Terry Gross

His new semi-autobiographical novel, The Fortress of Solitude, tells the story of Dylan Ebdus, a white kid growing up in an African-American and Latino neighborhood in New York. His last novel, Motherless Brooklyn, won the National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction. His other books include Girl in Landscape and Amnesia Moon.

Lynne's new album is Identity Crisis. It follows her 2000 album, I Am Shelby Lynne, a combination of country and soul. Her latest release is the first in which she wrote most of the songs — her previous albums were products of the Nashville country music scene.

Conroy wrote The Great Santini, and The Prince of Tides, which were both made into feature films. Conroy's book, My Losing Season, is now out in paperback. It's a memoir about playing basketball for the Citadel Military College and how it transformed his life. Conroy was point guard and captain of the Citadel Bulldogs.

He's best known for his scene-stealing performance in High Fidelity as a sarcastic record store clerk. He is also the lead singer of the rock-folk comedy group Tenacious D. The group appeared on HBO, went on tour and recorded an album. Black's other roles include the films Shallow Hal, Orange County and Saving Silverman. He's currently starring in the film The School of Rock.

We remember influential theater and film director Elia Kazan. He died yesterday at his home in Manhattan. He was 94. Kazan directed Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront and James Dean in East of Eden. He was a member of the Group Theater and co-founded the Actors Studio with Lee Strasberg.

Farmer is an infectious disease specialist and a recipient of the MacArthur "genius" grant for his work treating tuberculosis in Haiti. He is the subject of the new book Mountains Beyond Mountains, by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tracy Kidder.

Mizrahi is part of a new Turner Classic Movies series, Style in Motion, in which six fashion designers host an evening of classic Hollywood films that influenced their careers. The series runs Monday nights in October, with Mizrahi hosting Oct. 13.

After the Russians denied her press access to Chechnya, she disguised herself as a peasant and snuck across the border. For six months she followed the war, traveling with the underground rebels and staying with families. Nivat, based in Moscow, is the author of Chienne de Guerre: A Woman Reporter Behind the Lines of the War In Chechnya.

Pinksy co-hosts the syndicated sex advice talk show, Loveline. His new book, Cracked: Putting Broken Lives Together Again: A Doctor's Story, is about his work as medical director of an addiction rehab clinic in Southern California.

Front man Delaughter founded the 23-member, robe-wearing ensemble in 2000. He is the former singer for the band Tripping Daisy.