The On The Bookshelf Podcast

interview--Renowned author Steve Berry brings the latest Cotton Malone adventure

we're off to Bavaria for a possible political upheaval. It seems that Bavaria, the largest region of modern Germany, was an independent nation up until The Great War (World War I). At that time it joined the German Confederation, and the King was out of a job. But what if he left a way out, one that would allow a completely unexpected alliance with a kingdom from 1893 across the world? Cotton Mather is asked by a colleague from the CIA to help him get to the bottom of a delightfully complicated plot.

interview--Dr. Silvia Rodriguez Vega on Art from Immigrant Kids

As these children wait to see if they'll be able to get into America, what do you think they do? Sometimes they paint, or write plays, and draw. The author has been researching since 2008, and offers a unique perspective on what being a potential immigrant looks like to children.

interview--James Tang tells the true store of the Cambodian Genocide

In 1975, just after the Vietnam War ended, the communists in Cambodia decided to completely rebuild society from the ground up. So The Khmer Rouge (Red Guard) started killing people. Special targets were anyone with glasses, any professionals of any kind including doctors and nurses. Everyone else they worked to death on communal farms which were a total waste of energy, as most starved to death. In 5 years, 30% or more of the population has been murdered. The author's father was one of the survivors. His story is heart-breaking; his courage and determination are inspiring.

interview--Ned Bustard-St. Patrick the Forgiver

IVP Kids is a new imprint of IVP (InterVarsity Press), and Ned Bustard brings his second contribution to the brand with this new book just in time for St. Patrick's Day. That makes 8 picture books for kids ages 4 to 8 with 4 more coming out in the next 10 months. Saint Patrick is a favorite subject for Ned, a third-generation Irish-American. He's also a graphic designer, children's book illustrator and printmaker. "Saint Patrick the Forgiver" features his signature linocut artwork, carefully chosen to bring historical accents to his clever and insightful text. Patrick was a young Briton who was captured by Irish slavers and spent almost a decade as a shepherd before God miraculously rescued him and returned him home. But Patrick was called by God to go back to Ireland to bring a powerful message of God's forgiveness and offer of salvation. It's a message they embraced, which changed their spiritual history and it changed world history,  too. That message is still critical!

Interview-Steve Katz & John Scheinfeld- What the Hell Happened to Blood Sweat & Tears?

This new documentary reveals how the top American rock band of 1970, Blood Sweat & Tears, was coerced in to being the first US rock band to tour behind the Iron Curtain. It was an eye-opening tour for the Grammy-winning jazz-rock powerhouse, but when they returned they were "cancelled" by the underground culture that had embraced them previously. As veterans of Woodstock, Fillmore East and numerous concerts for liberal causes, BS&T should have been enhanced by this landmark tour of Poland, Romania & Yugoslavia. Instead, they were pummeled by the Right for traveling to communist nations, and pummeled by the Left for being tools of the US State Dept!  Despite their superior musicianship and wildly popular sound, Blood Sweat & Tears saw their support slip away from the Left and the Right. You'll hear the full story, and view the concert films that were smuggled to the US only to be consigned to the State Dept. archives , until now. The documentary is playing in North American theaters starting March 24th.