Medical ethicist Daniel Callahan. His new book is "The Troubled Dream of Life: Living with Mortality." (Simon & Schuster). In it he looks at how our society views death: If death is a "part of life," why do we have such trouble accepting it? And how do our attitudes about death affect medical and social policy?
Actor Jerry Adler. He's a former Broadway producer, director and stage manager who took up acting at the age of 62. He worked on over 53 Broadway shows before moving to L.A. where he staged managed a soap opera. On a hunch, a friend, who was casting a film, brought Adler in to read. That resulted in his first appearance as an actor in the film noir thriller, "The Public Eye." Since then, Adler has acted in a number of television shows. He's now starring in the new Woody Allen film, "Manhattan Murder Mystery." (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)
Writer A.E. Hotchner. His memoir, about growing up in a flophouse during the depression, "King of the Hill," is being made into a movie, directed by Stephen Soderbergh (who directed "Sex, Lives, and Videotape). Hotchner is best known for his controversial 1966 biography of his personal friend Ernest Hemingway, "Papa Hemingway: A Personal Memoir." Presented in the unusual form of dialogue, Hotchner faced criticism from the literary community and an attempt by Hemingway's widow to ban the sale of the book. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)
Miami Herald columnist and novelist Carl Hiaasen. "Strip Tease," Hiaasen's fifth novel and latest gonzo thriller, is a yarn, pitting a seamy Florida politician against the star stripper at Miami's Eager Beaver club. Mr.
Professor and military sociologist Charles Moskos. He formulated President Clinton's new policy on homosexuals in the military which has been dubbed "don't ask don't tell" (enlistees would not be asked about sexual orientation nor would they declare it, once in the service). Moskos has done field research during every major army deployment over the last 30 years, most recently in Somalia to interview African-American soldiers. Moskos is also a proponent of a national service program for college students, which has caught the eye of President Clinton.
Sportswriter and winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Jim Murray He's just written his autobiography (Macmillan) about his five decades in journalism: as a young reporter for Time magazine following the 1952 presidential campaign and the rise of Richard Nixon's political career; working as one of the original writers for Sports Illustrated; and beginning in 1961, as sports columnist for the Los Angeles Times. His syndicated column once reached 200 newspapers a day and he has won the Sportswriter of the Year award a record 14 times. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)
Film director Andrew Davis. Davis' string of action-thriller hits include last year's "Under Siege" with Steven Segal and a Chuck Norris picture "Code of Silence". His latest film is a remake of a TV series from the 1960's "The Fugitive" starring Harrison Ford. Davis' Hollywood credentials belie his journalistic background: he began his film career as an assistant cameraman to Haskell Wexler on "Medium Cool" which was filmed during and uses footage of the chaos of the 1968 Democratic Convention.
New York Times European diplomatic correspondent, Craig Whitney. Whitney is the author of a new book about espionage and spy swaps during the cold war in the two Germanys: "Spy Trader" (Times Books). Now living in Bonn, Whitney reports on the issues surrounding European unity: the rise of ethnic conflicts, and the crisis in Bosnia. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)
Documentary filmmaker Jim Chambers, who put together the new film "112th and Central: Through the Eyes of the Children", a documentary about the effects of the Los Angeles riots on the young people who lived through them. The film is put together from interviews of friends and family filmed by the children themselves, including 12 year old Cleophas Jackson whom Marty also interviews. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)
World music commentator Milo Miles tells us about the tango music of Julio de Caro. He and his band set the standard for tango music in Buenos Aires in the 20's, and his music has just been reissued on the Spanish El Bandoneon label.
Children's book illustrator Ted Lewin. Lewin paid his way through art school in the 50's as a professional wrestler. His new memoir, "I Was a Teenage Professional Wrestler," (Orchard Books) includes Lewin's paintings of wrestlers. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)
Andre Dubus III He's the son of writer Andre Dubus, and he's recently come out with his first novel, a coming of age story called "Bluesman." Dubus continues to work construction and write on the side. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)
Kumin's latest collection of essays and stories on living on a New Hampshire farm is called "Women, Animals and Vegetables." She received the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1973, and is Poet Laureate of New Hampshire. She has published ten volumes of poetry, as well as collections of stories and essays.
Hog farmer and writer Mary Elizabeth Fricke (Frick-EE). Her new book is, "Dino, Godzilla and the Pigs: My Life On Our Missouri Hog Farm." (Soho Press). The Fricke's farm was flooded, just as this book was coming out. Marty will talk with Fricke about how they and the farm are doing. Fricke's book describes the intricacies of farm work, like cutting the teeth and tails of piglets, and driving a monster tractor with sixteen gears. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)
Commentator Maureen Corrigan reviews, "The Bridges of Madison County," by Robert Kincaid (Rant) and acknowledges the 100th anniversary of Dorothy Parker's birth.
