Terry Gross

David Sedaris' new book comes directly from his diaries from 1977-2002 and includes entries about everything from picking fruit and cleaning houses for a living, to going to art school, the life changing broadcast of his Santaland Diaries on Morning Edition, getting sober, and the deaths of his mother and sister.

After forty years in comedy Al Franken became a U.S. Senator for the state of Minnesota. He's now in his second term. During his first term he did his best to not be funny so that his voters and congress would take him seriously. He'll talk about his life and transition from comedy to politics.

with excerpts from her Fresh Air interviews and concerts. She died last weekend after jumping to her death. She was 55. She had 17 albums to her credit and a repertoire of more than 3000 songs. Besides being a literate interpreter of American popular song, she was also a prose writer who published fiction in Mademoiselle, Cosmopolitan and The O. Henry Book of Short Stories. We also talk with Susannah McCorkle's ex-husband and former manager Dan Dinicola.(REBROADCASTS from 7/17/87, 12/23/88, 4/12/91, 7/3/96).