Christopher Buckley

When the Soviet Union fell in December 1991, there were close to 3,500 assorted Soviet-built airliners that could be deemed operational-more than there had ever been before. The vast majority of these Antonovs, Ilyushins, Tupolevs, and Yaks flew for Aeroflot, and were scattered far and wide at bases across the Soviet Union. Thirty years later, they have almost all disappeared. Now dominated by state-of-the-art Airbuses and Boeings, the world's airports...

Nick Naylor is a sexy, smart and charismatic spin-doctor for Big Tobacco who will fight to protect American's right to smoke. At the same time he is trying to maintain the idea of a perfect role model for his 12-year-old son. When Nick incurs the wrath of a senator bent on snuffing out cigarettes, Nick's powers of "filtering the truth" will be put to the test.

Starting a rumor about an assassination plot targeting the Dalai Lama as part of an effort to gain support for a secret weapons system, Bird McIntyre and Angel Templeton provoke Washington crises that bring the United States and China to the brink of war.

An evening of readings and discussion: Heller's friends and colleagues including Christopher Buckley, Robert Gottlieb, and Mike Nichols. They revisit his classic black comedy set at the end of World War II, one of the most important books about patriotism, honor, and the absurdities of war and beauracracy of the 20th century. The conversation is led by Lesley Stahl. An excerpt is performed by Scott Shepherd (Gatz).