Memoir

The playwright reads a passage from her forthcoming memoir about studying with Edward Albee and writing her Obie-winning "Funnyhouse of a Negro."

Author and poet Al Young reads some of his autobiographical writing about the African American experience in the 1930s, and the cultural impact Coleman Hawkins' recording of "Body and Soul" had on his family.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg foregoes his usual language commentaries to tell us a tale about being young and limber in Rome.

A reading by Gary Paulsen from his new book, "Eastern Sun, Winter Moon." It details a harrowing story of the violent way his mother protected him from a potential predator.

Writer and single mom Anne Lamott explains to her son why he has no father.

Writer Anne Lamott teaches her son about death. She's the author of the book, "Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son's First Year." (Pantheon Books).

Writer Anne Lamott on being a good mother AND a phone addict.

Dagoberto Gilb with a commentary on fatherhood in light of his newfound literary fame.

Humorist and NPR commentator David Sedaris charms us with "Santaland Diaries." The piece comes from Sedaris' book "Barrel Fever," and first ran on NPR's Morning Edition a few days before Christmas 1992. Even though Sedaris has achieved national fame and movie contracts for his humor writing, he still cleans apartments during the day, because, he says, he can only write at night.

Critic Maureen Corrigan gives her holiday picks.