Rock historian Ed Ward profiles Blind Willie Johnson, an itinerant gospel singer who traveled the South between the 20s and the 40s. Unlike many of his peers, Johnson was a master guitarist.
Boyd's new book, "The Revolution of Little Girls," follows a child coming-of-age in the South in the 60s. (It's published by Knopf). Boyd's the author of two earlier novels, and a collection of essays, called "The Rebel Way of Knowledge."
Jacobson is the executive director of the Center for Science in The Public Interest. He's one of the authors of the new book, "Safe Food." It's a guide to the dangers in what we eat. The book discusses pesticides, bacteria and other toxic substances found in food.
Dubus' short stories earned him this year's Bernard Malamud Award from the writers group, PEN. Dubus has just released his first work of non-fiction, a collection of essays, called "Broken Vessels." It deals with, among other things, a tragic car accident that killed one person and left him severely injured.
Book critic John Leonard reviews "Jernigan," the first novel from writer David Gates. It's about an erudite alcoholic's frustration with suburban life.
The Soviet Union just withdrew from Czechoslovakia. We talk to two people about what affect this will have on the literary culture in that country. Czech writer Ivan Klima was one of Czechoslovakia's leading dissident writers, and was recently elected the president of the Czech chapter of PEN. Michael March organized an international book and writers' festival in Prague last month.
Television critic David Bianculli checks out Comedy Central. It's the new cable comedy network formed by the merger of "The Comedy Channel," and the "HA! Comedy Network." David's favorites are "Mystery Science Theater 3000," which lampoons old B-movies, and the rebroadcasts of Ernie Kovacs specials.
Green is one of the greats of soul and gospel music. He's probably best known for his hit, "Let's Stay Together." He'll talk about his secular musical career in light of being a born again Christian.
Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews, "Dying Young," starring Julia Roberts, which borrows a familiar trope from television movies -- with about as much success
Sylvia Thomson-Smith is a chief author and the editor of a report on sexuality recently presented to the national convention of the Presbyterian Church. That report urged the Church to relax its strictures against homosexuality and premarital sex. The Presbyterian Church overwhelmingly rejected the report.
Athlete and journalist Mariah Burton Nelson. After the passage of Title IX, Nelson played women's basketball in college and in the Women's Pro Basketball League. Her new book, "Are We Winning Yet?" examines the state of women's sports in America today.
Jordan's best known movie was the 1986 film, "Mona Lisa," starring Bob Hoskins. After several Hollywood films, Jordan has returned to his native Ireland to make his new, smaller scale film, "The Miracle."
Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead checks out new records from the bands Curlew and Doctor Nerve, which stretch the definition of jazz with the incorporation of rock attitudes, atonality, and computer-generated music.
Tan's debut novel, "The Joy Luck Club," was a huge critical and commercial success, earning Tan a nomination for the National Book Award. She has a new novel, called "The Kitchen God's Wife," which draws explicitly from her mother's experiences as a Chinese immigrant and survivor of an abusive relationship.
