Featured Videos

Keep up with our literary programming—no matter where you live. Dive in to discover writers and performances featured at the Library of Congress.

  • Film, Video
    U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo and Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland To kick off Native American Heritage Month, Joy Harjo, the first Native American U.S. Poet Laureate, joins Deb Haaland, the first Native American cabinet secretary, in a conversation with Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden.
    • Contributor: Harjo, Joy - Haaland, Sec. Deb - Hayden, Carla
    • Date: 2021-11-01
  • Film, Video
    Wine and Diplomacy: A Conversation with Frederick Ryan Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden talks with Frederick Ryan Jr., author of "Wine and the White House: A History," about how U.S. presidents have used wine as a tool of diplomacy.
    • Contributor: Ryan Jr, Frederick J. - Krowl, Michelle - Hayden, Carla
    • Date: 2021-10-01
  • Film, Video
    Minnesota: It's Milking Time Listen to members of Congress read from their favorite books for young people in "Read Around the States." Each video includes an interview with the author, in association with an affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book. Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota's 6th Congressional District reads from "It's Milking Time" by Phyllis Alsdurf. Alayne Hopkins, director of programs and services at...
    • Contributor: Emmer, Rep. Tom - Alsdurf, Phyllis - Hopkins, Alayne
    • Date: 2021-06-29
  • Film, Video
    Rhode Island: Layla's Happiness Listen to members of Congress read from their favorite books for young people in "Read Around the States." Each video includes an interview with the author, in association with an affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book. Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island reads from "Layla's Happiness" by Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie. Kate Lentz, director of the Rhode Island Center for the...
    • Contributor: Lentz, Kate - Reed, Sen. Jack - Ekere Tallie, Mariahadessa
    • Date: 2021-06-29
  • Film, Video
    Louisiana: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore Listen to members of Congress read from their favorite books for young people in "Read Around the States." Each video includes an interview with the author, in association with an affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana reads from "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" by William Joyce. Jim Davis, director of the Louisiana...
    • Contributor: Cassidy, Sen. Bill - Davis, Jim - Joyce, William
    • Date: 2021-06-29
  • Film, Video
    Behind the Book: Great American Translators Edith Grossman and Mario Vargas Llosa Nobel Prize in Literature recipient Mario Vargas Llosa and his longtime Spanish-to-English translator, Edith Grossman, discuss their work together. Throughout her celebrated career, Grossman has also translated works of other writers such as Gabriel Garcia Márquez, Mayra Montero and Miguel de Cervantes. This event is a Great American Translators segment of the Behind the Book series. These interviews focus on figures in publishing who...
    • Contributor: Vargas Llosa, Mario - Grossman, Edith
    • Date: 2021-06-24
  • Film, Video
    Cathy Park Hong & Wayétu Moore: The Art of Memoir Poet Cathy Park Hong and novelist Wayétu Moore discuss how their memoirs give voice to history and speak to the present moment.
    • Contributor: Hong, Cathy Park - Casper, Robert - Moore, Wayétu
    • Date: 2021-05-27
  • Film, Video
    Pennsylvania: The Other Side Listen to members of Congress read from their favorite books for young people in "Read Around the States." Each video includes an interview with the author, in association with an affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon of Pennsylvania's 5th Congressional District reads from Jacqueline Woodson's "The Other Side," illustrated by E.B. Lewis. Karla Schmit, head of...
    • Contributor: Woodson, Jacqueline - Scanlon, Mary Gay - Schmit, Karla
    • Date: 2021-05-26
  • Film, Video
    Walter Isaacson on the Biomedical Future Walter Isaacson, bestselling author of "Leonardo da Vinci," "Einstein" and "Steve Jobs," discusses his new book, "The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing and the Future of the Human Race," with award-winning journalist Katherine Eban.
    • Contributor: Eban, Katherine - Isaacson, Walter
    • Date: 2021-05-20
  • Film, Video
    Jim Lee and Asian American Superheroes DC Chief Creative Officer and Publisher Jim Lee discusses his work in celebration of Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month. He will appear in conversation with illustrator Bernard Chang ("Generations Forged") and writers Sarah Kuhn ("Shadow of the Batgirl") and Minh Lê ("Green Lantern: Legacy"). This event is moderated by former National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Gene Luen Yang ("Superman Smashes the Klan").
    • Contributor: Encina, Roswell - Lee, Jim - Kuhn, Sarah - Lê, Minh - Chang, Bernard - Yang, Gene Luen
    • Date: 2021-05-06
  • Film, Video
    Poetry Spotlight: Victoria Chang and Brenda Shaughnessy In honor of National Poetry Month, poets Victoria Chang and Brenda Shaughnessy discuss their poetry collections, which address issues of loss, fear and the future of the planet.
    • Contributor: Shaughnessy, Brenda - Holmes, Anne - Casper, Robert - Chang, Victoria
    • Date: 2021-04-29
  • Film, Video
    Lupita Nyong'o and Carla Hayden A fascinating conversation for young people with Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden and Lupita Nyong'o, Oscar-winning actor and author of the number one best-selling children's book "Sulwe."
    • Contributor: Nyong'o, Lupita - Hayden, Carla
    • Date: 2021-04-08
  • Film, Video
    Pop Life: Literature and Culture The Prize for American Fiction spring event features longtime friends Colson Whitehead and Kevin Young, a poet and the new director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, in a lively conversation on how pop culture influences art. Moderated by best-selling author and pop culture expert Isaac Fitzgerald.
    • Contributor: Fitzgerald, Isaac - Young, Kevin - Whitehead, Colson
    • Date: 2021-04-01
  • Film, Video
    Colson Whitehead's New York Colson Whitehead, 2020 recipient of the Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction, talks with Rocco Staino, director of New York's Empire Center for the Book. The two-time Pulitzer winner talks about growing up in New York, where he continues to live, and how it has influenced his writing.
    • Contributor: Staino, Rocco - Whitehead, Colson
    • Date: 2021-03-29
  • Film, Video
    War, Combat and the American Soldier Two of the most prominent historians of war, Margaret MacMillan ("War: How Conflict Shaped Us") and Rick Atkinson ("The British Are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777"), spoke with philanthropist David M. Rubenstein about their work.
    • Contributor: Macmillan, Margaret - Rubenstein, David - Atkinson, Rick
    • Date: 2021-03-25
  • Film, Video
    Rediscovering Eleanor Roosevelt David Michaelis' new book "Eleanor" is a biography of America's longest-serving first lady. Much of its research was conducted in the Library's Manuscript Division, including the papers of the NAACP and the National Women's Trade League, as well as the personal papers of Kermit and Belle Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt Jr. and Edith Bolling Galt Wilson, second wife of President Wilson. Colleen Shogan, senior vice...
    • Contributor: Flannery, Jeff - Michaelis, David - Novara, Elizabeth - Shogan, Colleen
    • Date: 2021-03-18
  • Film, Video
    Ohio: American Moonshot Listen to members of Congress read from their favorite books for young people in "Read Around the States." Each video includes an interview with the author, in association with an affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book Affiliate. Rep. Bob Latta of Ohio's 5th Congressional District reads from Douglas Brinkley's "American Moonshot: John F. Kennedy and the Great Space Race." Don...
    • Contributor: Boozer, Don - Brinkley, Douglas - Latta, Rep. Bob
    • Date: 2021-03-10
  • Film, Video
    Arkansas: Lucky to Live in Arkansas Listen to members of Congress read from their favorite books for young people in "Read Around the States." Each video includes an interview with the author, in association with an affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book. Rep. French Hill of Arkansas' 2nd Congressional District reads from Kate Jerome's "Lucky to Live in Arkansas." Jerome talks with Jennifer Chilcoat and Ruth...
    • Contributor: Hyatt, Ruth - Jerome, Kate B. - Hill, Rep. French - Chilcoat, Jennifer
    • Date: 2021-03-10
  • Film, Video
    Maine: The Circus Ship Listen to members of Congress read from their favorite books for young people in "Read Around the States." Each video includes an interview with the author, in association with an affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book. Rep. Chellie Pingree of Maine's 1st Congressional District reads from "The Circus Ship" by Chris Van Dusen." Hayden Anderson, executive director of the Maine...
    • Contributor: Pingree, Rep. Chellie - Anderson, Hayden - Van Dusen, Chris
    • Date: 2021-03-10
  • Film, Video
    On the Road with Jason Reynolds National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Jason Reynolds discussed his ambassadorship, including his recent "GRAB THE MIC: Tell Your Story" virtual tour, with Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. Through his platform, "GRAB THE MIC: Tell Your Story," Reynolds has directed his focus as ambassador by empowering students to embrace and share their own personal stories.
    • Contributor: Hayden, Carla D. - Reynolds, Jason
    • Date: 2021-02-25
  • Film, Video
    Giants of Racial Justice: Malcolm X & Martin Luther King Jr. In an event celebrating African American History Month, Peniel E. Joseph ("The Sword and the Shield") and Tamara Payne ("The Dead Are Arising") will discuss their books on Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. with NPR television critic Eric Deggans.
    • Contributor: Payne, Tamara - Deggans, Eric - Joseph, Peniel E.
    • Date: 2021-02-18
  • Film, Video
    Great American Editors: Nan Talese in Conversation with Margaret Atwood Nan Talese talks with author Margaret Atwood as part of our "Great American Editors" segment in the "Behind the Book" series. These interviews focus on leading gatekeepers in publishing who bring great works to fruition -- from the germ of an idea to the production of a physical book. Talese is one of the unsung heroes of the publishing world who transform promising but...
    • Contributor: Talese, Nan - Atwood, Margaret
    • Date: 2020-12-17
  • Film, Video
    2020 Bobbitt Prize: Terrance Hayes & Natasha Trethewey The biennial Rebekah Johnson Bobbitt National Prize for Poetry was given in 2020 to Terrance Hayes for his poetry collection "American Sonnets for My Past and Future Assassin" and to former U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey for lifetime achievement. The winners read from their work, and Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden conferred the prize.
    • Contributor: Trethewey, Natasha - Hayes, Terrance - Hayden, Carla
    • Date: 2020-12-10
  • Film, Video
    Great American Editors: Robert Gottlieb & Robert Caro This interview with editor/publisher Robert Gottlieb and author Robert Caro is the first in a new "Behind the Book" series. These interviews focus on leading gatekeepers in publishing who bring great works to fruition, from the germ of an idea to the production of a physical book.
    • Contributor: Caro, Robert - Gottlieb, Robert
    • Date: 2020-12-03
  • Film, Video
    Timely Topic: Anne Applebaum & Carlos Lozada Two Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists, Anne Applebaum ("Twilight of Democracy") and Carlos Lozada ("What Were We Thinking"), discuss the current American frame of mind, the tenuous state of democracy and the 2020 presidential election.
    • Contributor: Applebaum, Anne - Haskell, John - Lozada, Carlos
    • Date: 2020-11-17