world of amateur sleuths who–armed with laptops and the Web–are helping crack America’s coldest cases of lost identity

In her brilliant book THE SKELETON CREW, Deborah Halber explains why local law enforcement often fails to investigate [John and Jane Doe] deaths … While the population of the anonymous dead receives only scant attention from the police or the media, it has given rise to a macabre subculture of Internet sleuthing. Ms. Halber chronicles with lucidity and wit how amateur investigators troll websites … and check online databases looking for matches between the reported missing and the unidentified dead.” — The Wall Street Journal

Zelda la Grange with Carole Marks was a close confidante and member of Nelson Mandela’s inner circle and has written Good Morning, Mr. Mandela: A Memoir offering an intimate portrait of Nelson Mandela and his remarkable life. (Viking)

Chris Montan is the president of Walt Disney Music and a Grammy and Peabody winner. He will talk about the release of The Legacy Collection: The Lion King. (Walt Disney Records) The release coincides with the film and soundtrack’s 20th anniversary.

Steve Weisman will discuss things to consider when choosing a trustee.

8/17/2014