Ken Burns: green teaKen names the three people from history that he’d invite to dinner, discusses the responsibility of a documentary filmmaker to remain factual and objective- and how this responsibility is often violated, offers a humanizing view of Hemingway, reflects on the many qualities of da Vinci that have made him a titan among titans through the ages, reveals his process for creating his films. 

Tom Turcich: Old Fashioned (bitters, sugar, whiskey with cherry and orange rind garnish)Tom walked 28,000 miles around the world with his dog and a converted stroller filled with supplies, then wrote a book that records his adventures and reflections. In terrific travel-writing style he reveals his encounter with a pervert before he managed even to walk outside the USA, his strange difficulty at the border with Mexico (going south), his experience with COVID on the Caspian Sea, his favorite moment of the entire seven-year walk, and his surprising revelation about the desirability of travel for a good life. 

Linda discusses founding the sex crimes unit of the Manhattan DA’s office - first in the nation - and when Mariska Hargitay and Dick Wolf shadowed her to help develop the concept for the new show Law & Order: SVU, recounts writing her first novels while still working more than full time as a prosecutor, her writing process for her bestselling Alex Cooper novels, addresses the responsibility of filmmakers of the growing number of docu-series that are often fictionalized for dramatic effect and the mounting number of lawsuits against Netflix, her all-star dinner group of top mystery writers (including Nelson DeMille, Lee Child, Harlan Coben and Mary Higgins Clark), and Linda and I make a toast to the memory of the great Nelson DeMille. 

Jay McInerney: CristalJay discusses cocaine and a proposition from Truman Capote (spoiler alert: he escaped), his pioneering use of the 2nd-person in BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY, his best moment ever with a glass of wine, the perfect 3-course meal with wine pairing, what Raymond Carver taught him about writing, getting fired from The New Yorker, squatting in George Plimpton’s house, waking up in December 2023 with his home covered in his own blood and remembering nothing.

Nelson DeMille: Dewar's on the rocksNelson talks about John Travolta on the set of General's Daughter, the importance of getting characters right even if not PC, the value of a mentor, how he has managed the loss of his wife Sandy with the help of friends and family. 

Gregg Hurwitz: gin & tonicGregg discusses how Evan Smoak (aka Orphan X) stacks up against Reacher and Bourne, the virtues of Batman and Wolverine, the remaining advantages of humanity over artificial intelligence, how the Shakespearean formula applies to the modern thriller, and which thriller writer he considers his North Star.

Erika Robuck: Bahama Queen (2 1/2 ounces bourbon barreled gin, 1 ounce Grand Marnier, 1 ounce lemon juice, 1/2 ounce pineapple juice, 1/2 ounce passion fruit, 1/2 ounce simple syrup, mint, orange peel)Erika discusses the line between historical fiction and nonfiction in the context of her own books as well as other works of historical fiction like Netflix’s THE CROWN, how Roald Dahl made her want to be a writer, how she finds women from the “shadows of history” to write about, and how she successfully moved from her self-published debut to getting an agent and deals from major publishers.

Lea Carpenter: Heineken Lea tells what it was like working alongside JFK Jr at George Magazine in the 1990s, her other formative experiences working at Francis Ford Coppola’s Zoetrope and then for The Paris Review, her discovery upon her father’s death that he’d had a career in espionage, how recruiting an asset in espionage is like a marriage proposal, the 4 reasons people work in espionage, what she means by “the crystal meth of purpose.”

Ruth Ware: dry white wine#1 bestselling author Ruth Ware names the two greatest fictional detectives ever, describes the gratitude a former bookseller feels to be a published author, why she made the switch from writing YA fantasy novels to adult crime fiction, her milestones throughout the year to keep an annual publishing pace, how Agatha Christie inspired her own approach to creating an atmosphere for her novels, what she loves about America.

Megyn Kelly: Special Mother’s Day episode (martini: 3 ounces gin, dash dry vermouth, olives)Megyn recommends three books for Mother’s Day and why she chose each, discusses her love for Dateline and the Real Housewives shows, reveals the identity of the famous actor at a Hollywood Oscars party that Doug mistook for a homeless person, reviews the Barbra Streisand memoir, and offers a piece of Mother’s Day advice. 

Erik Larson: Manhattan (2 1/2 ounces Michter’s rye, 1 1/2 ounces sweet vermouth, dash bitters, cherry, served up)Erik names the person he’s written about that he’d most like to be able to meet, talks about what he looks for in a subject for a new book, the stories behind finding the titles to his books so far, the conversations he had with his agent in the 1990s that helped him to find the path to writing his first ever historical narrative nonfiction, the secrets to what he does once inside the archives, the journalistic approach to non-judgment of the people in his books, and gives a clue to the subject for his next book.

Former Prime Minister Liz Truss: EspressoLiz Truss discusses her preference for the emergence of independent journalism and death of traditional media in America as opposed to Britain where the BBC is still dominant, names her favorite few states in America, names the two places in Britain that every American should visit, talks about the stress of the weekly ‘Questions to the Prime Minister’, credits JK Rowling for courage under woke fire, recounts her strangest moment in politics.

Admiral James Stavridis: Negroni (1 ounce gin, 1 ounce sweet vermouth, 1 ounce Campari, garnish with orange peel)Admiral Stavridis names the two most terrifying moments of his military career, describes how naval warfare will look in fifty years (or less), the classified military report meant to predict the future that was most off, the Russel Crowe movie that best captures life at sea, how his speculative (not predictive) work of fiction, 2054, describes a looming technological threat to humanity, and names one of the best political books ever written (which is not, on its face, a political book at all).

Andrew Duplessie: Dark N’ Stormy (2 1/2 ounces Goslings rum with ginger beer over ice, 2 lime wedges)One of the most popular authors in the world on BookTok, Andrew discusses the ins-and-outs of publishing fiction in new media, as well as contrasts the experience with his debut TOO SCARED TO SLEEP, published by (traditional media) Harper Collins, how he used Flowcode’s QR codes on the pages of his hardcover book so that he could include short films/videos as companions to the stories in the printed book, the future convergence of AI, Virtual Reality and book publishing and what possible user experiences could be, how he toggles between writing grisly horror fiction to then joining his wife for dinner, and the authors who inspired his writing career.

Keith O’Brien: Old Fashioned (cube of sugar, dash water, dash bitters, 2 1/2 ounces Knobel whiskey, garnish with cherry and orange peel)Author of the new biography of Pete Rose, CHARLIE HUSTLE, discusses the Ohtani baseball gambling scandal, why the partnerships between professional sports leagues and gambling services are fraught, how the characteristics and that made Pete Rose a great baseball player have made him a failed person, whether the Hall of Fame can treat the personal lives of players separately from their art as players on the field, compares and contrasts the way Pete Rose and Lance Armstrong behaved once caught in lies, and who is the greatest sports announcer of all time. You can watch all of our video episodes on YouTube as well: https://www.youtube.com/@DedicatedwithDoug 

James Ellroy: coffeeJames offers an alternative introduction for the show that makes for an interesting contrast, reveals a sexual dalliance between his father and Rita Hayworth, gives honest feedback about the film LA CONFIDENTIAL, discusses his writing process and why he thinks ‘closure is BS’.

Zibby Owens: Aperol Spritz (3 ounces Aperol, 3 ounces prosecco, 1 ounce club soda, garnish with orange slice)Zibby gives the origin story of her hit podcast MOMS DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ BOOKS, the mission of her publishing imprint that has already published more than a dozen books (several bestsellers!), the sneaky "writer's retreat" where she wrote much of her novel BLANK, her writing process, and her approach to new media for the book world.

Edoardo Ballerini: vodka martini, three olivesAward-winning audiobook narrator and actor Edoardo discusses how he went from studying Latin at the Vatican to joining an acting troupe then making his NYC acting debut on LAW & ORDER, identifies which areas of the arts are most immediately under threat from artificial intelligence, tells how the audiobook business has evolved since his first narration in 2007, and how the nuance of reading characters of a different age/race/gender has changed in recent years, explains the goals of the university course on audiobook narration that he teaches, reveals his favorite place in Italy, and tells why we should not go faster than 1x.

Richard Haass: dry martini (3 ounces gin, a few drops of dry vermouth, served up with 3 olives)Richard reveals for the first time a confidential memo regarding the war in Iraq that he hand-delivered to Secretary Powell, why he feels America is in a "uniquely dangerous" time in the world, the TV show that most accurately portrays the Situation Room, how he prepares himself for writing memos, books or briefing presidents, why his book THE WORLD: A BRIEF INTRODUCTION is an important read for all citizens.

Mike Rowe: Manhattan (2 1/2 ounces Knobel whiskey, 1 1/2 ounces sweet vermouth, bitters, Luxardo cherry)Author (and host) of THE WAY I HEARD IT Mike talks about being fired three times from QVC and hired twice to host The Daily Show for Comedy Central, his thoughts on Jon Stewart and the origins of fake news, his struggles with a childhood stammer and how a music teacher helped him overcome, how podcasting has evolved in the last few years, his terrific book that combines shocking historical events with Mike’s unique perspective, the #1 dirtiest job, and some thoughts on the key ingredients for a good life.

Kashmir Hill: gin & tonicNew York Times technology reporter Kashmir Hills explains the incredible and horrifying implications of AI and facial recognition, the pair of eyeglasses developed by Meta that can instantly tell you EVERYTHING about a person just by glancing at them, what Oppenheimer and Heather Douglas meant by “technical sweetness”, how we might live in a new world of technology that allows people “no fresh starts”, and what she misses most from the 1980s that she would like to have back.

Dani Shapiro: Mezcal Negroni (1 ounce mezcal, 1 ounce sweet vermouth, 1 ounce Campari, garnish with orange slice)Award-winning author Dani Shapiro discusses how the effort of her first books refined her future work and process so that in addition to focusing on the music of her writing she’s also focused on the meaning, explains that she had to slow down the rush of storytelling in her gripping memoir INHERITANCE because she was living the tale as she was writing it, tells of the happy ‘accidents’ of co-founding a writers’ conference in Positano, Italy and of launching her hit podcast FAMILY SECRETS, and how when writing a book that jumps time that it can be useful to work on the book for as long as the jumps.

Howard Blum: Diet CokeAward-winning author and journalist Howard Blum discusses the latest on the Idaho murders where he has been leading the coverage, describes how he conducts different types of research for book subjects ranging from prior centuries to other books covering present day topics, his writing pieces with Graydon Carter’s media company Air Mail, compares national intelligence agencies, and reveals the one book he read in his youth that inspired his writing career.

Brad Meltzer: tequilaBrad reveals what it takes to make him wear his underpants on the outside, the wildest forms of terror attack that he brainstormed with the CIA and FBI while a member of the Red Cell Unit, some hilarious insider stories of Barbara Bush, what’s underneath the White House, how he started his “I Am…” book series for kids, and how he first fell in love with the writing process.

Alex Aster: espresso martini (2 ounces vodka, 1/2 ounce Kahlua, 1 ounce espresso, garnish with 3 coffee beans, serve up)Alex discusses the oral tradition of storytelling in her family and her Colombian heritage, her dogged efforts to land a literary agent when she was 12-years old, how she skipped her college graduation day to land an agent and a book deal, how she leverages TikTok and other platform to reach millions of readers, and gives an update on her work with Universal and the movie version of Lightlark.

Adam Plantinga: Coffee, blackAward-winning author and San Francisco cop Adam Plantinga talks about the differences between vacation problems (getting sunscreen on his daughters) and work problems (getting charged by a criminal wielding a butcher knife), the favorite and most influential books he’s read, how humor can be an important tool on the job (both jobs), his debut novel The Ascent, and one thing he wants the public to know about law enforcement.

Lightening Round: Some of the most thought provoking and entertaining responses to the Lightening Round questions from our Season 1 guests.Then Doug plays - free to listeners - the complete Prologue of THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF RUDOLF DIESEL, narrated by Scott Brick, courtesy of Simon & Schuster Audio. 

Gad Saad: Bailey's on the rocksProfessor Saad discusses the nuanced differences between fellow Canadian Jordan Peterson and himself, how he manages to remain a Happy Warrior in the face of toxicity and a workplace that has been compared to Gaza, how he teaches the art of storytelling even in the presentation of scientific material, the mental conditions that contribute to whether a person is open minded and persuadable or stuck, and names the 122 sq miles on earth (an island country) that is the most conducive to human happiness.

Gareth Russell: gin & Dubonnet (1 ounce gin, 2 ounces Dubinet, lemon wheel, topped with one over-sized ice cube)Gareth discusses the questionable claims in Omid Scobie's work regarding Harry, Meghan and the Royal Family, discusses a defense of the existence of the monarchy as posed by C.S. Lewis and others, reveals aspects of the monumental research effort involved in writing his phenomenal book covering 500 years of history at Hampton Court that is full of captivating anecdotes, shares several insider stories that illuminate the charm and wit of the former Queen Mother, and shares his opinion of the least and most pleasant ways to be executed. 

Doug's Holiday Book Picks: Egg Nog (fill a rocks glass with ice, add 2 ounces bourbon, fill with egg nog (the full-fat kind), stir then top with nutmeg)Doug picks 4 excellent books for December, then plays - free to listeners - the complete Prologue of THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF RUDOLF DIESEL, narrated by Scott Brick, courtesy of Simon & Schuster Audio.

Patricia Cornwell: anejo tequilaPatricia reveals that one of the most famous characters in all of fiction, Kay Scarpetta, will soon be portrayed by Nicole Kidman, shares never-before-told stories of her childhood and the difficult times during her mother’s mental illness, paying her dues in the office of the Chief Medical Examiner in VA which brought so much of forensic science to literature and film, why outlining books doesn’t work for her, the ups and downs of her life with Billy and Ruth Bell Graham, the problem with the 3rd-person omniscient narrator when it comes to her novels, how she persevered through the rejection of many attempts at a novel early in her career, and describes the comfort and beauty of what she and Kay Scarpetta find in a good marriage.

John O'Hurley: red wineIn town for the National Dog Show, John stops by and reveals whether he thinks a Seinfeld reboot would work, revisits the controversy of his Dancing With the Stars Season 1 championship, reveals that each step in his career has begun in his imagination, his most terrifying and most wonderful moment as a parent, and reads an original work of poetry.

Mitch Albom: Ouzo (3 ounces ouzo, neat)Mitch describes the musical prowess of his rock band that includes Scott Turow and Stephen King, retells the whirlwind that led to his 7-month stint as a piano bar act in Greece, discusses how he handled the holocaust in his new fiction THE LITTLE LIAR and how elements from that period resonate today - especially the tactic ‘to change the language’, and why he - and his books - remain hopeful. 

Martini (2 1/2 ounces gin, 1 ounce dry vermouth, 4 olives)Award winning author and recipient of the Bronze Star, Silver Star and Purple Heart, Elliot reveals a secret handshake to counter program the famous Trump handshake-yank, shares his thoughts on the Great Man Theory of history and what he’d do about a young Hitler, how he and Adm. James Stavridis have worked together on novel writing, and gives his opinion of the best war movie ever made (you won’t see this one coming).

Andrew Klavan; Macallan 12-year scotchAward-winning author and host Andrew Klavan discusses how conversation and real connection brought him from insanity to sanity, how he's always known he wanted to be a novelist and he gives us the plot lines of the novel he wrote when he was 14-years old, how scripture has informed his storytelling, describes his strangely brilliant and creative family relations, talks about the acceleration of cultural shifts, and shares a valuable piece of advice for listeners of all ages.

Alex & Nelson DeMille: scotch, gin & tonic with limeThe father & son team take a break from the fast-paced book tour to join DEDICATED for a 9:30am cocktail. They discuss Alex's childhood realization that his father was a major literary success, and later when Alex's 10th grade teacher assigned Nelson's novel, THE CHARM SCHOOL. They consider how much of a writer's talent is learned and how much is in the BLOODLINE (pun intended), how collaborative writing is fraught (Nelson and a previous co-writer did not have a good personal experience) and explain the method that Alex and Nelson have used to make collaboration work, and reveal the actors who could play Scott Brodie and Maggie Taylor. 

Fiona Davis: Side Car (2 ounces cognac, 1 ounce Cointreau, lemon juice, garnish with orange rind)Fiona talks about her earlier careers in theater and journalism, the rigorous research she does for her historical novels and some of the joyous moments that have happened during her research, bringing Radio City and the history of the Rockettes to life on the page in the latest novel THE SPECTACULAR, her revelation of Parkinson's disease and her work with the Michael J. Fox Foundation, and her favorite hidden bar in NYC that feels like walking through a time machine.

Lawrence Wright: vesper martini (2 1/2 ounces gin, 1 ounce vodka, 1/2 ounce Lillet blondeThe Pulitzer Prize winning author and journalist discusses the pivotal role Texas will play in the future of America, suggests Tom Cruise has a moral obligation to speak out against Scientology, reveals his notable hypnosis skills, shares his organization strategies for the hundreds of interviews and secondary sources he uses in research, the appalling treatment he received at a book event, whether religion or politics is a more powerful force in shaping our behaviors, and why some books can still connect with readers decades into the future while others cannot.

Omar Epps & Clarence A. Haynes: coffeeOmar and Clarence discuss their late nights collaborating on ideas for their epic fantasy book series NUBIA, reveal how Omar remains child-like (not childish) and taps into the innate creativity gifted to all young minds which propels both his acting and his writing, explore themes of African mythology mixed with futuristic technology like antigravity and artificial intelligence, name their favorite books and the strangest moment ever at a book event.

Club soda with lemonScott talks about the choices he made in leaving a Stanford Fellowship in creative writing to enroll at Harvard Law School where Alan Dershowitz was a young professor, the 1977 publication of his nonfiction book about law school, ONE L, his casework as an Assistant US Attorney in Chicago, the earth-shaking success of his 1987 fiction debut, PRESUMED INNOCENT, and thereafter the variety of strange reactions he got from judges, juries and opposing counsels when he entered the courtroom to litigate cases while already a bonafide literary star, his thoughts on the differences between novel and film writing, and the reboot of PRESUMED INNOCENT on Apple with David E. Kelley and JJ Abrams.

Douglas Brunt: Manhattan with Luxardo cherryChris Bohjalian (Guest Host): NegroniChris and Doug discuss THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF RUDOLF DIESEL, the charm of the Gilded Age period of the story, the thrilling investigation put forward in the book leading the the jaw-dropping conclusion, and the incredible characters that play a role in the book including Churchill, Kaiser Wilhelm II, John D. Rockefeller, Thomas Edison, Adolphus Busch, Chester Nimitz, Tsar Nicholas II. Doug reveals the most difficult job he's ever had, discusses the extensive research he's done for his prior fiction and how that experience helped with his preparation for writing nonfiction, process differences between writing fiction and nonfiction, his career before writing, and his insights on the show DEDICATED.You Can Buy Doug's New Book Here: https://tinyurl.com/9e6p4yt7Find Out More About Doug By Visiting His Website: https://douglasbrunt-author.com/

Meryl Gordon: gin & tonic with limeAward winning journalist and author Meryl Gordon discusses her process for writing profiles and biographies, the 230 interviews she conducted in preparation for writing MRS. ASTOR REGRETS and her stunned disappointment with Anderson Cooper's new Astor book which cited her prior work 39 times over 31 pages, discusses her love of teaching a masters course in journalism and magazine writing, the thrill of seeing her students publish, the challenging economics of book writing and how to stretch the book advances to pay the bills, and her upcoming book which is close to deadline. 

Jay Winik calls the book, "Equal parts Walter Isaacson and Sherlock Holmes...riveting history.Lee Child: "Outstanding - Brunt mixes a historians respect for research with a novelist's eye for character..."Dan Abrams: "A page turning crime thriller and an important addition to 20th century history."You can discover more about Rudolf Diesel and preorder at this link: https://tinyurl.com/282eafxvDoug recaps the 32 guests of Season 1 and reveals which is the most downloaded episode of the season! Season 2 begins in September with more of the world's greatest writers.

Special Episode also available on video - download the SiriusXM App here: (https://www.siriusxm.com/streaming)Former Navy SEAL and #1 bestselling author Jack Carr reveals who would win in the Octagon between Conor McGregor and Jocko Willink, how it's been working with Chris Pratt and Amazon on the hit show TERMINAL LIST which is based on his first novel, his thoughts on the great pioneers of the thriller genre that he read as a kid and also while deployed as a SEAL, the key step he takes when beginning each novel to make sure he has a story worth telling, how the Department of Defense has forced redactions of his manuscripts and how that backfired on the DoD, the food from back home he craved most while deployed, how he followed his childhood ambitions to serve in the military and to become an author.

Jo Nesbo: whiskey sour (2 1/2 ounces Bulleit bourbon, 1/2 ounce simple syrup, 1/2 ounce lemon juice, orange wheel, cherry)#1 bestselling author Jo Nesbo talks about the unpublished Harry Hole novel, the difference between political views and political agendas in literature, how he designs his intricate twists and plot reveals, the point at which anyone can consider oneself a writer, the best songwriter and best lead singer of all time, the reasons you should visit Oslo, Norway.

Douglas Murray: rye Manhattan (2 1/2 ounces Bulleit rye, 1 1/2 ounces sweet vermouth, 2 dashes bitters, Luxardo cherry)Douglas lists the several people he'd most like to debate in a contest of ideas, reveals the one novel that transformed him into an adult reader, discusses the concept of the Genius Exception as it applies to Pablo Picasso, Woody Allen and others, describes the value of studying history and stoicism, assesses the position of the world's cultural pendulum, confesses the horrific spelling of the word 'maths', identifies the best and worst things of America and Britain, and tells what kind of conversation makes for a good dinner party.

Emily St. John Mandel: Earl Grey tea with milkEmily talks about the unstructured education of her childhood homeschooling and how that upbringing opened doors to literature, her growing confidence as an author, how she plunges into a new novel without an outline, the life-changing attention after STATION ELEVEN, the differences between writing for TV and writing a novel, and she reveals her beliefs about whether we're all living in a simulation.

Jay Fielden: Rob Roy (2 1/2 ounces Dewar's 12 year scotch, 3/4 ounce sweet vermouth, bitters, Luxardo cherry)The former editor-in-chief of Men's Vogue, Town & Country, Esquire Magazine tells what it was like working alongside Anna Wintour at Vogue and whether Devil Wears Prada was close to the truth, his view of Tom Brady's fashion sense, his thoughts on the changing media landscape and how print can compete with the dynamism of social media, observations of the disappearance of newsstands and shoeshine stalls in Grand Central Station and elsewhere, and gives an editor's view of the Kardashians, the one book that most made him want to be a writer and editor, and tells of an impromptu Shakespearian riff with David Harbour.