Author Barna William Donovan will give a discussion on conspiracy theories at noon Nov. 5, in the Penn State Beaver Student Union Building auditorium. The author of "Conspiracy Films: A Tour of Dark Places in the American Conscious," he will show film clips and discuss conspiracy theory in television shows and movies. Donovan's other books cover film and fandom and include "The Asian Influence on Hollywood Action Films" and "Blood, Guns and Testosterone: Action Films, Audiences and a Thirst for Violence."

Author Barna William Donovan will give a discussion on conspiracy theories at noon Nov. 5 in the Penn State Beaver Student Union Building auditorium. The author of "Conspiracy Films: A Tour of Dark Places in the American Conscious," he will show film clips and discuss conspiracy theory in television shows and movies. Donovan's other books cover film and fandom and include "The Asian Influence on Hollywood Action Films" and "Blood, Guns and Testosterone: Action Films, Audiences and a Thirst for Violence." His commentaries on conspiracy theories have been quoted frequently by the media, including on MSNBC, CBS News, the BBC and LiveScience as well as in a variety of publications. Donovan holds a doctorate from Rutgers University School of Communication, Information and Library Studies and is a graduate of the film school at University of Miami.

You've heard it all before: The sky is falling! The world is ending! This time, though, the shouting is louder—the loudest it's been since Y2K. Hundreds of books and thousands of Web sites trumpet the bad news. The noise will surely reach a crescendo this fall, as we inch ever closer to December 21, 2012, the date that corresponds to the end of the current cycle of creation in the so-called Long Count calendar of the ancient Maya. Doomsday proponents say the Maya had it all figured out, and that they left us an ominous warning. But did they? In a new book, Matthew Restall and Amara Solari, both specialists in Maya culture and colonial Mexican history at Penn State, hack their way through to the roots of all the fuss.

Foreign Service Officer Peter Van Buren, author of a critical account of his experience assisting in Iraq reconstruction, will speak at Penn State's School of International Affairs on April 26. The public is welcome. Van Buren will present "Post-Conflict Nation Building: Why It Isn't Easy" and be available to sign copies of the book after the presentation.

Penn State senior information systems auditor and local author Jeff Frazier has written eight books on Pennsylvania folk tales, legends and ghost stories.

While many people might not see the connection between a medical law expert and a novelist, Alexander McCall Smith seems to have found a common interest. His acclaimed books as well as his work in law involve critical thinking, problem solving and an insightful approach to justice. He'll discuss his books and the transition from law to literature in the next episode of "Conversations from Penn State."

The show will air at 9 p.m. Thursday, May 5 and 6 p.m. Sunday, May 8 on WPSU-TV. It also will air at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, May 30 on the Big Ten Network.