please welcome george saunders. [cheers and applause] george, good to have you back. >> good to be here steencht it's been five years since you were here. >> too long. >> too long. >> stephen: for the people who don't know, the few people who don't know you are a macarthur grant fellow author of several collections of short stories. you've got a new scheks called "the tenth of december." this is the thing. this is short stories. in the norkts magazine called it "the best book you'll read this year." okay. [ laughter ] why do you write short stories? america likes big, go big or go home. we like big, huge, huge novels. >> i'll tell you why, the we're good, we're good. >> stephen: can you imagine this. say you were madly in love with somebody and your mission was to tell the person that you love them. here is two scenarios. one is you can take a week long train trip with the person, take your time. you'll be in situations, beautiful scenery. that's a novel and the second scenario is -- >> stephen: sounds really good.

george saunders "the tenth of

. >> rose: one one clude with george saunders his book is called the "tenth of december" and this is what the "new york times" said the best book you'll read this year george saunders "tenth of december." >> at certain critical points i was sort of encouraged by my life to go for the harder effect which is often the more luminous effect or the kind of vigor effect. it's hard to explain but something about the life seep into the stories. when i got into a critical point where maybe 15 years ago i would prefer the dark sword. now i'm a point i would feel like is there a way to credit some of the positive in my life. >> rose: bradley cooper and george saunders, next. captioning sponsored by rose communications from our studios in new york city, this is charlie rose. >> rose: bradley cooper is here, millions know him from his movies or people's magazine sexist man alive but if you play closer attention you've seen his talent as a actor this season in "silver linings playbook" nominated as are for an oscar at best actor. here's a look at his performance. >> the world will break your heart

. >> rose: one one clude with george saunders his book is called the "tenth of december" and this is what the "new york times" said the best book you'll read this year george saunders "tenth of december." >> at certain critical points i was sort of encouraged by my life to go for the harder effect which is often the more luminous effect or the kind of vigor effect. it's hard to explain but something about the life seep into the stories. when i got into a critical point where maybe 15 years ago i would prefer the dark sword. now i'm a point i would feel like is there a way to credit some of the positive in my life. >> rose: bradley cooper and george saunders, next. captioning sponsored by rose communications from our studios in new york city, this is charlie rose. >> rose: bradley cooper is here, millions know him from his movies or people's magazine sexist man alive but if you play closer attention you've seen his talent as a actor this season in "silver linings playbook" nominated as are for an oscar at best actor. here's a look at his performance. >> the world will break your heart

. >> rose: bradley cooper and george saunders, next. captioning sponsored by rose communications from our studios in new york city, this is charlie rose. >> rose: bradley cooper is here, millions know him from his movies or people's magazine sexist man alive but if you play closer attention you've seen his talent as a actor this season in "silver linings playbook" nominated as are for an oscar at best actor. here's a look at his performance. >> the world will break your heart ten ways to sunday that's guaranteed. and i can't begin to explain that. where the craziness inside myself and everybody else but guess what. sunday's my favorite day again. i think of everything everyone did for me and i feel like very lucky guy. this is what i learned in the hospital. you have to do everything you can, you have to work your hardest and if you do if you stay positive you have a shot at the silver lining. >> rose: i am pleased to have my friend. this is a great moment, a good moment to be because the harder you work because of how you selected thin

george saunders, author of the new book, "tenth of december." mike, i think this man has been called like the greatest writer ever, the smartest dude ever. last night at the green light in brooklyn, he's so huge, the kids love him. like, there were people just stacked out on the sidewalks at a book reading. he, of course, was inside by himself. >> it's as if the beatles -- >> not that much of a genius. should have gone out and talked to the peeps. >> as i told you, the year you finish second, macarthur genius, george got it. >> it was you. you son of a bitch. i want that trophy. >> they weren't open to the idea. >> you have been compared, obviously -- unbelievable praise for your works. but you've been compared to curt vonnegut. that's a heck of a comparison. great comparison. >> talk about what you have in common. >> well, not much. he was a great, great writer. but i first read his work -- i worked in the oil business when i was young. i was a graduate -- coloradoel school of mines so a degree in geophysics. so i went to sumatra for my first j

online, we have a conversation with writer george saunders. hari sreevasan tells us more. >> sreenivasan: jeff talks to the short story author about his new collection, "tenth of december," ten tales of biting social satire and deeply felt takes on contemporary american life. Ñ(gñ= Ñ we serve up some facts and resources on mercury poison at "lunch in the lab." plus, tell us what you think of our science coverage. take our poll, which you can find at the bottom of the story. "need to know" on pbs tonight takes a look at our nation's aging infrastructure and its impact on our economy. it's part one of two editions funded by the supporters of the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy group common good. jeff greenfield reports how the sluggish pace of change threatens our future. >> . >> on may 29th, 1935, two years after they had begun pouring, crews placed the last concrete in hoover dam. this modern civil engineering wonder stood completed, two and one half years ahead of schedule. >> it was the most ambitious public works project in human history

online, we have a conversation with writer george saunders. hari sreenivasan tells us more. >> sreenivasan: jeff talks to the short story author about his new collection, "tenth of december," ten tales of biting social satire and deeply felt takes on contemporary american life. find that interview on "artÑii]çóÑ iokñrç;÷óçók;ç3]ió Ñ(gñ= Ñ! we serve up some facts and resources on mercury poison at "lunch in the lab." plus, tell us what you think of our science coverage. take our poll, which you can find at the bottom of the story. "need to know" on pbs tonight takes a look at our nation's aging infrastructure and its impact on our economy. it's part one of two editions funded by the supporters of the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy group common good. jeff greenfield reports how the sluggish pace of change threatens our future. >> . >> on may 29th 1935 two years after they had begun pouring, crews placed the last concrete in hoover dam. this modern civil engineering wonder stood completed, two and one half years ahead of schedule.

joining me is ayana mathis, george saunders, author of a new collection of short stories "the tenth story," victor lavalle and pullser prize winning author michael shaven who's new book is called "telegraph avenue." it's great to you have here. >> thank you. >> michael, about a third of the way in your book barack obama shows up as a character. >> yeah. right. >> i want to start off with you about how you thought about writing the character of barack obama. you were doing something similar to what barack obama and his speechwriters this speechwriters have to do. >> what i got from that column you read from the lewis article, there is an attempt on the party of barack obama and the speechwriters and the people in charge of the way he is presented in the media to create a naturrative and a character. that is not the character that i think barack obama was talking about in that quote. the narrative to me is written by some much larger collective entity that incorporates both, you know, right-wing commentary and left wing commentary and the way he is perceived by ordinary people, the things t

donna saunder the beach boys joined him for his second. george h. w. bush took the stage himself with guitar in hand at one of his inaugural balls. ♪ and bill clinton duetted with sex phonist clarence clemons in 1993, but what americans remember most was the performance clinton's campaign theme song. ♪ don't stop thinking about tomorrow ♪ ♪ don't stop >> reporter: all five members of fleetwood mac reunited just to play in front of the clintons as lindsay buckingham recalls. >> what bill and hillary both had to offer is people and what they were espousing was exciting to a lot of us. and so we were quite pleased, as we were going out with the tag, you know, don't you look back, don't you look back, bill comes up and hillary comes up and shakes our hands and it was just one of those experiences you will never forget. ♪ only in america >> reporter: country music was front and center at the inaugural fest foifrts texan george w. bush. >> bush loved to portray himself as a texas rancher. what is a texas rancher listen to? country. >> reporter: pre