Business & Economy

Financial writer Connie Bruck. Her first book, The Predators' Ball: The Junk Bond Raiders and the Man who Staked Them, is a profile of the controversial junk bond financier Michael Milken, and the junk bond department of the investment firm of Drexel Burnham Lambert. Milken's financing schemes, and Drexel Burnham's resources, have been the engine behind many of the hostile takeovers and mergers that have rocked Wall Street over the last six years. Bruck is a reporter for The American Lawyer magazine.

John Rothchild. His new book, A Fool and His Money is a personal account of his adventures as an average investor trying to figure out the complexities of the stock and commodities markets.

Television critic David Bianculli discusses how the writer's strike has benefitted "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour," and what the show's revival means for the concept of a weekly variety show.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews "The Milagro Beanfield War," based on the popular New Mexico novel by John Nichols and directed by Robert Redford.

The first of a two-part interview with comedian and political satirist Al Franken. Along with partner Tom Davis, Franken has written for and performed on "Saturday Night Live" since 1975. This first part focuses on Franken's political satire, which is in full bloom during the current presidential primary season.

New York Times reporter Martin Tolchin. His new book, Buying Into America: How Foreign Money Is Changing the Face of Our Nation, documents the massive infusion of foreign capital in America, and analyzes its ramifications. Written with his wife, professor Susan Tolchin, the book highlights America's growing dependence on foreign investments.

Lewis H. Lapham, Editor of Harper's Magazine. His new book, Money and Class in America, explores the worship of the dollar - what Lapham calls our "civil religion."

Author Jonathan Kozol. His new book, Rachel and Her Children, is about The Martinique Hotel, one of the largest welfare hotels in New York City. Kozol spent two years interviewing the families who lived there. Kozol's previous work has focused on inner city education and illiteracy.

William Greider, political reporter for Rolling Stone Magazine, former assistant managing editor of The Washington Post and author of Secrets of the Temple - How the Federal Reserve Runs the Country.

Film Critic Stephen Schiff reviews "Wall Street," the new film on ambition and greed in the world of high finance. The director is Oliver Stone, who won an Academy Award last year for "Platoon."

Jack Gillis, director of public affairs for the Consumer Federation of America and author of The Car Book. He will release consumer test results on how the 1988 cars scored for safety, fuel economy, comfort, etc.

Film director and actor John Sayles. His films include "The Return of the Secaucus Seven," "Baby It's You" and "Brother From Another Planet." His new film is "Matewan," about a coal miner's strike in West Virginia.

Architectural preservationist David Naylor, whose new book, Great American Movie Theaters, charts the past glory and current demise of a uniquely American architectural treasure, the downtown movie palace.

Brendan Gill. He has written for The New Yorker magazine for more than 50 years, writing poems, prose, profiles and film and theater reviews. Gill also writes about architecture and has just written a biography of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Andrew Tobias, author of The Only Other Investment Guide You'll Ever Need. Tobias is a best-selling author and popular speaker on managing money.

Economist, writer and lecturer John Kenneth Galbraith. Galbraith, who served as an advisor to Presidents Roosevelt and Kennedy, is perhaps the most influential Keynesian economist. Under Roosevelt, he played a key role in formulating wartime economic policy. Under Kennedy, he helped formulate the liberal social policies that President Johnson pursued in the Great Society initiatives.

Financial reporter Douglas Frantz, whose new book Levine & Co. follows Wall Street's insider trading scandal.

Language commentator Geoff Nunberg argues that the increasingly insular and unintelligible vocabulary of businesses stems from a growing adherence to corporate culture.

Consumer activist Ralph Nader interviewed the top executives of a number of major American corporations for his new book.

Activist Ralph Nader joins Fresh Air callers and host Terry Gross to discuss a broad range of topics, including the legislation of safety regulations, campaign ads, money in politics, and working in nonprofit organizations.