Terry Gross

Satirist Al Franken, former writer for Saturday Night Live, and creator of Stuart Smalley (author of "I'm Good Enough, I'm Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like Me!"). His new book is "Why Not Me: The Inside Story of the Making and Unmaking of the Franken Presidency" (Delacorte Press). It's the story of America's first jewish president, himself, Al Franken!

We remember writer and urbanologist WILLIAM WHYTE. He died yesterday at the age of 81. The former editor of Fortune Magazine began a second career studing the life of urban cities. Whyte was best known for his 1956 book "Organization Man," a groundbreaking work that examined the mechanized rituals and routines of the corporate culture. His other books included, "The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces" (1980), and "City" (1989). (REBROADCAST from 2/22/89)

Actor-producer James Woods. He's currently starring in the new film, "Another Day in Paradise" based on the semi-autobiographical novel of ex-con Eddie Little. It's about a makeshift family of professional thieves looking for the big score and is directed by Larry Clark who made the gritty film, "Kids." Woods previous films include "Salvador," "Ghosts of Mississippi," "The Onion Field," and "Contact."

Music writer Peter Guralnick has written volume two of his biography of Elvis Presley. "Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley." (Little, Brown and Company). Part One of his biography is, "Last Train to Memphis."

Actor Nick Nolte. He's currently starring in "Affliction" and "The Thin Red Line." Nolte got his breakthrough in the television miniseries, "Rich Man, Poor Man" in 1976. His films include "48 Hours," "Down and Out in Beverly Hills," "Prince of Tides," and "Afterglow." (REBROADCAST from 1/6/98)

Novelist Russell Banks. He's written a dozen or more novels including: "The Sweet Hereafter" (which was made into a film by Atom Egoyan), Rule of the Bone, Searching for Survivors,The Book of Jamaica, and Continental Drift. His novel "Affliction" has been made into a new film. It stars Cissy Spacek, James Coburn, and Nick Nolte. (REBROADCAST from 12/23/97)

Aaron Sorkin is creator of the new ABC TV show, "Sports Night" a behind-the-scenes look at a cable sports newscast, like ESPN. It's been described as "a home run" and "the most consistently funny, intelligent, and emotional of any new-season series." Sorkin also wrote the films "An American President," and "A Few Good Men."

Criminologist Richard Wright. He teaches at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He'll discuss the statistics released last month by the Justice Department showing that the crime rate has been falling steadily since 1991. He'll also discuss the link between the crime rate and the decline in crack use which he has studied. Wright is the co-author of the book, "Armed Robbers in Action: Stickups and Street Culture" (1997, Northeastern University Press).

Musician and singer Peter Wolf. He's the former lead singer with the J. Geils Band which he was with for 17 years. He's been a solo artist for a while. On his latest CD "Fool's Parade" (Mercury) he's incorporated the Memphis sound.