Society & Culture

Berube is a professor of English at the University of Illinois and is the author of the new book, "Life As We Know It: A Father, a Family, and an Exceptional Child." It's about the birth of his son in 1991, Jamie, who has Down syndrome, and how that has affected his family's life. Berube writes in the introduction, "individual humans like James are compelling us daily to determine what kind of 'individuality' we will value, on what terms, and why."

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg looks at how email technology is altering the way we write letters.

Rock historian Ed Ward talks about how white fans of the 1960s folk revival sought out long-neglected blues artists.

Film critic John Powers reviews the new independent film "Swingers," about a group of young men trying to make it in Hollywood.

Part three of Ed Ward's series on the history of the blues. He talks about how the realities of post-war life changed the trajectory of the genre.

Book Critic Maureen Corrigan reviews the new book by Mona Simpson, about a troubled family living on a commune.

Leno talks with Terry about his life: growing up, his struggling years as a standup (with other comics like Robin Williams, Andy Kaufman, and Steve Martin), and taking over The Tonight Show. His new memoir is called "Leading With My Chin."

Film critic John Powers reviews Spike Lee's new film, "Get On the Bus," about the recent Million Man March in Washington, D.C.

Commentator Dagoberto Gilb has some thoughts on his son and college.

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg looks at how Americans use the word "rich." In this election year, it's been deployed extensively by the two major presidential candidates. Nunberg looks at the origin of the word and why some well-to-do Americans don't like the label.

Young talks with Terry Gross about his new book "An Easy Burden: The Civil Rights Movement and the Transformation of America." He served as Executive Director of Southern Christian Leadership Conference where he worked with Martin Luther King Jr. In 1972, he was elected to Congress. In 1977, President Carter named Young as Ambassador to the United Nations. He also served two terms as the Mayor of Atlanta.

Cochran talks with Terry Gross about his new book "Journey to Justice." The book is co-written by Los Angeles Times reporter Tim Rutten. Cochran discusses his role in winning Mr. Simpson a not-guilty verdict in the slayings of his wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.

Jo Ann Kay McNamara talks with Terry Gross about her book "Sisters In Arms: Catholic Nuns Through Two Millennia." It is published by Harvard University Press. McNamara is a Professor of History at Hunter College and at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

Film critic John Powers reviews "Secrets and Lies," a film from director Mike Leigh. It won the top prize at this year's Cannes Film festival in May. The movie features actresses Brenda Blethyn and Marianne Jean-Baptiste, who were recently featured on Fresh Air.

Philadelphia Inquirer investigative reporters Donald Barlett and James Steele. The two talk with Terry Gross about why campaign promises related to taxes should be carefully scrutinized. They say if you want to know how a 15 percent tax cut would help you, you need to look at how it would impact all of the taxes you pay. They say that often the highest tax rates are found at the state or local level.

Tucci has appeared in the films "Kiss of Death" and "The Pelican Brief." On television he was nominated for an Emmy for his portrayal of the slimy billionaire on "Murder One." His latest project is the film "Big Night," a homage to Italian food and family, which he co-wrote, co-directed, and co-stars in.

Wattleton headed the organization from 1978 to 1992. She was raised in a fundamentalist Christian family (her mother was a minister), and later studied to be a nurse. Her work as a public-health nurse exposed her to the hardship of women who tried to terminate their pregnancies in the days before legal abortion. Wattleton went on to be executive director of the local Planned Parenthood, and then president of Planned Parenthood nationally. Her new memoir is called "Life on the Line"

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews "The Orchard on Fire" by British writer Shena MacKay.

Weston died last Friday. We replay part of our 1988 interview with his wife Jo Stafford. (Rebroadcast)

Historian and author Nell Irvin Painter is a Professor of American History at Princeton University. She's written a biography of the ex-slave and fiery abolitionist who was born Isabella Van Wagenen and rechristened herself Sojourner Truth, called "Sojourner Truth: A Life, A Symbol."