Author Barbara Grizzuti Harrison. Her new book is "An Accidental Autobiography (Houghton Mifflin). In this unconventional memoir, Harrison arranges the chapters alphabetically because she says "the path of memory is circular and coherent." Harrison grew up in Brooklyn and was converted by her mother to Jehovah's Witness, a source of much pain and a major influence in her writing. Also a journalist, essayist and short story writer, she has traveled extensively in Libya, India, Guatamala and Italy. Harrison has seven other non-fiction books and one novel.
The singer and performer died over the weekend of heart failure. He was 64. Born Herbert B. Khaury, Tim began performing in the 1950s. He was best known for his performances on Laugh-In, especially his crooning of "Tip Toe Through the Tulips." In this interview from earlier this year, Tim performs some songs on his ukulele. (Rebroadcast)
Singer and performer Tiny Tim. Born Herbert B. Khaury, Tim began performing in the 1950s. He is best known for his performances on Laugh-In, especially his croonings of "Tip Toe Through the Tulips." At 65, the long-haired, white-faced TIM is as passionate about old songs as ever... and as odd as ever.
Guitarist Carl Finch. His band, Brave Combo, just released "Girl" (Rounder) in conjunction with the legendary Tiny Tim. Brave Combo is a Texas world beat polka band and the members weren't sure what to expect when they began working on this project with the eccentric Tiny Tim eight years ago. The CD features many familiar tunes (including "Bye Bye Blackbird," "Hey Jude" and even "Stairway to Heaven") like they've never been performed before.
Another segment from Ira Glass' new show, "This American Life": Chinese-American writer Sandra Tsing Loh with a story about her eccentric father who lives in LA. He was hitch-hiking one day and was picked up by actress Angelica Huston.
The nation's most trusted source on proper etiquette, Judith Martin... better known as Miss Manners. Her new book is "Miss Manners Rescues Civilization: From Sexual Harassment, Frivolous Lawsuits, Dissing and Other Lapses in Civility" (Crown Publishers). Coinciding with the release of her new book, Martin has declared June 24 the start of "National Civility Week," in an effort to liberate society from problems caused by the rejection of etiquette.
Host of Comedy Central's "Politically Incorrect," Bill Maher. The former stand-up comic's new book is "Does Anybody Have a Problem With That: Politically Incorrect's Greatest Hits," (Villard) With panelists of diverse ideologies (Patty Hearst to Al Sharpton to G. Gordon Liddy...) and sometimes explosive conflicts, the show has been described as "the McLaughlin Group on acid." Beginning in January, "Politically Incorrect" will air right after Nightline on ABC.
Nigerian journalist Dapo Olorunyomi... He is the editor of five of the country's leading opposition publications. His work uncovering corruption in the Nigerian Government helped him win the World Press Review 1995 Editor-of-the-Year Award. Olorunyomi is now in exile in the United States. It's the third anniversary of the democratic elections annulled by the military.
Fresh Air Producer Amy Salit interviews singer Alejandro Escovedo. He's formerly with the band True Believers. Escovedo is esteemed for his songwriting ability and described as "poet of the ordinary event." His new solo release is "With These Hands," (Rykodisc)
Former U.S. Senator George McGovern. He has a new book called "Terry: My Daughter's Life and Death Struggle with Alcoholism." (Villard) After a night of drinking in December of 1994, Terry was found dead in a parking lot near her home in Madison, Wisconsin. Terry's addiction plagued her almost her entire life, despite countless efforts at rehabilitation. The book draws upon Terry's letters and journals, interviews with loved ones, and medical and police records.
Specialist in memory and language disorders, Dr. Barry Gordon. Gordon's book "Memory: Remembering and Forgetting in Everyday Life" (Mastermedia Ltd. The book can be ordered by calling 1-800-334-8232) looks at recognition, recall, memory blocks and the effects of drugs. The book also gives tips to increasing memory recall and dispels some common myths about the brain and memory. Gordon is a behavior neurologist, cognitive neuroscientist and experimental psychologist at Johns Hopkins University. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)
Movie critic John Powers reviews the new action thriller "The Rock," starring Sean Connery and Nicholas Cage. In the film, Cage and Connery team up to retake Alcatraz from a crazed general.
Book critic Maureen Corrigan gives her summer reading round-up (part one): "Neanderthal," by John Darnton (Random House); "Firestorm," by Nevada Barr (Putnam); "The World at Night," by Alan Furst (Random House); "Ruined By Reading," by Lynne Sharon Schwartz (Beacon).
British author A.S. Byatt. Byatt is known by many Americans for "Possession," a Booker Prize-winning Victorian novel published here in 1990. Her new novel, "Babel Tower," is just hitting the bookstores (Random House). Set in the turbulent 1960s, the book is about Frederica, a young woman involved in a divorce and custody suit, as well as the prosecution of an "obscene" book. "Babel Tower" is the third book in a planned quartet of novels ("The Virgin in the Garden" and "Still Life") set in different mid-century time frames.
Photojournalists and identical twins David and Peter Turnley. Between them they have photographed every major news event in the last 15 years. They work independently, but a joint display, ("In Times of War and Peace: The Photographs of David and Peter Turnley") will be exhibited from June 7 - September 8 in New York City. Currently, both Turnleys are based in Paris. Peter works as a contract photographer for "Newsweek" and David is a staff photographer for the "Detroit Free Press."
