Terry Gross

Former Soviet Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Dobrynin. He was a key diplomat in many US/Soviet conflicts including The Cuban Missile Crisis.

Minimalist Composer Steve Reich on his composition Its Gonna Rain inspired by the Cuban Missle Crisis.

White House Correspondent for the Washington Post, Dana Milbank. He covered the recent presidential campaign and the aftermath. Hes written a new book about it, Smashmouth: Two years in the Gutter with Al Gore and George W. Bush

David Kessler is former Commissioner of the US food and Drug Administration. As such, he took on one of the country's most powerful foes: the tobacco industry. They investigated tobacco makers to determine whether nicotine was a drug, and if so, be regulated by the FDA. Kessler's book about it is A Question of Intent: A Great American Battle with a Deadly Industry.

Equestrians David and Karen OConnor. Only the second husband and wife team to share a medal in Olympic history, the OConnors helped win the US a bronze medal and a gold (David OConnor in the individual event) in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. Internationally recognized equestrians, they won a silver medal for the US in the 1996 Olympics. In 2000, the US won the bronze in the Team Three Day Event Dressage. David OConnor won the gold in the Individual Three Day Event (Jumping, Cross Country and Dressage). The duo train and run clinics in The Plains, Virginia.

Critics call Bill Charlap one of the strongest mainstream jazz pianists on the scene and one of the most gifted interpreters of standards. He has worked with the Gerry Mulligan Quartet, Benny Carter, Clark Terry and the Phil Woods Quintet where he remains. His most recent album, Written in the Stars (Blue Note) was released in 2000.

Jamison is an authority on manic- depression and suicide. Her book, Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide is now out in paperback Shes also the author of Touched with Fire: Manic-Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament. JAMISON disclosed her own 30-year battle with manic-depression in the memoir, An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness. Jamison is Professor of Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Paymer received an Oscar nomination for his role in Mr Saturday Night. He also starred in the movie Quiz Show as Dan Enright, the villain producer who rigs the show "Twenty-One." His other film credits include Get Shorty and the new David Mamet film State & Main.

His latest movie is Traffic, starring Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Its about drug traffic at the US-Mexico border. The idea came from a British miniseries called Traffic.Soderbergh began his career with the low budget hit,Sex, Lies and Videotape. His other films include Erin Brockovich, The Limey, and Kafka.

Jazz trumpeter Lester Bowie. Bowie was considered one of the most original trumpeters in jazz, and a master of horn effects. He died in November of 1999. Bowie started out playing with Saint Louis R&B bands. In 1969, he helped found the Art Ensemble of Chicago as an outlet for more eclectic and avant-garde jazz. Bowie also headed his own band, Lester Bowie's Jazz Fantasy. (originally broadcast 11/3/89)