Speakers Forum

A handful of third-world countries have turned themselves around from numerous hardships in the past 30 years: China rose from seemingly hopeless poverty, Mexico bounced back from the Third World Debt Crisis, Brazil overcame hyperinflation. 

Can we all become more competitive? Journalists Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman argue yes. In their new book, "Top Dog," they use science to analyze the drive to win in each of us, including how to tip the scales in your favor.

Katherine Bouton was going deaf by age 30. During meetings at The New York Times, where she was a section editor, she had trouble hearing what her colleagues were saying during meetings. Shouting, she says, didn't help her hear any better. 

As the chancellor of Washington, DC, public schools in 2007, implemented a variety of changes that made her a controversial figure in the education reform movement.

Madeleine Albright was the first woman to hold the Secretary of State position for former president Bill Clinton. She became known as an advocate for peace in the Middle East and for bringing war criminals to justice. In her new memoir, she chronicles her traumatic early life in Prague during the Nazi occupation, through the end of World War II and the beginning of the Cold War.

    

Khan Academy started when Salman Khan posted a video online to help his 12-year-old cousin pass a math test. Today, Khan has made more than 3,000 videos about topics like organic chemistry and photosynthesis. Khan's videos have been viewed more than 200 million times, and in his new book he talks about how human interaction could be the root to solving America's education crisis.

Wind can be a very significant power provider in the United States, especially in the Midwest. Environmental lawyer and writer Philip Warburg talks about wind as a resource, including how it relates to the economy and climate change. He spoke at Seattle's Town Hall on December 4, 2012. The talk was introduced by Denis Hayes, CEO of the Bullitt Foundation and coordinator of the first Earth Day.

The name Muhammad is powerful and iconic, but what do we know about his life story? Lesley Hazleton brings Muhammad to life in this talk, recorded at Seattle's Town Hall on January 24, 2013.

Lesley Hazleton has written about the Middle East for The New York Times, The Nation, and Time magazine. Her most recent book is "The First Muslim: The Story of Muhammad."

How do organized religion and politics intersect in the United States? Ray Suarez, a senior correspondent for PBS's NewsHour, explores this topic in his new book, "The Holy Vote: The Politics of Faith in America." Ray Suarez spoke at Town Hall on January 11, 2013. The talk was presented by Seattle University as part of its Faith and Values in the Public Square lecture series.