

After Words
C-SPAN
Best-selling nonfiction authors in in-depth conversations about their books, ideas, and the issues shaping today’s world. New episodes drop every Saturday after 10 pm ET. From C-SPAN, the network that also brings you the Lectures in History and Q&A
podcasts.
podcasts.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 5, 2025 • 1h 3min
Trump 2024: Joe Concha on Strategy, Media, and The Greatest Comeback Ever
Fox News contributor Joe Concha gave his take on President Donald Trump's return to the White House for a second, non-consecutive term. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute in Simi Valley, California, hosted this event.
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Sep 28, 2025 • 1h 8min
The Mission: Tim Weiner on How the CIA Operates in the Modern Era
Tim Weiner discussed the history and evolution of the Central Intelligence Agency from the end of the Cold War through the first quarter of the 21st century. Politics and Prose bookstore in Washington, D.C., hosted this event.
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Sep 21, 2025 • 45min
Lee Tilghman on ‘If You Don’t Like This I Might Die’: Life Inside Influencer Culture
Former influencer Lee Tilghman described the impact on herself of making a career on social media. Strand Books in New York City hosted this event.
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Sep 13, 2025 • 1h 3min
Gianno Caldwell, "The Day My Brother Was Murdered" — Crime, Justice, and Loss
Fox News political analyst Gianno Caldwell's book, The Day My Brother Was Murdered, explores crime and justice in American cities through the stories of murders that occurred the night that his 18-year-old brother was killed as an innocent bystander during a drive-by shooting.. The loss of his brother inspired Gianno Caldwell to establish the Caldwell Institute for Public Safety, which is dedicated to addressing the pervasive issue of crime and its impact on communities across the country. Melissa Giller of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute interviewed Mr. Caldwell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 7, 2025 • 1h 5min
Heath Hardage Lee, "The Mysterious Mrs. Nixon"
Historian Heath Hardage Lee, author of The Mysterious Mrs. Nixon, talked about the life and times of the former first lady (1969-74). She said that Pat Nixon, who was voted "Most Admired Woman in the World" in 1972, was largely mis-portrayed by the press
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Aug 31, 2025 • 1h 4min
Kathleen deLaski, "Who Needs College Anymore?"
Kathleen deLaski, founder of Education Design Lab and author of 'Who Needs College Anymore?', advocates for transforming higher education. She discusses the urgent need for change amidst soaring costs and low graduation rates. DeLaski highlights alternative pathways like bootcamps and apprenticeships as viable options. The conversation touches on the rise of AI in education, the evolving job market, and how community colleges are adapting to meet diverse needs. She calls for a reevaluation of success definitions in today’s workforce.

Aug 24, 2025 • 1h 4min
Michael Grynbaum, "Empire of the Elite"
Ashley Parker, a three-time Pulitzer Prize winner and staff writer at The Atlantic, joins Michael Grynbaum, a New York Times correspondent, to explore the opulent world of the Condé Nast publishing empire. They dissect its role in defining America's cultural elite, especially through key figures like Anna Wintour and Tina Brown. The conversation is laced with humorous anecdotes from the chaotic magazine world and the complexities of media gatekeeping. They also discuss the evolving power dynamics and its lasting impact on fashion and lifestyle journalism.

Aug 17, 2025 • 1h
Isabel Allende, "My Name Is Emilia del Valle"
Isabel Allende spoke about identity & resilience in her historical novel set in the 19th century against a backdrop of civil war breaking out in Chile. The Sixth and I Synagogue in Washington, D.C., hosted this event.
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Aug 10, 2025 • 1h 3min
Josh Dawsey, Tyler Pager & Isaac Arnsdorf, "2024"
This conversation was a behind-the-scenes account of the 2024 presidential election that sent Donald Trump back to the White House for a second, non-consecutive term -- only the second president other than Grover Cleveland to achieve that distinction, and after a litany of criminal and civil investigations and two assassination attempts.
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Aug 3, 2025 • 1h 3min
"Framed," John Grisham and Jim McCloskey
Bestselling author John Grisham and co-author Jim McCloskey wrote about the challenges of exonerating a person who is wrongfully convicted. Princeton Library, Centurion, and Labyrinth Books in Princeton, New Jersey, sponsored this event.
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