For the past thirty years, Charles Murray has authored titles that have sparked the essential debates. In 1984 – Losing Ground: American Social Policy, 1950-1980. In 1986 – In Pursuit: Of Happiness and Good Government. In 1994 with Richard Herrnstein, the controversial – The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life. In 1996 – What It Means To Be A Libertarian. In 2001 – Human Accomplishment. In 2006 – In Our Hands: A Plan to Replace the Welfare State. In 2009 – Real Education.

Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960-2010 was published in late 2012 and forms the background of this conversation. Coming Apart helped crystalize a full-throated debate about inequality, beyond mere hand wringing, daring to suggest that there are profound non-economic, as well as economic, forces at play. David Blankenhorn begins with a deft review of the broad impact of Murray's writings, but ends by pressing for real answers – and for Charles' own candid evaluation of what it all means.

Their conversation was live-streamed and recorded before an audience at the Center for Public Conversation in New York City, May 16, 2013.