American Authors
Remembering 'Vampire Chronicles' author Anne Rice
Rice, who died Dec. 11, grew up in New Orleans and hit it big in 1976 with her first novel, Interview with the Vampire. She followed up with more than a dozen novels. Originally broadcast in 1990.
In 'Tastes Like War,' a daughter reckons with her mother's schizophrenia
Cho's new memoir, “Tastes Like War", is about her experiences growing up with an American father and Korean mother, and about her mother’s struggles with mental illness.
Remembering Gary Paulsen, author of 'Dogsled' and 'Hatchet'
The Newbery award-winning author, who died Oct. 13, wrote over 200 books, many of which were tales of adventure aimed at young adults. In 1994, Paulsen talked about Alaska's Iditarod dog sled race.
Crum: Lee Maynard's 'Love Letter' To His Hometown.
The Scummers is the last installment in Maynard's Crum trilogy. Maynard based Crum, his 1988 semi-autobiographical novel, on his small, poor West Virginia hometown. The people of Crum who know the book tend to love it or hate it. Maynard spoke with Terry Gross in 2003.
Digging For Pearls In The New Salinger Biography.
J.D Salinger died a year ago this Thursday, and in time for that anniversary, there's a newly published biography called, simply, J.D. Salinger: A Life. Book critic Maureen Corrigan says readers who revere Salinger will find a lot that's surprising in his early background.
'Pearl Buck In China': A Child Across The Good Earth
A new biography tells the story of Buck's Chinese childhood, as the daughter of zealous missionaries. In Pearl Buck in China, Hilary Spurling makes a compelling case for a reappraisal of Buck's fiction -- transforming her from dreary "lady author" into woman warrior.
Colin Hanks: The Mentalist's Apprentice
Colin Hanks currently stars in The Great Buck Howard as the assistant to a washed-up mentalist. He joins Fresh Air to talk about his role in the film and his career in acting.
Susan Sontag's Ruminations 'Reborn'
Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews Reborn: Journals & Notebooks, 1947 â 1963, the newly published intimate ruminations of Susan Sontag.
Nick Cave Digs Himself a Singular Niche
Singer-composer Nick Cave composed the soundtrack for last year's The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford; he also wrote the screenplay and the soundtrack for The Proposition. Now, Cave has released a new CD with his band the Bad Seeds: Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!
Richard Price Details a Gritty 'Lush Life'
Novelist and screenwriter Richard Price discusses his new novel, Lush Life, about the repercussions of a shooting on the Lower East side. Price has written extensively about the realities of inner city life; he is a writer for HBO's The Wire which ends a five-year run on Sunday.