Biography & Memoir

Book critic Maureen Corrigan gives her recommendations for books to read this summer.

Author Diane Wood Middlebrook has written "Suits Me: The Double Life of Billy Tipton." (Houghton Mifflin) It traces the life of jazz musician Billy Tipton who passed as a man most of her life. Middlebrooke also wrote "Anne Sexton: A Biography." She is a professor of english at Stanford University in California.

Nicholas Papandreou is the son of former Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou. Nicholas as written the novel "A Crowded Heart." (Picador) It is a fictional retelling of his own childhood in Greece. Born in Berkeley, California, he now lives in Athens, Greece.

U.S. Peace negotiator Richard Holbrooke. He was the chief architect of the Dayton Peace Accord that ended the war in the former Yugoslavia. He has just returned from the region. His new book will be published in June "To End A War." (Random House)

Gospel singer Cissy Houston has released her biography titled "Cissy Houston, How Sweet The Sound: My Life with God and Gospel." (Doubleday) Cissy Houston won the 1997 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Soul Gospel album for "Face to Face." She is the minister of music at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey and lives in Fort Lee, NJ. Her daughter is the singer Whitney Houston.

President of the University of Cape Town Mamphela Ramphele. During the 1970s she was a leader in the struggle against Apartheid, and was a colleague of Steven Biko. Later she became his lover. Biko was murdered while in detention and Ramphele was pregnant with his child. Ramphele is also a medical doctor and anthropologist. Her new memoir is "Across Boundaries: The Journey of a South African Woman Leader" (The Feminist Press)

Israel's chief negotiator with the PLO from 1993-1996, Uri Savir. He was the first Israeli official to negotiate secretly with a senior representative of the PLO. He participated in the historic peace process in Oslo. He's written a new memoir, "The Process: 1,100 Days That Changed the Middle East" (Random House).

Former Colorado Congresswoman Pat Schroeder. She was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 24 years. She's the first woman to hold the office that long. During that time she championed causes important to women: pay equity, the Equal Rights Amendment, breast cancer research, and family leave. She also landed a coveted spot on the House Armed Services Committee. She also coined the term "Teflon president" to describe Ronald Reagan. She's written a new memoir, "24 Years of House Work. . .and the Place is Still a Mess" (Andrews McMeel)

Lorna Luft new memoir is : "Me and My Shadows: A Family Memoir." (Pocket Books). Luft talks with Terry about growing up as the youngest daughter to film legend Judy Garland. And as half sister to Liza Minneli. Luft made her Broadway debut in 1971 in "Promises, Promises." She toured nationally in the Broadway production of "They're Playing Our Song" in 1981-1982.

Actor Peter Coyote. He's written a memoir, "Sleeping Where I Fall" (Counterpoint) about the his experiences during the sixties and seventies. The son of an East Coast stockbroker, Coyote was part of the political street theatre, the San Francisco Mime Troupe. Later Coyote lived the communal life, experimenting with sex, drugs, and heady ideals. Coyote has performed in more than 50 films including, "Bitter Moon," "E.T.," "Jagged Edge, "Outrageous Fortune" and the new film "Sphere."

Documentary filmmaker Nicholas Clapp. His new book, "The Road to Ubar: Finding the Atlantis of The Sands" (Houghton Mifflin) is about his search for the lost Arabian city of Ubar. Described in the Koran as "the many-columned city" Ubar, was said to have been destroyed by God for the sins of its people. Using satellite maps to help locate it, Clapp organized two expeditions to Arabia to find Ubar. And he found it in 1992. (Interview by Barbara Bogaev)

Book Critic Maureen Corrigan reviews two new books by poet and construction worker Susan Eisenberg. Her poems attest to the misogyny still present in the construction industry. The books are "Pioneering: Poems from the Construction Site" (ILR Press/Cornell) and "We'll Call You If We Need You: Experiences of Women Working Construction" (ILR Press/Cornell)

Editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar, Liz Tilberis. She's written a new memoir about working in the fashion industry while battling ovarian cancer. It's called "No Time To Die" (Little, Brown & Co.) (Interview by Barbara Bogaev)

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich. He's written a new book, "Newt Gingrich: Lessons Learned the Hard Way: A Personal Report" (HarperCollins).

Historian Jill Ker Conway. She's the author of the bestselling memoir, "The Road from Coorain," about growing up in the Australian outback. Conway also edited two volumes of women's memoirs "Written By Herself" (Volumes I and II) which were, in part, about the nature of autobiography written by women. Her new book is "When Memory Speaks: Reflections on Autobiography." (Knopf) Conway was the first female vice president of The University of Toronto, and from 1975 to 1985 was the president of Smith.

Journalist Michael Ruhlman is the author of the book, "The Making of a Chef: Mastering Heat at the Culinary Institute of America" (Henry Holt). Ruhlman attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York to research his book. (Interview by Barbara Bogaev)

Actor Peter Fonda. He's been nominated this year for an Oscar for his performance in "Ulee's Gold." The son of actor Henry Fonda, he's best known for his role in the cult classic "Easy Rider." He's written his memoir, "Don't Tell Dad" (Hyperion

Fauziya Kassindja and Layli Miller Bashir have co-written "Do They Hear You When You Cry". It is published by Delacorte Press. The book is based on their experience. Kassindja fled Toga, Africa to escape female genital mutilation. Bashir as a law student fought for Kassindja's freedom. Bashir is the founder of Tahirih Justice Center, which assist women facing human rights abuses.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews "Are You Somebody" by Irish journalist Nuala O'Faolain.

Jerry Strahan is the author of the memoir "Managing Ignatius: The Lunacy of Lucky Dogs and Life in the Quarter" (Louisiana State University) about his 20 years managing Lucky Dogs, Inc., a fleet of hot dog carts in New Orleans, French Quarter. Strahan writes that he works among panhandlers, prostitutes, pimps, con artists, drifters, transvestites, and more.