Alcoholism & Drug Addiction

New York Times reporter Nan Robertson. Her new book, Getting Better: Inside Alcoholics Anonymous, reveals the inner workings of Alcoholics Anonymous, one of the most successful self-help movements of modern times. The book is based on four years of research, which included access to A.A.'s archives and some of the key figures who helped chart the course of the movement, as well as interviews with A.A.'s rank-and-file members. Herself a recovering alcoholic, Robertson won the 1983 Pulitzer Prize-winner for her account of her own near-fatal attack of toxic-shock syndrome.

Book critic John Leonard reviews Getting Better: Inside Alcoholics Anonymous, by Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter Nan Robertson.

Actor Daniel J. Travanti. Travanti is best-known for his role as Captain Frank Furrillo in the long-running TV cop series "Hill Street Blues." Travanti co-stars with Faye Dunaway in the new film "Midnight Crossing."

Novelist Elizabeth Benedict. Her second novel, The Beginner's Book of Dreams is a coming of age story about a young woman contending with her moody, alcoholic mother, and her dreamer schemer father. Benedict's first novel was titled Slow Dancing.

Novelist and essayist Harry Crews. His nine novels include All We Need is Hell and The Gospel Singer. Oftentimes, the main characters of Crews' works are outsiders; The central character of Crews' most recent work, titled The Knockout Artist, is a boxer who specializes in knocking himself out. Crews' three works of nonfiction include the autobiography A Childhood, Blood and Grits, and Florida Frenzy.

Language Commentator Geoffrey Nunberg discusses the way the language of the drug culture has worked through the language of the mainstream.

Investigative journalist Paul Eddy, co-author of The Cocaine Wars, which traces the course of cocaine from the hills of Bolivia to American street corners, and the domination of the market by a group of drug barons based in the resort town of Medellin, Colombia. The book also details the extent of cocaine corruption in both Dade County, Florida (Miami) and the Bahamas. Eddy writes for the Insight Team, the investigative arm of the Sunday Times of London.

Part I of Terry Gross's interview with filmmaker Penelope Spheeris. Spheeris talks about her new movie, The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: the Metal Years, a documentary about the heavy metal scene. She thinks stereotypes of the inarticulate and unskilled metal musicians are unfair -- though it's often true that they embrace a drug-fueled, self-destructive lifestyle.

Brian Wilson suffered a nervous breakdown and spent years in seclusion. Now he's back with a new solo album. He tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross about how he approached songwriting early in his career, the influence of drugs on his music, and the role the controversial Dr. Eugene Landy plays in Wilson's personal and professional life.

Film critic Stephen Schiff says that Michael Keaton is too good an actor to star in Clean and Sober, a movie that focuses more on problems than characters. Schiff says the film feels like it was made for TV, rather than the big screen.

Host Terry Gross continues her series of interviewers with Fresh Air contributors. Today she talks with John Leonard, whose criticism appears widely. As a college student he considered a life of political activism before deciding that writing was were his strengths lay. A recovering alcoholic, Leonard describes how, even while he bottomed out, he still delivered copy to his editors.

Part II of the interview with the folk-rock star. While serving time on drug charges, Crosby joined the prison band as a guitar player. He says it was the first time he performed sober.

Eddie Jones, who later performed as Guitar Slim, was an early pioneer of rock and blues guitar. He died in 1959. Rock historian Ed Ward says that, had Slim lived, he could have outshone Jimi Hendrix.

Unlike many young writers, Carpenter avoided the siren call of New York City, instead documenting the life around his hometown of San Francisco. His new novel is called From a Distant Place.

African-American sociologist Terry Williams. He's the coauthor of Growing Up Poor, a highly-praised analysis of the effects of poverty that persists through several generations. His new book, The Cocaine Kids, is the story of a teenage drug ring. Since 1982 he has spent much of his time hanging out with teenage cocaine dealers in cocaine bars, after-hours clubs, discos, restaurants, crack houses, on street corners and at family gatherings and parties. What emerges is a portrait of the urban cocaine business. (Interview by Sedge Thomson)

Film critic Peter Rainer reviews the film "Drugstore Cowboy," starring Matt Dillon and Kelly Lynch.

Film maker Gus Van Sant. After years as an independent film maker in Portland, Oregon, and one full-length movie ("Mala Noche"), Van Sant has just finished "Drugstore Cowboy," starring Matt Dillon about a junkie trying to maintain his habit.

Comic George Carlin.

Musician and songwriter John Hiatt. Hiatt spent years writing country tunes for other performers. In the past few years he's come into his own as a performer, with several critically-acclaimed albums. His latest is called "Stolen Moments," on A&M Records.

Jazz saxophonist Stan Getz dropped out of school and went on the road at 15. He only took a few lessons on his instrument, instead learning by playing with other musicians. He's been popular in both jazz and pop. His latest album is Apasionado.