians are in the war and then obviously by december the 41 the United States is in the war. Its an extraordinary book, so its a wonderful read about a guy that i consider literally the greatest person in the 20th century and the supreme ordeal of a long and brilliant career. And then i have also been reading, i just picked up a
I just finished the splendid and the vial by erik larson, wonderful account of churchill and his family in the worst year of the war after he becomes Prime Minister may 10th of 1940, literally the day of the german invasion of france and then basically what it was like to stand alone against nazi germany until june of 41, russians are in the war and by december of 41 the United States is in the war. It is a wonderful read about a guy that i consider the greatest person of the Twentieth Century and the supreme ordeal of a long and brilliant career. I have also been reading, i picked up a great historian by the name of jean edward smith, great biographer. I read his biography grand and eisenhower, by far the best eisenhower biography of a written. He died in 2019. Right now, just got into his book on fdr, the parkland prize which american historians choose as the best book of the year in 2007. It has been around a while. One of those books had been sitting on my bookshelf and i have not
And then to become Prime Minister in the forties of the german invasion weather is like in nazi germany when the they were in the war and the United States is in the war. It is an extraordinary book and it is a wonderful read and then ive also been reading the greatest stories Jean Edward Smith a great biographer with about the freeze the grant and eisenhower but he died in 2019 when fdr with american stories chooses the best book of the year back in 2007. And those that have been sitting on my bookshelf it is a six or 700 page read but we lost smith last year and we have to think about that and then the last book which i have not read yet that was published 2019 so i have been doing that in earlier this summer by accident i got on the bench and then the American Ambassador in the 1930s and then that eclectic and eccentric group and being and not see germany everyone is consolidating power with that truly dark. World history and then also reading a paper called in the cauldron with the
Christmas million optional museum, here in washington d. C. Its just over an hour. So its absolutely a thrill to see so many people here for this kind of a program, my name is johnny gray, and i have the wonderful privilege of being the director of your National Museum of American History. Particularly on nights like tonight, and which we really can look at American History in unique and unusual ways. We are really honored to be joined by tonight panel Supreme Court justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg applause Supreme Court Justice Sonia sotomayor, applause catherine fit, applause and Supreme Court Society Publications director claire kushner, applause it is now my privilege to introduce the 13th secretary of the smithsonian institution, doctor david horton. Hes on Board Certified cardiologist a jazz musician, and doctor scorching with most recently the president of cornell university, and previously served as president of the university of iowa. Doctor gordon has interest in learning as wide
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