Terry Gross

Artist Robert Irwin. He's been a pivotal figure in American Art for over 30 years. He was one of the creators in the late 60s of the "light and space" movement, using unobtrusive objects, such as light, tape, and string to alter the viewers perception of the space in which the work is found. His work can be found in public spaces throughout the country, often using material natural to that environment, and delving into the "character" of the place.

Foreign correspondent for "Newsday," Roy Gutman. He and his photographer were the first western journalists to report on genocide in a Serb-run concentration camp. Shortly after the story was published the camp was closed and the Red Cross let in. Their reporting led to public outrage, and official condemnation by the United Nations. Gutman won a Pulitzer Prize for this reporting.

Palestinian-American Naseer Aruri. He's a professor of Political Science at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. He's the author of a number of books, his latest is"Occupation: Israel Over Palestine," in it's second edition (1989), which was selected by Choice magazine as one of the "Outstanding Books for 1984/85." Aruri has written many articles on human rights, the Palestine question, Lebanon, Islam, and U.S. policy in the Middle East in scholarly journals and weekly magazines.

American-Israeli Ze'ev Chafets. He is editor of "The Jerusalem Report," a news magazine published in Israel. He was the director of the government press office under prime minister Menacham Begin. 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.

Film director and comedian, Robert Townsend. His first film, "Hollywood Shuffle" took a satiric look at the roles offered to blacks in Hollywood, and established Townsend --with Spike Lee and others-- as a new group of talented black filmmakers who won industry acceptance after making independent films. His new film is "Meteor Man". (REBROADCAST FROM 6-9-87)

Curtis Mayfield. He's been called "the thinking man's soul man." He's known for his floating falsetto voice, gospel sound, and social commentary. He was with the group, "The Impressions" for 12 years recording such classics as "Gypsy Woman," "I'm so Proud," and "People Get Ready." After that he went solo. His score for "Superfly," was considered a musical breakthrough, and has inspired many of today's hip-hop performers.

Dr. Paul Mayewski, chief scientist with the Greenland Ice Sheet Project 2. The project archives tubes of ice extracted from Greenland which chronicle 250,000 years of the earth's atmosphere, and changes in the climate. From the ice, scientists can pinpoint the start of the industrial revolution, or the end of the ice age. Scientists hope, by looking at the ice, they can better understand rapid changes in the earth's climate. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Novelist Amy Tan. Her debut novel, "The Joy Luck Club," was a huge critical and commercial success, and it earned Tan a nomination for the National Book Award. It's now been made into a movie. Tan and Ron Bass wrote the screenplay. Marty will talk with Tan and Bass about making "The Joy Luck Club" into a movie. Ron Bass also wrote the screenplay for "Rain Man" for which he won an Academy Award. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Journalist Stan Sesser, who details the successful marketing of American cigarettes in Asian countries in a New Yorker article, (September 6, 1993). Sesser claims the continent of Asia consumes half the world's cigarettes. Of particular interest to American tobacco firms is China -- despite explicit laws prohibiting the sale or advertising of foreign cigarettes -- because three hundred million people smoke (more people than the entire population of the United States).