Emmy award winning actor Kelsey Grammer. The former co-star of "Cheers" and the current star of "Frasier," has written his memoir, "So Far." (Dutton). Grammer, who got his start in classical theatre, is now known for his comic gifts in "Frasier" which is one of television's top ten shows.
Michael Eric Dyson is considered one of our most important black intellectuals. He's also an ordained Baptist minister who once struggled as an 18-year old father in Detroit. His work has appeared in "The New York Times," "Rolling Stone," "Vibe" and other publications. His new book is "Between God and Gangsta Rap" (Oxford University Press) about contemporary Black culture. Dyson teaches at the University of North Carolina where he is a Professor of Communications Studies.
Journalist and professor Todd Gitlin. His new book is a liberal's criticism of the "culture wars" that have destroyed the notion of common good in our country. It's called "The Twilight of Common Dreams: Why America is Wracked by Culture Wars," (Metropolitan Books). Gitlin is also the author of "The Sixties: Years of Hope, Days of Rage." He teaches culture and communications , journalism, and sociology at New York University.
Personal Health columnist for the New York Times Jane Brody. Her new book is a timely one: "Jane Brody's Cold and Flu Fighter" (W.W. Norton, in paperback). In it she gives advice on how to tell if you are suffering from a cold, the flu, or an allergy, and the best treatment for each.
Caroline Hebard is the co-founder of the U.S. Disaster Response Team. She and her German shepherd dogs have carried out search and rescue missions at the world's most tragic disaster sites: earthquakes in Japan, Mexico and Armenia, floods in Tennessee, hurricanes, and bridge collapses. The work is dangerous: trainers often follow their dogs into a collapsed building. Hebard lives in Bernardsville, New Jersey with her husband, children and dogs. Her new book (written with Hank Whittemore) is "So That Others May Live." (Bantam Books).
Professor of Religious Studies at Indiana University Mary Jo Weaver. Her previous book is "Springs of Water in a Dry Land: Spiritual Survival for Catholic Women Today," (Beacon) about women who are Catholic and feminist. Her book, "New Catholic Women: A Contemporary Challenge to Traditional Religious Authority," (Indiana University Press) has a new 10th anniversary edition. Weaver's latest book (edited with R. Scott Appleby) "Being Right: Conservative Catholics in America" is a collection of essays (Indiana University Press).
A concert with jazz singer Rebecca Kilgore, accompanied by pianist David Frishberg. Kilgore is known as Portland's premier singer, and is just now emerging as a major talent. She and Frishberg comprise one of the longest running jazz duos in the country. Kilgore's latest CD is "I Saw Stars." "I Saw Stars" with Dan Barrett's Celestial Six, Arbors Records [ARCD 19136, 1994. Her first CD release was "Looking at You", with Dave Frishberg on piano, [PHD Music, 1994.] Includes a preview of tomorrow's concert with Dave Frishberg.
Writer Rebecca Walker. She's a contributing editor to Ms. Magazine, and is cofounder of Third Wave, a national, multicultural organization devoted to encouraging young women's activism. She has edited a new book of writings about feminism today, To Be Real: Telling the Truth and Changing the Face of Feminism. (Anchor Books).
Commentator Maureen Corrigan reviews British writer Pat Barker's The Ghost Road. (Dutton). It won Britain's Booker Prize. The book is the third part of a trilogy of novels about World War I. (Her others are Regeneration and The Eye in the Door.)
Jerry Yang is co-founder of Yahoo, a directory to the World Wide Web. Yahoo has an on-line site, as well as a companion book. Yahoo is one of the most popular sites on the Web. Users can access Yahoo, once in the Web at http://www.yahoo.com. Their new book is Yahoo! Unplugged (IDG books).
Film director Ang Lee. He grew up in Taiwan, but studied theater and film production in the United States. His second feature film, "The Wedding Banquet," was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, as was his next film, "Eat Drink Man Woman." Lee's films often portray family relationships with poignancy, respect, and a light comic touch. His latest film is "Sense and Sensibility," the film based on the novel by Jane Austen.
Veteran crime novelist Lawrence Block. He's written 11 novels featuring Manhattan private eye Matt Scudder. His novels have followed Scudder through alcoholism and into recovery through an Alcoholics Anonymous program. His newest Scudder novel, A Long Line of Dead Men will be published in February
