Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews VHS release of Handel's opera Julius Caesar. It's directed by the innovative Peter Sellars. Schwartz says all five hours just fly by.
Ghosh was born in Calcutta and studied in India, Britian, and Egypt. He has a new novel, "In An Antique Land," which tells the story of two Indians in Egypt: a 12th century slave who Ghosh had read about, and Ghosh himself. He'll talk with Terry about the current violence in India between Muslims and Hindus.
Director of the human rights group, Middle East Watch, Andrew Whitley. On Tuesday, the Mideast Peace talks start up again. Terry talks with Whitley about the human rights situation in Israel and the Occupied Territories.
Jazz critic Kevin White pays tribute to Ella Fitzgerald who turns 75 this Sunday. He argues that there are two versions of the jazz singer -- an interpreter of ballads and standards, the other a "superhuman" scat singer.
Journalist Randy Shilts is the national correspondent for the San Francisco Chronicle. His book, "And the Band Played On," was one of the earliest written about the AIDS epidemic and it's impact on the gay community. Shilts' new book is about gay life in the military, called "Conduct Unbecoming." He started the it in 1988, before the current debate about gays in the military.
Fresh Air Producer Amy Salilt talks with Peter Garrett, lead singer of the Australian rock band Midnight Oil, a band known for its environmental and political activisim. They have a new album called Earth and Sun and Moon.
Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews the "This Boy's Life," based on the book of the same name. The movie stars Robert DeNiro and Ellen Barkin, and features a great performance by star Leonardo DiCaprio.
Journalist Raymond Bonner criticizes the World Wildlife Fund for what he believes is an unnuanced approach to the protection of endangered species in Africa. He believes that the needs of the people living in impoverished areas need to be taken into consideratio. Later, Terry talks to Ginette Hemley of the WWF for her organization's perspective.
TV critic David Bianculli reviews the television news coverage of the WACO standoff and disaster, which sometimes featured harrowing interviews with the relatives of Branch Davidians while the cult's compound burned.
Sogyal Rinpoche was born in Tibet and raised in the buddhist tradition. He also studied at Cambridge University in England. He has lived outside of Tibet, in exile, for 20 years. Rinpoche is the incarnation of Terton Sogyal (1856-1926), a Tibetan mystic and the teacher of the last Dalai Lama. Rinpoche's new book, "The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying," combines Tibetan wisdom with modern research on death and dying.
The Russian literary critic and dissident writer has written his first novel, "Russian Beauty." The book, about a young bisexual beauty who leaves the provinces for Moscow, has been a best-seller in Russia. Erofeev is also the son of a Soviet diplomat.
Today is the 50th Anniversary of the beginning of the uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto. Terry talks with Rafael Scharf. He's compiled a new book of photographs, "In The Warsaw Ghetto Summer 1940." The photographs were taken one summer day in 1941 by German soldier and have never been published before. Scharf was born in Poland, but left the country shortly before World War II. He is one of the founders of "The Jewish Quarterly," a London literary and political magazine. Many of his relatives were killed during the Holocaust.
Former National Security Adviser to President Carter, Zbigniew Brzezinski has written a new book about the state of global politics, called "Out of Control." He warns we must change our values and realize our global interdependence.
O'Toole is the star of "Lawrence of Arabia," "The Lion in the Winter," and "My Favorite Year." He has a new autobiography about the start of his career, called "Loitering with Intent.
Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the Evidence label's reissues of three early Sun Ra albums: "Bad and Beautiful," "Super-Sonic Jazz," and "Jazz In Silhouette." The LPs were originally recorded for Sun Ra's own Saturn records.
Palin is best known for his comedy work with England's legendary Monty Python troupe. But his new movie, "American Friends," is a romance based on the life of his great-grandfather. Edward Palin was a 35 year-old tutor at Oxford University when he met 17-year-old Brita, an American girl touring Europe. Oxford tutors in the Victorian era were sworn to chastity, so Edward Palin left his job to marry Brita. Michael Palin found the story in his great-grandfather's journal.
