Author Tom Hager reads from his new book The Alchemy of Air

Tom Hager started the hour reading from his new book The Alchemy of Air, which tells the surprising story of how nitrogen came to be the widely used fertilizer today.  He read excerpts from the most thought-provoking sections of his book–illustrating that while without nitrogen, the world would have faced widespread starvation, it is now a major pollutant changing the earth’s ecosystem.

Author Lauren Kessler reads from her book Finding Life in the Land of Alzheimer's

Lauren Kessler’s book brought the conversation to a more personal level.  Her book, out in paperback as Finding Life in the Land of Alzheimer’s, tells the story of when she took a job in an assisted living facility as a resident aide.  For 5 months, Lauren did the hard work of caring for her ‘neighborhood’ of residents.  It’s a fascinating book that will change how you look at Alzheimer’s and the people who live with it.