Ralph Nader talked about his book The Seventeen Traditions, published by HarperCollins. He described his childhood in Connecticut and the influence of his Lebanese immigrant parents. He discussed how his life choices have been shaped by the values he inherited from his family and community, including “the tradition of discipline,” "the tradition of independent thinking," and “the tradition of patriotism.” He responded to questions from members of the audience. Topics included Mr. Nader’s role in presidential campaigns, the 2000 election, and his relationships with Vice President Al Gore.

The program began and ended with scenes from the Street Fair at the Miami Book Fair International as progamming updates were given.