On Tuesday, September 11, at 7 p.m., Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein will host an "American Conversation" with award-winning historian and biographer Geoffrey Ward. They will discuss Ward's book The War: An Intimate History, a companion to the PBS documentary by Ken Burns. A book signing will follow the discussion. The book will be released nationwide by Alfred A. Knopf Publishers on September 11.

The War: An Intimate History, 1941-1945, is the companion volume to the Fall 2007 PBS series. Focusing on the citizens of four towns, The War: An Intimate History follows more than 40 people from 1941 to 1945. Woven largely from their memories, this compelling, unflinching narrative unfolds as the war unfolded-month by month, with the outcome always in doubt. Enriched by maps and 450 photographs, including many never seen before, this is an intimate, profoundly moving chronicle of the war that shaped our world.

The National Archives "American Conversations" series focuses on American history and identity. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Lynne Cheney, award- winning filmmaker Ken Burns, and historian John Hope Franklin were among those featured in previous programs, which may be viewed on the National Archives web site at http://www.archives.gov/about/archivist/conversations.

Events in this series are held in the William G. McGowan Theater of the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C., located on the National Mall at Constitution Avenue and 7th Street, N.W. and fully accessible. All programs in the "American Conversations" series are free and open to the public. Seating for this program is on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information or to request an accommodation (e.g., sign language interpreter) for a public program, please email public.program@nara.gov or call 202-357-5000 at least two weeks prior to the event to ensure proper arrangements are secured.

Geoffrey C. Ward wrote the script for the film series The War and is the winner of five Emmys and two Writers Guild of America awards for his work for public television. He is also a historian and biographer and the author of fourteen books, including most recently Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson. He won the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1989 and the Francis Parkman Prize in 1990. He lives in New York City.

Archivist Allen Weinstein is a former Professor of History who has held professorships at Boston University, Georgetown University, and Smith College, and is the author of numerous essays and books, including The Story of America (2002), The Haunted Wood: Soviet Espionage in America-The Stalin Era (1999), Perjury: The Hiss-Chambers Case (1978 & 1997), and Freedom and Crisis: An American History (3rd edition, 1981). From 1985 to 2003, he served as President of The Center for Democracy in Washington, DC. His international awards include the United Nations Peace Medal (1986).

For press information contact the National Archives Public Affairs staff at 202-357-5300.