Literary Figures

Irving Stone who writes biographical novels joins the show to discuss his novels and their adaptations. His latest book "Origin" is about Charles Darwin.

Kirkwood wrote the book for the musical A Chorus Line and has just published a new novel, P.S. Your Cat Is Dead! He talks about his approach to his craft and the impact various love affairs have had on his life.

Writer and cartoonist Jules Feiffer recently published a novel called Tantrum, which follows the story of a middle-aged father who becomes a two-year-old. He shares his take on the culture of the 1970s and writing the screenplay of the upcoming Popeye film.

Fresh Air broadcasts a lecture by Alan Dundes about how folklore has influenced our behaviors, social customs and popular culture.

Scholar Deirdre Bair explains how she came to write an the biography of novelist and playwright Samuel Beckett.

Terry Gross interviews author David Slavitt, who also writes "salacious" and popular novels under the name Henry Sutton. They also look at how movies have influenced his writing.

John Cage reads from his "Empty Words" works and discusses his effort to create a "non-syntactical language."