Novelist Paul Auster has written a new memoir about his struggling years as a young writer, "Hand to Mouth: A Chronicle of Early Failure" (Henry Holt). Auster has written eight novels, including "The New York Trilogy" and the screenplay for the film "Smoke."
Ann Marie Oliver and Paul Steinberg, at Harvard University's Center for Middle Eastern Studies Department where they have been visiting professors since 1993. They also lived six years in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip where they studied and researched the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas. In their forth coming book, they look at the psychology of the young men in the Hamas movement, by interviewing one of them who survived an attempt at a suicide bombing (to be published by Oxford University Press)
Sun Studios founder Sam Phillips. He is revered as one of the leading catalysts in post WW II American music. As a record producer in the 1950s and 60s his recordings launched the careers of Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis and that’s just to name a few. Next Month, Phillips will be a celebrity host on the public radio program Beale Street Caravan. Phillips is now in his mid 70s.
Classical Music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a four video tape series called Hollywood Rhythm: The Paramount Musical Shorts. by Kino Video. They are short music videos that were shown before movies from 1929-1941. They feature singers such as Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday and Ginger Rodgers. Lloyd Schwartz is classical music editor for the Boston Phoenix.
In New York City, the 92nd Street YMCA, is better known as The 92nd Street Y a cultural arts center. Maurice Levine the director of the 92nd Street Y's "Lyrics & Lyricist" series for 26 years died on Monday at the age of 79. The program spotlighted American lyricists and composers like Alan Jay Lerner, Stephen Sondheim, and Dorothy Fields. The series had consistently been a sell-out. (Originally aired 12/11/96)
Derek Taylor, a former press agent for the Beatles, died Sunday at the age of 65. He is the author of It was 20 Years Ago Today He served two stints with the Beatles. Once in 1964 during their world tour and again in 1968. (Originally aired 6/4/87)
Patrick Murphy is the Public Guardian of Cook County, Illinois. He represents abused or neglected children in Chicago’s . In his new book Wasted: The Plight of America’s Unwanted Children (Ivan R. Dee, Inc) he argues that while keeping families together may sound like good public policy, there are many cases in which it only endangers the lives of children. His previous book is titled Our Kindly Parent the State. (Viking) (Interview by Barbara Bogaev)
Dr. Charles Gerba is an expert on germs and bacteria. As a microbiologist at the University of Arizona in Tucson , Gerba says to many people’s surprise it’s the kitchen not the bathroom that has the most germs and bacteria. Gerba talks about why germs and bacteria thrive in the kitchen. They colonize your sink and sponges and rags, and grow by the billions overnight.. In addition, Dr Gerba has done extensive research on public bathrooms and has found more bacteria in women’s washrooms than men's. (Interview by Barbara Bogaev)
Music critic Milo Miles reviews two new releases of Cuban music. The first is a four-cd set called I Am Time. (Blue Jackel) This is a retrospective of cuban music broken down in four categories. Cuban folk music, Singers, Dance, and Jazz. The second cd is called Buena Vista Social Club (World Circuit/Nonesuch) by a band of the same name. This CD was produced by Ry Cooder.
We'll hear from Steven Tyler and Joe Perry who are two of the original members of Aerosmith. They have collaborated with other band members on a new book Walk This Way (Avon) which traces the bands rise from the music scene in New England to become one of the most successful rock bands in America. Aerosmith had such hits as Dream On, Walk This Way, and Sweet Emotion.
Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg comments on the word millennium. He worries that during the next century, will anyone be able to spell it right. A look on the web showed the word misspelled 30-percent of the time. Nunberg offers his solution to the coming orthographic crisis.
Novelist Edmund White has just completed his semi-autobiographical trilogy. The new novel The Farewell Symphony (Knopf) focuses on gay life from the 1960’s to the present. His other books include A Boy’s Own Story,The Beautiful Room is Empty,Genet: A Biography, Forgetting Elena, Nocturnes for the King of Naples, States of Desire: Travels in Gay America, The Joy of Gay Sex, and Caracole.
Psychiatrist and author Peter Kramer. His book, "Listening to Prozac" was a bestseller. His new book is about relationships: "Should You Leave?: A Psychiatrist Explores Intimacy and Autonomy -and the Nature of Advice" (Scribner) Kramer is an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Brown University and writes a monthly column for Psychiatric Times.
National Correspondent for the New York Times Rick Bragg. He's written a new memoir about growing up poor in Alabama, "All Over But the Shoutin'" (Pantheon Books).
Sister Wendy Beckett is a member of the Notre Dame order, a teaching order of nuns and a celebrity. In 1980 she began the serious study of art, and since has written a number of books on the subject and hosted the popular PBS series "Sister Wendy's Odyssey" and "Sister Wendy's Grand Tour." This week PBS begins airing her newest 10-part series, "Sister Wendy's Story of Painting." There's a companion book (published by DK Publishing)
