American Heroes Revisited with James Patterson and Tim Malloy

I have to tell you about this one. James Patterson — who has sold more than 420 million books — and his longtime friend and collaborator Tim Malloy, a seven-time Emmy winner and veteran journalist, came on to talk about their book American Heroes, which chronicles the recipients of the Medal of Honor, the Silver Star, and the Distinguished Service Cross. The stories in this book are almost impossible to put into words: acts of courage so far beyond what most of us will ever be asked to do that you find yourself reading on a plane and suddenly trying to hide the fact that you’re crying. We also got into their earlier collaboration on Filthy Rich — the Epstein book they wrote before almost anyone else was paying attention — and the documentary that came out of it. With Memorial Day this week, I wanted to bring this conversation back because I think these are exactly the stories we should all be sitting with right now.

00:00:00 Introduction — James Patterson and Tim Malloy

00:01:20 How Patterson Got Started as a Writer

00:03:41 First Novel, the Vietnam Lottery, and Leaving His PhD Program

00:06:01 How Patterson and Malloy Met — The Epstein Story Begins

00:08:16 How the Epstein Story Finally Broke — The Plea Deal and the Press

00:10:34 Walk in My Combat Boots and Matt Eversman

00:12:58 How American Heroes Came Together

00:13:58 Woody Williams at Iwo Jima — A Medal of Honor Story

00:15:15 Duty, Sacrifice, and Why This Book Should Be in Schools

00:17:40 Woody's Grandson, Gold Star Monuments, and Veteran Support

00:19:53 The Sergeant and the Napkins — Veteran Transition