Authors on the Air: Rocket Men; Smallpox; Alan Bean: Painting Apollo

Compiled by Diane Patrick -- Publishers Weekly, 7/20/2009 10:13:00 AM

Authors on today’s Leonard Lopate Show: 

• Since today is the 40th anniversary of the first lunar landing, former publishing executive and prize-winning author Craig Nelson discussed Rocket Men: The Epic Story of the First Men on the Moon (Viking, 978-0670021031, $27.95; Penguin Audio unabridged CD, $39.95). From PW’s starred review: “In this extensively researched account, Nelson moves seamlessly between Apollo 11 astronauts Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins, their nervous families and the equally nervous NASA ground crew. Space fans and readers who remember that momentous time will find this an exciting read.” 

• Professor of medicine and public health Dr. D. A. Henderson, whose book Smallpox: the Death of a Disease: The Inside Story of Eradicating a Worldwide Killer (Prometheus Books, 978-1591027225, $27.98) is his personal story of leading the World Health Organization's late 1960’s campaign to eradicate smallpox. 

• RAND Corporation political scientist Seth Jones, with In the Graveyard of Empires: America's War in Afghanistan (W.W. Norton, 978-0393068986, $27.95). PW wrote “Jones makes important arguments for the inclusion of local leaders, particularly in rural regions, but his diligent panorama of the situation fails to consider whether the war in Afghanistan is already lost.” 

Authors on The Bob Edwards Show: 

• Also marking the lunar landing anniversary, Alan Bean–not only the fourth man to walk on the moon, but also a painter–shared Alan Bean: Painting Apollo: First Artist on Another World (Smithsonian Books, 978-1588342645, $39.99). 

• Yale University professor Jacob Hacker, author of The Great Risk Shift: The New Economic Insecurity and the Decline of the American Dream, Revised and Expanded Edition (Oxford Univ. Press, 978-0195335347, $15.95).

Diane Rehm interviewed Boston Globe reporter Larry Tye, whose Satchel: The Life and Times of an American Legend (Random House, 978-1400066513, $26) is the first biography on Satchel Paige, the premier pitcher of the Negro Leagues. PW said “This is the definitive biography of a black showman-athlete, and as Tye makes the case, one of the finest pitchers ever, who finally was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971.” 

Due to the nature of live programming, scheduling is subject to change. 

Booksellers can order these titles through Ingram at ipage . 

Authors on the Air is compiled by Diane Patrick. To be included in this compilation, email author appearance information to DPatrickPW@aol.com (at least TWO days in advance, please).