Health & Medicine

Pathologist, professor, and essayist Lewis Thomas. As an essayist he takes a philosophical look at biomedicine. His books include the "The Lives of a Cell," and "The Medusa and the Snail," which were both best sellers. But he began writing for only the medical community with his 1974 column in the "New England Journal of Medicine." Terry talks with him from his hospital room, where Thomas is recovering from several ailments. He has a new book, "The Fragile Species," (published by Scribner's)

Israel Rosenfield studies the concept of consciousness. He was trained as a physician, mathematician, and a philosopher -- all of which he now brings to his thinking about neurology. His new book is "The Strange, Familiar and Forgotten." (published by Knopf). In it he reinterprets classic cases of neurology, and theorizes that its impossible to understand states of neurological illness without reference to a person's body image, consciousness and being. Neurologist Oliver Sacks, calls Rosenfield a "powerful and original thinker."

Writer Geoffrey Wolff. His new collection of essays, "A Day At The Beach" (Alfred A. Knopf), is about the worst vacation ever. It started with over-priced dinners and ended in open heart surgery. Wolff is best known for his book "The Duke of Deception," a memoir about being the son of a con man.

Reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer Vernon Loeb. He's been reporting from the Far East for the last several years. He'll talk with Terry about the problems facing the region like the explosion of AIDS in Thailand and especially Bangkok; the repression and ethnic fighting in Burma; and the amassing on the Thai/Burmese border of refugees fleeing repression in Burma.

Television critic David Bianculli previews "Nickelodeon Special Edition: A Conversation with Magic." on the Nickelodeon network in which Magic Johnson discusses AIDS with a group of kids. (David says, don't miss it).

Michael Jacobson, the executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The center's just issued the second edition of their "Fast Food Guide." (published by Workman Publishing).

Writer Gay Talese. His new book, "Unto The Sons," is the story of the immigrant experience in America, and also the chronicle of Talese's own Italian ancestors coming to this country. Talese's previous works include the best-sellers "The Kingdom and the Power," "Honor Thy Father," and "Thy Neighbor's Wife."

Today we look at the growing problem of inhalant abuse. More and more kids and teenagers are getting high by inhaling substances like glue, gasoline, solvents and industrial cleaners. We'll talk with Doctor Marvin Snyder, of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. We'll also speak with "Jimmy" and "Kathy," a teenager who became addicted to inhalants and his mother (they prefer to use pseudonyms).

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Lou Reed's new album, "Magic and Loss" and Robbie Robertson's album "Storyville."

Terry talks to Fred Newman, the founder of the Party, and Lenora Fulani's ("fah-lahn-nee") campaign manager.

Terry Gross talks with two people who are working to spread the word about AIDS.
1) Rashidah Hassan ("reh-shee-dah heh-ssan") is the Executive Director of BEBASHI ("beh-bah-shee"), short for "Blacks Educating Blacks About Sexual Health Issues." It's a Philadelphia-based group that used down-to-earth strategies to warn people of color about AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews the new film version of William Burrough's novel, "Naked Lunch."

Walter Gunn is an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. He talks to Terry about the flu season, which came early this year. Americans are battling three different strains of the virus. He also talks about whether or not it's worth getting a vaccine.

Author David Feinberg. His new novel, "Spontaneous Combustion," is the further adventures of an HIV-positive man in New York City. (It's published by Viking).

Medical anthropologist Andrea Sankar. She's written a new book that explains how to take care of a dying loved one at home. It's called "Dying At Home: A Family Guide for Caregiving." It's published by the Johns Hopkins University Press.

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)

Writer Mark L. Pummer, co-author (with Charles Mann) of "The Aspirin Wars: Money, Medicine, and 100 Years of Rampant Competition." The book traces the history of aspirin from its discovery in Germany in 1897. Eventually it spread overseas and the competition began. Because all aspirins are essentially identical, companies had to use marketing and advertising to promote their product as better than another.

Talk show host Joan Rivers. Rivers has a new memoir, called "Still Talking." (It's published Random House).

We talk with Washington Post sports writer Mike Freeman about yesterday's revelation that basketball great Magic Johnson has tested positive for the AIDS virus.

Surgeon and photographic historian Stanley Burns. Burns has just compiled a book called "Sleeping Beauty: Memorial Photography In America." It chronicles what was a common occurrence in the late 1800s and early 1900s... taking one last photograph of a dead relative. (The book's published by Twelvetrees Press).