Society & Culture

Writer William Least Heat Moon. His 1983 chronicle of traveling the back roads of America, "Blue Highways," became a literary classic and a huge best-seller. In his new book, "PrairyErth," Least Heat Moon looks at the geography, geology, and history of one county in Kansas. (The book's published by Houghton Mifflin, and "PrairyErth" is the correct spelling. There's no second "a").

Commentator Maureen Corrigan comments on the latest trends in advertising by Calvin Klein and Timex.

Pakistani writer Bapsi Sidhwa (Bop-see SEED-wah). Her new novel is "Cracking India," which tells the story of the Partition of India through the eyes of an eight-year-old girl named Lenny. Sidhwa has written other novels as well, "The Bride," and "Ice-Candy-Man," both stories told through female characters. She'll talk with Terry about her books and women's rights in Pakistan.

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg has some thoughts on the literal meaning of "the body politic."

Professor Lillian Faderman. Faderman's written a new book on the history of lesbians and lesbian life in 20th Century America. It's called "Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers." (It's published by Columbia University Press).

Critic Maureen Corrigan reviews "BAD, or the Dumbing of America," by Paul Fussell. In his book, Fussell decries the decline of quality and taste in everything from movies to education. (It's published by Summit Books).

Comedian Bill Cosby. Cosby talks about his TV show, his early years doing stand-up comedy, and his new book, "Childhood." It recounts some of his favorite stories of his youth. (It's published by Putnam).

Composer, director, and writer Elizabeth Swados. She's written a memoir about her family, "The Four of Us." Much of it has to do with her brilliant but schizophrenic brother, Lincoln, and how his illness affected the family. Her brother became a street person, and later died. (published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux).

Veteran standup comedian Henny Youngman. Youngman has a new memoir, called "Take My Life, Please." (It's published by Morrow).

The Spider-Man and Hulk creator spoke to Fresh Air in 1991 about coming up with Spider-Man, inventing new sound effects for his comics and why superheroes have colorful costumes.

World music critic Milo Miles checks out "Samba," writer Alma Guillermoprieto's (geair-mo-prer-toe) new book on Brazil's most famous musical form, and how it pervades Brazilian life and culture.

We get several views on this weekend's Clarence Thomas proceedings...
First, feminist and Time magazine essayist Barbara Ehrenreich (air-rike) gives her views.

Then Terry talks with Wall Street Journal reporter Michel McQueen about what African Americans think of the hearings.

Finally, we talk with Philadelphia's two editorial cartoonists: Tony Auth (rhymes with "broth") of the
Philadelphia Inquirer, and Signe Wilkinson of the Philadelphia Daily News.

Journalist Susan FaludiI ("fah-lude-ee"). Her new book, "Backlash," looks at how the gains women made as a result of the feminist movement are being reversed and undermined. (It's published by Crown).

The Thomas hearings leads linguist Geoffrey Nunberg to wonder, is it "HAIR-ess-ment" or "heh-RASS-ment"?

Maureen Corrigan reviews "Low Life," by Luc Sante (pronounced "luke sahn-tay"). The book explores the every-day existence of New Yorkers a century ago.

Writer Jake Lamar. In his new memoir, "Bourgeois Blues," Lamar examines the issue of race in his life, and in American society. (published by Summit Books).

Musician and conductor JoAnn Falletta. Falletta is conductor of the Bay Area Women's Philharmonic in San Francisco, which is dedicated to finding and playing music by women that was previously undiscovered or unrecorded. Falletta has a PhdD from Juilliard.

Writer and critic Doris Grumbach. In her new memoir, "Coming Into The End Zone," Grumbach chronicles the 70th year of her life, faces the specter of her impending death, as well of the deaths of several of her friends due to AIDS. (It's published by Norton).

Critic Maureen Corrigan reviews "Sexual Personae," Camille Paglia's (pag-lee-ah) controversial analysis of the sexes.

Economist Sylvia Ann Hewlett. Hewlett's new book, "When The Bough Breaks," argues that the United States is guilty of shocking neglect of its' children, both poor and affluent. Hewlitt also shows how that neglect is actually costing the nation billions of dollars. (It's published by Basic Books). (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)