Professor Lillian Faderman. Faderman's written a new book on the history of lesbians and lesbian life in 20th Century America. It's called "Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers." (It's published by Columbia University Press).
Actor John Leguizamo (pronounced "Leh-gwee-zamo"). Leguizamo created and stars in the hit one-man show "Mambo Mouth," based on his experiences as a Latino growing up in Jackson Heights, Queens. "Mambo Mouth" premieres on television this Saturday, on HBO's Comedy Hour.
Filmmaker Garry Marshall. Marshall produced and directed the new movie "Frankie & Johnny." He also directed last year's hit movie "Pretty Woman," and he has a long distinguished career in TV, with shows like "Happy Days," "Laverne & Shirley," "Mork and Mindy," and "The Odd Couple" to his credit.
Critic Maureen Corrigan reviews "BAD, or the Dumbing of America," by Paul Fussell. In his book, Fussell decries the decline of quality and taste in everything from movies to education. (It's published by Summit Books).
Investigative reporter Seymour Hersh. In his new book, "The Samson Option," Hersh contends that Israel has had a secret nuclear arms program for years, had those arms aimed at the Soviet Union for years, and was ready to fire those weapons at Arab capitals during the recent Gulf war. Hersh's previous book, "The Target Is Destroyed," looked at what really happened when Korean Airlines flight 007 was shot down near Japan.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new recording of music by Czech composers Gideon Klein and Viktor Ullmann. Klein and Ullmann were both imprisoned at the Theresienstadt concentration camp during World War 2, and later put to death at Auschwitz. This is the first of 6 planed recordings of music the pair wrote while under Nazi imprisonment.
Comedian Bill Cosby. Cosby talks about his TV show, his early years doing stand-up comedy, and his new book, "Childhood." It recounts some of his favorite stories of his youth. (It's published by Putnam).
Pamela Constable and Arturo Valenzuela. Their new book, "A Nation of Enemies," examines how Chile, , a country with a long history of democracy, slipped into more than a decade of dictatorship under Augusto Pinochet. Constable is Latin America correspondent for the Boston Globe, Valenzuela is director of the Center for Latin American Studies at Georgetown University. (The book's published by W.W. Norton).
Editor Ze'ev Chafets (SHAY-fetz) of "The Jerusalem Report," a news magazine published in Israel. He's also the author of "Inherit the Mob," a comic novel about a journalist lured into the Jewish Mafia, baited by a large inheritance. Chafets will talk to Terry about his own life as an American living in Israel and about the upcoming peace talks.
Composer, director, and writer Elizabeth Swados. She's written a memoir about her family, "The Four of Us." Much of it has to do with her brilliant but schizophrenic brother, Lincoln, and how his illness affected the family. Her brother became a street person, and later died. (published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux).
Andrew Whitley, the executive director of the human rights organization, Middle-East Watch. Their new book, "Syria Unmasked," documents the brutal human rights violations that have occurred under the rule of Hafez Asad. (It's published by Yale University Press).
Television critic David Bianculli comments on the counter-programing in place to compete with the 1991 World Series. ABC will present a miniseries of "Dynasty," and NBC dredges up, "I Still Dream of Jeannie."
Novelist and screenwriter Michael Tolkin. He's just directed his first film, "The Rapture," based on his own screenplay about a woman's search for faith. Tolkin's novel, "The Player" will soon come out as a movie, directed by Robert Altman.
The Spider-Man and Hulk creator spoke to Fresh Air in 1991 about coming up with Spider-Man, inventing new sound effects for his comics and why superheroes have colorful costumes.
The creator of such Marvel comic book superheroes as Spiderman, The Incredible Hulk, and The Fantastic Four -- cartoonist Stan Lee. He joined Marvel comic books at the age of 16, more than 30 years ago. A new book about Marvel Comics has just been published, "Five Fabulous Decades of the World's Greatest Comics." (published by Harry A. Abrams, New York).
