Books & Literature

Book critic John Leonard reviews Eduardo Galeano's new book, which is filled with sprawling narratives, memories, and anecdotes about South America.

Galeano wrote the trilogy, "Memory of Fire," a surrealistic history of the Americas. Galeano comes from Urugua; he fled to Argentina when the dictatorship took over, and later fled Spain. His new book is "The Book of Embraces," and draw from his own life.

Journalist Andrew H. Malcolm's new book, "Someday," is his first-person account of his decision to take his terminally ill mother off life support, a decision made ironic by the fact that Malcom often covers issues of medical ethics and the right to die for the New York Times.

Amy Scholder and Ira Silverberg are the editors of "High Risk," a new anthology of writings that challenge the authors' self-imposed censorship concerning topics like unsafe sex, drug use, and sadomasochism.

Book critic John Leonard reviews Brett Easton Ellis' controversial new novel. The book's been vilified because of its many graphic scenes of rape, torture, murder, and cannibalism.

Nature writer Rick Bass's new book chronicles his life in isolation on a remote ranch in Montana without electricity.

Writer James Smith's new book, "The Idea Brokers," examines the growing influence and inner workings of Washington's many research organizations. Several think tank members provided commentary for news networks during the Gulf War.

Travel and adventure writer Eric Hansen. His new book, "Motoring with Mohammed," is a first-person account of Hansen's attempt to recover the dairies he buried on the coast of Yemen a decade before, after being ship wrecked there.

We examine how our notions of sex and gender has changed over the centuries with historian Thomas Laqueur, author of the book, "Making Sex."

Book critic John Leonard reviews Denis Johnson's novel, "Resuscitation of a Hanged Man," about a man recovering from a botched suicide attempt who goes on to become a part-time private eye in Provincetown.

McPherson is currently working on a new book about the aftermath of the Romanian Revolution. An excerpt of the book recently appeared in the literary magazine, "Granta."

In 1971, writer Lorene Cary was one of the first black female students to be enrolled at St. Paul's, a private prep school in New Hampshire; Cary grew up middle class in Philadelphia. Her memoir about entering the privileged, elite world of the school is called "Black Ice."

The author and educator has written a new book call "A Man Without Words." It's a first-person account of her struggle to teach sign language to a deaf man who had reached adulthood without anyone making any effort to teach him how to communicate.

Tammy Bruce of the Los Angeles chapter of the National Organization for Women. That group opposes Ellis's book, and claims it's scenes of violence against women are pure exploitation, devoid of social commentary. NOW has set up a hotline explaining their objections to the book, featuring an excerpt from the novel.

The young novelist has been vilified for his new novel, which contains many graphic scenes of violence against women, including ape, murder, mutilation, and cannibalism. The book was dropped by its original publisher, and has divided readers and critics alike.

Author Franz Lidz. His new book, "Unstrung Heroes," is a memoir growing up with four crazy uncles. He writes regularly for Sports Illustrated.

Book critic John Leonard reviews a new Pablo Picasso biography, by the artist's friend John Richardson. The book reveals how Picasso was often cruel to women, deeply apolitical, and overworked.

Foreman faces federal felony charges for allegedly plotting to blow up power lines leading to a nuclear power plant. His organization Earth First! has been praised and vilified for its use of "monkey wrenching" -- acts of sabotage and civil disobedience against organizations that are hurting the earth. Foreman, who has since distanced himself from the group, has a new book, called "Confessions of an Eco-Warrior."

Oz talks about the postwar discussions toward an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He and Terry also discuss Oz's latest novel, "To Know A Woman."

Book ritic Maureen Corrigan reviews "Signs of the Times: Deconstruction and the Fall of Paul de Man" by David Lehman. It's a cogent explanation of that literary theory, and a chronicle of the scandal surrounding one of its leading voices.