Writer Geoffrey O'Brien. His new book, Dream Time: Chapters from the Sixties, is an exploration of the phenomena of the 60s, from strobe lights and miniskirts to Be-Ins and Transcendental Meditation. O'Brien attempts to capture the cultural, social and political ferment of the era, as opposed to an objective, historical accounting. O'Brien is also the author of Hard Boiled America," a survey of paperback crime fiction.
Singer Irma Thomas. Ms. Thomas has been making records since 1958, and had a string of New Orleans rhythm-and-blues hits in the early sixties. Her popularity, however, is due in large part to her energetic live performances. Her new album, "The Way I Feel," has just been released on Rounder Records.
Language Commentator Geoffrey Nunberg explores the language and sounds of talking computers and how they handle the subtlety of vocal inflection. (Segment)
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews "Arbos," a recent recording of compositions by Estonian composer Arvo Part. Part's music has similarities to the music of the minimalists, but is also influenced by medieval liturgical music.
Writer Barbara Garson. Her writing includes the anti-war (Vietnam) play MacBird! and the book All the Livelong Day, a study of the blue-collar life of the assembly line. Her latest book, The Electronic Sweatshop, explores white collar automation - the way computers are being used to transform secretaries, executives and professionals into clerks.
Writer Paul Theroux. Since his first book, Waldo, was published in 1966, Theroux has written prolifically. His extensive travels have taken him through Africa, Asia and Central America, and a central theme of his work is the ironic examination of the clashing and mingling of Western and Third World cultures. Theroux's newest book, Riding the Iron Rooster, is an account of his travels by train through China.
Writer Doris Lessing. Since her first novel, The Grass is Singing, published in 1950, she has written many books and plays, including the Children of Violence series, The Golden Notebook, and more recently Shikasta and her "space-fiction" series. Her new novel is titled The Fifth Child. Fresh Air book critic John Leonard once described Mrs. Lessing as "one of the half-dozen most interesting minds to have chosen to write fiction in English in this century."
Television critic David Bianculli looks back at "The Prisoner," the British mystery and adventure series about government agents, brainwashing, Number 6, and the omniscient globe that prevented escape from the island prison. The series celebrates its 20th anniversary this week.
A live concert with New Orleans songwriter, pianist and singer Allen Toussaint. Tousaint has performed extensively as a session pianist and producer and has written dozens of hits for New Orleans groups like The Nevilles, Irma Thomas, for Paul McCartney, The Wild Tchoupitoulas and The Meters.
Writer Dominick Dunne, who in his fiction and non-fiction writes about the troubled lives of New York City's jet setters. His latest novel is titled People Like Us, and is set amid Manhattan's upper class. Dunne's other novels include The Winner and The Two Mrs. Grenvilles, both bestsellers. Dunne contributes regularly to Vanity Fair, writing lengthy profiles of society celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor and Claus Von Bulow.
Singer Helen Merrill. Her latest album features arrangements by the late Gil Evans, with whom she first worked over 30 years ago. Merrill was one of the most acclaimed jazz stars of the 50s when she left America for Italy and then Japan.
Actress Patty Duke. At the time of her 1962 film "The Miracle Worker," Duke was the youngest actress to win an Oscar, for her role as Helen Keller. At 16, she was the youngest actress in television to have a prime-time series built around her. The success, however, masked personal misery which included depressions that led to suicide attempts and a string of failed marriages. Duke has written an autobiography titled Call Me Anna.
Rock Critic Ken Tucker reviews two new rap albums, one by Run-DMC, the top rap group, the other by D.J. Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, an emerging group that builds on the innovations of the first rappers.
