Books & Literature

Mary Gordon writes literary fiction that manages to top best-seller lists. Religion plays a large part in her novels, and Gordon grew up Catholic and even considered becoming a nun. Today she has big differences with the church, but still considers herself a Catholic, if only in her mind. Her latest novel "Men and Angels," involves a babysitter driven by religion-tinged insanity.

Writer Grace Paley is a master of the short story form. Paley's work is interested in the stories of women, and Paley has been involved in the peace and feminist movements. Paley's latest collection is "Later the Same Day."

Alex Haley documented his family history going back several generations in Roots, which was later adapted into a popular television series. His first book was the landmark Autobiography of Malcom X, which was written in collaboration with the civil rights leader.

James Farmer returns to Fresh Air to share memories of the 1961 Freedom Rides and later race riots that erupted during later that decade. His new memoir, Lay Bare the Heart, has just been published.

Oliver Sacks suffered a severe injury while hiking which eventually led to the loss of feeling in his leg. His recovery and gave him insights into the treatment of his own patients who suffer from memory problems and encephalitis lethargica.

Creeley taught at Black Mountain College and fostered professional personal relationships with many notable Beat writers. He joins Fresh Air to discuss his life and work.

Actor Erik Lee Preminger shares memories of his mother, burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee. His new book is called Gypsy & Me.

Music writer Timothy White has a new book which traces the history of contemporary rock music to black blues and soul artists and white swing and country singers.

Writer and scholar John Edgar Wideman's new book focuses on his younger brother Robby, who is serving a life sentence for murder. Wideman explores their differences and tries to understand what led Robby to a life of crime.

New York Times music critic John Rockwell wrote a book about Frank Sinatra's life in music and movies. He and Fresh Air host Terry Gross listen back to some of the singer's early recordings.

The writer has a new book called Take 22, which features interviews with notable filmmakers. She says her critical approach has become more populist in recent years. She has also grown more interested in learning about a director's intent, which she takes into consideration when gauging a film's success or failure.

Theologian Harvey Cox's new book explores the growth of religion, particularly amongst politically active or disenfranchised communities. He explores how this trend manifests itself in both fundamentalist circles on the right and practitioners of liberation theology on the left.

Andrew Greely is a priest, sociologist and writer. He has written a book with his sister, theologian Mary G. Durkin, about how Vatican II dispensed with traditions which they believed were essential to Catholic identity. In order to stay vital, they believe the Church should adopt more positive attitudes toward sexuality and the role of women.

Studs Terkel studied law and acted in theater before becoming a radio broadcaster. His syndicated program and books feature oral histories of everyday people in the United States. He joins Fresh Air's Terry Gross to discuss how he conducts interviews in a way that is both insightful and respectful.

Armistead Maupin developed a series of novels based on his serialized fiction published in the San Francisco-based Pacific Sun newspaper. His work is notable for featuring sympathetic and realistic portrayals of women and gay men.

Wilson's latest work, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, is now in production at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia. He discusses how writing dialog-heavy short fiction led him to playwriting.

The former Member of Parliament has a new book about political intrigue in the UK, called First Among Equals.

Bill Lee pitched for the Boston Red Sox from 1969-1979. He was later traded to the Montreal Exos where he played until 1982. Lee, known as "Space Man," was known for hid antics and sarcastic quotes. He currently plays baseball in Canada and South America and does commentary and book reviews for the CBC. Lee has written a new memoir called "The Wrong Stuff."

One of the largest Bram Stoker repositories is here in Philadelphia at the Rosenbach Library. English writer and professor Clive Leatherdale is in town to research Bram Stoker and vampire folklore for an upcoming book whose working title is "Dracula: The Novel and the Legend." Leatherdale is a teacher at Aberdeen University in Scotland.

Richard Schickel has been the film critic for Time magazine since 1973. He is also the author of several books, and has written and produced several documentaries about film for television. His new biography is "D. W. Griffith: An American Life." Schickel joins the show to discuss Griffith, film and film criticism, and journalism.