Literary Figures: Novelists

Writer Richard Bausch. His new novel, "Violence," explores that subject from several points of view,...among then an adult man's memory of child abuse, his wife's earlier experience with an abusive husband, and a violent robbery. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Writer ThulaniI (pronounced "tah-lawn-nee") Davis. Her new novel, "1959," is the story of a young black girl coming of age at the dawn of the civil rights movement. Davis' earlier works include reporting for The New York Times and The Washington Post, and writing the libretto for the opera "X: The Life and Times of Malcom X." ("1959" is published by Grove Weidenfeld.)

White South African writer André Brink was the first Afrikaner to have a novel censored by the government. Brink has written six novels and many essays about the moral dilemmas facing Afrikaners of conscience. His novel "A Dry White Season," was adapted into a film of the same name. His new novel, a political thriller, is called "An Act of Terror." (Summit press)

Terry talks phone sex with writer Nicholson Baker. Baker's new novel "Vox" is one long, erotic, expensive conversation between a man and a woman on a 900 talk line. (Random House).

Writer George Packer. Packer's new novel, "The Half Man," is the story of a Western journalist caught in the turmoil of a fictitious Pacific Asian country. In real life, Packer spent two years with the Peace Corps in Togo, and that experience helped shape this book. (It's published by Random House).

Journalist Soledad Santiago and her children were homeless fourteen years ago. From there she went on to become a journalist and she headed the press office for New York State Controller Ned Regan. She talks to Terry about her life, about raising children in a dangerous urban environment, and the difficult choices she's had to make. Her new novel is called "Room 9." (Perfect Crime Press).

Playwright, lyricist, and novelist Joe Keenan. His new book, "Putting On the Ritz," follows the further misadventures of the Broadway characters he first created in the book "Blue Heaven." (It's published by Viking).

Writer Maxine Hong Kingston shares her thoughts at the end of the year. Her novel, "Tripmaster Monkey," was a huge critical success in 1989. This year, Kingston lost the only copy of the manuscript for her new novel when her house in Oakland, California burned down earlier this year.

Writer Edward "Hacksaw" Jones -- so named for his many prison escapes. He was the only criminal put on the FBI's most-wanted list without a history of physical violence. When he was still in prison he began writing. He's written two novels, "Cage," and "Awake," as well as an autobiography, "Hacksaw." He's got a new novel, "Stoneface." (published by Donald I. Fine, Inc., New York).

British writer A.S. Byatt. Her book, "Possession," has become a bestseller. It's a literary mystery about a couple of scholars whose own lives begin to mirror the lives of two 17th century poets whose secret correspondence they are researching. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)