Who was the most celebrated and condemned Madam of the Jazz Age?

Debbie Abelgate will join us to talk about her new biography of Polly Adler, Madam.

What happened when Daniel Boone's daughter was kidnapped in 1776?

Matthew Pearl will be here to discuss his new book, The Ticking of Jemima Boone.

Liz Harris will be here to talk about what's going on in the publishing world.

Plus, our critics will be here to talk about the books they've been reading and reviewing.

This is the Book Review Podcast for the New York Times.

It's December 17th. I'm Pamela Paul.

Debbie Abelgate joins us now from New Haven, Connecticut.

Her new book is called Madam, The Biography of Polly Adler,

Icon of the Jazz Age. Debbie, thanks so much for being here.

Oh, thank you for having me.

So this is your second book.

And your first book, the most famous man in America,

The Biography of Henry Ward Beecher, came out and won the Pulitzer Prize in 2007.

So that just brings me to two questions, really obviously.

I guess, first of all, what have you been doing?

Have you been working on it for these 14 years?

I mean, then secondly, and we could just take them one by one in whatever order,

how did you land on two such very different subjects for biography?

Well, you're asking a question.

Many of my close friends and family have asked,

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