Literary Figures: Novelists

James Crumley's increasingly popular mystery novels feature the detective Milo Milodragovitch, who is as flawed as the criminals he pursues. Unlike the urban settings of classic hard-boiled fiction, his books take place in Montana.

John Nichols' new novel dwells on the horrors of the Vietnam War. Earlier in life, he moved to New Mexico to work as a political activist. Those experiences were the basis of his popular New Mexico Trilogy.

The latest installment of Armistead Maupin's series, Significant Others, confronts the AIDS epidemic and its effect on the gay male community.

Michael Crichton gave up a medical career to become a science fiction author and film director. His newest book, Sphere, deals with an alien encounter and a growing fear of computers.

The novelist's new nonfiction book is a meditation on the violent, intense sport, which her father exposed her to when she was a child. Despite her interest in boxing, Oates finds it difficult to watch live fights.

Writers Michael Dorris and Louise Erdrich work together to complete their acclaimed books; however, whoever writes the first draft gets their name on the cover. The couple joins Fresh Air to discuss their marriage and upbringing in Native American communities.

Kati Marton's new autobiographical novel follows the life of journalist who returns to her home country. Like the book's protagonist, Marton's parents were political prisoners in Hungary. She is married to television news anchor Peter Jennings.

The horror writer, who features explicit and often nauseating imagery in his stories, has gained notoriety for his first novel, The Damnation Game.

The white South African writer hopes that her works have educated her readers about the realities of apartheid in her home country. Her newest book is called A Sport of Nature.

The exiled Chilean writer believes that her stories keep the memories of her family alive. Her new book is called Of Love and Shadows.