Books & Literature

Two poets, married to one another, coming to grips with illness and mortality: Donald Hall and Jane Kenyon. Hall's new memoir of life on his New Hampshire farm and his "absorbedness" with writing are the subject of his new book "Life Work" (Beacon Press). Halfway through its completion, Hall was diagnosed with liver cancer; the following surgery and recovery provided rich material for his work and Kenyon's: a new book of poems entitled "Constance" (Graywolf Press).

Book critic John Leonard reviews "Henry James' Midnight Song" by Carol De Chellis Hill.

Science Fiction writer William Gibson. He's part of a small group of writers whose work is known as "cyberpunk" which combines the science of communication and control theory -- cybernetics -- with punk, an anti-social rebel or hoodlum. Gibson's first novel, "Neuromancer, was the first novel to win Science Fiction's triple crown: the Hugo, Nebula, and Philip K. Dick awards.

Writer Cynthia Heimel is a columnist for The Village Voice, and a witty observer of what goes on between men and women in this society. Her books include, "Sex Tips for Girls," "Enough About You," and "If You Can't Live Without Me, Why Aren't You Dead Yet?" Her latest book is "Get Your Tongue out of my Mouth, I'm Kissing You Goodbye!" (Atlantic Monthly Press). The book begins with an intro by her son, Brodie, who Heimel has written about in her columns. Terry will talk with Cynthia and Brodie Heimel.

Maureen Corrigan reviews Donald Hall's new book, Life Work and the Mechanical Brides exhibit at the Cooper Hewitt Museum in New York which runs through January 2nd.

Educator Deborah Meier. She's a nationally known authority on education, and the recipient of a MacArthur Foundation "genius" award. She developed and directed three alternative elementary schools in East Harlem and later a Secondary School. The schools accept students on a first-come, first-serve basis. Classes are small and personalized, and the emphasis is on academic learning and inquiry. MEIER wanted to create an atmosphere where students learn democratic values, where teachers can hold kids accountable, and parents can become involved.

Writer and director Susan Sontag. Sontag is just back from Sarajevo, where she has been directing a performance of Beckett's "Waiting For Godot" in the Serbo-Croatian language. She is one of few arts figures to visit the conflict in the former Yugoslavia, a battle she calls "the Spanish Civil War of our time". Her latest novel is the "Volcano Lover," recently published in paperback by Anchor Books. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Writer Anne Lamott on being a good mother AND a phone addict.

Medical ethicist Daniel Callahan. His new book is "The Troubled Dream of Life: Living with Mortality." (Simon & Schuster). In it he looks at how our society views death: If death is a "part of life," why do we have such trouble accepting it? And how do our attitudes about death affect medical and social policy?

Writer A.E. Hotchner. His memoir, about growing up in a flophouse during the depression, "King of the Hill," is being made into a movie, directed by Stephen Soderbergh (who directed "Sex, Lives, and Videotape). Hotchner is best known for his controversial 1966 biography of his personal friend Ernest Hemingway, "Papa Hemingway: A Personal Memoir." Presented in the unusual form of dialogue, Hotchner faced criticism from the literary community and an attempt by Hemingway's widow to ban the sale of the book. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Book critic John Leonard reviews "The Girl Who Trod on a Loaf," by Kathryn Davis.

Miami Herald columnist and novelist Carl Hiaasen. "Strip Tease," Hiaasen's fifth novel and latest gonzo thriller, is a yarn, pitting a seamy Florida politician against the star stripper at Miami's Eager Beaver club. Mr.

Sportswriter and winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Jim Murray He's just written his autobiography (Macmillan) about his five decades in journalism: as a young reporter for Time magazine following the 1952 presidential campaign and the rise of Richard Nixon's political career; working as one of the original writers for Sports Illustrated; and beginning in 1961, as sports columnist for the Los Angeles Times. His syndicated column once reached 200 newspapers a day and he has won the Sportswriter of the Year award a record 14 times. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

New York Times European diplomatic correspondent, Craig Whitney. Whitney is the author of a new book about espionage and spy swaps during the cold war in the two Germanys: "Spy Trader" (Times Books). Now living in Bonn, Whitney reports on the issues surrounding European unity: the rise of ethnic conflicts, and the crisis in Bosnia. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Children's book illustrator Ted Lewin. Lewin paid his way through art school in the 50's as a professional wrestler. His new memoir, "I Was a Teenage Professional Wrestler," (Orchard Books) includes Lewin's paintings of wrestlers. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Andre Dubus III He's the son of writer Andre Dubus, and he's recently come out with his first novel, a coming of age story called "Bluesman." Dubus continues to work construction and write on the side. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Kumin's latest collection of essays and stories on living on a New Hampshire farm is called "Women, Animals and Vegetables." She received the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1973, and is Poet Laureate of New Hampshire. She has published ten volumes of poetry, as well as collections of stories and essays.

Hog farmer and writer Mary Elizabeth Fricke (Frick-EE). Her new book is, "Dino, Godzilla and the Pigs: My Life On Our Missouri Hog Farm." (Soho Press). The Fricke's farm was flooded, just as this book was coming out. Marty will talk with Fricke about how they and the farm are doing. Fricke's book describes the intricacies of farm work, like cutting the teeth and tails of piglets, and driving a monster tractor with sixteen gears. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Commentator Maureen Corrigan reviews, "The Bridges of Madison County," by Robert Kincaid (Rant) and acknowledges the 100th anniversary of Dorothy Parker's birth.

Ellroy sets his novels in 1950's LA, where he grew up. His series of novels, "LA Quartet," was a bestseller. His latest novel is called "Hollywood Nocturnes." When Ellroy was ten, his mother was murdered near their LA home. He wrote an article about returning to LA to go through the police files on his mother for this month's issue of GQ, where he is a contributing editor. He'll talk today about how his mother's murder led to his crime writing.