What Jim Lehrer's Up To

The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer anchor on what he's plugging, surfing, watching, listening to and reading.

Jim Lehrer anchors The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer (PBS) and has written 18 novels, two memoirs, and three plays. And in his spare time …

What He's Plugging
Oh, Johnny (Random House, $25), his novel about a young Marine in 1944. "On his way to war, Johnny has a 'situation' with the most beautiful, wonderful girl he's ever seen. It changes his life." 

Where He's Surfing 
"I'm on the computer all day long for my job, checking the wires, reading the news, and doing research, on Google mostly. I'm a big fan of eBay because I collect bus memorabilia: antique toy buses, bus depot signs,and bus driver caps. I've bought quite a bit."

What He's Watching
"I love all the Mystery! series on PBS, including Poirot. My wife and I just love those people. I'm a huge fan of The Sopranos, Mad Men, and Law & Order. The writing and acting on Friday Night Lights is superb. These are seriously drawn stories about high school football in small-town Texas and the dilemmas these kids have. It's very gripping. Of course, I'm from Texas, so that's part of it."

What He's Listening Too
"I'm always amazed when people say they have 3,000 songs on their iPod. I'll think, Why? I appreciate classical music, but it's not a big part of my life. I am always listening to books on tape. I'm about to begin Jon Meacham's new bio of Andrew Jackson, American Lion."

What He's Reading
"Home by Marilynne Robinson, set in small-town Iowa. She writes about the simple things that are the most complicated of all within the human spirit. Her characters are so alive and real; there's a poetry to her prose. I just finished The Spies of Warsaw, Alan Furst's terrific novel set in pre-World War II."

From Reader's Digest - March 2009

 

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