1953: Before the Dawn of Rock and Roll

NPR commentator and political analyst Kevin Phillips. He's known for his ability to tap into the mood of American voters and forecast what's to come: in 1969 he predicted the conservative era with his book, "The Emerging Republican Majority." His 1992 book, "The Politics of Rich and Poor," was described as the "founding document" of the 1992 Presidential campaign. He has a new book, "Boiling Point: Democrats, Republicans, and The Decline of Middle-Class Prosperity."

Writer Carl Hiaasen's latest crime novel, "Native Tongue," continues his tradition of poking fun at his native Florida. When he's not writing crime stories, Hiaasen is an investigative journalist and columnist for the Miami Herald.