Books

Guest critic Maureen Corrigan revisits Bel Kaufman's autobiographical novel Up the Down Staircase, about a rookie high school teacher who must contend with limited institutional support. Corrigan herself is a college instructor, and believes many of Kaufman's insights still ring true twenty years later

Journalist Elaine Shannon's new book, Desperados, looks at the international impact of the illegal drug trade. She says that major banks and state governments have been complicit in drug trafficking by accepting bribes and laundering money. The U.S. government has faced difficulty curtailing these crimes, in part because of its desire to maintain diplomatic relations with the countries involved.

The writer's new book, An Empire of Their Own, examines the long-neglected history of how a group of Jewish European emigrees created the screen's idea of the American Dream, and how America adopted that dream.

Paul Nitze has advised both Republican and Democratic presidents over the decades on arms control. While working in the Reagan administration, he helped reopen negotiations with the Soviet Union. Nitze also reluctantly advocated for the Strategic Defense Initiative as a deterrence program. Journalist Strobe Talbott's new book, Master of the Game, details Nitze's career.

Book critic John Leonard says that Greene has trained readers to fill the gaps in his novels and flesh out his sometimes underdeveloped characters. Leonard is a longtime admirer of the author, but says his newest book is more of a notebook than a polished novel.

Book critic John Leonard reviews historian Jonathan Spence's newest work, about a Chinese convert in France who is institutionalized by a Jesuit priest name Jean-Francois Foucquet. Leonard says that the historical novel feels more like a poem about history.

Book critic John Leonard says that Andrew Vachss' new Burke detective novel Blue Belle, about the disturbing world of child porn and prostitution, is not for the faint of heart. He has this review.

Critic Stuart Klawans says Patricia Eakins' new short story collection is as preoccupied with strange animals as it is different literary traditions. The tales are instructive, while not always uplifting.

Book critic John Leonard reviews Studs Terkel's new collection of oral histories. Leonard says that Terkel is an eternal optimist, who features interviews with people working for change -- like doctors, union leaders, and gay rights activists.

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.