Speakers Forum

As a kid, Tracie McMillan's favorite food was Hamburger Helper. Until she got to college, she considered people who ate "good food," snobs.  She became interested in how food and class relate in America while reporting on poverty.

Nearly half a century ago, a diverse group of characters began to capture children's hearts: Spider-Man, Captain America, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, The X-Men. The epic Marvel universe has been a massive force in pop culture, inspiring countless books, films and becoming a multi-billion-dollar enterprise.

How does Google search the Internet? How many people should you date before getting married? And how should you arrange your mattress to get the maximum wear out of it?

Character, not IQ, is the most important predictor of a child's success. That's what Paul Tough argues in his new book, "How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character."

Tough uses research in neuroscience, economics and psychology to advocate a new way of thinking about children's success. He spoke at Seattle's Town Hall on September 20, 2012.

The US Senate just isn't what it used to be. Political insider Ira Shapiro longs for the 1960s and 1970s, where lawmakers passed landmark civil rights legislation, debated the Vietnam War and held Nixon accountable for Watergate. Shapiro's book, "The Last Great Senate," chronicles those golden years and provides a vision for the future. He spoke at Town Hall on September 24, 2012.
 

Who was the best US president? The worst? Biographer Robert Merry plays "rate the presidents" based on popularity and historical judgment. Here are some hints: Abraham Lincoln's at the top and James Buchanan ranks as one of the country's biggest failures.