Terry Gross

Journalist Martin Mayer writes about finance, advertising, education and law, but his expertise is in finance. His written many books. His latest: "The Bankers: The Next Generation: The New Worlds of Money, Credit and Banking in an Electronic Age" is a rewritten, updated version of his best selling book on banking which he wrote 20 years ago.

Mairs is the author of several books, including "Ordinary Time," "Voice Lessons," and "Plaintext." In many of her books she deals openly and honestly about the progression of her multiple sclerosis, and it's effect on her life and marriage. Her latest book is "Waist-High in the World."

Poet and professor Miller Williams. He teaches at the University of Arkansas. He's been asked to read at Clinton's Inauguration. He's also President Carter's poetry mentor. Miller is best known for his narrative, dramatic, poems of everyday people. He's had a number of collection of poems published. His latest is "The Ways We Touch." (University of Illinois Press) which was originally scheduled for a Fall 1997 release, but moved up because of the inauguration.

Higginbotham served in the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He's an expert on race and the legal process and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His new book is "Shades of Freedom: Racial Politics and Presumptions of the American Legal Process"

Comic Graham Chapman. He was the straight man in the Monty Python troupe who would come in and break up the skits. A physician by training, he was a writer and activist for gay rights. He died in 1989. (REBROADCAST FROM 7/2/87)

Terry Jones was member of the comedy troupe Monty Python. He did much of the writing for the troupe and directed most of their movies. Jones now writes children's books in England. He's been involved with two recent films, "Nuns on the Run," and "Splitting Heirs." (Rebroadcast).

Actor, writer, and Monthy Python member John Cleese. Post-Python, Cleese is best known for "Fawlty Towers," and a number of movies, including his 1988 comedy, "A Fish Called Wanda." He's also written a book called "Families and How to Survive Them" with therapist Robyn Skinner, and he makes training films for corporations. He co-wrote and stars in the new film "Fierce Creatures" which teams up the same cast from "Wanda." (REBROADCAST FROM 6/22/90)

Actor, comedian, filmmaker, and author Michael Palin. In the fall of 1988, Palin recreated the journey Jules Verne described in "Around the World in 80 Days." Palin turned his journey into a very successful 8-part TV BBC series. He is of course also known for his tenure as a member of Monthy Python's Flying Circus and his appearances in "The Missionary" and "A Fish Called Wanda." He's also appearing in the new film "Fierce Creatures" which was co-written by John Cleese. (REBROADCAST FROM 4/17/90)

As a child in the sixties and seventies, Tate was a member of the Nation of Islam, and witnessed the struggles of blacks in a predominantly white America. In her autobiography, "Little X," she tracks the personal history of her family and draws on their everyday experiences as members of the Nation to bring new understanding to its traditions.

Greider is National Editor for Rolling Stone, and a former Washington Post editor. He assesses the state of the global economy in his new book "One World, Ready or Not: The Manic Logic of Global Capitalism." He writes that an industrial and economic revolution is taking place in the world, and that its effects may be far greater than that of the industrial revolution.