10-14 R&B Brad Meltzer Interview

well our buddy brad melzer's got a new we are it's a we are instead of i am because it's two people it is the right brothers that is book number 40 in everyday heroes books ordinary people change the world and it's available now and brad is on the phone to talk to us about it hey man hey brother good to hear your voice good to talk to you what made you choose the right brothers this seems like a strange pick

You know, you and I started this book series on your show.

My first two books were Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln.

But for the 40th book in the series, we were like, you know what? Let's rely a little bit more on democracy.

Let's see if democracy is still working today.

And so we let people vote.

And it came down to Taylor Swift, LeBron James, and the Wright brothers.

And I thought for sure Taylor Swift or LeBron James is going to win.

It's just the way it's going to be.

And to my surprise...

It was the Wright brothers who won.

And I love the fact that in this time, we're in this kind of age of division, this age of fighting with each other, and this age of anger.

America wanted these two brothers who just lean on their determination, their ingenuity.

And it may not feel like it, but we do have shared values, and those values are more important than ever.

And I didn't pick this one.

America picked it.

And I love the fact that the Wright brothers are our 40th book in the kids series.

I love the fact that as opposed to picking somebody that they see on a regular basis on TV or hear about or whatever they chose and obscure is not the right word, but to a five, six, seven year old to choose the Wright brothers over somebody that is walking around in the world that they live in.

I think that's kind of cool.

I think, of course, that's the best part.

And, you know, the whole thing is, is my entire mission with this series has never been about telling you stories about history.

They've been to show you your own ability to make history.

And that's what the Wright brothers do.

You know, my favorite story in the whole book, and it inspired the whole series, is the Wright brothers, every time they went out to fly their plane, would bring enough extra materials for multiple crashes.

which means every time they went out, they knew they would fail and they would crash and rebuild and crash and rebuild.

well our buddy brad melzer's got a new we are it's a we are instead of i am because it's two people it is the right brothers that is book number 40 in everyday heroes books ordinary people change the world and it's available now and brad is on the phone to talk to us about it hey man hey brother good to hear your voice good to talk to you what made you choose the right brothers this seems like a strange pick

You know, you and I started this book series on your show.

My first two books were Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln.

But for the 40th book in the series, we were like, you know what? Let's rely a little bit more on democracy.

Let's see if democracy is still working today.

And so we let people vote.

And it came down to Taylor Swift, LeBron James, and the Wright brothers.

And I thought for sure Taylor Swift or LeBron James is going to win.

It's just the way it's going to be.

And to my surprise...

It was the Wright brothers who won.

And I love the fact that in this time, we're in this kind of age of division, this age of fighting with each other, and this age of anger.

America wanted these two brothers who just lean on their determination, their ingenuity.

And it may not feel like it, but we do have shared values, and those values are more important than ever.

And I didn't pick this one.

America picked it.

And I love the fact that the Wright brothers are our 40th book in the kids series.

I love the fact that as opposed to picking somebody that they see on a regular basis on TV or hear about or whatever they chose and obscure is not the right word, but to a five, six, seven year old to choose the Wright brothers over somebody that is walking around in the world that they live in.

I think that's kind of cool.

I think, of course, that's the best part.

And, you know, the whole thing is, is my entire mission with this series has never been about telling you stories about history.

They've been to show you your own ability to make history.

And that's what the Wright brothers do.

You know, my favorite story in the whole book, and it inspired the whole series, is the Wright brothers, every time they went out to fly their plane, would bring enough extra materials for multiple crashes.

which means every time they went out, they knew they would fail and they would crash and rebuild and crash and rebuild.