Writer Paul Auster. Auster began his writing life first as a poet and translator. In a review of his fifth novel, "Moon Palace," Jane Smiley said, "Auster's style is continually surprising and arresting...the characters are drawn with precision and wit...with great generosity and love." Auster's other books include City of Glass, Ghosts, and a memoir, The Invention of Solitude. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)
World music commentator Milo Miles talks about compas (or kompa, or konpa), the popular music of Haiti. He shows how the roots of compas are in the eclectic musical influences Haiti has absorbed over the years.
Animator Paul Fierlinger (FEAR-ling-er). His animated documentary film, "And Then I'll Stop" won the best film award from the International Association of Animators. It's the first animated documentary to explore the issue of alcoholism. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)
Author Paul Monette. His memoir, "Borrowed Time," (Avon books) told his story of living with death and aids. His latest book is a novel, "Afterlife," (Crown books) about how three different men deal with the grief of losing a lover from aids. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz examines some recordings in which the worlds of classical and popular music combine. The most recent example is "Anything Goes: Stephane Grappelli and Yo-Yo Ma play (mostly) Cole Porter." Schwartz looks at other recordings that bring together Jascha Heifetz and Bing Crosby; Paul McCartney and George Mason of the New Philharmonia Orchestra; and Frank Sinatra and the Hollywood String Quartet.
Writer Hettie Jones. Her new memoir, "How I became Hettie Jones" (published by E.P. Dutton) is an account of living at the center of New York bohemianism during the 50's and 60's. It's also the story of Jones' interracial marriage to black poet LeRoi Jones. LeRoi Jones later became involved in the black militant movement, and changed his name to Amiri Baraka. The two divorced.
Family therapist Salvador Minuchin. (mi-NOO-chin). In the early 50's, he helped launch the field of family therapy, shifting the focus of psychotherapy from the individual to the entire family. He's also known for aggressive, short-term intervention for dealing with delinquent children and anorectic girls. His books include "Families of the Slums," a look at the impact of poverty on a family; "Family Kaleidoscope," based on observations of families in London, England; and "Family Therapy Techniques," which he co-authored.
Author Ron Chernow (CHUR-now). His new book is, "The House of Morgan: an American Banking Dynasty and The Rise of Modern Finance." Chernow examines one of the financing world's once most powerful institutions: the J.P. Morgan financing empire. And he traces the history of modern finance from the genteel, clubby world of banking to Wall Street of the 1980's when ruthlessness, and machismo became the rule.
Book critic John Leonard reviews the new book by British writer Fay Weldon, "The Cloning of Joanna May." Weldon has also written, "The Life and Love of a She-Devil."
Journalist Daniel Akst. His new book is "Wonder Boy Barry Minkow: The Kid Who Swindled Wall Street." While a reporter for the Los Angeles Times and later the Wall Street Journal, AKST showed Minkow in his true light...not a clean-cut teenage success story...but rather the mastermind of a multi-million dollar fraud operation. (published by Scribner & Sons.)
Rock historian Ed Ward profiles the Red Bird record label and its soul subsidiary Blue Cat. They were the creations of the 60s songwriting and producing team, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. The labels' hits include "Going to the Chapel," and "Boy From New York City."
Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a new album and a reissue of an old album by tenor saxophonist Sony Rollins. The new recording is "Falling in Love with Jazz" on the Milestone Label; the reissue is "The Freedom Suite," on Fantasy Records' Original Jazz Classics. It was first recorded in the late 50's and featured bassist Oscar Pettiford and drummer Max Roach.
Film maker John McNaughton, director of the controversial movie, "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer." The film is loosely based on real-life murderer Henry Lee Lucas. McNaughton shot the film in 1986, but it's only now gaining wide release. The delay is in large part do to the fact that the Motion Picture Association insisted on giving the film a "X" rating, a rating that stemmed less from the graphic violence that the absolute unrepentant nature of the killer. Despite that, the film's already made many critic's ten best lists.
Batman creator Bob Kane. In his new autobiography, "Batman & Me," Kane tells how he came up with the idea for the caped crusader, and what influence he had on the T-V series and last year's movie. Kane drew Batman from its inception in 1939 to the late 60s.
