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Answering the Call of Duty

Throughout America's history, brave men and women have responded to the call of duty. During World War II, American operatives Stephen Hall and Howard Chappell were dropped behind enemy lines to sabotage Nazi supply lines. Patrick O'Donnell, The Brenner Assignment: The Untold Story of the Most Daring Spy Mission of World War II

"West Point's motto is Duty, Honor, Country, and I came away with a duty to my country as well. And it is to pay attention to these people who are carrying this burden. Whether you supported the war or not. . I think it's important to pay attention to what they're doing and become involved."

- Bill Murphy

Then ... In 2002, at the graduation ceremony at West Point Military Academy, President Bush laid out his argument for pre-emptive war. Bill Murphy, In A Time of War: The Proud and Perilous Journey of West Point's Class of 2002 tells the stories of the first class in a generation to graduate into armed combat.

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The Mysteries of Egypt - Then and Now

How the Great Pyramid was built is one of history's most enduring mysteries. But that puzzle may now be solved. Egyptologist Bob Brier, The Secret of the Great Pyramid: How One Man's Obsession Led to the Solution of Ancient Egypt's Greatest Mystery describes how this question obsessed French Architect Jean Pierre Houdin - And how he discovered the solution.

"As an architect, he said, what made sense was that the pyramid was built from the inside out. … The ramp is inside the pyramid. It’s still there, hidden, after 45 centuries, waiting to be discovered."

- Bob Brier

Then, Egyptian author Alaa Al Aswany, became an international sensation with the publication of his novel, The Yacoubian Building. His latest , Chicago: A Novel is set in the Windy City and shows the complex lives of Egyptian students and expatriates living in America. He discusses modern Egypt's struggle for modernity, tolerance and democracy.

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Second Chances

You've heard the expression, "when life hands you a lemon, make lemonade"? Well, Michael Gates Gill, How Starbucks Saved My Life: A Son of Privilege Learns to Live Like Everyone Else made coffee instead. Fired from his high-powered advertising job, he was broke, divorced, and diagnosed with a brain tumor. At the age of 63, he donned the green apron and black cap.

Then ... His oncologist told him to look into hospice care, but Roger Martin, Racing Odysseus: A College President Becomes a Freshman Again beat the cancer. With his new lease on life, he decided to spend a semester attending classes and rowing crew with 18 year olds. At the age of 61, he enrolled as a Freshman at St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland.

MG Show commentator Victoria Zackheim on second chances.

Stephen Schwartz, The Other Islam: Sufism and the Road to Global Harmony

Ken Silverstein, Turkmeniscam: How Washington Lobbyists Fought to Flack for a Stalinist Dictatorship

Curtis Roosevelt, Too Close to the Sun: Growing Up in the Shadow of my Grandparents, Franklin and Eleanor

John Gartner, In Search of Bill Clinton: A Psychological Biography

Frank Schaeffer, Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back