Health & Medicine

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

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

Television critic David Bianculli takes a break from talking about his current favorite show to review the season premiere of "Northern Exposure."

Anthropologist Richard Parker went to Brazil a decade ago to do field work. He's written a book about the fluid ideas of gender and sexuality in that country, called "Bodies, Pleasures, & Passions."

We examine the current craze surrounding low-fat and low cholesterol foods. First, nutritionist Jane Hurley of the advocacy group, Science in the Public Interest talks about recent marketing trends in "healthy" food...things like McDonald's "McLean" burger. Second, Wall Street Journal cultural writer Raymond Sokolov talks about America's obsession with food and fat. Third, cardiologist Thomas Graboys of the Harvard School of Public Health gives us some sane advice about diet and health.

Duberman has written a memoir about being gay in the 1950s -- before the gay liberation movement, and at a time when homosexuality was considered deviant behavior by the psychiatrists. It's called "Cures: A Gay Man's Odyssey.

The travel writer has a new book called "Wall to Wall: From Beijing to Berlin by Rail." She took the trip five years ago as reforms were beginning to be implemented in the Soviet Union, and before the government crackdown in Tiananmen Square and the Eastern European revolutions. She's particularly interested in what it's like to travel abroad as a woman alone.

Getz recently passed away after a bout with liver cancer. We remember him with a rebroadcast of an interview from last year. Getz talks about dropping out of school and going on the road at 15. He learned while traveling and playing with other musicians.

Adair's new documentary, "Absolutely Positive," profiles 11 people, including Adair himself, who are HIV positive. It airs this week on PBS.

On the eve of the 7th International Conference on AIDS, we talk with the man in charge of the previous conference, Doctor Robert Wachter. Wachter's new book, "The Fragile Coalition," chronicles Wachter's struggle to make the conference a forum for both scientists and AIDS activists.

Dubus' short stories earned him this year's Bernard Malamud Award from the writers group, PEN. Dubus has just released his first work of non-fiction, a collection of essays, called "Broken Vessels." It deals with, among other things, a tragic car accident that killed one person and left him severely injured.

Book critic John Leonard reviews "Jernigan," the first novel from writer David Gates. It's about an erudite alcoholic's frustration with suburban life.

Boyd's new book, "The Revolution of Little Girls," follows a child coming-of-age in the South in the 60s. (It's published by Knopf). Boyd's the author of two earlier novels, and a collection of essays, called "The Rebel Way of Knowledge."

Doctor Rony Brauman, the president of "Doctors Without Borders," the French-based medical
aid organization. There the largest such organization in the world, with thousands of volunteer physicians who have traveled to sites of war, disease, famine, or natural disaster throughout the world. (In France, the group's called Medecins Sans Frontieres).

Actor Samuel Jackson. Jackson's won critical raves for his portrayal of a crack addict named Gator in the new Spike Lee film, "Jungle Fever." That role's a breakthrough for Jackson after 20 years of bit parts, commercials, and all types of theater. He also put in two years as Bill Cosby's stand-in on The Cosby Show.

Film critic Owen Gleiberman reviews "The Doctor," the new film starring William Hurt, about a doctor who gets cancer.

Baritone Sanford Sylvan. He portrayed Zhou Enlai in John Adams' "Nixon in China." He's a regular in Peter Sellars' repertory company, having played in "The Marriage of Figaro," and "Cosi Fan Tutte." He's playing the title role in Adams's "Death of Klinghoffer," which has its American premiere at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in September. He also has his first solo record, "Beloved That Pilgrimage," on which he is accompanied by pianist, David Breitman. (on the Nonesuch label).

Writer and editor Ben Sonnenberg, Junior. Sonnenberg was born into one of New York City's most prominent families. He went on to be a poet and playwright, and he started the influential literary magazine, "Grand Street." Sonnenberg's new memoir, "Lost Property," talks about those events, and about his being stricken with multiple sclerosis. (The book's published by Summit Books).

Yesterday President Bush voiced his opposition to federally funded needle exchange programs to stop the spread of AIDS. Today Terry talks with activist Rod Sorge (pronounced like George).He's the director of PWA's (People with AIDS Working for Health, Inc.) Harm Reduction Institute, a program that runs a needle-exchange program in New York City. Giving out needles in New York is against the law and Sorge and his group have been arrested for it. Sorge runs ACT-UP's needle exchange program.

Film critic Owen Gleiberman reviews "The Fisher King" the new film by Terry Gilliam, the director of "Brazil." It stars Robin Williams and Jeff Bridges.