Society & Culture

Amherst College professor Austin Sarat, a Ph.D. in political science with a law degree from Yale University, is teaching a course on Murder which is the most popular in the school's history--with one fifth of the entire student body enrolled. It breaks the record of a course on Human Sexuality offered in the 70's. The syllabus includes selections from literature, film, and television like "Crime and Punishment," and "Macbeth," as well as "Pulp Fiction," and "Psycho." (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg discusses Gerry Mulligan, jazz, and the use of the world cool.

National Correspondent for U.S. News and World Report Scott Minerbrook. He writes regularly for public radio and his work has appeared in a myriad of publications including The New York Times, and Emerge, where he is a contributing editor. He has received several awards, most recently one from the National Association of Black Journalists. His new book "Divided to the Vein: A Journey into Race and Family" (Harcourt Brace & Co.) discusses the racism he encountered within his own family as the son of a white woman and a black man. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

President of the Social Democratic and Labour Party of Northern Ireland, John Hume. He's been an advocate of nonviolence throughout the 25 years of violence in Ireland. He has received numerous peace and humanitarian awards, has been nominated several times for the Nobel Peace Prize, and is thought to be a leading contender for the award this year. He has a new memoir "A New Ireland: Politics, Peace, and Reconciliation" (Roberts Rinehart Publishers). (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Novelist Stephen McCauley was a yoga instructor and travel agent before writing his first novel, "The Object of My Affection". His newest and third novel is "The Man of the House". (Simon & Schuster)

Commentator Gerald Early puts into historical context Louis Farrakhan's trip to visit various heads of state.

Cultural critic Greil Marcus. He is the author of "The Dustbin of History" (Harvard University Press) about the history embedded in cultural moments. He'll talk with Terry about one of the essays in the book about the song, "Too Soon to Tell," written by Deborah Chessler and recorded by the Orioles in 1948.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews "Before and After" the new film starring Meryl Streep and Liam Neeson. . . This will be Stephen's last Fresh Air film review. He'll be going on to a new career in screenwriting. His adaptation for "Lolita" will hit the screen this Fall.

Commentator Gerald Early considers Black History Month.

Nigel Spicer, President of Microsystems Software, Inc. They developed a parental-control software called Cyber Patrol.

Maureen Corrigan review Atticus by Ron Hansen.

Nancy Sinatra daughter of Frank Sinatra. She's recorded a few hits of her own including "These Boots are Made for Walking," and "Something Stupid," the duet she recorded with her father. Nancy Sinatra has written a book about her father, Frank Sinatra: An American Legend (General Publishing Group). Nancy Sinatra has a new album too, (her first in 20 years) "One More Time." (Cougar records). (WE AIRED PART OF HER INTERVIEW 12/12/95 ON THE OCCASION OF HER FATHER'S 80TH BIRTHDAY.)

We remember band leader and composer Mercer Ellington, the son of Duke Ellington. He perpetuated the big band tradition his father made famous as head of the Duke Ellington Band. When he was a young man, Mercer Ellington had hoped to break into his father's band on the saxophone. But after years of frustration, he could see that he would never crack the legendary Ellington reed section. He finally was accepted as a trombone player and later played french horn and trumpet. With the death of his father in 1974, Mercer Ellington took over his father's orchestra.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg comments on William Safire's recent choice of words for describing Hillary Clinton: "congenital liar."

Commentator Gerald Early reflects on his wife's work with the Junior League of St. Louis. She is the first African-American woman to be elected president of that city's chapter.

Historian Dan T. Carter. His book, Scottsboro was the winner of the Bancroft Prize in History for the best book in American History. Carter's newest book is a biography of George Wallace, The Politics of Rage: George Wallace, The Origins of the New Conservatism, and the Transformation of American Politics. (Simon & Schuster). In the book Carter contends that Wallace paved the way for the conservatism that is now a big part of Republican politics. Carter is Kenan Professor of History at Emory University.

Laurie Pepper is the wife of the late alto saxophonist Art Pepper, who died in 1982 and was considered to be the greatest alto saxophonist of the post-Charlie Parker generation. Terry talks with Pepper on the occasion of the updated version of her husband's autobiography, Straight Life, (which he wrote with the help of Laurie, published by Da Capo Press). There are also two new box sets of Pepper's music: "The Complete Village Vanguard Sessions," and "The Complete Galaxy Recordings."

A concert with Loudon Wainwright III. He performs songs from his new album "Grown Man." by Virgin Records. This is his 15th album. Interview conducted by Rock Critic Ken Tucker.

Journalist and musician James McBride. His new book, is "The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to his White Mother" (Riverhead) about his mother who was white and Jewish, but refused to admit her race. McBride's father was black. For years, McBride knew nothing about his mother's early life. It wasn't until he started work on the book, that she opened up to tell him that her father was a failed itinerant Orthodox rabbi in rural Virginia, a racist, and he sexually abused her.

Commentator Dagoberto Gilb tells us about his trip to NYC.