Terry Gross

The African American film director made a number of documentary films; his first widely distributed, commercial film, To Sleep with Anger, stars Danny Glover. Burnett comes from the American South; he's inspired by a lot of the folklore that comes from that region.

Pakistan-born, British journalist Dilip Hiro covers Middle East affairs. His forthcoming book on the Iran-Iraq war is called The Longest War. He says Iraq and its leader Saddam Hussein gained power by receiving intelligence and material support from Western states, including the U.S. He says any conflict between the U.S. and Iraq could destabilize the region.

Raney began playing when he was 17. He was one of the first jazz guitarists to incorporate modern bop into his music. He suffers from Meniere's disease, which causes hearing problems -- he can perform solo, but has difficulty with other musicians. He collaborated with Stan Getz in the 1950s. Some of those early sessions have recently been re-issued on CD.

Rhodes is a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and journalist who wrote The Making of the Atomic Bomb. His new book is called A Hole in the World, about the abuse he and his brother endured at the hands of his stepmother. Rhodes eventually became a ward of the state, and grew up in a boys' home.

Kindcaid's new novel, Lucy, is based on her own experience of leaving her home country for New York City. She says much of her work has been informed by her difficult but loving relationship with her mother, whom she sees infrequently.

Savini creates the macabre effects for George Romero's zombie films. Now he's directed his own movie, a remake of Romero's classic, Night of the Living Dead. He shares some of the secrets behind how he simulates gore on set.

The white South African writer's latest book is called My Son's Story, about a mixed-race family. She joins Fresh Air to talk about why she stays in in her home country, despite political unrest. A long-time anti-apartheid activist, she's recently become a member of the African National Congress.

The singer performs for Fresh Air audiences with pianist Huw Warren. Tabor was a mainstay of the British folk scene, and has more recently branched out into other forms of music. Despite her accomplishments, she admits to not practicing and never learning to read music. Her latest album is called Freedom and Rain.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews the new movie about the infamous Claus Von Bulow murder trial. It stars Jeremy Irons, Ron Silver, and Glenn Close

Film critic Stephen Schiff says Disney thought of the animated classic as a high-brow work of art. Audiences disagreed -- and so does Schiff. The film works best when it doesn't take itself so seriously.