Literary Figures

Writer David Rakoff is a regular contributor to Outside, the New York Times Magazine, and public radios This American Life. One of his peers, writer Paul Rudnick says of him, –Rakoff is a comic saint... an ideal mix of the crabby and the debonair.— Rakoff has a new collection of essays, Fraud. He's also appearing in Amy & David Sedaris new off-broadway show.

Kent Walker is the oldest son of Sante Kimes, the 66-year old con-artist and convicted killer. Last year Kimes was convicted along with her other son Kenny Kimes of murdering an elderly Manhattan millionaires. The two have also been connected to the deaths or disappearances of three other wealthy people. Sante Kimes has been dubed the "Dragon Lady." Her other crimes include shoplifting, arson, and slavery. Kent Walker's book is "Son of a Grifter"

Writer Dagoberto Gilb's first book of short stories The Magic of Blood was published in 1993. Since then he has written a novel, The Last Known Residence of Mickey Acuna. His new book is a collection of stories about women, Woodcuts of Women.

Salzman is the author of the new novel, Lying Awake about a cloistered nun who discovers that her spiritual visions may be induced by epilepsy. The book explores the connection between neurologic disorders and mysticism. Salzman is also the author of the novel The Soloist, and a memoir, Lost in Place. He is also a cellist.

In his new book Book Business , Epstein gives his insiders take on publishing today. He also talks about how publishing has changed since he entered the business in the early 1950s. Early in his career, Epstein created Anchor Books, which is said to have helped establish the trade paperback format. Epstein was also editorial director of Random House and has edited many well-known novelists including Norman Mailer, Vladimir Nabokov, Philip Roth, and Gore Vidal.

Writer Michael Patrick Hearn. He’s edited “The Annotated Wizard of Oz: A Centennial Edition” (W.W. Norton). The book commemorates the 100th anniversary of the publication of L. Frank Baum’s classic “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” Back in 1900, the first 10,000 copies printed of Baum’s book sold out in two weeks. Baum wrote 14 Oz books in all.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews “Evelyn Waugh: The Complete Short Stories” (Back Bay Books).

Writer F.X. Toole. At age 70, he’s just published his first book. It’s a collection of short stories about boxing called “Rope Burns: Stories from the Corner.” (ECCO/HarperCollins) For twenty years, he’s been a cut man, stopping the bleeding so fighters can go on to the next round. Toole has been writing for 40 years, but it was the publication of his first story last year in a small literary magazine that caught the attention of a book agent.

Horror writer Peter Straub. He has 14 books to his credit, including “Mr. X,” “Ghost Story,” and “The Talisman” which he wrote in collaboration with Steven King. The two of them are currently working on a sequel. Straub’s newest work is a book of short fiction “Magic Terror.” (Random House)

We listen to rebroadcast of a 1995 interview with William Maxwell. Maxwell was fiction editor of the New Yorker from 1936-1976 and worked with such authors as J.D. Salinger, John Cheever, John Updike, Eudora Welty and scores of others. Maxwell was the author of a number of novels, including "Time Will Darken It," and "So Long, See You Tomorrow," as well as several short story collections.