Terry Gross

Psychiatrist Robert Jay Lifton is an expert on terrorism and cult groups. He the author of the book, Destroying the World to Save It: Aum Shinrikyo, Apocalyptic Violence, and the New Global Terrorism about the Japanese cult group that released sarin nerve gas in the Tokyo subways. Lifton will soon join the Harvard faculty as a visiting professor.

Singer and songwriter Loudon Wainwright III. He has a new CD, Last Man on Earth and a new role on the hit FOX TV series, Undeclared. He plays a dysfunctional father on the show. Loudon Wainwright III grew up in the town of Bedford in wealthy Westchester County north of New York City. He became a folk singer/songwriter in the late '60s, singing humorous and autobiographical songs. In 1972, on his Album III he scored the top-40 hit "Dead Skunk." Many of his songs have been featured on NPR Morning Edition.

Former lead singer of the indie-rock band the Del Fuegos, Dan Zanes. When he became a father he realized he couldn't stomach music for kids, so started writing his own. He also formed the Rocket Ship Revue, a touring band that performs dance-party shows for kids. His first CD Dan Zanes and Friends Rocket Ship Beach received a Parents Choice Award and the kids liked it too. It also featured Suzanne Vega and Sheryl Crow. Zanes' new CD is Family Dance.

Professor of structural engineering at the University of California at Berkeley, Abolhassan Astaneh-Asl. He is a member of a team assembled by the American Society of Civil Engineers to investigate the World Trade Centers site. He recently received a grant from the National Science foundation to study the remains of the at the site. His findings will be used in engineering studies to help improve the structural integrity of buildings. Astanneh also has done research on bomb-resistant designs, following the bombing of the Oklahoma Federal Building.

Author Jonathan Franzen joins Fresh Air to discuss his latest novel, The Corrections. The story revolves around the lives of three children who live far away from their aging parents. The parents' health problems have made it difficult for them to take care of themselves. The children then have to decide how willing they are to change their own lives to care for their parents.

Amitav Ghosh reads: Farewell (1997) by Agha Shahid Ali.

Mary Karr reads:
“There Was Earth Inside Them” (1963) by Paul Celan
“”On Prayer” (1974) by Czeslaw Milosz

Walter Mosley reads from:
“All Quiet on the Western Front” (1928) by Erich Maria Remarque

Simon Schama reads from:
"Winston and Clementine: The Personal Letters of the Churchills" (1914-1916)" by Winson Churchill.

For today's entire show we excerpt portions of The New Yorker magazines benefit program Beyond Words in which New Yorker writers read the work of others on-stage. (Taped Thursday, Oct. 11 at Town Hall in New York City). Beyond Words benefits The September 11th Fund. David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker introduces the readings.