Books

Food writer Harold McGee investigates the science of everyday cooking -- things like whether blowing on soup really cools it, or why hot water turns into ice cubes quicker than cold water. His new book is called The Curious Cook.

Writer Wendy Smith is author of Real Life Drama, about the Group Theater, which was founded in the early thirties to bring social realism to the Broadway stage. The ensemble of actors and directors stayed together for ten years and had a lasting effect on American theater.

Callen's new book profiles the longest surviving people with the virus, including himself; he was diagnosed in 1982. Also an AIDS activist, he co-founded the People With AIDS Coalition and the Community Research Initiative.

Biographer and journalist Anthony Holden took a year off from writing to play in poker circuits around the country. It turns out he was pretty good. He documents that experience in a his new book, Big Deal.

Sportswriter Robert Peterson's new book is called Cages to Jump Shots. It's a history of the early years of basketball.

Village Voice rock critic Robert Christgau has a new guide to the best records of the 80s. He's also a fan of African music and rap, both of which he sees having a strong influence on new American music.

Medical writer Ann Giudici Fettner was celebrated by the gay community for her reporting on the AIDS crisis. She has a new book about other viral diseases called Viruses: Agents of Change.

Pakistan-born, British journalist Dilip Hiro covers Middle East affairs. His forthcoming book on the Iran-Iraq war is called The Longest War. He says Iraq and its leader Saddam Hussein gained power by receiving intelligence and material support from Western states, including the U.S. He says any conflict between the U.S. and Iraq could destabilize the region.

Book critic John Leonard reviews "Two States - One Nation" by Gunther Grass, which collects the author's writings over the decades against German reunification.

Goodall has a new book, called Through a Window, about her unprecedented, three decade study of a single community of chimpanzees in Tanzania -- a body of work that one scientist called "one of the Western world's great scientific achievements."