Dean Hamer is Chief of Gene Structure and Regulation at the National Cancer Institute's Laboratory of Biochemistry. He's the co-author of "Living with Our Genes: Why They Matter More Than You Think" (Doubleday). The book is about Hamer's research looking at how specific genes are linked to our behavior, traits like anxiety, thrill-seeking, and homosexuality. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)
Neil Jacobson is Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Washington, and a pioneer in the scientific study of marital therapy. He is co-author (w/John Gottman, author of "Why Marriages Succeed or Fail") of "When Men Batter Women: New Insights into Ending Abusive Relationships" (Simon & Schuster). The book is based on their decade of research with 200 couples in which they observed the arguments of severely violent couples. Their research shatters a couple of myths: that women batter too, and that women often provoke men into battering them.
Novelist Denise Giardina has written a historical fiction on the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer -- a German pastor and theologian who, along with a group of German government and military officials plotted to assassinate Adolf Hitler and topple his regime. Giardina's new book is "Saints and Villains" (Norton). Giardina is a former Episcopal deacon, who renounced her ordination vows for active lay ministry. She's also the author of the books "Storming Heaven" and "The Unquiet Earth." (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)
Simon Beaufoy wrote the screenplay for the film "The Full Monty" which has been nominated for an Oscar for Best Screenplay and Best Picture. It was his first feature film credit. Previous to this, Beaufoy produced several short dramas, a documentary, and written a play. He's currently writing the new feature film "The Darkest Light" for his own company Footprint Films. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)
Former head of the FBI's Serial Crime Unit, John Douglas. His new book is "Obsession: The FBI's Legendary Profiler Probes the Psyches of Killers, Rapists and Stalkers and Their Victims and Tells How to Fight Back" (Simon & Schuster). For 20 years Douglas investigated serial murders for the FBI, and developed techniques to get criminals to talk, and to lure them into capture. He also pioneered criminal profiling. Many of his techniques have been adopted by police departments and prosecutors nationwide.
We remember comedian Henny Youngman with a 1991 interview. He died yesterday from complications from the flu. He was 91 years old. (Rebroadcast of 10/17/91)
Shock-rock star Marilyn Manson has developed a following as a cross-dressing, anti-Christ. He's been likened to Alice Cooper for his ghoulish theatricality. He's also been the subject of Senate subcommittee hearings, and his concerts have been banned. His 1996 album "Antichrist Superstar" was a hit. He's written his autobiography "The Long Hard Road out of Hell" (Regan Books) about his childhood as Brian Wagner in a dysfunctional home in Canton, Ohio.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews conductor Pierre Boulez's recording of Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique by the Cleveland Orchestra (Deutsche Grammophon). It received a Grammy nomination for Best Classical Recording of the Year.
Novelist Russell Banks. His books which often depict working class life include "The Sweet Hereafter" and "Affliction" both of which have been made into films. His newest book is "Cloudsplitter" (HarperCollins) based on the life of John Brown who tried and failed to ignite a slave rebellion in 1859 in Harpers Ferry, Va.
John Berendt is the author of the book "Midnight in the Garden of Good And Evil" (Random House). Last Sunday it broke the long standing record for a hardcover work of fiction or nonfiction being on the New York Times bestseller list. It's been on the list for 187 weeks.
Former Ice Dancing Gold Medal Winner Christopher Dean. In the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo he and his dance partner, Jayne Torvill received nine perfect marks, and a gold medal for their flawless performance. Now Dean works as a choreographer. He'll talk with Barbara Bogaev about the art of ice dancing, and about this year's Olympics.
The sport of snowboarding was admitted into the Olympics for the first time this year. Jake Burton is one of founders of the sport. He began making snowboards 20 years ago in his Vermont garage, experimenting with design and materials until he got the kind of board he envisioned. His company is Burton Snowboards (in Burlington, Vermont).
Artist, writer, folklorist, photographer Roger Manley was the guest curator of two exhibits at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore: "The Tree of Life" (w/a companion catalogue) and "The End is Near!" The museum opened in 1995. Using the Native American tradition of a personal vision quest as it's model for the kind of work it wants to present, the museum is dedicated to showing and promoting the work of self-taught, intuitive artists. (The phone number for AVAM is 410-244-1900). Manley will discuss visionary art.
Wes Craven, one of the foremost directors of horror films. His credits include "Last House on the Left," "The Hills Have Eyes," and "Nightmare on Elm Street." His latest film is "Scream 2" the sequel to his 1996 film "Scream." Both are horror films that poke fun at the genre.
