Robert Shiller visits Google's Mountain View, CA headquarters to discuss his book "The Subprime Solution: How Today's Global Financial Crisis Happened, and What to Do About It." This event took place on October 30, 2008, as part of the Authors@Google series. The subprime mortgage crisis has already wreaked havoc on the lives of millions of people and now it threatens to derail the U.S. economy and economies around the world. In The Subprime Solution, best-selling economist Robert Shiller reveals the origins of this crisis and puts forward bold measures to solve it. He calls for an aggressive response--a restructuring of the institutional foundations of the financial system that will not only allow people once again to buy and sell homes with confidence, but will create the conditions for greater prosperity in America and throughout the deeply interconnected world economy. Robert J. Shiller is the best-selling author of "Irrational Exuberance" and "The New Financial Order" (both Princeton), among other books. He is the Arthur M. Okun Professor of Economics at Yale University.

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The Authors@Google program welcomed Murray Greenberg to Google's New York office to discuss his book, "Passing Game: Benny Friedman and the Transformation of Football". "First-time author Greenberg chronicles the overlooked football career of one of the sport's genuine innovators.Just as Paul Arizin's perfection of the jump shot changed the game of basketball, Benny Friedman's invention of the forward pass changed football. During the sport's first Golden Age, when names like Grange, Nevers and Nagurski glittered, and the melon-sized ball made it difficult and the rules made it risky, the forward pass played a distinctly minor role in any team's offense. Under Michigan's legendary coach Fielding Yost, Friedman, a fitness fanatic, used his strength and accuracy to do unprecedented things with the ball. Named to the 1925 All-America team for his trademark passing, trick plays and lightning strikes, he became a Jewish sports icon, second only to boxer Benny Leonard. Friedman repeated his college success in the nascent professional game, leading the league in 1928 in both passing and rushing touchdowns, a feat never accomplished before or since. Giants' owner Tim Mara purchased the entire Detroit Wolverines team just to get Friedman to New York, where his ethnicity and exciting brand of play had special box-office appeal. In college Friedman played in the first game ever broadcast live on radio. In a special pro exhibition he played and starred in the final game Knute Rockne ever coached. After arguably saving pro ball in the nation's largest city, Friedman went on to a modestly successful coaching career, reviving the football program at CCNY and inaugurating one at Brandeis University." "Greenberg capably negotiates the on-field exploits of this football pioneer, explaining Friedman's athletic brilliance and importance, but the author doesn't quite penetrate the carapace of the aloof man that George Halas said "revolutionized football." After a series of debilitating operations and illnesses, Friedman took his own life in 1982. He was belatedly elected to the Hall of Fame in 2005, a snub some attributed to anti-Semitism, others to electors offended by Friedman's unseemly campaign for the honor. Regardless, Greenberg sets an unimpeachable case on behalf of this essentially unknowable man.Will surprise even those who think they know the game." "Murray Greenberg is a former litigator and graduate of Brandeis University (where Benny Friedman was the first athletic director and only football coach), as well as Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism." This event took place on November 17, 2008.

Tags: Murray Greenberg Passing Game Benny Friedman NFL History

Tamara Erickson visits Google's Cambridge, MA office to discuss her book "Plugged In: The Generation Y Guide to Thriving at Work." This event took place on December 16, 2008, as part of the Authors@Google series. Although Erickson admits that her own Generation Y son informed her that he would prefer to consult a blog for career advice rather than dead-tree technology, her effort—chock-full of demographic data and a portrait of the generation's collective aspirations—is certainly worthy of the effort required of literally turning pages. An author and researcher in demographics and organizational behavior, Erickson has the ability to customize career strategies for this newest generation entering the workforce in a way designed to be immediately useful. The author's thoroughness in translating generic advice—such as the importance of developing good communications skills—into Gen Yspeak makes the book informative and appealingly fresh. Despite gearing her message to younger workers, Erickson's effort speaks to a much broader audience: her examination of what influences and motivates this emerging generation would be of interest to potential employers and marketers.

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Poet Al Young visits Google's Mountain View, CA headquarters to discuss his book "Something About the Blues." This event took place on December 4, 2008, as part of the Authors@Google series. Like Harlem renaissance poet Langston Hughes, who first popularized the blues as a poetic form, Al Young has written about the blues, played the blues and drawn inspiration from the blues. Something About the Blues uses the blues as a theme throughout 100 new and previously-published poems. Selections evoke the cold, hard city, love gone wrong and blues music itself, with tributes to Ma Rainey, Lena Horne and other notable performers. California Poet Laureate Al Young is also a novelist and essayist. He is the recipient of NEA, Guggenheim, and Fulbright Fellowships, plus awards for fiction and nonfiction. A popular reader and performer, Young lectures worldwide on literature, music, creativity, the arts, and African American culture. Young lives in Berkeley, California. More information at http://alyoung.org.

Tags: Al Young Something About the Blues Authors@Google atgoogle California poet laureate poetry poems

Newsweek editor Jon Meacham visits Google's Mountain View, CA headquarters to discuss his book "American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House." This event took place on December 2, 2008, as part of the Authors@Google series. Andrew Jackson, his intimate circle of friends, and his tumultuous times are at the heart of this remarkable book about the man who rose from nothing to create the modern presidency. Beloved and hated, venerated and reviled, Andrew Jackson was an orphan who fought his way to the pinnacle of power, bending the nation to his will in the cause of democracy. Jacksons election in 1828 ushered in a new and lasting era in which the people, not distant elites, were the guiding force in American politics. Democracy made its stand in the Jackson years, and he gave voice to the hopes and the fears of a restless, changing nation facing challenging times at home and threats abroad. To tell the saga of Jacksons presidency, acclaimed author Jon Meacham goes inside the Jackson White House. Jon Meacham is the editor of Newsweek and author of American Lion and the New York Times bestsellers Franklin and Winston: An Intimate Portrait of an Epic Friendship and American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation.

Tags: Jon Meacham American Lion Andrew Jackson in the White House Authors@Google atgoogle Old Hickory history president

Bill Murphy Jr. visits Google's Mountain View, CA headquarters to discuss his book "In a Time of War: The Proud and Perilous Journey of West Point's Class of 2002." This event took place on November 20, 2008, as part of the Authors@Google series. They came to West Point in a time of peace, but soon after the start of their senior year, their lives were transformed by September 11. In a Time of War focuses on two members of the class of 2002: Todd Bryant, an amiable, funny Californian for whom military service was a family tradition; and Drew Sloan, the hardworking son of liberal parents from Arkansas who is determined to serve his country. On the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, Todd, Drew, and their classmates—the armys newest and youngest officers—lead their troops into harms way again and again. Meticulously reported, sweeping in scope, Bill Murphy Jr.s powerful book follows these brave and idealistic officers—and their families—as they experience the harrowing reality of the modern battlefield. In a Time of War tells a vivid and sometimes heartbreaking story about courage, honor, and what war really means to the soldiers whose lives it defines. More at http://www.inatimeofwar.com Bill Murphy Jr. worked as Bob Woodwards research assistant on the bestselling State of Denial. A lawyer and former Army Reserve officer, he reported from Iraq for The Washington Post in 2007. He lives in Washington, D.C.

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Michael Carroll visits Google's Mountain View, CA headquarters to discuss his book "The Mindful Leader: Ten Principles for Bringing Out the Best in Ourselves and Others." This event took place on October 17, 2008, as part of the Authors@Google series. A new generation of business leaders is turning to mindfulness as a cutting-edge leadership tool. Research suggests that the practice of mindfulness--a technique for learning to live in the present moment--can help individuals gain clarity, reduce stress, optimize performance, and develop a greater sense of well-being. Michael Carroll, corporate executive, Buddhist teacher and author of The Mindful Leader will give mindfulness meditation instruction and discuss how such mind training can cultivate natural leadership talents like courage, confidence and poise. We will explore how mindfulness, beyond mere pleasantry, is how we can learn to adopt a realistic and inspiring approach toward workplace leadership.

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The second in a series of town halls, "Tech Agenda 2009: Creating New Opportunities for Open & Participatory Government" focused on how technology can help government become more accountable, transparent and participatory. Panelists for Panel II, "Changing Policy to Promote Open Government," include Chris Barkley, Meredith Fuchs, Karina Newton, and John Wonderlich. The discussion was moderated by Andrew McLaughlin of Google. This event took place on December 12, 2008 at Google's offices in Washington, D.C.

Tags: atgoogle Tech Agenda 2009: Creating New Opportunities for Open Participatory Government

The second in a series of town halls, "Tech Agenda 2009: Creating New Opportunities for Open & Participatory Government" focused on how technology can help government become more accountable, transparent and participatory. Panelists for Panel I, "Practicing Openness & Citizen Participation: Lessons from the Campaign Trail," include Jeff Eller, Sam Graham-Felsen, Cyrus Krohn, and Buffy Wicks. The discussion was moderated by Steve Grove of YouTube. This event took place on December 12, 2008 at Google's offices in Washington, D.C.

Tags: atgoogle Tech Agenda 2009 Creating New Opportunities for Open Participatory Government

The first in a series of town halls, "Tech Agenda 2009: Building an Infrastructure for a 21st Century Economy" focused on economic growth and the technology infrastructure needed to foster innovation. Panelists include Gigi Sohn of Public Knowledge, Jennifer Canty of Dyscern, Ben Scott of Free Press, Stephen Ezell of ITIF, Harry Wingo of Google, and Michael Oldak of the Edison Electric Institute. The discussion was moderated by Johanna Shelton of Google. This event took place on November 20, 2008 at Google's offices in Washington, D.C.

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Temple Grandin visits Google's Boulder, CO office to discuss her book "Animals Make Us Human: Creating the Best Life for Animals." This event took place on December 2, 2008, as part of the Authors@Google series. Grandin (Animals in Translation), famed for her decades-long commitment to treating livestock as humanely as possible on its way to slaughter, considers how humans and animals can best interact. Working from the premise that an animal is a conscious being that has feelings, the autistic author assesses dogs, cats, horses, cows, pigs, poultry, wildlife and zoo animals based on a core emotion system she believes animals and humans share, including a need to seek; a sense of rage, fear, and panic; feelings of lust; an urge to nurture; and an ability to play. Among observations at odds with conventional wisdom: dogs need human parents, not alpha pack leaders, and cats respond to training. Discussions of why horses are skittish and why pigs are arguably the most intelligent of beasts—raccoons run them a close second—illuminate the intersection of people and more domesticated animals; chapters on cows and chickens focus more generally on animal welfare, particularly the horrific conditions in which they are usually raised and slaughtered. Packed with fascinating insights, unexpected observations and a wealth of how-to tips, Grandin's peppy work ably challenges assumptions about what makes animals happy.

Tags: Temple Grandin Animals Make Us Human Creating the Best Life for pets dogs cats Authors@Google atgoogle

Russell Shorto visits Google's Cambridge, MA office to discuss his book "Descartes' Bones: A Skeletal History of the Conflict Between Faith and Reason." This event took place on October 16, 2008, as part of the Authors@Google series. At the center of this philosophical tale by the acclaimed author of The Island at the Center of the World is a simple mystery: Where in the world is Descartes's skull, and how did it get separated from the rest of his remains? Following the journey of the great 17th-century French thinker's bones—over six countries, across three centuries, through three burials—after his death in Stockholm in 1650, Shorto also follows the philosophical journey into modernity launched by Descartes's articulation of the mind-body problem. Shorto relates the life of the self-centered, vainglorious, vindictive Descartes and the bizarre story of his remains with infectious relish and stylistic grace, and his exploration of philosophical issues is probing. But the bones are too slender to bear the metaphorical weight of modernity that he gives them. Their sporadic appearance in the tale also makes them a shaky narrative frame for the sprawling events Shorto presents as the result of Descartes's work: the Enlightenment, the French Revolution, the 19th century's scientific explosion, 21st-century battles between faith and reason. Given Shorto's splendid storytelling gifts, this is a pleasure to read, but ultimately unsatisfying.

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The Authors@Google program welcomed Barbara Fairchild, editor of Bon Appétit magazine to Google's New York office to discuss her book, "Fast Easy Fresh". Barbara Fairchild is Editor in Chief of Bon Appétit magazine. She joined the magazine's staff in 1978 as an editorial assistant, and spent almost fifteen years as the Executive Editor before being promoted to Editor in Chief in 2000. She is a frequent guest on radio and television programs about food, restaurants, travel, and popular culture, and has been recognized by the James Beard Foundation's "Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America." She is also the author of the bestselling Bon Appétit Cookbook. This event took place on November 13, 2008.

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The Authors@Google program welcomed Chris Onstad to Google's New York office to discuss his comic "Achewood" and his first graphic novel, "The Great Outdoor Fight". He was interviewed by Google's own Dan Bentley. Chris Onstad is the creator of Achewood, "the strip you'll wish you'd discovered as an underappreciated fifteen-year-old." Onstad attended Stanford University, where he edited the Stanford Chapparal humor magazine. He lives in Northern California with his wife and daughter. From Publishers Weekly- "This handsome hardcover compilation of the popular Web comic Achewood follows the strip's most epic story arc and should win many new fans. When Ray Smuckles, a thong-clad anthropomorphic cat, discovers his father was a champion of the Great Outdoor Fight, a yearly competition held in Bakersfield, Calif., he decides to enter the nearly ruleless three-day fight. Ray's best friend, nicknamed Roast Beef, reveals himself to be an expert on the fight as well as a first-time entrant. Ray quickly finds that his soft life as a pencil-neck may not have prepared him for the brutal, masculine violence the 3,000-man fight promises, but stubbornly aims to win anyway, with Roast Beef as his ally and steadfast supporter. The humor works on many levels—from the absurd, unexpected characters, including a Soviet robot, to their quirky speech patterns. Onstad's minimalist art leaves some of the larger action sequences taking place off-camera. Nevertheless, the narrative shines through as an epic battle rages and friendship between the protagonists deepens. Achewood devotees who know the story line will be pleased with the bonuses: long supplemental texts detailing the history of the fight and seven recipes from a fictional cookbook." This event took place on November 7,2008.

Tags: Chris Onstad Achewood The Great Outdoor Fight

Barbara Ewing visits Google's London office to discuss her book "The Mesmerist." This event took place on November 24, 2008, as part of the Authors@Google series. London, 1838: the controversial practice of Mesmerism, with its genuine practitioners and its fraudulent chancers, has hypnotised the city. Miss Cordelia Preston, a beautiful, ageing, out-of-work actress terrified of returning to the poverty of her childhood, suddenly emerges as a Lady Phreno-Mesmerist. In her candle-lit Bloomsbury basement she learns to harness her talent - and to finally look towards the future. But success is fragile when you have a past filled with secrets. On a wintry, moonlit night a body is found in Bloomsbury Square, and what began as an audacious subterfuge erupts into a scandal. Cordelia's past is revealed, bringing not only heartache but terror - and the mystery of a cloaked figure who waits for her in the shadowy London streets.

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Laurel Ulrich visits Google's Cambridge, MA office to discuss her book "Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History." This event took place on October 27, 2008, as part of the Authors@Google series. In 1976, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich published an article that began as follows: "Cotton Mather called them 'the hidden ones.' They never preached or sat in a deacon's bench. Nor did they vote or attend Harvard. Neither, because they were virtuous women, did they question God or the magistrates. They prayed secretly, read the Bible through at least once a year, and went to hear the minister preach even when it snowed. Hoping for an eternal crown, they never asked to be remembered on earth. And they haven't been. Well-behaved women seldom make history." In her most recent book, Ulrich returns to this early statement, taking the sentence that became a feminist rallying cry as both her starting point and core thesis. Laurel Ulrich is a professor at Harvard University, a leading historian of early America and the experiences of women. Besides 'Well-Behaved Women,' she is also the writer of 'The Age of Homespun: Objects and Stories in the Creation of an American Myth' (2001), 'All God's Critters Got a Place in the Choir' (an essay collection coauthored with Emma Lou Thayne, 1995), 'A Midwife's Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard based on her diary, 1785-1812' (1990), and Good Wives: Image and Reality in the Lives of Women in Northern New England, 1650-1750' (1982).

Tags: Laurel Thatcher Ulrich Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History Harvard Authors@Google atgoogle Midwife's Tale Pulitzer

Roy Leban visits Google's Kirkland, WA office to discuss his book "Who-doku: Sudoku with Personality." This event took place on November 12, 2008, as part of the Authors@Google series.

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Jen Lin-Liu visits Google's Mountain View, CA headquarters to discuss her book "Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China." This event took place on November 5, 2008, as part of the Authors@Google series. Lin-Liu's Serve the People records her years living and working in Shanghai and Beijing, when she attended a vocational cooking school and discovered a passion for Chinese cooking and culture. Growing up in the U.S. to Taiwan-born parents, the author admits feeling alienated from her heritage when she first moved to China in 2000. She begins her account with her frustrating yet ultimately rewarding study at the Hualian Cooking School in Beijing, where she apprenticed to one of the school's instructors, Chairman Wang, an old-style cook raised during the Cultural Revolution, who taught the author the rudiments of chopping, shopping and how to pass the cooking exam. Incorporating stories of many of the Chinese she worked alongside (and their recipes), as well as trips to the MSG factory in Henan or to the rice-growing Guangxi province, Lin-Liu offers a thoroughgoing, spirited celebration of overcoming cultural barriers. Jen Lin-Liu is a Chinese-American writer and the founder of the cooking school Black Sesame Kitchen. A restaurant editor for Zagat Survey and the coauthor of Frommer's Beijing, she has also written for Newsweek, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Saveur, Food & Wine, and Time Out Beijing.

Tags: Jen Lin Liu Serve the People Stir Fried Journey Into China Beijing Authors@Google atgoogle food Black Sesame Kitchen

Politicians tell us constantly that they trust the wisdom of The American People. New York Times best-selling author Rick Shenkman explains why we shouldnt-at least when it comes to politics. Rick Shenkman is an award-winning investigative reporter, a New York Times best-selling author, and the editor and founder of George Mason Universitys History News Network, a website that features articles by historians on current events. An associate professor of history at George Mason University, he appears regularly as a commentator on Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC. He books include Legends, Lies, and Cherished Myths of American History and Presidential Ambition: How the Presidents Gained Power, Kept Power, and Got Things Done. This event took place on 10/2/2008

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Amitav Ghosh visits Google's Seattle, WA office to discuss his book "Sea of Poppies." This event took place on November 14, 2008, as part of the Authors@Google series. Turning his eye to the nineteenth-century opium trade, the acclaimed author Amitav Ghosh has crafted a novel that is by turns witty and provocative, while delivering a magnificent historical adventure. An intricate saga, Sea of Poppies brings together a motley array of sailors and stowaways, coolies and convicts, who have embarked on a tumultuous voyage across the Indian Ocean in the midst of the Opium Wars between Britain and China. The events transpiring aboard the Ibis (a former slave ship) provide a rich tapestry of a time when the world stood poised to witness some of the most profound destruction-and most sweeping liberation-in the history of humanity. From the lush poppy fields of the Ganges to the crowded backstreets of Canton, across a rolling high sea that beckons throughout the narrative, this is a portrait of fateful events you will not soon forget. AMITAV GHOSH is one of India's best-known writers. His books include The Circle of Reason, The Shadow Lines, In An Antique Land, Dancing in Cambodia, The Calcutta Chromosome, The Glass Palace, Incendiary Circumstances, The Hungry Tide. His most recent novel, Sea of Poppies, is the first volume of the Ibis Trilogy.

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