Terry Gross

Pakistani writer Bapsi Sidhwa. Her novel Cracking India, tells the story of the Partition of India through the eyes of an eight-year-old girl named Lenny. Sidhwa has written other novels as well, The Bride, and Ice-Candy-Man, both stories are told through female characters. (REBROADCAST originally aired 10/29/91)

Dancer and choreographer Bill T. Jones. He founded the acclaimed Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company with his partner and lover, Arnie Zane. Their partnership lasted 17 years until Zane's death in 1988 from AIDS-related complications. Jones has been a recipient of the MacArthur "Genius" Award. His recent work, "Still/Here" is what he terms a "poem" about death. It's based on a series of "survival workshops" he conducted with people across the country who are dealing with illness and death.

Political scientist, specializing in women's studies, Amrita Basu. She teaches at Amherst College, and has just edited a collection of essays on women's movements worldwide, The Challenge Local Feminisms: Women's Movements in Global Perspective, (Westview Press).

Reporter Vicky Que is a reporter at WHYY in Philadelphia, and is attending the NGO Forum on Women, and the Conference on Women in Beijing.

Independent film director Robert Rodriguez. At the age of 23 he made the Spanish-language action film, "El Mariachi" for $7,000. His techniques for keeping the budget down included, shooting before lunch so he wouldn't have to buy the actors lunch, and using a wheelchair that he'd borrowed from the local hospital for a dolly. Rodriguez's film won the Sundance Audience Award in 1993, and went on to be distributed nationally. He's just completed the sequel "Desperado" starring Antonio Banderas.

Psychologist and Professor of Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education Howard Gardner. He's written a new book, Leading Minds: An Anatomy of Leadership, (Basic Books) in which he profiles a number of leaders, exploring the link between creativity and leadership. Gardner has written thirteen books, and is also a recipient of the MacArthur Prize Fellowship. He'll talk with Terry about his theory of multiple intelligence which was the subject of his 1983 book Frames of Mind.

Eric Lomax was captured by the Japanese during World War II. He was used as forced labor to help build the Burma-Siam railroad. He was also tortured by the Japanese. He has reconciled with the Japanese interpreter present during his beatings. His book The Railway Man: A P.O.W.'s Searing Account of War, Brutality and Forgiveness (W.W. Norton & Company 1995) chronicles his story from WWII and his life 50 years later.

Ben Sandmel and Luderin Darbone are two members of the Cajun band "The Hackberry Ramblers." Darbone is a founding member of the band who is now in his 80s. The Ramblers started in 1933 in Louisiana. The Ramblers were among the first Cajun bands to abandon the accordion's dominance for the more American guitar-fiddle string band sound. In 1993, The Ramblers released their first album in 30 years titled "Cajun Boogie." prior to this album the Ramblers recorded on the Bluebird Label.

The songwriting team Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. They wrote many hit songs, including "Hound Dog" which Presley recorded. (REBROADCAST from 12/19/91).

Drummer D.J. Fontana. He was the backup drummer for many of Elvis Presley's hits. (REBROADCAST from 6/26/87)

Author Peter Guralnick has written the first of a two part biography of Elvis Presley, retelling the story of the King's childhood "soberly, thoroughly and unsensationally" (says the ALA Booklist). Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley (Little Brown) tells much of the story through quotes both from Elvis and people who knew him then. It attempts to portray Elvis' human side, rather than the mythical figure he has become. (REBROADCAST from 10/04/94)

Singer Little Anthony In the late 50s and 60s, he led the doo-wop group Little Anthony and the Imperials. Among their hits were "Tears on my Pillow," and "Shimmy, Shimmy, Ko-Ko-Bop." (Originally aired 3/17/89)