Lori B. Andrews is one of America's leading legal experts in the field of advanced reproductive technologies. These include cloning, surrogate motherhood, and harvesting human eggs and sperm. She is a professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law. Her latest book is "The Clone Age: Adventures in the New World of Reproductive Technology." (Holt Publishing) She has been a consultant on reproductive issues to The World Health Organization, U.S. Congress, and the National Institutes of Health. She lives in Chicago.
Commentator Milo Miles reviews the new album by Olivia Tremor Control, "Black Foliage: Animation Music." (Flydaddy, Inc) The record company says this about the new album. "Foliage is consumed with the exploration of dreams: hopes and longings, fears and phobias that we admit to only when we sleep. It is an attempt to turn our subconscious into music.
Former U.S. Senator from Maine, George Mitchell. After leaving the Senate he chaired the Northern Ireland peace talks. His new book is about that, "Making Peace: The Behind-the-Scenes Story of the Negotiations that Culminated in the Signing of the Northern Ireland Peace Accord, told by the American Senator who Served as Independent Chairman of the Talks" (Knopf).
Minimalist composer Steve Reich. He's considered one of our foremost living composers. There's a new CD "Reich Remixed" (Nonesuch) a dance album in which American, British, and Japanese DJ's pay tribute to Reich, by sampling and reassembling his music. Reich will be the subject of this summer's Lincoln Center Festival. And Reich's "Triple Quartet" written for and performed by the Kronos Quartet, will have its world premiere on May 22nd at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.
Today marks the Centennial of Fred Astaire's birthday. First, we'll hear from Will Friedwald on Astaire's singing ability. He says while Astaire didn't have the best voice, he was still wonderful to listen to. Friedwald is author of several books on Singers including: The Tony Bennett autobiography "The Good Life," "Sinatra! The Song is You: A Singer's Art," and "Jazz Singing :America's Great Voices from Bessie Smith to Bebop and Beyond"
Film director Stanley Donen (DAH-nen) talks about directing Fred Astaire in "Funny Face," and "Royal Wedding." Last year, Donen received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Motion Pictures. His other films include: "Singin' in the Rain" (1952) "It's Always Fair Weather" (1955) "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" (1954) and "Charade" (1963)
Pianist Peter Mintun talks about how Fred Astaire's movies impacted his career. Mintun is considered one of today’s leading interpreters of popular songs composed between the two world wars which he calls classic melodies that transcend time.
Jazz pianist/composer Dave Brubeck. He turns 80 next year and has been recording for 50 years. There are several new collections of his work: "The Dave Brubeck Collection" (Columbia/Legacy) which reissues five of his classic out-of-print LPs, and "Dave Brubeck: Time Signature: A Career Retrospective"
The host of NPR's Talk of the Nation, Ray Suarez. He's the author of the new book, "The Old Neighborhood: What We Lost in the Great Suburban Migration, 1966-1999" (The Free Press)
Immunologist at the Ontario Cancer Institute in Toronto, Josef Penninger. He recently led a study on the link between bacterial infection and heart disease. The study focused on the chlamydia bacteria which 95% of people are exposed to during their lives. The study suggests that heart disease can be prevented by treatment of antibiotics. The study was reported in the journal Science in February.
Dr. Kilmer McCully takes another look at the cholesterol theory of heart disease in his new book, "The Heart Revolution: The B Vitamin Breakthrough that Lowers Homocysteine, Cuts Your Risk of Heart Disease, and Protects Your Health" (HarperCollins). McCully writes that the real culprit in heart disease is the amino acid homocysteine which is found in the blood. Too much of it can lead to damaged arteries, leaving them susceptible to cholesterol and fat deposits. McCully writes that vitamin B deficiency leads to too much homocysteine.
Dr. Dean Ornish discusses the link between emotional health and prevention and treatment of heart disease. His new book is "Love & Survival: 8 Pathways to Intimacy and Health." (HarperPerennial). Ornish is Clinical Professor of Medicine at the School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco and founder of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine.
Writer Andre Dubus III. He is the son of the celebrated writer Andre Dubus, who died earlier this year. He's the author of the new novel, "House of Sand And Fog" (W.W. Norton). Dubus is the author of two previous books, and he teaches writing at Tufts University and Emerson College.
Nobel-prize winning biologist, Dr. David Baltimore talks about where we are in the search for an HIV vaccine. He also talks about recent studies and what they've told us about the disease. Baltimore heads the National Institutes of health advisory committee for AIDS Vaccine.
To complete our celebration of the centennial of Duke Ellington's birth (April 29th, 1899) a talk with music critic Gary Giddins. He won the National Book Critics Circle award for criticism for his new book "Visions of Jazz: The First Century." (Oxford Press). Giddins has written for The Village Voice for 25 years.
