Books & Literature

Village Voice art critic Peter Schjeldahl ("shell-dahl"). He's just published a new collection of his writings from the late 70s to 1990. The collection's called "The Hydrogen Jukebox." It's published by the University of California Press.

Book critic John Leonard reviews "On Mozart," by Anthony Burgess. It's a surreal novel about the composer Mozart. (published by Ticknor & Fields).

Journalist Ted Conover. His new book is "Whiteout: Lost in Aspen" about the two years he spent immersed in the culture of Aspen, Colorado, a mecca of sorts for the rich and famous. Conover's other books are "Rolling Nowhere," about riding the rails with America's hoboes, and "Coyotes," about illegal aliens, which was named a notable book of the year by "The New York Times." (His new book is published by Random House).

Writer Edward "Hacksaw" Jones -- so named for his many prison escapes. He was the only criminal put on the FBI's most-wanted list without a history of physical violence. When he was still in prison he began writing. He's written two novels, "Cage," and "Awake," as well as an autobiography, "Hacksaw." He's got a new novel, "Stoneface." (published by Donald I. Fine, Inc., New York).

Marine artist Richard Ellis. He's been studying and painting whales for the past two decades. His new book "Men and Whales," is the history of the relationship between the two, beginning with the hunting of whales. It's just been recent in history that whaling has been outlawed in most areas of the world. (published Alfred A. Knopf).

Cartoonist and writer Lynda Barry. Barry's comic strip about her childhood, "Ernie Pook's Comeek," is popular in many alternative newsweeklies around the country. She's also written a show based on the comic, called "The Good Times Are Killing Me." It's playing now Off-Broadway. (This interview was recorded this summer before a live audience in Seattle, when Terry visited station KPLU).

Film critic for the Wall Street Journal, Julie Salamon. She's just written a new book about the making of the film, "The Bonfire of the Vanities." The book is "The Devil's Candy: The Bonfire of the Vanities Goes to Hollywood," (published by Houghton Mifflin). The movie, based on the Tom Wolfe novel of the same name, was directed by Brian DePalma and was eagerly anticipated but turned out to be a critical and financial bomb. Salamon followed the entire film making process from casting to editing.

Commentator Maureen Corrigan tells us about a new biography of Edgar Allan Poe by Kenneth Silverman: "Edgar A. Poe: Mournful and Never-Ending Remembrance." (published by Harper Collins). She says it's "mesmerizing."

Cartoonist John Callahan. Callahan comes up with comics that are both funny and often offensive (a typical example: an obese man stands with his obese son in front of the refrigerator, saying "Son, someday all of this will be yours."). Callahan often pokes fun at alcoholics and the disabled, something he's qualified to do. Callahan was a alcoholic for many years, and he was left a quadriplegic after a drunk driving accident.

Book critic John Leonard reviews the novel "Eve's Tattoo," by Emily Praeger. ('pray-gerr"). It's published by Random House.

Denver Post financial reporter Seven Wilmsen. Wilmsen was the reporter who discovered the ties between the President's son, Neil Bush, and the collapse of Colorado's Silverado Banking Savings and Loan. That's the subject of his new book, "Silverado," (published by National Press Books).

Teenage mother Leticia Johnson (pseudonym). She's the main focus of a new book that deals examines one family with a legacy of teenage pregnancy. The book's called "Before Their Time: Four Generations of Teenage Mothers," by Joelle Sander. Sander uses oral history to look at the effect poverty and society has had on one family. It's published by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

British writer A.S. Byatt. Her book, "Possession," has become a bestseller. It's a literary mystery about a couple of scholars whose own lives begin to mirror the lives of two 17th century poets whose secret correspondence they are researching. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Novelist and doctor Ethan Canin. His first book, "Emperor of the Air," a collection of short stories was published when he was only 27 and was the winner of a Houghton Mifflin Literary Fellowship. His new novel is "Blue River," about two brothers who make new discoveries about their childhood when they are reunited after a long separation. (published by Houghton Mifflin Company). (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Commentator Maureen Corrigan gives her argument for why poetry is still a viable art form by telling us about two new collections by two poets: "An Atlas of a Difficult World--Poems 1988-1991," by Adrienne Rich (published by Norton). And "Seeing Things," by Seamus Heaney (published by FSG).

Book critic John Leonard reviews "Mariette In Ecstasy," (pronounced "mah-ree-ett") by Ron Hansen. It's the story of a young woman who enters a convent and then develops the Stigmata (published by Harper and Collins).

Actress Holly Woodlawn. Woodlawn was part of Andy Warhol's New York's scene in the 60s and early 70s. Perhaps her high point came when she starred in Warhol's movie "Trash." Woodlawn was born a boy, her career as a transvestite was immortalized in Lou Reed's song, "Take A Walk On the Wild Side." Woodlawn has a new memoir, called "A Low Life in High Heels: The Holly Woodlawn Story.." (It's published by St Martin's Press).

English professor Arnold Rampersad. He's just edited a new edition of the works of black writer Richard Wright. Wright's novel, "Native Son," was a breakthrough in African American literature when it was published in 1940. It also turns out many scenes dealing with the sexual activities of the main character were removed, to make the novel more palatable to Book Month Club subscribers. Those cuts have been restored in this new edition (by The Library of America).

Architectural historian Vincent Scully. Last spring he retired from regular teaching at Yale. His Modern Architecture class which he taught since 1947 was considered the most popular class in the school's history. He talks with Terry about his teaching technique, the necessity of new architecture in the inner cities, and the design of skyscrapers.

Poet Linda McCarriston. Her new book of poems, "Eva-Mary," is up for a National Book Award. Many of the poems in the book are about how her father sexually abused her and her mother. (published by TriQuarterly Book/Northwestern University). The winner of the award will be announced tomorrow in New York.