Society & Culture

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews Family History, the new novel by Dani Shapiro.

Edward Wong covers the aviation industry for The New York Times. Many airlines are in a precarious position: the war, fear of terrorism and a weak economy has left them with fewer travelers, facing cutbacks and bankruptcy. He will discuss the state of the airline industry.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg considers the way politicians and journalists are pronouncing place names associated with the war on Iraq.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews the new memoir, The Only Girl in the Car by Kathy Dobie.

Novelist Scott Spencer. His newest book is "A Ship Made of Paper," and it's receiving critical acclaim. Our book critic, Maureen Corrigan, describes Spencer as a brilliant storyteller. Spencer is the author of seven previous novels, including "Endless Love" which sold over 2 million copies. He's also written for Rolling Stone, the New York Times and The New Yorker.

Film critic David Edlestein reviews a new documentary on domestic violence.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews A Ship Made of Paper, the new novel by Scott Spencer (Ecco).

He died of stomach cancer on February 27, 2003, at the age of 74. His popular show, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, was the longest-running program on public television. It ended in 2001 after 33 years on the air. Last year, Rogers was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor the nation can bestow. This interview first aired November 13, 2002.

Film critic John Powers reviews All the Real Girls.

Film critic David Edelstein comments on the DVD release of Donnie Darko, starring Jake Gyllenhaal.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews Gilligan's Wake, a new novel by Tom Carson.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg considers the word "appeasement," which is being used in the debate about the war in Iraq. The word doesn't have favorable connotations.

Dr. Shirley Glass discusses "the new infidelity crisis." She's studied extramarital affairs since the mid 1970's and has written a new book called "NOT Just Friends: Protect Your Relationship from Infidelity and Heal the Trauma of Betrayal." She says that the workplace has become the new breeding ground for extramarital affairs. GLASS is, by the way, the mother of Ira Glass, of public radio's "This American Life."

Film critic John Powers reviews The Quiet American starring Michael Caine.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg comments on the increased usage of the adjective "gallic." He says it's like a shorthand for "the French are at it again."

He is the author of several books including How Proust Can Change Your Life, and The Consolations of Philosophy. His latest book, The Art of Travel, is a reflection on travel, the anticipation versus the reality, how one often travels to escape the familiar and mundane — but can't escape oneself, and an examination of the art and literature of travel.

Film critic David Edelstein reviews How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days.

Retired U.S. Navy flight surgeon and NASA astronaut Captain Jerry Linenger talks about the awe and peril of space travel. He spent five months on the Russian Space station Mir and wrote about the account in his book, Off the Planet: Surviving Five Perilous Months Aboard the Space Station Mir." He described the Mir as "six school buses all hooked together." During his time there, he says, he and fellow crew members had numerous brushes with death, lacked adequate supplies and battled constant system failures.

Book Critic Maureen Corrigan reviews “The Time of Our Singing” by Richard Powers.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg considers the phrase “class-warfare.”